A few more pictures and then....

I'll come to terms with the fact that vacation is really over....

at least until next year :)

Our vacation was wonderful but as was probably to be expected when you take four little boys on vacation, it was a lot of work. A lot of fun....watching them play in the sand and splash in the water... but A LOT of work.

There's the actually getting to the beach part- dressing them, finding sun hats, shirts, gathering toys, chasing them down to slather on sunscreen, etc etc, and then the actual walking/ carrying them down to the beach part, and then the keeping track of them once there part.

So often they seem to run in all different directions despite trying to corral them into being interested in one idea. Once beach time is over and everyone is guided/ carried back to the house, the de-sanding process begins in the outdoor shower, followed by finding dry clothes and then trying to keep them happily, safely entertained inside the house which was not baby proofed. I know it sounds like I'm complaining and I'm not trying to. I'm thrilled to have these four little boys to care for!!! They are our life. But sometimes the everyday "work" part of parenthood is just. so. exhausting.

One evening Chris was watching the babies while I showered and put on fresh clothes. We I returned, I notice the clock:

Holy cow, it's 7 p.m! Already time for the trips to go to bed!..... although I could have sworn it wasn't that late.... had my shower really taken that long?? Well, I loose track of time frequently so.....

then I hear Chris across the room trying not to laugh while whispering to my mom, "Don't tell her!"

Yup, he'd actually MOVED THE HANDS OF THE CLOCK to read bedtime. Apparently desperate times call for desperate measures.

Well played my love, well played.

Yes, parenthood is a lot of work and sometimes it's feels that hard. At home and on vacation.

I'm thankful that Chris and I can laugh together (most of the time). The clock time switch-a-roo alone had us deliriously laughing and got us through the next hour until it was really time for bed. I'm also thankful for random moments of isn't this amazing that help us keep our eyes on the ball. Like when Colin said out of the blue one day, "Mommy, you look really pretty today". He's never said that to me before and I'm sure his little three year old spirit has no clue how that innocent little comment made my week. But it did. Or how the triplets are all about giving kisses lately. I get no less than about twenty kisses from those three (and Colin still) throughout the day. It's a new skill for the triplets and they are on the prowl for lips to plant kisses on all the time.

Anyway, back to sharing a few parting pictures....

My boys digging away. That's what they do! Colin said that they were building me my very own "boathouse". Just what I dreamed of. :)

Every night my mom read to Colin and Macy. So special.

Lunch, al fresco

Walking the trips to the beach. Carter bless his heart, is worried that I'm not going, and wants me to carry him.

Let's go boys!

This is what an evening stroll looked like

Colin wore his "working boots" to the beach almost every day. Ahhh, it was so cute.

Cousins!

We'd looked forward to this vacation as a family for so long and Manistee delivered! We made so many good memories and spent such wonderful quality time together. I love being surrounded by my family.

I miss each of one of them so much already.