Hey! Hey!
It feels so good to be back with you guys! Hope you had a great weekend. The weather here was complete yuck-rain, rain, and more rain. The good news is the Slaughter family was forced to catch up on sleep and relaxation. I think we’re back on Texas time officially! Britt even slept ALL NIGHT. I wish I knew it’d happen from now on, but who knows. It felt good though-even if it was a fluke!
Shay and I are sharing another VACATIONS UNPACKED post. Over the last few months, we’ve highlighted some different vacation destinations and a list of things we’d pack on those trips.
I’ve shared Disney World and Ski Trips so far and today I’m talking THE BEACH!
Shay has shared City Trips and Cruises and she’s sharing TRAVELING ABROAD today.
We’ve shared lots of tips and YOU GUYS have added some amazing helpful hints as well. So be sure to check out all the comments for lots of info.
The Alabama/Florida Gulf Coast is one of our favorite places to visit…amazing beaches, great weather, good food, and cute towns are a drive away from us here in Texas.
We’ve made the trip with and without kiddos. Let me tell you with kids-the car is ALWAYS packed! When we go to the beach, we typically rent a condo/house for a week so I’ve always tried to take anything and everything we could possibly need to make life at the beach with kiddos easy.
A good umbrella, beach blanket/mat, and baby pool were all great ideas when we had a baby at the beach. The baby pool was fun for Bowen and it kept him pretty clean and cool compared to him rolling around in the sand. We took a little blow up pool so it didn’t take up much space. {And it kept baby Bowen very happy.}
Pre-kids we packed clothes and sunscreen for a week at the beach. THAT’S IT! hahaha!
Everyone needs some cute pictures while you’re there…right? I always throw in some coordinating outfits so we look blended in the pictures.
Slaughter kids require ALL THE SUNSCREEN, rash guards, and hats. My kiddos have really fair skin and easily sun burn. We combat that by taking breaks but bringing all those supplies always makes our week easier.
My kids look like The Adams Family…don’t you think? haha! We always grab the cheap shovels and buckets at the local store for crab hunting on the beach. I’m not sure why they’re looking like they hate this. I can promise you they don’t. They’re big fans and it’s always a good time.
Cheers to all the sun protection. 🙂
With baby Ebby Lee, we took a pack-in-play to the beach and placed it under the shade during nap times. When she just wanted to sit and play it was nice too because she wasn’t covered in sand.
Some cute outfits for dinner out are always a must.
Bowen has a thing where he thinks if he’s using these nose goggles then he can swim. They’re like magic to him, but without the goggles he just can’t even think about it. {Trust me…in China I forgot to pack the nose goggles so he wasn’t into swimming.} I make sure to pack a back up pair for things like this that will affect the entire trip if we misplace them.
HATS!!!
When we first began taking our kids to the beach, I stressed about keeping up with all the pool, beach, and sand toys. I finally realized I should buy a big pack of cheap toys and leave them. Now I don’t worry or stress about leaving or losing a bucket. We just go into it knowing we’ll leave the toys for the other kiddos.
One year I packed Bowen’s highchair. We had the space in our car and I wanted him to be able to eat and chill while the rest of us were eating. It worked like a charm!
I’ve mentioned on here before how I’m always losing sunglasses. I’m always sporting the cheap sunglasses. Before vacations I grab a couple back-ups for the back-ups. And for some reason I always need them!
Proof this guy preferred his own little pool in the shade. 🙂
Nothing makes us hungrier than a day at the beach or pool. I make sure to pack all kinds of snacks. I usually let them eat things on vacation that are outside of the norm. That tends to make it all a little more special. The AL/FL area where we go has some great grocery stores but they are usually crazy crowded on the day of arrival. Because everyone’s arriving and we all need groceries. The next time we go I’ll have our groceries delivered on our arrival day so we can skip the lines.
I also always pack floaties, puddle jumper, or a baby float…just whatever your kiddos need to keep them afloat at the beach. {See what I did there. :)}
Some of my favorite family memories have taken place at the beach. No matter where your destination is when you have sand between your toes…it’s sure to be a BLAST!
What about you? What are your MUST HAVES for the beach? PLEASE share! And don’t forget to check out Shay’s list as well!
Thanks for stopping by today! XO
