our kauai life: walk to the beach

I drafted this post before Baby Maximus got hurt. Read to the bottom to see why we are kind of a lot a bit sad, today.

We have to consciously make an effort to get out and do stuff.  If we don't, days and even weeks can pass, tans fade, and I start forgetting why we moved our whole family out here. On this day, after a long day of boring have-to's, we took a walk and ended up at one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever been to.  

Some cell phone photos to document the journey...

Maximus had it the easiest.  He kind of always does.

 The views were stunning at the end of the walk.  To the left...

 to the right...

 Time to relax.  Or try to relax while giant Baby Maximus uses me as a jungle gym.  But this may be my favorite view.

Or this one.  He does this thing where he cuddles for about 12 seconds and then he keeps using me as a jungle gym.  All while holding a fistful of rice crackers.  

This was a pretty good view, too.  Samuel brought a rope on the walk and in that couple of hours, that rope was 50 different things.  In this photo it is, uh, one of those things that attaches a pile of drift wood to a kid's ankle.   

Samuel climbing in the hiking backpack.  And he fit.  Karl picked him up and Maximus thought it was ridiculous.  

Karl is using his multitasking skills.  Here is walking, carrying a baby, leading Samuel (the rope is now a lead, he did this himself, by the way), and is on FB.  

Looking at these phone photo, looks like the boys in my family are all kinds of funny.  Taking a break from boring to-do's, beautiful walk, funny boys...

*Today as the doctor was explaining the timeline of Max's recovery, he mentioned no ocean for a year. No salt water, no sand, no sun. What?  Beach Baby Maximus with the sun bleach surfer hair and tan lines on his baby fat rolls?  The baby that has known the ocean for most of his life?  He used to take naps on the beach. He can see the ocean from his bedroom. Playgroup is at the beach. Here is the thing that is killing me... Seems like a TV is the modern day hearth of the home. It's where families gather. When we moved to Kauai we consciously did not get a TV and bought boogie boards, surf boards, an umbrella (that's where I spend most of my time :)), and sand toys instead. That's the time that we are together. At home, we all have a million things to get done. At the beach, we just be. I am mourning several things, and today, I am mourning the beach memories we won't have.