I’ve been saying since the beginning of March, that the first warm sunny day we got was going to become a beach day. Enter Monday with temperatures above 50 and clear sunny skies; field trip!!!

{funny}

And the first spring beach trip of the year always calls for photos. I did try to warn the kids.

This also kicks off the first full season with Fulton’s new beach chair. It’s a total game changer. Last year, there were times when I felt that taking all the kids myself to the beach was just too hard. I was coming home exhausted and in a foul mood. I would typically pass out on the couch before the kids bedtime. I’d loved the beach but the work involved was sucking a lot of joy from our day trips.

{real}

But Monday was fun and even a bit relaxing. We walked the boardwalk, letting Teddy speed off in every direction to his heart’s content, enjoyed the empty arcade, had a snack, then I brought the beach strollers up from the van and we hit the sand.

The kids had brought monster trucks and army men and commenced building, and destroying, for at least an hour.

{happy}

While I didn’t get a picture of it, Edie was a sight, sitting right at the water’s edge getting throughly soaked. Fulton didn’t want his picture taken as he sat with a mountain of sand on his lap covered with army men. (It might of also had something to do with the fact that his hands got cold, and I didn’t have mittens so I put a pair of Addie’s socks on his hands. Do I get points for creativity or scarring my child for life?)

I brought along my Universal Clip on Lenses Kit my iPod. It’s a fun set, but I don’t often remember I have it. As everyone busied themselves, I tried to take some real artsy fartsy shots (which was hard since in the bright sunlight I couldn’t see hardly anything on my iPod screen.)

With the macro attachment.

{pretty}

With the fisheye. (I don’t like how the sides are cropped so I guess I need more practice with this attachment.)

And just a pretty scene using no attachments.

And after all this, by the time we arrived home, I still felt recharged rather than drained.

Since our favorite boardwalk pizza place was closed and salt water taffy was off limits, we’re already thinking about scheduling our next “field trip”.

How does your family welcome the return of spring and warmer weather? Share below than visit all the rest of the links at Like Mother, Like Daughter. (I’m so happy to be linking up after a long absence!)