Making the Most of the Dog Days of Summer

Although we live near the ocean, the water temperature doesn't often rise up or above 70 degrees.  Having grown up in the tropics in Panama, I can hardly contemplate putting a toe in the water for most of the year here in San Diego.  But, come August and September, the water finally warms up just enough that I will venture in.  Once you get adjusted to it, the water begins to feel really good, especially on some of our hottest summer days.  This year, we have been to the beach several times in the space of a few weeks and hope to go a few more times before the weather changes to fall temps.  My older 3 girls are acquiring quite a passion for boogie boarding and once they get in, it is hard to pull them back out of the water, even when their lips are blue and they are shaking like a leaf.  The younger 2 enjoy the very shallow water, the sand, and making sand castles.  There is something so wonderful and carefree about going to the ocean and taking a few hours to just kick back, relax, and detach from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  I feel so blessed to live in a place where this is possible!