I guess Phil was right.

It's only been a few weeks, and I may be a bit premature, but I am taking this opportunity to thank Punxsutawney Phil for correctly predicting an early spring. We had an unusually cold winter this year (LOTS of below freezing days, but no snow to show for it!) and we have been so thankful for warmer weather recently.

President's Day was a gorgeous day, so we met several other families from our ward and headed to a nearby beach for some fun in the sun. The weather was in the high 70s and low 80s - too cold to swim in the ocean (but someone forgot to tell Cat that) and a little windy, but warm enough to be comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt (or swimsuit, if you're a child). We even stayed long enough for me to get my first almost-sunburn of the season. Yeah for the South!

When Jack wasn't trying to swipe strangers' beach toys or eat their food, he was either playing in the sand:

or playing in a big tide pool.
He also found a hole to hang out in for a while.

Cat got in the water several times, and didn't mind the cold at all. This girl LOVES the water.

She played in the sand a lot too, and even took turns burying/getting buried with her friend Ashlyn.

Eliza hung out in the Baby Bjorn almost the whole 2 1/2 hours we were there. She is such a trooper! Thank you for not making me change sandy diapers, E, since you would have inevitably eaten LOTS of it, had you been crawling around the whole time.

I did let her "experience" the beach a bit. She rubbed her toes in the sand. Cutest toes ever.

The only way it could have been better is if Ben could have hung out with us too. But at least he got to come home to a very happy family that day!