Robinson Family Vacation 2010

Galveston beach may not have the whitest sand or the bluest water. It may have beaches that are full of seaweed and you may not be able to see the ocean floor through its murky waters, but it is our beach. 45 minutes to pure relaxation. It has the same cooling breeze that whips through your hair. You can still taste the salt in the air and feel the warmth of the sun as it kisses your cheeks. And you still close your eyes and listen to the gulls in the sky and the waves crashing on the shore. It's Houston's South Hampton and its the perfect place for our Robinson Family Vacation 2010.

It was Liam's first visit to the beach and there was a little twinkle in those seven month old eyes as we walked along the water upon our arrival.

There is something magical that happens when the sand fills the creases in between your toes and the ocean comes to carry it away allowing the beach to hug your feet as you sink deeper and deeper.

And Liam felt the magic.

And then he tasted it.

I could wake up every morning to this beautiful sunrise. It almost makes me want to drink coffee. Almost.

We would gather on the deck every morning to discuss our plan for the day and watch our precious little Liam take it all in. He had the best mornings with early riser Pop. In fact, we all became early risers!

Even the dogs knew that we were on vacation. They were "free." Tucker let out screaming bird calls to all the sea gulls to ensure they knew he had arrived and major practiced his pony show by leaping into the air from a folding chair.

And then we heard it. Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer." The calliope sound of the musical truck as it got louder and louder signaling ICE CREAM! Of course Bill and I dashed out of the house leaping over each other and racing towards the blasting sounds with all of the other children, our dollar bills in hand. I refrained from choosing the pink panther with the bubble gum eyes and went for the classic bomb pops, ice cream sandwich and cherry chill.

We later enjoyed fresh sea food at Galveston's famous Rudy and Paco's on the strand. Bruce made it even sweeter by ordering a bottle of the good stuff... Cakebread chardonnay! I even got a few sips in between baby food and poopy diapers!

We stayed at the perfect house. It was setup right on the beach and it was as if the line of wooden posts shielded us from the public because we had our own private area on the water where our Baywatch beach boys setup a full canopy with umbrella, Adirondack chairs and blankets. It was Liam's little play land full of buckets and shovels.

And of course a football.

We made a trip to the Sunflower cafe for an unbelievable breakfast and top notch mimosas. Then headed to see if Murdocks had survived Hurricane Ike. We loaded up on salt water taffy, pearl necklaces, and sea shells and took a break on the porch.

As dusk began to fall and Maggie and I had soaked in all the sun our skin would absorb, we cleaned up for a shot at a photo opportunity.

I brought along a tripod and attempted to setup a few group shots. We had the choice of the sun or the wind blowing our hair in our face, but I think we managed to create a few amazing moments to add to our 'treasure chest of memories.'

And there is a new movie coming out featuring a passionate love story entitled "Soul mates."

And "Soul mates: The early years"

It was a wonderful vacation full of joy. As I dust off the sand from the trip, I can only smile as I look forward to what next year's tradition has in store. I am sure it will include one little boy not in my belly... not sitting on the beach... but running through the water. And I am excited! Cheers to that!

Thanks for an amazing vacation Mea and Pop. We love you!