sunset.

kelle's text read something like this...sunset at the beach, tonight at 6:15. bunch of us going!

soon, we are packing baskets, coolers, beach bags filled with sand toys, coordinating schedules! a naples sunset is like none other and we were not missing the oppurtunity to hang with the kids and our friends on the beach...we knew it would be lots of sand, lots of noise, lots of tracking our little ones, lots of work...but worth it, and what we truly value.

lots of us were snapping away...our camera's hanging securely around our necks trying to capture the perfect shots of our kids and 'family.'

jeff brought the poles. the kids had fun fishing with daddy.

beckham and lainey.

we stayed until about 10. it was dark and only slightly illuminated by a private party of ten at the ritz carlton. someone in that group had hired a full buffet, a tented space finished off with a beautiful crystal chandelier, and a few spotlights shining directly on the shore...giving a girl and her daddy a place to perform for the guests that, unbeknownst to us, were watching. we walked away listening to their clapping.

of course, we went right back and let the kids dance and run in the lights...on the beach...way past bedtime! it was an extraordinary night.

i listened to my kids laugh and play.

peyton thanked us for letting her go to the beach at night.

"that was fun mommy! can we come again tomorrow?"

sometimes i forget how lucky we are to live where we do. i forget how lucky my kids are to have the beach in their 'backyard.' mostly we are lucky to have good friends that have become our family. friends whose babies we love dearly. that we don't forget.

xoxo