For almost ten years we have been so fortunate to have family at the beach. We get to see the barren sand of January bundled beneath hats and jackets. The first warm breezes near Easter when the water is too chilly for anyone. And the special Thanksgivings we get to spend there, playing football on the wide open, empty expanse of sand while our kids strip down to their undies and get in the water.
But the week-long vacation is still my favorite. In recent years we’ve been taking our week at the beach in the fall, when the tourists are gone and the days are just warm enough for a bathing suit, yet the water is still warm enough to enjoy. This past trip we were chased out two days early by Hurricane Matthew (PS: can you believe I am just now posting this trip from OCTOBER 2016??? Goes to show how crazy life is with three kiddos! I dearly love photographing the adventures of their childhood). Pippa finally decided she was not afraid of waves, and that kid went out to the breakers with a boogie board (and a parent close by) for HOURS each day. She is going to be my little surfer girl, and I can’t get enough.
This big girl of mine, covered in bug bites from camping the weekend before and bruises from being knocked down again and again by the waves. She would tumble beneath the water and pop back up smiling.
Sawyer is still in love with pushing a truck around the sand and running away from the waves. And Larkin, well, she just observed and got her toes wet with Meme.

The three Clarks
Until next time, beloved beach!
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