We're back!

We are back from our vacation at the beach! It was a great week and I have uploaded a lot of the pictures to my flickr account and they are all tagged as "beach". If you want to take a look, just click on my flickr ad on the right!

Since we are back, I wanted to share what we learned this week:

1. Try to travel when your kids normally nap. Sounds like a good idea, except if it makes you hit 5pm traffic in Atlanta.

2. Bring a portable DVD player. It is a wonderful invention. Use it and then turn it off. Ours broke on the way home and we had to do the whole six hour drive without it. I almost cried, but then it turned out to be great family time--but believe me when I say, it was work to make it home.

3. The beach is WAY more fun when it is 80 degrees out. But a 20-month old will still love the beach no matter the temperature outside. He will even get naked when it is 55 degrees outside.

4. Always take grandparents with you for at least part of your "family vacation". They will give you a much needed break when you are out of 1) energy and 2) ideas. It is even better to bring both sets of grandparents with you!

5. Bubbles are the best toy ever.

6. All Asher ever needs to have fun is bubbles, ball and rocks to throw.

7. Lucy cutting teeth at the beach is not fun.

8. Paying someone to clean the house once you leave is a wise investment, as is using the wash and fold option at the laundromat so you come home with all clean laundry.

9. It is amazing how many times you have to go the grocery store during seven days at the beach.

10. All you need to redeem a rainy, freezing week at the beach is several hours of 80 degree, sunny weather. It wipes away the crappy days in a matter of minutes.

I will let you fill in the gaps and figure out how our week went! We are so glad to be home and it is even better to return home and still have a whole weekend to enjoy here!