Hard to believe

While I was attempting to read my scriptures on the dusty front porch this morning, I told Amber that I needed some space. "Ok, Mommy!" she replied, and trotted back inside. "Wow, this must be my lucky day!" I thought to myself as I read a few more verses. Then Amber was back, holding a bottle of lotion, squeezing it everywhere. She understood my request for alone time as a free pass to raid the bathroom. Needless to say, Amber was dragged to time-out (literally, because she goes boneless when the words time out are dictated) and I did not get very far in my scripture reading. I took care of the mess, released Amber from time-out, coerced an insincere "sorry, Mommy" out of her, and then retreated to the basement where I can type and think in peace. A wry, evolving list of "hard-to-believes" formed in my mind while I dealt with the latest Ambstruction.

• It's hard to believe that in less than two years, Amber will not want to paint with lotion.
• It's hard to believe that after a month of potty success, Amber has started requiring pull-up diapers.
• It's hard to believe that in less than two years, potty training will actually be done for real.
• It's hard to believe that if my deathly ill pregnancies hadn't led to a tubal ligation, I would likely be pregnant right now instead of training for a marathon.
• It's hard to believe that I don't HAVE to train for a marathon, but I'm still doing it.
• It's hard to believe that one week ago, we were at the beach frolicking in familial bliss.
• It's hard to believe that we've been back from the beach for five days and I have not done a blog post about it yet.
• It's hard to believe that the kids are already going stir crazy so close on the tail of such an amazing [exhausting] vacation.

It's hard to believe that we, who have driven 30 hours to Missouri in two days, had to break up the 8 hour drive to the coast of the Olympic Peninsula. We stayed at my parents' house overnight and finished the drive the next day.

It's hard to believe that this trail is tucked in the middle of metropolitan Bellevue, WA, a mere mile from my parents' house in a sprawling neighborhood. Moss is magical. 

It's hard to believe that Rose forgot to bring her SHOES on this trip, necessitating an impromptu store stop. I scour multiple thrift stores and buy my kids quality gently used Keen sandals for a fraction of their brand new retail price. The rugged, rocky Olympic Peninsula is what Keens were made for, and Rose left hers at Grama Meri's house! She did not even realize it until two hours into the drive. Sigh. We got some $6 water shoes in Port Angeles to fill the void, and the soles were shredding after a mere two days of adventuring. 

It's hard to believe the things I had to do with sand, kelp, and rocks to balance my phone for this picture of us playing on the rocky shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We stopped to rest from the drive to soothe some car sickness. Even after a nice 20 minutes on the beach, it's hard to believe that Amber still puked when we got back in the car. 

What with shoe shopping and Ambarfing, it's hard to believe that we finally made it to Hobuck Beach on Tuesday evening! (August 1st)

It's hard to believe the number of seashells these kids gathered, and then buried in the sand like treasure. 

This one is not so hard to believe--Amber attacking/destroying until Jay and Rose banish her and she sobs loudly from the injustice of exclusion from group hole-digging. 

It's hard to believe that we let the kids stay up so late both nights we were at the beach. But sunset on the beach!

 It's hard to believe Amber's refusal to look at the camera when she's not in the mood. 

 It's hard to believe that Amber was in motion from the moment her toes touched the sand till we carried her away.

It's hard to believe that red sunset through Canadian wildfire smoke that was rolling in. 

It's hard to believe how perfect Pacific Northwest beaches are. 

It's hard to believe that HAIR. 

It's hard to believe that I have a couple hundred more beach pictures where these came from...or maybe it's not so hard to believe...

 Barnacles.

 Beach walk.

 Heading home: it's hard to believe the vast quantities of pink foxgloves that grew along the lonely winding road through the Olympic wilderness.

 It's hard to believe how fast three kids can suck down IHOP chocolate milk. This was our second year in a row stopping at the Sequim, WA IHOP. Family tradition! That place is an oasis after hours of driving on curvy forest roads. Overpriced mediocre breakfast foods! Fake fruit syrups! We chowed!

It's hard to believe that Amber needs time-out even in a restaurant with chocolate milk and crayons. That lower lip of shame! 

Another stopover at Grama Meri's house on the way home: it's not hard to believe that she read a giant stack of 12+ books to the kids in one sitting! My mom is amazing and fun like that.

 It's hard to believe that the Canadian wildfire smoke was worse in our valley when we got home. Choke.

It's hard to believe that this guy was too tiny to pick when we left for the beach. Five days in zucchini time is like dog years times 100! 

It's hard to believe that this was real...

 ...but I'm glad it was!