P365 - 2015 - Day 211 - what summer should be

P365 - 2015 - Day 211 - what summer should be

We met some extra friends up at the beach today... the more the merrier.  I love being able to say "Meet you at the beach" to friends!  That is what summer should be.

P365 - 2015 - Day 210 - Good Morning Sunshine!!!

P365 - 2015 - Day 210 - Good Morning Sunshine!!!

Good Morning Sunshine!!!  I have been going to a 7 am bootcamp class on the beach a couple of days a week in between my training for the 18 mile run.  It is such an awesome feeling to be up with the sun over the ocean working out and feeling alive!!!

P365 - 2015 - Day 209 - snapshot of summer

P365 -  2015 - Day 209 -snapshot of summer

There has been a lot of running around lately with soccer training and My Wonderful Husband's coaching license class, but luckily there has still been time for this...... The ocean. The beach.  Friends.  Fun. Sun.  This is a snapshot of summer.  I am trying not to think about how fast the time has been going and instead focus on how much time is left.

P365 - 2015 - Day 208 - I love living on this island

P365 - 2015 - Day 208 - I love living on this island

I woke up to the sound of thunder and rain this morning and sadly didn't get to go to my beach bootcamp class.  Instead I had a slow morning waiting for the day to clear.... I put in a Shoprite order, got dinner together, and paid bills.  Once the sun finally came out no one wanted to go up to the beach.  Two days of heat and sun at The Princess' tournament was enough to make everyone want to stay in all day.  My Wonderful Husband had another night of coaching license class, so I fed everyone early before he left and then went for a mani and pedi.  When I got back, The Princess was off to a sleep over with a friend, The Boy was still (already) in pjs and watching tv, and The Bear decided he was going up to the beach to skim for a while.  So I grabbed my chair and went up to watch him.  Being at the beach during the day is awesome and I love it but I forget sometimes how much I love the beach at night.  After The Bear was done skimmin, I sat and watched the moon rise and remembered once again how much I love living on this island.

P365 - 2015 - Day 207 - MAPS Caps Classic

P365 - 2015 - Day 207 - MAPS Caps Classic

It was day 2 of the MAPS Caps Classic and The Princess and her team finished in second place with three wins and one loss.  Great job TRFC Lady Gunners!!!

P365 - 2015 - Day 206 - third birthday

P365 - 2015 - Day 206 - third birthday

Happy third Birthday to The Pooch!  Love this silly dog!

P365 - 2015 - Day 205 - water park

P365 - 2015 - Day 205 - water park

It was a fun day at the water park with friends.

P365 - 2015 - Day 204 - soccer practice shuffle

P365 - 2015 - Day 204 - soccer practice shuffle

After some time on the beach (the boys at their friends' beach and The Princess here with her friend), it was time to get everyone to practice.  My Wonderful Husband had a soccer meeting north of here, so he took The Princess to her practice.  I followed behind and dropped The Bear and The Boy at The Bear's practice and heading up to Toms River to get The Princess.  The parkway was not cooperating and I thought I was going to be late getting to her....but the mess finally cleared up and I got their just in time to get her and rush back down in time for a parents' meeting for The Bear's team.  Pfwew.  So much for summer relaxation... instead it's the soccer practice shuffle.

P365 - 2015 - Day 203 - photo shoot...

P365 - 2015 - Day 203 - photo shoot...

Apparently, the torch has been passed.  I did not take one of these photos.  The Bear and The Princess had a photo shoot on the beach and sent me these shots.  I allowed them to get Instagram and now I am either being beat to the post - The Princess sends herself photos from my phone and posts them or takes her own photos and posts them and sends them to me.  Wow... that torch was passed so fast I think the flame went out.. I see a change coming in P365 of the future.  So, for a recap of this day... (because my newly hired papparazzi tend to only take flattering posts that will garner "likes")... after a trip to the orthodontist I went up to the beach with this dynamic duo while The Boy stayed home with My Wonderful Husband and went for a bike ride.

P365 - 2015 - Day 202 - 18 miles, here I come!

P365 - 2015 - Day 202 - 18 miles, here I come!

The day after my birthday began the training for the LBI 18 mile run.  Nothing crazy.. just five with my friend but the first official day of this training schedule.  I am very excited for this challenge again this year.... I intend to do this every year that I am capable....  18 miles, here I come!

