happy birthday to me!

Last Thursday I had one of the best birthdays ever!! We went to the OCEAN!

When we took off in the morning it was cold and gloomy, the sky covered in dark clouds. I thought, oh great, this is going to be one big waste of a day. But by the time we got to the beach, it was glorious: 80 degrees, clear blues skies, PERFECT.

The sand was pristine and the water crystal clear. Somehow I never pictured New Jersey with such a gorgeous coastline. I always envisioned it dirty and littered. But New Jersey is always surprising me like that.

Elliot had a blast. He loved being chased by the waves and playing in the sand.
Sorry these pics are so grainy. I don't know what the problem is - they're clear until I upload them. :(
I loved hanging out with the whole family, just playing and sitting in the sun. It was my idea of the perfect birthday - warm sun, ocean waves, and my three favorite people.



We had fish and chips at this seaside restaurant - so cliche!
Elliot was proud to be taller than the captain.
I'm so grateful to have this life. This is my first birthday since Sophie was born, and I have to pinch myself when I look at her and Elliot. I never knew life would dish up such riches.

I'm also so grateful for this blog. It's called 'realquicke', ostensibly to give a picture of the reality of our lives. I sometimes feel guilty for putting up mostly happy pictures, for showing the best side of our lives. Of course we have plenty of depressing and dull things going on at our house, tantrums and vacuuming and doing laundry and paying bills and changing diapers. It's so nice to have a way to focus on the positive, to see that in every day we have at least one moment that's happy or funny or joyful or sweet, one moment that we want to look back on and remember with fondness. This blog has become a kind of gratitude journal, and for that I'm grateful!