"Let’s take the kids down to the beach today.” Joshua was slipping bottled water, apples, and crackers into the backpack we took everywhere with us like I’d already said yes.
“Ugh. Today? Can’t we just stay home and put on a movie for the kids?” Victoria lolled her head to the side –the thought of trekking all four kids down to the beach and then trying to have an enjoyable afternoon while trudging through the sand was exhausting. They hadn’t even left the house, and she was already exhausted.
“You used to love walking on the beach,” Joshua said. He threw out a fake pout, hoping she would bite. “Don’t make me take these monsters alone. They’ll eat me as soon as your back is turned.”
Steph came running around the corner. “Da-ddy! We’re not …show more content…
My legs are tired.” “It’s hot!” “You carry me,” Z said in his adorable three-year-old voice that was impossible to refuse. Victoria picked him up, jutting out a hip for him to perch on. Before they made it to the pier, the muscles in her left arm were burning. She switched sides and made it a little further down the beach. Steph walked in front of everyone kicking sand into the air with every step until Victoria redirected her. It didn’t get the sand out of everyone’s hair, but it stopped the assault on her eyes. Victoria groaned, “Baby boy, you’ve got to walk for a few minutes. Mommy’s arms are dying.” She set Z down and hung her arms limply at her sides. “Let me take him for a bit,” Joshua said, pulling her up into his arms. She pressed her face against his chest, breathing in sun block and something more primal, purely him, that she loved. “Can we just sit here for a minute?” Victoria asked, praying he would say yes. “Kids, whoever can build the biggest sand castle gets five bucks!” Complaints dropped, tired legs were immediately rejuvenated, and their kids rushed to different places on the beach to attempt to build the biggest sand castle. Even Z eagerly joined in and was promptly assigned moat-digging responsibilities by Eddie. “How’s that?” Joshua smiled and plopped down onto the
“Ugh. Today? Can’t we just stay home and put on a movie for the kids?” Victoria lolled her head to the side –the thought of trekking all four kids down to the beach and then trying to have an enjoyable afternoon while trudging through the sand was exhausting. They hadn’t even left the house, and she was already exhausted.
“You used to love walking on the beach,” Joshua said. He threw out a fake pout, hoping she would bite. “Don’t make me take these monsters alone. They’ll eat me as soon as your back is turned.”
Steph came running around the corner. “Da-ddy! We’re not …show more content…
My legs are tired.” “It’s hot!” “You carry me,” Z said in his adorable three-year-old voice that was impossible to refuse. Victoria picked him up, jutting out a hip for him to perch on. Before they made it to the pier, the muscles in her left arm were burning. She switched sides and made it a little further down the beach. Steph walked in front of everyone kicking sand into the air with every step until Victoria redirected her. It didn’t get the sand out of everyone’s hair, but it stopped the assault on her eyes. Victoria groaned, “Baby boy, you’ve got to walk for a few minutes. Mommy’s arms are dying.” She set Z down and hung her arms limply at her sides. “Let me take him for a bit,” Joshua said, pulling her up into his arms. She pressed her face against his chest, breathing in sun block and something more primal, purely him, that she loved. “Can we just sit here for a minute?” Victoria asked, praying he would say yes. “Kids, whoever can build the biggest sand castle gets five bucks!” Complaints dropped, tired legs were immediately rejuvenated, and their kids rushed to different places on the beach to attempt to build the biggest sand castle. Even Z eagerly joined in and was promptly assigned moat-digging responsibilities by Eddie. “How’s that?” Joshua smiled and plopped down onto the