3 Arch Bay and Pumpkin Rock

After a pretty intense week, we were ready for some fun!

We loaded up the kids and drove towards the beach. We stopped at Roger's Gardens to admire the Harry Potter themed Halloween decor and then headed down to 3 Arch! My Happy Place! Thank goodness for Paige and for her willingness to always indulge my beach cravings. She's the best. So grateful for her. And the beach! AND my cute beach loving family! My kids can't get enough of the ocean and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Rayleigh is just so dang sweet with Ella. She loves on her constantly and Ella is the best at rewarding us with her beautiful and abundant smiles.

The train is always a huge hit!

The kids loved running around the gardens and exploring the flowers and fountains. I felt a little jealous of the cute older ladies who were able to stroll around without sweating, chasing after toddlers and shushing the constant whining. But I bet they looked at me and felt a tinge of jealousy at the time they once enjoyed that passed by all too quickly. Living in the moment is hard. Being present is something I've been working on lately.

I wanted to take a picture of Rayleigh wearing her hot pink sunglasses that she insisted on bringing (along with her cute princess purse) But she was no interested. She did, however, love these bright pink flowers.

I mean.... does life get any better?

It was an immaculately beautiful day. The weather was absolutely perfect and the were literally 19 other people dotted along the entire beach. What luck! What fortune! What a blessing! Just what we needed! It's so nice to let the kids run free and wild as can be without risking upsetting those around us. NATURE!

Of course my kids don't care that the water was a little chilly. I just love them so much my heart could burst. I'm so thankful for this wonderful life that we are privileged to live.

Who needs a fancy, expensive vacation when you can do this for freeeee?

The water was so clear!

Tanner needs a few more days like this.

Guys, this isn't for my vain priorities. It's to document this sweet, baby wearing phase that passes all too quickly. Ok, it was a plus that the wind blew my hair at this exact moment.

Always my fearless explorer

It was funny to realize how much more causious Tanner was with them near the water. I grew up here so it doesn't worry me as much. I love knowing that came to this same beach and climbed the same rocks and swam in the same ocean when I was their age.

Tide pool admiring

The mysterious and illustrious 3rd arch!

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy!

We came home from the beach and had a nice dinner at home and swam together. The Harry Potter marathon continues!

Sunday selfie time!

They didn't turn out too good and Jack is never really a fan of posing. But I love that we do this each week.

Fun with filters. We lasted all of 10 minutes in church. But that's ok....

After chicken and rice, we started a new family Halloween tradition of hiking to Pumpkin Rock! The kids LOVED doing this! It was not super easy for them and a bit of a challenge but it was so fun!

I love the hand holding in this picture. Jack did great and so did Rayleigh. We had to come home and watch What About Bob becuase I kept telling her to take baby steps on the way down where it was steep and she repeated over and over, "Take baby steps, take baby steps." It was hilarious! The sunset on the way down was so gorgeous! We came home and carved/painted our pumpkins!

Of course I hike in flip flops with a baby strapped to me. I should have thought this through. We also realized that Rayleigh and Jack have exactly zero shoes that actually fit properly. Time for new shoes!

Parker did so well with carving his own pumpkin!

Rayleigh took this one of me... I kind love the moments in time that she captures from her perspective.

We love Halloween!

We are in a absolutely wonderful phase of life that is flying right by. It's hard and stressful and tiring and crazy and I think every day how happy I will be when everyone is older. But I don't want to let a moment pass by without cherishing what I have right now in front of me.