The Fourth at Surfside Beach

Dan's parents came out to stay with us for the Fourth of July. I really wanted to spend America's birthday at the beach, and I'm glad everyone else went along for the ride! The day before the holiday, Neli and Dwayne cooked up some yummy pastes (empanadas for you Argentines out there) and potato salad. Then I packed up lunches for the kids and we decided to try out Surfside Beach rather than any of the other spots along the Gulf Coast. I'm so glad we did! The beach had some great waves -- my pictures don't capture it -- and it was a blast. While it was HOT back in Richmond and Houston, we had a nice breeze at the ocean's edge, and with the umbrellas and water to cool us off, it turned out to be a great day.

Sophia started playing in the sand by our car before we even got to the beach. It seems Surfside is a popular daycation spot; cars lined the beach for miles. There were Texas canopy tents set up and people flying kites, throwing horse shoes, and even barbecuing by their trucks. I thought while we played in the sand and surf, "I love this country!"

Nathan played a game of "digging the holes." When he spotted holes in the sand, he'd start to dig down and then move on to the next one. I told Nathan crabs might be below, so I think he wanted to find one. We didn't see any crabs, but Dan swam far out and saw a fish, and I saw a small fish as I headed out to the waves too. There were many seashells underfoot.

Sophie did not like having sandy hands when she wanted to eat crackers. While Miss Sophie busied herself with knocking down sandcastles, she picked up a cracker she had set down on the sand earlier and ate it up (see video below). A little sand never hurt anybody, right?

At first Sophia stuck to digging and playing in the sand. She warmed up to the water after we'd been there for a while -- after Dan and I had floated out in the deep water and returned -- and it was time to head out. Nathan's exuberance and invitation to play must have helped her overcome her initial hesitation. They had so much fun -- watch the video below. We had to finally drag her to the car! I'm glad we spent the Fourth with Grandma and Grandpa Rogers. We enjoy their company, and the kids think every day with Grandma and Grandpa is a holiday. We got some fireworks and had fun firing them off in the night sky. I love this land. God bless the USA!

Quotes of the week

"I want to marry my sister so I can live with you and Daddy forever." -- Nathan, who may change his tune when he's a teenager (which is why I have to record that he once wanted to stay with us forever -- and he'll want to marry someone else by then too).

"I'm coming to get you!" -- Sophia, who was coming toward me in our neighborhood swimming pool. Her whole face lit up as she said this. She is so ... ALIVE.

Grateful moment


I am grateful for magical storytelling. Dan and I saw Wicked for my birthday present (a little early) on June 27 in San Antonio in the Majestic Theatre. It was spectacular. The musical mesmerized me for those few hours. There weren't necessarily standout songs, nothing that would stick in your head or move you to tears, as in Phantom of the Opera or Les Miserables. What made it wonderful was the story of the relationship between the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch. The brilliant dialogue and development of the characters made this a joy to watch. I'm also impressed that Dan figured out the rest of the plot by the intermission. Bravo!