Slowing Down (and summer reads)

My Mom took the kids and I on a weekend get-away to the West coast beaches this weekend.

I love to watch the kids at the beach. It forces me to slow down. There is nothing to clean. I can't cook. There is no art on the beach. No television or ipods. Just the sea, the sand, and us.

Jax was listening for the ocean in a shell!;)

Ava likes to pour water in and out of various buckets. Add a shovel, a barbie doll, and some shells, and she's occupied for a good two hours!

We are beach people. My grandparents took us to the beach every single summer growing up.

My husband is an avid surfer and loves the water.

We have raised our kids to love the beach.

And still...

every year I make my first swim out to the ocean with a little fear and trepidation.

I don't know exactly what I'm afraid of. Sharks maybe? Or being pulled under...

But as soon as I get out there, I remember what my older brother taught me as a little girl.

When the waves are big, swim under them. As soon as I do that a couple of times, I'm okay.

I'm instantly filled with some peace. I'm a mermaid again.

We are blessed to be going to the beach for the whole month of July. We will be back and forth to home a few times for some dance classes and doctor's appointments, but I'm going to take this month to try to slow down a little. Don't worry, I still bring my sewing machine and paint with me. I usually work on things at night while my littles are sleeping, so I'll still be posting pretty regularly. I've got a couple of new tutorials to share with you as well. But there will also be lots of doing nothing.

Now, I need your help. Any summer reads you can recommend? I need some good books to bring with me...

Happy Tuesday (and it's my 34th!!) How in the world did that happen?:)

xo,

Chrissie