How I spent my summer vacation.

The summer was such a whirlwind of activity! My daughter's family spent the summer with us while their kitchen was being remodeled.

Believe me, there was never a dull moment! Four grandchildren, two of the human kind and two furry ones, made for endless days of non-stop activity and Grandma and Papa were only to happy to indulge in the joy of being in the thick of things.

Phineas; Mr. Cool with his sun glasses.

Scarlett; my "cabbage patch doll".

Digging holes by the tides edge, fetching tennis balls, running in the surf, trips to the playground and local aquarium, eating seafood, and venturing into the ocean made everyday an adventure.

Ruby doesn't sit still; always digging.

Oscar is a comfort dog. Just chilling under the umbrella.

Needless to say, Springer Spaniels LOVE the shore and any opportunity to swim in the ocean. They have no idea how lucky they are to have their own beach and are always so pooped out at the end of the day, that they don't even mind being used for seating.

It was amazing to watch the children grow before our very eyes. A lot of development can take place over a couple of months, especially where little ones are concerned. By the end of the summer, the baby was sitting up on her own (and trying to crawl) and the toddler had grown an inch or more.

Queen of the toys.

When all was said and done, it was a wonderful summer. We consider ourselves fortunate to have has so much time with the little ones; too often a rarity in this fast paced world. The silence was deafening at end of August when everyone headed home.

We were left with empty shells and empty hearts, but a lifetime of memories .....

.... and looking forward to the dawn of next summer.