"At the Beach" Beach Party

Good Monday morning!

The Showcase Pic is of Roxie and friends completing the 5K at the Pink Ribbon Run Friday night. They had an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction... and heat exhaustion. However, there are HUGE grins on all of the faces. It was a Friday night well spent.

The Gallery Pics are more of the same... the Pink Ribbon Run. It was a very well-documented event!

RANDOMNESS #1 - We're headed to the beach in a couple of hours (more like FOUR), so I was mistaken when I said all of this week's posts would be coming to you live from Sandestin. Sorry. I got a little ahead of myself.

RANDOMNESS #2 - Wouldn't it be a "kick in the pants" if I saw a manatee swimming in the Gulf this week? Wouldn't it? Or if a dolphin swam up to me and playfully nudged me with it's nose? (I have to be honest. Both of these events would probably be the end of me... literally. I don't think my heart could take it!)

RANDOMNESS #3 - Why don't we have Baywatch lifeguards on the Gulf Coast? They do a great job. In only three days, they assisted us TWICE. They aren't an eyesore. (Just the contrary!) And even though they don't run in slow motion up and down the beach, they are still a comfort to have. Is there someone we could talk to or write? I think I'll start with David Hasselhoff. He probably knows the right "people."

Beach Party

I've used my new "friends" at www.passion-for-parties.com once again. Being on vacation is the perfect time to use some of the ideas they have listed in their Beach Party Plan (and I've thrown in a couple of my own for good measure).

Plan a specific time to have an "At the Beach" Beach Party with your immediate family during your vacation.

Decorate Flip Flops - Have the kids decorate flip flops with fake flowers, fuzzy yarns, rhinestones, foam shapes, or anything else your imagination can come up with! (If you have guys, have yarn or ribbon in their favorite team colors for them to use.)

Festive Lunch - Break away from seafood and plan a lunch with theme plates, napkins, etc. Serve submarine sandwiches, Goldfish crackers and have fresh fruit kabobs with fruit dip. To stay with the theme, use coolers or ice buckets to serve the drinks from. You can use this as a centerpiece with two or three brightly colored balloons tied to the handle.

NOTE - You can even take it a step further and serve the food from frisbees lined with paper plates! The frisbees could then be used for another party activity.

Music - Have "beach" music (Beach Boys, etc.) playing throughout the festivities.

Beach Volleyball or Ultimate Frisbee - Get a little volleyball game (or Ultimate Frisbee challenge) going on in classic beach fashion!

Sand Castles Competition - Mom and Dad participate, too. When you are finished with your creations, stop a "beach walker" and ask them to pick the winner.

Cupcakes - Go to the website and look at their cupcake ideas. Pick one and decorate the cupcakes as a family!

Okay... The evening after your "At the Beach" Beach Party, have everyone throw on their pajamas and have a Family Movie Night with a theme movie (Finding Nemo, Little Mermaid, Swiss Family Robinson, etc.).

Switch things up a bit. Let the girls sleep together in one room (Mom, too), and let the guys do the same (including Dad). Or, you can all sleep in one room as a family!

Have a great Monday. Hopefully, I'll have pictures posted Tuesday using my NEW camera... and if I haven't figured it out by then, I'm taking the point and shoot (just in case)!

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda