Well it's just the Seven -of - Us

Matt and Laura have gone to the big City to meet, greet, speak and do other work related type activities.  Rather than load up the crowd, Patt and I remained at the beach with the kids, tough duty.   They left last night.  

Today, breakfast then down to the beach — time to do a little prep work for sand castle building.  We enlisted the younger set for the heavy lifting.

We were fortunate that low tide and calm seas coincided with our time on the beach - set up sorta close to the tide line - and our holes collect sufficient water. (if not filled in by constant movement in and out of the hole — (yeah that's not going to happen).

and the trench to the actual tide is not to long, but does keep workers busy.  We tote water, import sand for fine drip castles on top of base layer mountains.

 This guy is going to be an engineer.  Isaac,just likes to build stuff.  Entertains himself.

Luke today, learned the joy of running from the little wavelets that are the remnants of a wave that lap  up onto the beach.  It took him a few days, but when he figured out what we were doing it was like a new toy.  "Look-a-big-one" he would shout which was followed by turning and running as fast as short fat little legs would carry him all while tightly holding my hand.

Later he began "jumping" those wavelets and then when Patt pointed out the little fish that were at his feet, well Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

 John Paul of course had to join Grandmama in the shallows for a bit of attention.

and here is the crew searching for the fish that Patt and Luke had spotted.  We were planning on pizza for dinner and did not change our plans.

Lunch of course was leftovers and guess who was tired?  Yeah, it was his Grandfather sitting to his immediate right.  This boy will fall asleep with the best of them.  He rallied for applesauce and a cookie — briefly.

After lunch was "quiet time,  Isaac did a little work bookwork, as did the girls.

 Then Julianna read

 as did Lydia

John Paul, of course, slept — and check out the bed in the back ground.  Yes— the famous front room "nap bed" and it has Patt caught for what has become habit forming — an afternoon nap.  She did not even pretend to read either.  I am thinking it is going to be hard to convince Patt to consider part time work.