You're drowning. Float more!

Yesterday I took a semi-spontanious trip to North Bay with Hayden and Sage. Carol and BJ had a trip to the beach planned, and me n the boys tagged along. And oh my goodness, we had such a fun time! We got there just before 1pm and while the twins finished their naps, Hayden, Anya, Sage, Carol and I all ate lunch. She'd made an awesome tortilla soup that we mommies ate with feta cheese, and the kids had peanut butter and jam and grapes. We finished up, the twins woke up, and we were off! We found very good parking spots and on our way to a nice spot on the beach between a picnic table, shady trees, and the playgound, a guy stopped us and interviewed us about the Olympics. It was very brief, and I don't even know if it was for TV or just a school project. We settled into the sand and the sun shone down. We all had lots of protective sunblock on and hats and even brought two umbrellas with us. Great minds think alike, Szabbies and I both brought one. It turned out to be too windy for the umbrellas, but it didn't matter. It wasn't too cold, it wasn't too hot. It was perfect! I got my kids' suits on and we all went into the very wavy Lake Nippising. The water was very warm! It's pretty shallow for a long ways, so it warms easily. The wind was very strong and the waves were large. I held Sage's and Hayden's hands, and Hayden held Anya's hand, and Carol held Anya's other hand and we walked in, in a line. The boys were laughing their heads off as the waves splashed higher and higher as we walked deeper into the lake. (By 'deeper' I mean comparatively. We went in to about Sage's armpits.) Carol and I sat down and helped the kids jump through the breakers. The waves were very lively and so much fun. After a bit, Anya, who doesn't like moving water very much, had had enough and Carol brought her and Sage in. Hayden and I stayed out for a bit while the waves crashed over our heads and we laughed. The first time he got water on his face, he squished his eyes closed, turned to me, and asked me "can I have a towel please?" We ended up using his hat to try and dry his face. Which didn't stay dry very long. After a bit Hayden and I came out and drip dried. Carol and BJ took the twins into the water for a little bit, staying very shallow, and I watched the older ones dig and play in the nice sand. Then Carol and I went out deeper and hopped and body surfed and laughed and swam and dove and had more fun than I've had in a long time. It was like we were kids again. We kept laughing because the waves were so big and we were talking but our sentences would end in burbling bubbles as the waves crashed over us. At one point, Carol pointed out that if we were caught off-guard by a wave, it would be more prudent to float with the wave, rather than search for the bottom. At the height of the wave, we were over our head. In the surge prior to the wave, the water sometimes went down almost to our knees. Anyway what she said made sense, however it came out oddly, which of course sent us over the edge with hysterical laugher "you're drowning. float more!" because in a drowning situation, you should ALWAYS have the option of floating more instead. LOL It was also funny because she's always been the older and wiser sister, and in playing situations would take the lead with how to play. (I also could've said she was bossy.) So instructing me not to drown was just.. so her. If Vanessa and Sarah would've been there, it would've been a complete childhood replay. We went back to the beach after a bit and BJ went out to play in the waves. The kids snacked voratiously and we hung out. Hayden and Anya went to play on the slide and jungle gym and BJ monitored. After we decided we were ready to come home, Carol and I loaded ourselves down (BJ was at that time assisting the children with a bathroom break) and trundled off towards the vans. Back at home the Szabbies made rice and a delicious salmon and I cut up peaches for a peach cake.

I had such a good day. The only thing missing was Jake to share it with. He had stayed home as the beach doesn't interest him and he doesn't swim, so that had no appeal either. But he might've had an okay time. Maybe next time.

I want to move to North Bay. That is the best beach I've been to in a long time. The bottom is soft sand too. As if it needed to be any better! There were some weeds floating through the water, but we weren't near anything like the weeds that clog the bottom of Ramsey Lake... in which I'm SURE a large lake monster lurks. Or at the very least house a fish that might *shudder* brush against my foot or leg... It's kind of like Virginia Beach, only 22 hours closer and a lot warmer.

Did I mention the big waves? They were so big! It was so awesome! Okay okay I'm done. Thank you for not navigating away while I went on and on. You're the best!