Jelly Magnet

Sundays at our house are family days. We try to start the day with a family breakfast, usually some sort of breakfast casserole, and chat about whatever comes to mind. Then we are off to church across town, a mere thirty minutes away, singing “Silly Songs with Larry” and Alanis Morissette. After a short social time with our church friends, we head home for a quick lunch, and then some much needed and much deserved family time.




Yesterday we decided to head to the beach for some fun in the sun. Justin wanted to go surfing and Jake wanted to take out one of the boogie boards. We lathered up with sun block, packed up the van, and headed down the street to the beach.

You have to understand that not all of my children are real fans of the beach.




Jake, he loves the water and can build a mean sand castle. He was in the water the whole time, learning how to maneuver his boogie board, getting mini-lessons from Justin when the need arose.




Jolie, on the other hand, isn’t a big fan. We took her to the beach when she was about six months old and she grimaced as we dangled her toes in the water, and she has been grimacing at the thought of gritty sand, salty water, and scorching sun ever since. This beach trip was much better. She didn’t have to be carried across the sand and placed on the blanket, but instead embraced the sand and made it her canvas. She hardly stepped foot in the water and instead spent her time building sand castles, decorating them with sea shells we found on our small walk down the beach, trying to avoid the jellies.




We must live in the jellyfish capital of the US. Justin spent a majority of his time scanning the waves for incoming jellies, warning Jake if any were coming his way and then scooping up any that had become beached and placed them into a large, disgusting pile. He figured that if he kept them from going back out to sea, then maybe he would prevent the kids from being stung.

It was a valiant effort.




Although Jensen spent most of his time out of the water at the request of Justin, he still ended up getting stung…just about the same spot he was stung last time. He must just be a jelly magnet. Jensen loves the water and every time we’re near the ocean, a river, lake or pool, he has no fear and jumps right in. He’ll be getting some swimming lessons next year, unless he teaches himself to swim before then.



Justin paddled out to try to go surfing and ended up paddling right back in. He said that there were jellyfish everywhere. I’m hoping that we are just having a bad year and that we won’t have to spend the next three years avoiding jellies every time we head to the beach.



I, although completely lathered up with sun block, was the only one to get pink. I can’t complain because I have been known to get very burned (looking nearly purple sometimes). I’m glad that the kids got some of Justin’s olive complexion so hopefully they won’t have the problems with the sun that I have had.




We’re looking forward to another trip to the beach in the near future. Hopefully, the water to jelly ratio will be a bit higher next time so Justin will be able to surf and Jensen will have a sting-free time.