i'm doing the best that i can: Beach Traditions and a Busted Tooth...

So if you haven't hid me due to overposting on Facebook and Instagram this past week, you will know I have been at the beach. My apologies for this being a day late... I just couldn't get it together. The beach was a great time with my family and phenom weather. What you don't see in all those pictures (proves my point even more) is me in agonizing pain because I broke a tooth (A molar. On a sub. Yes, you read that correctly. A sub). I refused to let it completely take over my vacation, so I slathered orajel on it and took ibuprofen on a pretty much constant basis. At one point my tongue kept catching on the tooth/root/something that made me so utterly nauseous I could barely function. It pays to have a dental hygienist as your mother-in-law, because she directed me to a kit at CVS that could at least cover the throbbing part. Pina Coladas helped as well.

If you read last week's, you will know I had a difficult time packing. Well I did a terrible job, but we got through the week. I always think to myself, "I need to remember to bring X next year" but then I always forget. What's funny is I already kind of forgot. So much for this blog being helpful.

On our drive down, my oh-so-adorable husband decided to pull out a pair of sunglasses that he knows I detest. The White Oakleys. Now I realize there was a point of time in his life when he lived the beach bum life in Florida... But that time has passed. He is now in his mid-thirties, with a (lovely) wife and three children, and is a very responsible VP of a company. The white sunglasses era is GONE. My opinion is that if you are over 30 and not an actual surfer dude, you should not wear them. We put it to a vote on Facebook and Instagram. Alas, my hubby's many supporters came out of the woodwork. While I did get plenty of nays, I relented and permitted that the white sunglasses may only make their appearance at the beach. There are far more arguments to be had, and he always is my sexy man.

So this beach trip is with my side of the family. I am one of five (second to youngest), and all but one of my siblings have multiple children. There are 11 (almost 12) in total, with the following ages/genders: 13-boy, 11-boy, 8-girl, 6-girl, 5-boy, 5-girl, 4-boy, 3-girl, 2-girl, 2-girl, 2-girl. My oldest sister is due with a boy next month, so we will have a baby yet again. All of the cousins get along amazingly, and it is just a chaotic several days of fitting traditions we grew up with.

One of these traditions is going to the horse races in Delmarva. Now this is no Kentucky Derby but it is fun to watch the harness races and make bets. Last year Layla threw up as soon as we pulled in the parking lot, but this year we were wiser... her motion sickness bracelets and half a tablet of dramamine saved us from vomiting, but after a long day on the beach she was passed out. This was my attempt of a pic of all three. Livi clearly thought she was big stuff since she was awake and her older sister wasn't.

Everyone had a great time and my grandma did come out $9 ahead. The boys stayed longer, and I don't think I ever asked what (I assume to be) the final loss was. I don't want to know. This next picture just warms my heart, because these three guys (along with my brother and my other brother-in-law) are just awesome, family men. They are all about putting their little girls up on their shoulders and experiencing these moments with them:

Melts my heart.

Another yearly tradition is the girls all-day outlet trip. We go from the time the stores open (9am) as long as possible. We get Christmas gifts, school clothes, the occasional personal item (I would probably say more than occasional but who's counting?). It is a marathon day. This year, since we had a nearly nine month pregnant one and a nearly 90 year old, we took it slow and did a slightly shorter day (only until around 6pm, that's nothing).

Sisters!!!

We also USED to go out together for a nice dinner at a restaurant every year. We went to the same place for all of eternity. As our family grew and more and more kids (aka stressful dining) came along, but we still tried. The last time we went was a few years ago and one child who I won't name (but actually wasn't Layla) was dead asleep because he/she wasn't feeling well, and then woke up puking everywhere. That was not a pleasant experience to say the least, and it coincided with the restaurant actually closing (so not our fault. I hope). This year we did a mini-version, which amounted to only a few of us going and the rest stayed back with the kids. I got the most delicious dessert in the world... Mary's Delight to be exact... and my passion for this dessert is evident from the writing on my leftovers box:

My sister had to be the annoying saint and be all, "I'm not going to be protective of my leftovers, whatever." Make me look bad... which in all honestly, wasn't that difficult of a task.

All-in-all, we had fantastic weather and a great time.

Not conducive to getting sun but amazeballs in its own way.

Sleeping on the beach = heaven.

Adorable beyond belief. Look at her huge smile.

This last picture absolutely KILLS me. It was a random shot among my attempt to get a good one, and I just could not get over their poses and how much it looks like a sunglasses ad. Livi is looking off into the distance with her "blue steel" look. Layla is doing the straight-on with the sassy arm. Summer is just like... ummm what are they doing.

***A quick sidebar on traditions. I LOVE traditions. We had a million growing up as a kid for every holiday, event, you name it. Now that I have a family of my own, I think it is so challenging to carefully tread your traditions, your significant other's traditions, and NEW traditions to make as a family. And traditions can put such pressure on you that sometimes they aren't even enjoyable. I find traditions that my dad loved to be equal-parts wonderful/reminiscent and sad/stressful because I don't want to let him down or something. Alright, sidebar is done :o) ***

I'm nearing the end of today's ramblings... but I will add that I went to the Katy Perry concert my my sister and two of our friends (we were in the midst of teeny-bopper central), which was SO fun. The pomegranate margaritas at Rosa Mexicano calmed my tooth pain (I spent all morning at the dentist. I currently have a temporary crown and he had to "excise" some tissue that had moved over my teeth. Translation? He had to hack away at my gums). They also helped with the stress after we were on the ridiculously slow/broken metro for over an hour (at one point, it sounded like the train actually died and the lights went off. Underground).