The stakes were high. Everyone was working towards taking home the 'Winner's' ribbon and cash prize at the end of the scavenger hunt!
Video's and photographs poured in.
Some couples remained silent while we wondered if they had given up, but nobody knew for sure.
Who would come in first. second. third. fourth. fifth place.
Tension was mounting.
A photo with a pirate.
A photo reading a book in the library.
A photo with a cartoon character.
A photo of names drawn in the sand.
Contestants were hard at work!
Time out for a couple of family photo sessions.
My side of the family
Rissi and Summer
Gary's side of the family
And then, a seafood dinner buffet.
A card game topped off the day. I thought for sure I was off to a good start when my first hand turned out to be black jack, but I came to find out that's not how you play poker.
*shrugging my shoulders*
Once I got the hang of it I started collecting chips like crazy. It was actually pretty fun. I guess I was winning. It was getting late and the only ones left in the game were Jason (Gary's son) and myself so we decided to split the pot and call it a day. I guess I'm not such a bad poker player after all.
Stay tuned for part four of Life's A Beach... and find out who will take home the Winning prize in OC Scavenger Hunt 2015!
The morning brought a gorgeous sunrise and though I'd been to the ocean many times before this, I was in total awe. In less than five minutes I watched the sun first brighten the oceans horizon, and then glide up-up-up till it was in full view. The sun rose completely in less than five minutes!
I had never before took the time to watch the full process and this display of God's awesome work would prompt me to pull myself out of bed each morning at 6:10AM to witness it again and again and again.
There's something about watching the sun rise over the sea that reminds you that this earth's creation was perfectly and meticulously thought out by an awesome God.
The older I get, the less I enjoy the hot sand on my feet and the intense sun beating down on me as I walk to the water.
And so... first stop was just steps from our building to rent an umbrella and beach chair. These people actually plant the umbrella into the sand (whatever spot you choose) and take the chair there for you too. At 5PM they will go and collect it. I am so thankful to be able to afford such a luxury.
Watching the little ones, thrilled with the ocean waves and enjoying playtime in the sand, is reason enough to brave the heat and make the desert journey through the sand to the promised land of fun in the sun!
My perfect day at the beach consists of a cold bottle of water, a good beachy book, sunglasses, and of course the shade of my rented beach umbrella.
My high hopes of basking in the perfectness of the clashing ocean waves and feeling the peace of just relaxing there as I read my book is short-lived when I have to pee. If I were still young, I would not mind that walk back and forth through the sand to find a bathroom. Heck, if I were still young I would not have to pee so often.
Gary and his family are adventurous and like to play in the ocean. The angrier the sea, the more fun they have. Me and mine go in knee deep and run for the shore when we see a big wave. I'm guessing that has something to do with our upbringing or maybe we are just a bunch of wimps.
Jack and Jess decided that they would rock the scavenger hunt and complete every single task on the list. That way they would be sure and win. When I saw Jess and Jack in the distance interacting with a stranger, I knew they meant business.
Later that night we all met up on the boardwalk. There were goals to be met and even the little ones were being 'used' to check tasks off of the list. But first, some firm words of advice: **Never talk to strangers when mommy or daddy are not around!**
Videos and photo's started coming to us on our phones and the term 'LOL' soon became our theme for this years vacation because that is what we did!
Everyone needs a vacation. And so, we headed east to Ocean City, Maryland.
Rewind: In January when snow is pelting against the window and the temperatures are well below freezing, I start Googling and dreaming of a sunny beach with beautiful, warm sunrises that kiss roaring ocean waves just beyond a private luxurious balcony. The grayer the winter grows, the more motivated I become and before you know it I am acting on my dream and planning summer vacation. This year I rented four condo's for six couples (counting us) and three kiddies (all children and grandchildren).
Gary and I find that we really like having our own private place so I found the perfect one for us, light and airy with a huge balcony. We arrived on Saturday, two days before the rest. Shopping, eating, and more shopping was in order.
Then on Monday the family started to trickle in. By evening all had arrived safe and sound. And then... we handed out the weeks agenda.
Laughter, planning, and confident comments such as "We can do this!" followed as we handed out the planned agenda for the week.
A Scavenger hunt would begin. Some couples would be drawn closer as they worked together to win the grand prize at the end of the week, introverts would be brought out of their comfort zones, and children... yes, children would be exploited **GASP!!**
I introduce to you the Scavenger Hunt List for 2015:
Note: Thank you to my friend Sharon for the idea for the title of this series of blog posts... I like it!
