birthday beach fun (and a beach shade idea)

Four pieces of bamboo + many grains of sand + four rubber bands + one sheet =

one super sunshade (it looks a little lopsided because the wind was blowing and the sticks in back are shorter to create a lean-to-like shade).

 
For Dave's birthday today, we headed to the beach. The last time I took the kids there, I forgot about the importance of readily available shade (it had been a long time since we'd been there during the heat of the day).

I could have simply gone out and bought a beach umbrella, but since we're trying to save a few pennies, I scouted around the house for shade-making materials. Since not everyone has bamboo growing in their backyard :), curtain rods, broom handles or anything else that is straight and can be stuck in the sand would work. The rubber bands I used were the super thick kind that can be found on grocery-store lettuce.

And when we weren't taking a break in the shade...

Reese was building castles.

 Ben was sticking his head in the sand (now there's a cliche!)...

  ...and crawling in the water post-sand bath...

  ...and riding on daddy's shoulders...

 

 ...and getting tossed into the water.

 Luke was trying his skills as a fisherman,

 and Brie and I were in and out of the water, enjoying the beautiful day and soaking up this gift of a summer's day.

Thank You, Lord, for today.