July 19, 2017 Day 15 Delray Beach, FL

The alarm went off at 6, but we didn’t actually get out until 8:10.  The kids were actually snuggling when we woke up.  They quickly separated before we had a chance to get a picture and evidence of them being cute.

Scott and I bike ride – 20 miles – 1.5 hours – South on A1A

A quick water refill and time to admire the morning view at Red Reef Park

In between our return from our bike trip and getting ready to go to the beach a thunderstorm rolled through.  It was stormy on one side of the house and sunny on the other.

The kids would play tic-tac-toe on Scott’s back while Cody put suntan lotion on Scott’s back.  Scott isn’t much for paying for unnecessary luxuries, so he would drop us off at the beach and then drive the car back over the inter coastal bridge to a store parking lot and then bike ten minutes back to the beach.  He would then do the reverse when it was time for us to go back home each night.

The Beach!  11:30 – 6

Today Scott brought Cody down to play with a little guy who happened to have a big sis.  Then another dad, who was a life coach and originally from Brazil, brought his little girl, Kate down to play.  She had this way of surfing on her boogie board.  All the kids tried, but only Miss Kate could rock the waves standing.  She was so full of a hunger for life. She spoke so confidently and smoothly for a seven-year-old.  She told me about being out super far in the ocean with her dad earlier. I responded, “Yeah, dad’s are always fun and seeking adventure.”  She responded as if we had been having the same conversation for years, “Yeah! Not like moms!”  Looking at my face, “I mean not like you, you are obviously fun.  You’re out here with us.”  When it was time for her to go back with her dad none of us wanted her to go, including her.

Kate’s mom and dad were training to play in a beach tennis tournament later in the year.  The dad had created paddles out of old shelves.  He brought his paddles over for Scott to see, so Scott could possibly make his own set for us to play on the beach.  The next picture is of an incredible find and loss.  After hours and days of combing the beach for shells Cody found a shark tooth.  He was so excited about it he asked us to call his cousin back at home.  We called home and had a fun conversation with Meme, Aunty Tiff, Taylor, and Alex who were at Santa’s Village.  And then Cody gave me the shark tooth so he wouldn’t lose it.  Sadly, the shark tooth didn’t make it home.  We combed the beach over and over the next day hoping it would be right where it was probably dropped, but no such luck.  Hopefully, it will make another kid’s day when it gets found again.

Brooke found a mostly intact crab on the beach.  Scott watched videos on some topics he was addressing at work.  Cody kept working tirelessly collecting shells.

Scott suggested to Brooke that she collect shells to create an art project out of shells when we get back home.  She went for it.  The kids collected hundreds of shells.

If you look closely you can see sled like marks the kids made from dragging their bums across the beach in search of any and every shell.

We headed back home for a dinner of reheated lasagna which was almost better the second night than it was the first.  Cody counted each and every “unicorn horn” shell he had collected.  At first he tried straight out counting and by the third time when he lost count he was willing to try Brooke’s idea to put the shells in groups of ten before he started counting.  Brooke started a new book tonight.  Once she starts a book it is hard to get her to put it down. We snuggled and had a relaxed evening.