Haaaaappy summer we maaaaaaaaade iiiiiit!
Our pack of Holbrooks started this summer season off the same way we ended it last year, with warm sand and cold water and hot dogs and looooots and lots of people. At Coney Island. Brandon took Huck out morning-of to find a beach toy at one of the jillion 99-cent stores on our street (wherein nothing is ever cheaper than $2.50... surely society should have fixed this by now), and together they came home with a plastic shovel the size of Huck, a giant bag of candy, and the looney tunes grin of a kid who's about to get away with eating a hella lot of sugar, and knows it.
It isn't like me to admit when I am wrong, neither is it like me to ever be wrong in the first place, but! I am going to cop to being a little bit incorrect about my feelings for Coney Island in times past. Only a little bit incorrect though, lets not get carried away. I mean, it's disgusting there--all of the rides at Luna Park are barf rides and I swear the entire area is covered in a film of sticky sugar residue--but I suppose it is disgusting in a mostly family-friendly sort of way. And the boardwalk is really starting to come together after Hurricane Sandy gave it the what-for. And so I grant it my mercy.
Coney Island, I absolve you!
Anyway when you have two boys whose ideas of a good time involve a can of Spaghetti-O's and a Power Rangers mini-marathon, you sort of start to love these things out of necessity.
(But why are the Power Rangers always smacking clouds of dirt around? And why do they all fight in that same rock quarry-looking place? All twenty million versions of them?) (Jungle Fury and Dino Thunder have the best opening theme songs. Just so we're clear.)
Suncreen station.
Huck's got on old swim trunks from Zara, a t-shirt from American Apparel, this year's Saltwaters (ordering him his new Saltwaters at the beginning of each summer is one of those times where my chest puffs out all big and I think to myself proudly, I'm somebody's mother!), and a very ridiculous hat from I can't remember where but it's my favorite thing he owns. He figured out that sideways steez all on his own. Huck could probably school all of us.
And anyway, NERDS!
Are Nerds the unsung hero of the candy world?
The other day over a breakfast of Whatta-Melon Nerds Huck asked me, "Mom, do you like nerds?" And I said "Yes, Huck. I married one."
I was so proud of that one and Huck didn't even almost get it.
(Brandon misplaced his wedding ring the other day and has been wearing mine on his pinkie. Is that not the sweetest thing a dude has ever done?)
My suit is from Madewell a few years ago (their suits are 25% off right now beeteeduuuuuuuub), sunglasses are Ray-Ban. Funky baby hairs at my hairline are aaaaaaall mine, people.
I've been playing around with our new-to-us Fuji X-E1 and these are the fruits of my double exposure settings. It reminds me of . . . something.
Please note The Unibomber back there. The Beach Unibomber.
"Beaches must be cold for those with no warm skin tones. We've already missed the spring!"
(Right??)
This kid loves getting buried in the sand. He requests it every time we hit the beach and then, once we're pouring the warm sand over his little body, he'll tilt his head back and close his eyes softly and say, "ahhhhhh."
Mommy's little mermaid!
Huck also has a standing cotton candy tradition that heaven forbid you forget to uphold.
Hah! These are the important things.
Wahhhh my baby's growing uuuup!
And now I present unto ye in closing, what happens when you tell Brandon "we haven't taken real photos in YEARRRRS," hand him a camera, and then ask him to take a couple.
Hey thanks, Scooby. My sun damage freckles and I sure love you, you know.
And anyway so this is what the middle of a cross walk in Coney Island looks like on an only-semi-busy-day-but-I've-seen-worse holiday afternoon.
Good luck crossing the street.
Now I'm done. The end.
This makes me want to go to the beach immediately! Alas it really isn't warm enough yet here, but it makes me excited for the summer that is finally on its way!! :D
ReplyDeleteGeorgina | The Librarian
Too darn sweet! Love the pics. And I love the size of that cotton candy bag. Practically the size of Huck. Go big or go home! ;)
ReplyDeletehttp://sometimesgracefully.com
I had to buy me and my little one Salt Waters because they are the bees knees!
ReplyDeleteThe Pepper Express
Oh my goodness, that video! So cute! Wow, Huck has grown up so much!
ReplyDeleteLove the double exposed candy pic!
ReplyDeleteThis looks so fun! I think Coney Island is my equivalent of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It's always crowded and I swear I loathe it but when I actually get there I really do enjoy myself. XD
ReplyDeletejessica / www.teamwiking.com
Yes, "these are the important things". You capture them wonderfully!
ReplyDeleteLooks like so much fun! -Hanna Lei
ReplyDeletethe thought of bringing my four children to that crazy crowded beach give me anxiety just sitting here. I am still trying to move from my "nine cars on the road means a traffic jam" Pullman WA point of view to the congestion of state street in Orem Utah. Coney Island... not for us country bumpkins. But the photos sure do look nice.
ReplyDeleteBABY HUUUUCK! And those rolls. Thanks for taking us back in time to those rolls.
ReplyDeleteOh man I was just thinking about the play scene from "My So Called Life". That one is a classic.
ReplyDeleteNice pics :) - Edmund Orozco
ReplyDeleteThe bond you have with your boys is absolutely adorable. Your family is such an inspiration to the most of us. I wish your family good health and God bless. Love, Sierra Colmo
ReplyDelete