Let me rephrase
The best place
I have found to "be still" with these 3 Stanley boys is not practical and not very appicable to anyone else but I am grateful for the moments I've had lately.
When we first considered this opportunity to live in Arizona, one of the items on the "pro" list was proximity to the ocean. We have taken the boys to the Pacific ocean, from Utah, on many occasions and I have very fond memoires. It didn't matter what the weather, the boys were immediately one with nature as ocean met shore, each and every visit.
The ocean is a mere 51/2 hours from us if we stay in the US. and 4 hours if we brave it to Mexico. After living here a year, we have now visited that vast wonder, the Ocean, 2 times in 1 month. And I am better for it!
I can't tell you the last time I spent time just being still and watching my boys live. Watched, and relished. I've watched soccer games and basketball games but those are as heart wrenching as they are enjoyable. I've watched piano practices and overseen chores and homework, and the enjoyment is a bit tainted (I will refrain from describing it). I've watched interactions with the brothers and as this entire blog attests, the joyful moments are always balanced with boys being, well, boys. I've even take the time with them to you-tube videos, read a facebook post, listen to a new song on the radio, or even watch a trampoline trick, but these are brief. I know that these little moments are valuable and I am working to cherish them but for a guarenteed happy time with children, for endless hours, . . . go to the beach!
A gorgeous 80 degrees, warm sand, freezing water I have no intention of getting in, so I sit and watch. I didn't get any reading done, and only took a brief nap, and the rest of the time I just watched. Watched the boys be boys and loved it. Loved their bravery body surfing, and acutally surfing, those arctic waves. Loved the comedy of Peter beckoning the crashing waves to try and get the best of him. Loved watching their dad brave the frigid water for time well spent with his boys. Loved walking along the beach, looking for seashells, watching them throw a frisbee. Loved sitting next to them on the towels, feeding them snacks, and just being still for a few moments too.
We spent a day in San Diego when our camping trip had to be cancelled due to rain in the Arizona mountains, and then another day during our quick fall break trip, at Newport Beach. We can't wait to go back again.
Even when camping, I have never had as much time to be with the boys and not be bugged. It seems so natural to be on the beach.
Other highlights from these trips:
1. Watching James surf. He taught himself and did pretty good. Seth is the killer body surfer because when you are that light, you go forever. Peter does battle with the waves and even other beach goers enjoy the show.
2. FOOD! -have to mention this!
*Amazing mexican, hole in the wall, food on our trip to San Diego. I doubt we could even find this place again, but wow it hit the spot!
*Newport was a tie between the Mongolian Stir-Fry, (the boys first try) and Philly Cheesesteak Place in L.A.
*Balboa Bars and Frozen Bananas on Balboa Island in Newport, were pretty amazing as well.
3. Staying in a 3 1/2 star hotel. I got a killer deal on hotwire.com and usually to save money I will go a little cheap on the "star" rating. The boys thought we had hit the jackpot, since everything was clean, and nice ammenities. It was so funny to watch them ooh and aaah over this Best Western. Ha, ha. Easy to please them. I have also vowed never to stay below 3 stars again. The pool was even clean and nice and a tiny bit bigger than our pool in Arizona. Since mom never swims it was truly a delight and novelty.
4. The Space Shuttle Endeavor - we got to see the space shuttle at the California Science Center on USC's campus. It was overswhelming to experience this. It's hard to put in words but worth a trip and very economical.
5. Knottsberry Farm - it is fun to watch your boys on thrill rides. They were so brave and we literally had the park to ourselves. It was the first week of October, on a Tuesday, and we never had to wait to get on a ride. It was also cheaper than Lagoon!
6. Watching Star Trek the Next Generation, Duck Dynasty and Tanked on the cable TV in our room. Its just funny to watch the silly shows the boys get a kick out of. And it was there first time seeing "next generation" They loved it!
7. Sort of helping to get a fish hook out of a ray.
The not so fun parts -
1. Our vehicle can hold 8 passengers. The drive was 5 1/2 hours. It is still AGONY to be stuck in a car with all 5 of us. We have to get pretty grumpy to keep the tease/fighting from starting.
2. Sand Burns
3. Not realizing how far it was to walk to the end of Newport Beach and then to the end of Balboa Island. And then not be able to find a restaraunt FOREVER while starving. Then having to walk back. But we were troopers.
4. Leaving L. A. at 4:00 in the afternoon and being stuck in rush hour traffic for 2 HOURS!!!
5. On our first trip to San Diego, we all got so sunburned we had to stay on painkillers. 2nd degree burns for sure. We were smarter the 2nd time.
6. Finding out that the reeking smell in Seth's room was the once living mussle he brought back from the beach.
7. Dave and I discovering that we are through with rides at amusement parks. Being the "cool" parents, we went on everything the boys wanted us too. After a little motion sickness, I was less cool and more cautious.
We had homemade chocolate pudding today while watching family movies.
