Truro Part 2: Coastguard Beach.

We spent most of our days Oceanside because it was low tide in the mid-afternoon. 

That means a sand-bar that stretches for a mile down the beach. It's perfect for little beach babes, like Ava. We set up camp at Coastguard Beach every afternoon and played, whale-watched (yes, there were so many whales within eye shot spouting and breaching!), napped, ate, boogie-boarded, and built sandcastles until late afternoon.

even Nathan, though skeptical of the cool water at first, was sitting and splashing in it by the end of the week!

 Poppi told Ava nap time stories about princess mermaids that live under the ocean

 new cousins lounged next to each other 

 Ava bossed people around about how to build sandcastles, proving once again how she'll be great at management someday. Possibly even a good defense attorney (she's got great arguments for why her decisions are best) ;)

It was so much fun! Ava caught her first wave on a boogie board. I wish I had it on video, but I was the one pushing her with the wave and letting her go! 

This is one of my favorite places on Earth. 

I'm grateful my children love it as much as I do.

Truro Part 1: hanging around the beach house. Nana's house.

This house. 

This beautiful old house. 

Built in the 1820's.

My great grandfather, Gerrit Beneker spent summers here, painted here.

My Nana, my mother, myself, and now, my children spend summers here.

This house is old. 

We sat down around the dinner table one evening to talk over what the next step is. 

It's too much for my parents to maintain 3 homes, so they asked their children: "what do you want to do with it?"

It's a tough question. 

There are so many memories here, many stories. There are spirits who still live here.

It would be hard to say goodbye to it.

But none of the sisters have the means to restore it. 

It's literally falling apart. 

When do you say goodbye and keep the memories in your heart?

My Nana put this wall paper on the dining room walls when she was 16. She's 94.

There is so much character in this home. It is a photographer's dream location. Dream! The lighting, the windows...it's truly vintage. So beautiful. (Mina, you should get married here.)

 As you can imagine, with babies who need naps and not too much sun, we spent a lot of time in the house. Lazy mornings passed us by and we'd head over to the beach each day for or after lunch.

It gave us all time to relax and get to know the new littles of the family.

Many mornings Ava would be picked up by Nana and Mina and she'd head over to their house to play before the beach. She spent the night there alone twice! 

Sarah was just beginning to smile at 6 weeks and Brad won the award for getting the most smiles out of her....she's smiling (and possibly flirting a little) with Brad in the photo below.

 naps on Daddy Dave. Dreamy :)

Auntie Coley giving Nathan some love and tickles.

 my sweet girl posing for me in the doorway

too hot for clothes most days ;)

 Mina catching up on the gossip magazine (that I bought). I caught her on an appropriate page for the part of the country we were in at that point in time :) I'm referring to ptowm, of course!

 Ava drinking the end of her shaved ice on the patio on the day we left. (Infrequent naps followed by sugar and jet lag = major meltdown by both mommy and Ava on our last day just before we said our goodbyes) :(

 but she sure looks cute sipping it up

we're grateful to the house for holding so many people and memories made by them every summer.

We visited with Nana to celebrate Nathan's 6 month birthday and Sarah's 8 week birthday.
Mom made cake, Mina made avocado pesto.
Nana met Nathan and Sarah for the first time.
We kept Nana out late. She fell asleep sitting up as we were all chatting away after dinner in the living room, so Dave drove her back to Brewster.
It was wonderful to see her and hug her. It was wonderful to introduce her to the last addition to our family. I hope she stays strong so she can meet Hailey next summer.
Looking great, Nana!

...more to come