Long Island is a Long Island

We spent Labor Day weekend with our Owen family on the Island. We had such a good time, but it seems so long ago now. Perhaps because it's been over two months since that point, delinquent blogger, hm?

We love and appreciate our kin on both sides, and this visit filled us up with lots of love and junk food. And saltwater...can't forget the saltwater.

The waves pummeled the girls with John as their anchor.




Millie reminds me of a pink-plumed bird here. John's head is barely visible, bobbing in the deep. He went swimming in the ocean for the first time since the waves broke his twelve-year-old collarbone.




He took the girls chest deep one at a time so that they could experience the sting and crash of the waves.


This ostrich preferred to remain buried.




Millie watches John while I watch Millie.



Then we drove to the bay side where the girls could float in deep water.




The bay section where John takes us is normally deserted, but this day a couple pulled up after we were in the water, presumably to watch the romantic sight of me corralling two puffy suits into the shallow end so I could swim.



See? Romantic.



Back home, here are the L.I. tuzzins in the evening sun.



Sharing a three-strawed drink with Anna...


Sitting with Great Grandma...



Posed picture! (By Sarah Owen) Alex makes her first appearance on the right. She and Anna are cool girls and perfect tuzzin-friends.



Millie and Anna share almost-birthdays, so while we were there, Grandma Owen bought a cake with all the fixin's and we had another party. Someday, Millie's bound to realize that most children don't get multiple birthday parties every year, but for now, I'll let her ignorance bring bliss.



Anna and Frosting Face (By Sarah Owen)



Of course, there were presents. (This is the famed McGamma we know and love, is it not?!?) Millie received many cool gifts, the highlight being this one. Gracie has yet to make it onto Shotsnaps, but Millie sleeps with her and carts her outdoors, on shopping trips and everywhere in between. She has brown hair, brown eyes, and looks uncannily like Millie in doll form.