Playing Hooky!

For the first time since Lia started attending public school almost five years ago, we played hooky today!  Although Lia has missed school several times over the years for a trip, I have never just taken her out for a full day of school to go on a local adventure.  However, the weather was predicted to have our first 80 degree day of the year and so a few moms from church decided to head to Alki Beach in Seattle.  So, we decided to go and packed up all of our beach gear and lunches and headed out around 10 o'clock to spend the next four hours at the beach.  Although I loved Alki Beach in high school and in college, I have only been there once in the ten years that we have been living back in Washington.  We went when Lia was barely two years old, so obviously she doesn't remember a thing.  I have just grown to hate Seattle traffic and parking over the past few years, but remembered today that Alki is in south Seattle, so you don't even have to drive into the city to get to it and the street parking is still free!  So, it looks like we might be heading back to this beach more often then once a decade from here on out.  Regardless, the kids and I had a great time soaking up the sun, playing in the sand and water, and spending some time with friends.  It really felt like the middle of summer in April which is unheard of around these parts!

Logan and Vera starting to work on their sand castles.

Ella and a bunch of her buddies from church and preschool playing in the water.

The group running from an incoming wave.  From L to R:

Isla, Jace, Emma, Ella, and Mason.

Still running away from the wave!

Lia and her good friend, Bella, playing in the sand.

Logan showing off his finished sand castle.  I helped him pack up all of his sticks, rocks, and shells at the end of the day so that he could bring them home and rebuild the entire thing out on our deck with his pirate jewels.  I just love this boys creativity and imagination!

Lia and Bella building a sand creation.

Emma burying Ella and Isla in the sand.

By the end of our afternoon on the beach, most of the kids were so hot that they actually went into the freezing, Puget Sound water.  If it weren't for the fact that this water is kind of dirty looking, I would have done the same thing.  Anyways, here is Logan running out of the water after taking a quick dip.

Lia's face after coming up from the water.

Lia laughing and pointing at one of the girls after you she went completely under the water.

Logan running to shore after taking another dip.

A close-up of my wet and freezing boy.

We managed to take one picture of all of the moms who came for the day.

From L to R:  Katie, Erica, Alisa, Mercedes, Shaila, and me.

The kids laying out on their towels to get warm after playing in the water.

The one picture I managed to have taken of the kids and me (and Bella's finger) before leaving the beach to head home.