Vacation 2011...the 4th of July Edition

Okay, so I am not exactly posting this on the 4th of July, but rather the 5th...but close enough!  We have had SUCH a good time the past few days with all of the hubbies joining us here in Paradise for some fun and sun, good food and GREAT times together!  Here is a photo recap of some of the things we were up to over the holiday weekend!  Enjoy!

Another day on the beach!  A little break from the sand castle building for some lunch!

4th of July Hats!  She's all ready for the bike parade!

Me and my camping neighbor!  We have walked MANY many miles this summer all over Oceanside!

Clara gets to lead the parade this year in the pedal car!

The bike parade!  All lined up and ready to start!  Let the candy throwing begin!

Clara LOVES the face painting day over the 4th of July weekend!

And guess who decided she wanted to learn to surf?!  This was just getting started.  Lesson # 1...figure out how to stay on the board any which way you can.  Squat surfing at it's finest!

But she's catching on quick and getting a little braver.  Creeping up a little higher!

And here she is!  UP for her very first time ever!   Note the slight look of panic on her face!  

She quickly got over the panic and was all concentration!

Followed by feeling rather proud of herself and her newest accomplishment!

Then on to pure joy!  

I love the smile on her face when she catches the wave and rides it all the way in!  She's having SO much fun out there!

My Clara and her "surf coach"!

We have had such a good time.  It makes me sad to think we only have 25 days left to play.  It seems like when we arrive two months seems like forever.  But then I blinked and now there are only 25 short days left!  The kids are LOVING being with their friends nonstop.  They stop by our camper around 8 each morning to wake them up and haul them out to play and ride bikes.  And from there it's a full program of biking, swimming, throwing the football, playing tag, board games and chatting it up with friends!  They have made such good friends through the years here.  And every year they seem to make a few new ones too!  Clara has a constant "play date" and could not be happier.  I think she is lonely when she leaves here and misses the constant entertainment.  I know that I miss it as I BECOME her constant entertainment until school goes back!  These summers here are the best thing EVER!  It reminds me a lot of my own summers growing up, with my family at the beach all summer in an RV.  I have great memories of my sister and  I riding our bikes endlessly around the campground, swimming and playing on the playground with all the kids that would come through for the summer.  There is no playground here where we stay, at least not right here in the park.  But there is an endless supply of bikes, scooters, friends, and a fun rec room that has pool tables, a wii, shuffleboard and ping pong tables.    Not to mention the beach!  I'm so thankful that me kids to have a real live, old fashioned childhood kind of summer!  Well, that's all for now!  Enjoy!!!!