P365 - 2015 - Day 201 - 42 is looking pretty good

P365 - 2015 - Day 201 - 42 is looking pretty good

I celebrated my 42nd birthday with all of my favs.  I started my day with a 7 am beach boot camp followed by a day on the beach with My Wonderful Husband and kids as well as friends and ended it celebrating with some drinks with the "beach moms" at The Shell while the kids swam in the pool.  I could not have asked for a better day.  42 is looking pretty good and I am thankful for all of the people in my life that helped me celebrate and sent me love.

P365 - 2015 - Day 200 - last day of being 41

P365 - 2015 - Day 200 - last day of being 41

In the spirit of channeling that sassy and confident 8 year.... here I am on my last day of being 41.  Tomorrow I turn 42 years old.  I enjoyed a day on the beach with friends, the kids, and even for the last hour My Wonderful Husband made it there after lessons.  After a beautiful beach day, My Wonderful Husband and I celebrated my birthday a night early with dinner at Daddy O's.  All in all I think I finished this year pretty well.  Bring on the next year...I am ready.

P365 - 2015 - Day 199 - The year was 1981...

P365 - 2015 - Day 199 - The year was 1981...

The year was 1981 and I was turning 8 years old.  I remember taking this photo like it was yesterday.  I loved that sassy one shoulder bathing suit.... and don't even get me started on my cut off jeans.  I am pretty sure I thought I was something else that day.  Eight was great and all that.  In a couple of days I will be turning 42!!  Can that really be right?  I am trying hard to channel that eight year old with all of her sass and confidence....

P365 - 2015 - Day 198 - Summer 2015

P365 - 2015 - Day 198 - Summer 2015

Finally a photo of my crew - Summer 2015.  Two of them come and go from the beach on their own, the third is itching for that privilege.  They have friends at the beach and friends from school that they meet up with at the beach.  They are 12 and 10 and before i know it, they will be juggling work schedules along with their soccer schedules.  Gone are the days of building sand castles and digging big holes, but they still play in the water and play soccer or football on the sand and hang with friends.  I get to spend time with my friends - the other moms - and once in awhile I can get them together to pose for photo.

P365 - 2015 - Day 197 - Stay gold Ponyboy. Stay gold...

P365 - 2015 - Day 197 - Stay gold Ponyboy.  Stay gold...

The Princess had soccer training in Toms River, so I had to drag myself off of the beach to get everyone home and get her and myself ready to go.  It was actually pretty cool out all day and by the evening at practice it was cool enough that I just rolled down my car windows, put my seat back and enjoyed a good book.  One can never read The Outsiders too many times, so when The Bear and The Princess picked this up for summer reading, I was all over it.... I got to my favorite part when he recites the poem to Johnny as they watch the sun rise.

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue ti hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day,
Nothing gold can stay.
-Robert Frost

Stay gold Ponyboy.  Stay gold....

P365 - 2015 - Day 196 - rain

P365 - 2015 - Day 196 - rain

Day two of the rain storms brought terrential downpours, lightening, thunder, and flooding.  After taking The Boy to a doctor's appointment just before the storm started and driving back in the thick of it, I was content to stay home, catch up laundry and reading and bake some muffins.  But the kids were not quite so content to stay in, so they all went with friends to the movies.  The Boys went to see The Minnions and the girls went to see Max.

P365 - 2015 - Day 195 - bowling

P365 - 2015 - Day 195 - bowling

So it was day 1 of an expected two days of rain storms.  So we headed to the mainland for some bowling with friends.

P365 - 2015 - Day 194 - fashion

P365 - 2015 - Day 194 - fashion

So The Princess kept telling me she wanted a "triangle bikini".  I assumed she meant a bikini with a triangle top.  But I was wrong and clearly out of the fashion loop... these bikinis that are outlined with black are triangle bikinis.  Um ok.. that makes perfect sense.  Either way, I agree that they cute suits and of course she and her friend needed a photo together wearing them.

P365 - 2015 - Day 193 - chatting

P365 - 2015 - Day 193 - chatting

After a long day at the beach with the kids, I actually took a nap after dinner!  I woke up to the sun set and a pretty quiet house - since everyone seemed just as exhausted.  Once the kids went to bed, I got to spend some time chatting with my bestie- My Wonderful Husband.....does Summer really ever have to end?

