Fall beach trip recap!

We recently went to the beach for fall break with some friends and it was a BLAST. We had great weather despite dodging a hurricane. Only one day was a washout, which was fine for us since the trip is so long.

We ate tons of blue crabs and played on the beach everyday. Lots of reading and sunning, fishing and sandcastles. It was pretty perfect. I really liked our rental house, it had a great layout for having pets and little ones.

The "Surrender the Booty" flag doesn't come with the house... But the view was fantastic!

... and the sunsets were sublime.

 I hated to leave, but was excited to come home to the crisp fall weather. But now it's go time for Halloween and I like 'homemade' costumes. SO, I had better get to the sewing machine if Mally has any hope of being an Owl this year!

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Beach trip recap

We recently returned from a great trip to the beach in N.C. The weather couldn't have been better and we couldn't have asked for a better view from our rental house.

  The little bug did well on the trip over. We uploaded some Disney movies to an old iPad and made sure to have plenty of snacks on hand.    She ran a little fever the first day we were out there, but had no other symptoms and it was gone the next day. Any other mom's have a toddler that happens to? It's not the first trip it's happened on.   Like I said, we had great weather and only one day was a little chilly on the beach which was fine with me :)

  We caught some yummy crabs in the canal and someone caught their first fish on her Disney Princess fishing pole! It was a great (and blessedly uneventful) trip!  

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My Top 5 Beach Essentials

We are heading off to the beach soon (for the first time in over a year) and I couldn't be more excited for some fun in the sun! My daughter is at an age now where she is going to have so much fun playing in the sand.   While I'm making my lists, I thought I would share some of my beach essentials that I can't be without.  

  1. Shade. We bring a tailgate type tent, but a large beach umbrella works great as well. You have got to have some way to get in the shade, especially when you've got little ones around  

  2. Snacks. When we go to the beach, we stay there all day. All. Day. Some of the things we like to pack are nuts, pasta salad, apples, cheese and crackers, and popcorn. Along with snacks, we are sure to bring wipes and paper towels.  

  3. Reading material. There's nothing better than reading on the beach. I never go with out my kindle or a book. I have tried magazines, but they are hard to read when it's windy so I usually leave those behind.   

  4. Insulated tumbler. Preferably with a lid. Keeps whatever you're sipping on nice and cold and the lid keeps out the sand. Just be sure to keep your spray on sunscreen away from your tervis. I've read that it can cloud up the plastic.

5. Polarized sunglasses with a good pair of croakies. I love being able to pull off my sunglasses and have them hang around my neck in a pinch. Especially when you're wearing your swimsuit and coverup.    What do you bring when you go to the beach?

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Pirate's life for me

Back to reality this week after fun in the sun last week at the beach. Let me tell you how fun it is to get a little one back on any resemblance of a schedule after being on vacation. It's Friday and she is JUST NOW going down for a morning nap without doing an alligator death roll fight with me :)

The upside of coming back is that it is officially, officially fall. Like, no one will judge you for putting out pumpkins and mums fall. Fall is my FAVORITE time of year. I love decorating and burning autumn scented candles. I love making chili and soups and roasted squash. Or my easy and delicious Crock Pot Beef Stew!

I'm going to ignore the fact that it is going to be 88 degrees tomorrow still (ugh). Bring on the cold front!

Summer isn't over yet!

The leaves may be falling out of the trees and school is back in session but it's still hot as a pepper outside and I've still got one last beach trip coming up!

Road tripping with a little one can be tricky. It's all about timing and meeting their needs before they realize they need them. Here's a few things I'd like to pick up before we head out on the road to that salty shore!

• OXO Tot on the Go Drying Rack and Bottle Brush (LOVE this little compact rack and brush!)
• BabyGanics Foaming Body Wash and Shampoo (this 2 in 1 is a great size for travel and smells fantastic)
• Inflatable Baby Tub (genius! has an indicator if the water is too hot also)
• Arm & Hammer diaper baggies (these are a life saver for changing a diaper in a parking lot. they really work...if you know what I mean)
• Soft Book (perfect for in the car)

Beach Must Haves!

I am counting down the days until we go on our yearly beach trip! Here's a little peek at what will be in my beach bag this year!

1. Hat - Target
2. Swim suit top and bottoms - Victoria's Secret
3. Tote bag - GAP
4. Sunscreen - Honest Co.
5. Jack Rogers - Amazon
6. Beach towel - Target