Dh and I are planning a mini vacation for the kids this weekend. They know we are going but I don't think they know whats in store. We are taking them to the coast.(texas coast) We leave Friday and come home Monday. None of them have ever been. I am so excited just to see there faces. Ds keeps telling is Grandpa and Grandma we are going to Hawaii and we are going to see a lake. So he has no clue. I am looking forward to going. I wish it was a little longer vacation but with school just around the corner and getting everything they need and the price of gas we are just taking a mini vacation.

By Bobbie~moderatr on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - 04:26 pm:

I hope you have a great time. I need a vacation.

By Tayjar on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - 04:26 pm:

Sounds fun. Post pictures when you bet back. Enjoy your vacation.

By Kaye on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - 04:28 pm:

Which coast are you going to? If you are headed to corpus, don't forget a stop at the aquarium, it is very nice.

Make sure if you bring a shelter (tarp etc) that it is rated for uva/uvb, or make sure you wear ample sunscreen!

I love beach trips

By Tarable on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - 05:08 pm:

Ditto.. Kaye on the aquarium in Corpus.. it is great.

I wish I was getting even a mini vacation this year.. Well I guess recovering from surgery will have to do...

By Karen~admin on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - 07:21 pm:

Have fun!!!!!

By Annie2 on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - 07:34 pm:

Have a great time!

By Annie2 on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - 09:07 pm:

have fun

By Marie on Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 09:14 am:

Thanks everyone. The kids are so excited last night they were all a bunch of rattle boxes. We leave in the morning and we are staying in Clute texas. Its about 10min to the beach. I packed 3 bottles of sun screen. My sister and her family went a few weekends ago and she said don't forget the sun screen and reapply often because they still got a little sun burnt. Thanks all.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 11:45 am:

Apply sunscreen liberally and often! LOL! Have fun! I've never been to the Texas coast either. Of course, I've never been anywhere in TX, for that matter! LOL!

We need to schedule a weekend to go visit my parents in Door County, before the summer is up. That will be our mini vacation. No big vacation for us, either, due to college costs and fuel costs.

By Kaye on Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 12:24 pm:

Okay well here's a packing list..LOL.

You might encounter a lot of seaweed. Bring a shovel to clear a spot. If it has been unsed a lot for beach stuff it might be cleaned. I went a month ago, about 20 miles from there, the seaweed was 12 inches deep at best.

Make sure your sunscreen is new, bought within the last 6 months. Sunscreen has to absorb into your skin to work well. So put it on before you drive to the beach, 15 minutes and you will be fine. Reapply and then make the kids have a snack, they should be fine.

Bring meat tenderizer (for jelly fish stings) and baby powder really helps clean off the sand.

The other thing I like to do is bring a couple of bathmats. One to step on outside the car, while taking their shoes off, one inside the car to catch the rest of the sand. It is a lot easier to shake it out than to vacuum it later.

I love the beach, there is nothing like sitting oceanside and reading a book. Have a great time!