Favorite Moment | Santa Monica

Have you missed my favorite moments?� I have, even though sometimes they can be a royal pain to write.� Of course, that was the whole point of the project: to focus on the good in each week gone past, because even the worst weeks have something special about them, and even the mundane can be wonderful when you challenge yourself to acknowledge the blessings in your life.

I’ve been feeling the need to focus on my life’s many, many blessings, so while I am going to Weight Watchers on Friday, I’m going to post Favorite Moments on Mondays.

On Sunday we drove to Santa Monica to visit a friend who was in town for a conference.� Normally, we are recluses and loath to travel anywhere during Nicholas’s nap time.� With everything that has happened lately, we are trying to change our antisocial behavior and get out there and enjoy life.� Nico is older now, and isn’t as quick to turn into one of Satan’s minions when tired.� Besides, we live in southern California and never go to the beach (or anywhere, for that matter)!

Today our hermit-like tendency was painfully obviously.� I’m sure everyone who saw us on the beach was thinking, oh look!� What a nice Midwestern family on vacation at an odd time of the year.

We showed up dressed for an arctic blast. We sort of forgot that it’s colder in the desert than it is on the coast.� We weren’t overdressed (it was chilly), but shorts wouldn’t have killed us.

We neglected to bring a change of clothes for two boys under five years of age.� Within the hour, both boys were soaked after falling bum first in the waves.

We brought one chair, which we left in the car. Sand is comfortable, right?� Yes, when you are thin and under 30.

Sunscreen? Good heavens, no.

It was still a fantastic day.� Nicholas thought the waves were scary to play in, but loved sitting in the sand and watching them crash on the beach.� Mikey was hysterical with joy to be playing in a sandbox a kabillion times larger than the flower bed he and Nico usually roll around in.� The Mister and I got to visit with an old friend, enjoy some fresh air, and forget that whole “job” thing for a day.

The best part, at least for me, was when three young high school girls walked up with two jellyfish in an acrylic container.� They work at the aquarium under the pier and, frankly, were drumming up business for the aquarium no one knows exists!� The jellyfish are alive in there, make no mistake.� They did that rhythmic-pulsating movement that they are known for and is so pretty (behind acrylic).� According to the girls, the sting from these jellyfish feels like more than a tickle and less than a bee sting.

I think that’s a good way to describe the last two months, too.