Long Island Beaches

What better way to begin the tale of our summer adventures than with photos of the beach.  Here are some snapshots of our first foray to Robert Moses Beach on the south shore of Long Island.

Introduction to the South Shore of Fire Island:

Brooklyn and Talia's initial reaction to the big waves was to dig in with their shovels, standing steadfast and immovable.

Water's getting deeper...

Whoops!  That's what happens when you build on a sandy foundation.

Eli was timid initially, preferring to dig in the sand rather than brave the waves.

And here's NomiAnn, happily camped out with Annie Mae.

Finding Zen at Robert Moses Beach:

We had such a great time at Robert Moses the first time that we invested in an "Empire Passport" that allowed us admission to all of the NY state parks and beaches.  This next group of photos was taken by Jason during a later trip to Robert Moses. 

If zen can be defined as complete harmony and peace of mind, I found it at the beach that evening.

Focus on family.

Relaxing with a couple of my favorite girls.

Brooklyn was a natural on the boogie board.

Pure bliss!

I'm surprised Brooklyn ever left the water.

Talia Lily experiments with sand architecture.

Chasing away the cheeky seagulls.  They stole Talia's sandwich!

Chasing after Eli; he can be pretty cheeky too.  In this picture, the pursuer is Vicky, my mother's friend from Omaha Central who came to visit for several days.

Eli warms up to the waves.

And here's my cousin Alesia, keeping Annika safe and dry.

Meanwhile, my cousin Katelyn helped with the sand construction.  She was under strict instructions to keep her own head dry after a nasty double ear infection.

Consulting with the design committee.

Happy and relaxed.

Pausing for dinner.  He's hard to see, but notice cousin Gregory behind Talia.  He and Jason were so busy jumping in the waves that they didn't end up in many photos.

Sandwiches always taste best with a little extra grit.

South shore sights.

Perfect ending to a perfect day.

When the Waves Get Too Big:

Waves are fun, but on a windy day the surf can be too risky for play.  When the wind picked up while Christy and Lance were visiting, we refused to be deterred but dug in instead--literally.

Lance was the brains and brawn behind the majority of the excavation.

Jason joins the project while Christy supervises from above.

You know your sand structure is officially cool when the lifeguard comes over and asks you to tear it down because a little kid might fall in and get hurt.

Victory!  From left to right there's Gregory, Eli, Talia, Brooklyn, and Alesia.

Thanks, Fire Island, for the wonderful memories.  We miss your sandy shores and salty surf already.