I know when my 4 kids were younger, we had lots of buckets and shovels, suntan lotion, towels, water bottles (both for drinking, and the inevitable sand/lotion in the eye), hats, camera. Now I even get to bring a book since I don't have to stand in the waves swinging anybody up and down anymore! But I see people come on down with soooooo much stuff it looks like they are camping out for a week! Wagons and carts full of toys and chairs and radios and food.

Maybe I'm too lazy to pack all that up and carry it!

Hard to believe because we live so close to the beach, but we NEVER go. On the rare occasion; we'll go around sunset after all the tourists have headed back to their hotels and I'll sit in a chair and read while DH and kids frolic, but we don't bring much else. Of course our kids are all almost grown...but you know....

I guess when you have it basically in your backyard, you don't use it as much.

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This space for rent

count me in as being too lazy to drag it all LOL I bring towels & maybe a few toys maybe something to drink thats usually it

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mom of 3 greats girls

We go a lot-we are only a few miles from the beach. I always bring my chair and a book or magazines, a cooler w/ snacks and sodas/water, a beach bag w/ towels, a few small toys, and sunscreen, and the boys bring their boogie boards, and some type of ball. It sounds like a lot, but we are all able to carry it in one trip.

We are beach bunnies......it depends if we are going for the day or just a quick hour!! Sometimes we just pull over after school (school is across the street from the beach) and hang out for a little while. We have it down to getting everything into two bags and a cooler(for the fish that DH catches). It used to take us two or three trips when the little ones were very small though!!

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Vicki


TLJ Women united in Spirit!

we have a neighborhood pool. We don't take a lot because we walk there. We take our towels, bag with some drinks and maybe a snack plus suntan lotion and swim shoes and goggles for the kids. The kids carry *noodles* and I bring a book or magazine to read (if I'm not in the water) plus my cell phone

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

I envy those that live near the beach. It is always such a treat for us to go. (I'm in Ohio) we go to the local swimming hole with an expedition packed full of toys, towels and food.. My motto... you bring it.. you carry it.. my kids are 2 and 4.. toys are a must... lol I wouldn't trade those heavy armloads of tired kids and their shovels for anything.. it won't last long.

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Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. - Will Rogers

Suz, I am with you, we hardly ever go and live so close! And when we do it is only for a short period of time and we bring very little, I hate eating on the beach. Now when we go on the boat, my dh brings enough stuff for days...maybe a good week! The children get seasick and usually don't eat half the stuff! As for the pool that is right outside my door, my ds was just in it but he is part fish.

We live close to the ocean so we go with very little. Sunscreen, towels, a big drink and a book for me. If the little one, who is 10, wants boogie boards and such she knows the rule....carry your own! We are only 7 blocks away so if we really want it bad enough it is easy to go back home and get.

Now we also have season passes to a waterpark. For that I keep a big bag packed. Sunscreen, our passes, snacks, my book, etc. Add in fresh towels and we are ready to run. This bag gets used a lot and just has to be replinished as needed.

After years and years of having to plan and pack and drive and shlep we put in our own pool last year. It is a sheer joy to open up the back door and be at my favorite water feature. It was a big splurge but worth every penny to me. The kids always have something to do and can have alot of friends over to enjoy it with. We have always loved the beach and still plan to go for one week this summer plus several day or overnight trips. We bring alot of stuff with us.

Thats us but no toys anymore . Cooler for beer,soda,water,snacks,hotdogs,umbrella,chairs,bea ch bag,towels,sunscreen,boogie boards. We make a day of it


Rhonda

a towel, sunglasses, hair band, book and a drink is enough for me i love the beach but dont live near it. we have a pool in the backyard though, which is really nice.

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