You can take the girl away from the beach...

...but she'll always be a beach girl.

Last Thursday-Monday, I went home. Home is part Chesapeake and part Virginia Beach. It's always awesome to see my family and I got to see a lot of family.

Friday, I took my brothers to Ocean Breeze Fun Park... we had a blast and I learned a lot of things about myself. I haven't been to a water park in awhile!

My favorite "rides" were the big slides that use a tube with:

David and I went down this one: It was a dark tunnel drop into a toilet bowl. I watched Dave go from the top of the tower, and he went around the bowl about 3 times. I went around 0.75 times before I fell sideways into the pool at the bottom of the bowl. Sigh. The boys heard me go down the dark tunnel saying, "ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod". But whatever, I'm brave. :)

I learned that I DO NOT like dark tunnel slides. I guess I have a touch of claustrophobia when dark spaces are combined with water. (this seems obvious to me). Note the big wave pool behind the slides-- that was a fun time!

These are the "shoot" slides. I lost my top on the first one I went down so I didn't go down any more after that.

Ocean Breeze was tons of fun. But being with my 15 and 12 year old brothers was the best part.

Saturday, my mom and I had a day together and we did some fun things (went to the fabric store, went out to lunch with a fun friend of hers, relaxed in their hot tub, etc). Loved every minute.

Sunday, I got up early (for me) and drove out to my dad's so that we could all go to the beach together. By 10:45, we were in Sandbridge enjoying the BEAUTIFUL weather and rough ocean. My 57-year-old Dad boogie boarded with all of us the ENTIRE time we were there! He's so fun! Here's my 2 brothers and dad in the surf. Warning: the ocean is loud.

My cousins Heather and Brad also joined us and it's always awesome to catch up with them!

Here's a video of my brothers and me in the ocean. Wheeee!!

All that beachy fun in the sun left me pretty pink. (And maybe a little blonder!)

With some sweet tan lines (lit by bathroom light. I'm not orange.)

Pheebs wanted to see if blondes have more fun. Turns out, we do.

Caitie + The Beach = Love