We got a late start, the drive took longer than we had planned, we got pulled over for speeding, and about an hour away from the condo we realized we had missed most of our time for the first day of our short trip. But, spirits were still high as we made the endless trek to the beach. After what seemed an eternity, complete with “auto fever” and a very fretful baby, hubby announced: “Start looking for ‘Shoreline Towers’ “…and we strained to read all the signs that were whizzing by. Yes, I knew even if we spotted it, we would never be able to stop, but I kept silent 🙂 Finally, I said “there it is”, and yep, we zoomed past, hubby slammed on the brakes, and whipped into the vacant parking lot across the road from our long-awaited destination.
Wait a minute…we’re not moving…and sand is flying everywhere…and…why is the back of the Yukon suddenly a lot lower than the…WE”RE STUCK IN THE SAND!
It seems like a small thing now, but it was monumental then. After all the hours of driving, all the anticipation, the squeals, the anxiety over being late–this just couldn’t be happening!
Thankfully, a nice man with a large truck and straps came along and pulled us out with little trouble–after, of course, I had burst into tears.
So we made it to the condo, unpacked, and while Daddy went downstairs to handle registration, I attended to the most urgent need–the baby has a really bad diaper (we ate Mexican the night before…need I say more?) Well, of course I forgot to locate a clean diaper before taking the dirty one off, so while I’m digging through the luggage, she’s traipsing around the condo in the nude. Problem: she wasn’t done. And, to make a really gross story only slightly less gross, I was down on my hands and knees for the next 15 minutes scrubbing floors and yelling “don’t move! Yes, it’s poop on the bottom of your shoes. Take them off and go wash them in the bath tub! Somebody get me a towel…or wipes…or…a hosepipe!”
Things did smooth out a bit, but most of the remainder of my “vacation” was spent fishing a baby out of the big pool, because of her lack of depth perception.
But, praise God, now when I’m teaching my children about the ocean, I won’t get puzzled looks accompanied by “Mommy, what do you mean moving water with lots of sand?” 🙂
5 comments
Hey, welcome back home! Thanks for sharing that and the precious pictures! What a time you had the first day! I guess you can laugh at it all now? I have had days at home like that, and a few out. I’ve never experienced quicksand–is that what you were parked in?
I can remember going to the beach four years ago, when ours were all under 10 years old–we only stayed two out of the three days because it was so exhausting for us parents. The children still longingly talk about that trip, to our delight and relief! We went to the beach again this spring, and this time, we all thoroughly enjoyed every day. It does take a lot of planning and a lot of responsibility from all of the children.
I bet your children will be talking about that trip for a long time, too!
-Beata
I guess that was not quicksand, but dry sand.
-B
Too Funny! Oh you’ll be telling this story for years and years, perhaps decades! And the ‘memories’ will grow more precious as time goes on!
Missed you! Glad you are all back safely. We’ll be taking our six plus my mom on vacation next month to Northern Michigan! I’m sure we’ll have a story or two when we get back. But that’s what makes them memorable!
I’m glad your back safely. And there is never really a vacation for Mom. To me, vacation means the same stuff with NO routine. DANGER, DANGER ahead…lol.
But it isn’t about how hard we have it, it’s about making memories with the children. And seeing them enjoy something totally new is worth scrubbing poo off the carpet of a rented condo…well, almost…lol.