Spontaneous Beach Trip

So... this is a story... 

Nathan's aunt parked her Nissan Armada at our house for a couple of days while she went out of town and told us we could use it if we wanted.  Since we have only had one car for a while... Nathan was excited so he wouldn't have to take his bike to work if I needed the van (and I actually did need the van I think 2 of those days)  This thing was nice!  Nathan named him the Red Stallion... Nathan's aunt actually calls "her" Annie.... So funny!  Anywho... so one night like 6 in the evening we decided to ride to the beach in Annie aka "Red Stallion."  Nathan put ALL the carseats in Red Stallion.  I guess my brain cells started working and it hit me... BEACH, SAND, 5 KIDS!  I started to freak out b/c I did not want to return Nathans Aunt's car back all sandy.... Nathan reassured me we would vaccum it and do whatever we had to.... so we went to the beach!  Nathan wanted to go to Hanna Park and I said just go to Jax Beach... we're not going to be there that long!  So we went to Jax Beach... The kids had a blast they built sand castles, collecting shells, ran around, dipped toes in the freezing cold water.  Then Payton had to pee... we could convince her to just pee while standing in the water (don't think this is gross b/c you would have done the same thing with your child!)  A little while 5 minutes later Addy has to pee.  We canNOT convince her to pee standing up in the water... about another 5 minutes later Taylor has to pee.  So Nathan reminds me of how Hanna Park would have bathrooms.... LOL!  So he takes the girls to hunt down a bathroom.  (we carry a potty seat in our van just for times like these but remember we are in Red Stallion) So I am there with the baby who has been crying off and on the whole time, Payton and Jackson.  At this time, once Nathan is to far to hear me yell for him... Jackson decides to run from me...  and I mean full blown run!  So I have to grab the baby quickly out of her seat and yell for Payton to run with me... which she doesn't want to.  But I can't just let her stay there.  So I grab her arm and make her while Miley is in my arms and we are chasing Jackson!  That stinker...  I get him and we make our way back to our spot. Nathan comes back with the girls, I am so ready to go at this point!  Did I mention this was my idea???  But I don't say a word b/c the fun that the kids are having and the memories that we are making is worth every rough second.  I did manage to get a few pictures...

Note all the stuff for an hour on the beach...

Here's the stinker that kept running...

Addy absolutely LOVES to dig in the sand!

This last picture was Nathan's solution to the SAND.  He would fill this tub with water and carry it (he guesses it was about 150 lbs) up to where we parked so we could all dip our feet in it and clean off really good so we don't get any sand in Red Stallion.  That sounded great!  Here is what really happened... We all walked to where we parked. We brought a bucket of water to help with the sand until Nathan returned with the tub of water. Nathan left me with all 5 kids in the parking lot to wait for him to come back with the water.  Addy found broken glass to play with.  Jackson decided that since Daddy was gone again... that it was time to run again.  I used that bucket of water and did the best that I could to clean every body up and STRAP THEM INTO Red Stallion!  Nathan returned with 150 lbs of water to find us all cleaned up and sitting in the car waiting for him.  He was exhausted!  I was laughing!  He didn't think it was very funny.  I told him just pretend that we used every last drop of that water! This was NOT the time to mention that Hanna Park has showers.  Oh and I do have to say that there was NOT a speck of sand in Red Stallion, I mean Annie. :)