P365 - 2015 - Day 192 - Saturday

P365 - 2015 - Day 192 - Saturday

It was an unusual Saturday that My Wonderful Husband had the whole day off, so we made a last minute change of plans and had our friends Stacey and Dale over for the beach.  The Princess also caught up with her friend on the beach too.  Dale played football with the kids, Stacey and I hunted sand dollars, and even The Pooch got in on the fun in a selfie with Stacey before we all headed out for dinner.

P365 - 2015 - Day 191 - The thing about Summer

P365 - 2015 - Day 191 - The thing about Summer

The thing about Summer is that we wait all year long for it... and it goes by so quickly - even the slow, lazy days pass by in the blink of an eye.  The Boy slept over a friend's house and then he and his friend and his friend's brother came down to our beach for the day.  The boys all had fun spending the lazy day on the sand and in the water.

P365 - 2015 - Day 190 - one of those mornings...

P365 - 2015 - Day 190 - one of those mornings...

The whole house got up with the sun today.  I walked up to the beach for a bootcamp class and the kids walked up with their dad for an early morning surf session.  It was a beautiful, hot, sunny morning.  It was one of those mornings on the beach that you just pinch yourself to make sure you are really there... one of those mornings that you feel so very lucky to be alive and in the moment.  One of those mornings that you remember why you love being near the ocean.  One of those mornings that you remember how big the world is, how small we are, and how limitless life's possibilities are.... One of those morning that I am really happy to have gotten up with the sun.

P365 - 2015 - Day 189 - yearly visit

P365 - 2015 - Day 189 - yearly visit

It is hard to believe that another year has passed by....we had our yearly visit with our friends.  The time is never really enough to catch up on everything from an entire year....  I wanted to hear more about their daughter's first year in college, their son will probably be looking at colleges soon too and I forgot to even ask!  I planned to fill them in more on the kids' year and just chat about everything... but a few hours is just not enough to fit it all in.  But a few hours is better than nothing and like every year I hope that it's not another whole year until we see them again.  The kids have soccer games in their neck of the woods sometimes, so maybe a non beach visit is in the future? But quick visit or not, I am glad we got to see them!  

P365 - 2015 - Day 188 - what summer days look like

P365 - 2015 - Day 188 - what summer days look like

It was a short beach day today... The Princess had a game and The Boy had practice so we didn't stay too long but The Boy needed to try out his new boogie board and The Princess needed to show her friend her new bikini... you know all of the important things in life. ;-)  These are what summer days look like... and why I never want them to end.

P365 - 2015 - Day 187 - mini golfing

P365 - 2015 - Day 187 - mini golfing

I took this crew mini golfing.  They had a great time.  It was a fierce competition with lots of laughs.

P365 - 2015 - Day 186 - us

P365 - 2015 - Day 186 - us

Without any lessons to do today, My Wonderful Husband came up to the beach with us.  Even though he mostly sat and listened to me and the rest of "the girls" chat, it was nice to have him there with me.  And I made sure The Princess got a photo of us while he was there.

P365 - 2015 - Day 185 - Happy 4th of July!!

P365 - 2015 - Day 185 - Happy 4th of July!!

Another year.... Happy 4th of July!!

P365 - 2015 - Day 184 - beach treasures

P365 - 2015 - Day 184 - beach treasures

I love beach treasures.  Driftwood, shells, sea glass....even though I never ever find sea glass!!!  But when The Princess brought me these treasures that she found I was so super excited!  Sand Dollars!  So cool:-)

P365 - 2015 - Day 183 - good book

P365 - - 2015 - Day 183 - good book

I like so many things about Summer.  I like the carefree days of walking to the beach and seeing friends.  I like the sunshine and warm air.  I like to be tan (I know I know... but honestly I do).  I like having the kids and My Wonderful Husband home (even if he is mostly always at surf lessons - he isn't in another state 3 days a week).  I like running and going to yoga and pretty much everything about this season.  I also really love to read and I find that I read a lot more in the summer.  There is nothing better to me after a day at the beach than a shower and snuggling up with a good book.  This is my current good book...

P365 - 2015 - Day 182 - happy July...

P365 - 2015 - Day 182 - happy July...

And just like that... it's July already.  My favorite month of the year....I wish it could just stay summer all the time.  Lazy days on the beach with the kids and friends and nights by the fire with this guy.  Here's a long, happy July....