The Beautiful Beach!

We have been blessed to travel to Bahia de Kino almost every October (since I arrived at CVE) and this past year was no exception -- and fun with Grandpa and Grandma Rink!

 Grandpa Jim making early-morning discoveries on the beach with the five older kids.

 Grandpa and his little namesake... :)

 Grandma Jeanne with little (already big!) Eric.

 Otter-pops are refreshing friends... :)

 Candi with her feather castle!

 This was a very, very common sight!  Joel had the wonderful idea of taking the small shovels and I've never seen our boys work so hard... ;)

 What a goober!

 Lovin' time with Grandma!!!

(and being outside... just like Ithan -- and all of our kids for that matter -- he LOVES being outdoors!)

 Lunch break!

 Ever ridden on a gigantic sand turtle?

 Or sat in the King's sandy seat?

 Let's describe their jobs:

Joel -- Master Designer

Ithan -- Master Destroyer

Diego -- Patient (and resigned!) Observer!!!

 Love this photo... :)

 Cut from the same cloth, maybe?!?  :)

 I think this echoes last years' photo!!!

 "Uh. Uh. Uh. Psh-uh, cayo."

translation:  

Get the sand off my fingers, Mom.  

Now, please. 

It's inhibiting my sand-castle building style.

 The sandy, slightly soggy, but infinitely happy crew!

 Take # 47 of 72 (or something like that) for a photo for Mom and Dad Bahr's Christmas card... :(

 Yummmmmmm... shrimp cocktail!!!  

Diego was thrilled!

And it's always more fun to eat it in a glass like this... ;)

.

Cards at the beach are a must!!!

 So... this photo, of course, has a story:

Jenna, her kiddos and her family were staying at the beach at the same time, so we decided to go "crab-hunting" and walk down to where they were staying one night.  Papa and Mama Rink stayed with the sleeping babies and we headed out with the older four.  We (Joel and I) thought it was a half-mile or so... if that.

:(

We finally reached it -- slightly under 2 miles down the beach! 

oops.

 The kids, as pictured above, were plum tuckered-out by the time we got back.

And we... well, let's just say that we had achy calves for a few days... :)

 Joel explaining why we were NOT going to go on the banana tippy thing this year.

I don't think the kids were impressed with his reasons... ;)

 Such a sweetheart... Father God, I pray she keeps her joy for finding beauty in the small and forgotten things!!!

 I think this might have been the picture when I started figuring out that our new camera was only taking long, skinny photos.  And it would take a little more time for me to sit down and actually figure out how to change it... ;)

(I know... all y'all professionals... just ignore me.)

 Drying off and enjoying the weird, new age, but fun (and dangerous!) outdoor rockers... :)

 Photo #13 of 27 accidental photos... right, Papa Rink?  ;)

And isn't my husband so SWEET?  

I mean, he captures Mama Rink and I with our best faces on... NOT.

:)

We'll probably be back, Bahia de Kino!!!