Fun on the Fourth

We've been very busy and I almost forgot I was working on this post about our fourth of July fun.

Despite the clouds and possible rain, we headed out to the beach like we do every fourth of July.  Unfortunately we didn't make it to the beach in time to enter the sand castle contest.  The kids were a little sad, but they got past it.  I think it helped that I decided to get in the water with them, which I rarely, if ever do. 
Personally I just don't like the salt water, it feels yucky in my hair and on my skin.  We took them over the sand dunes to the area that has lots of sandbars.  It's a great place for finding crabs, snails, and hermit crabs and the water is pretty shallow.  In our exploring we found a spot were the water is pretty deep.  The kids swam across, climbed up on the sandbar, and jumped in.  I really wish I had a camera with me to take pictures of them.



They boys swinging




Ready, set, swing!



After the beach we took everyone home to get changed up.  We packed up stuff for grinders and lots of snacks and headed out to the drive in movie theater that is about an hour from us.  On Wednesday nights they run a special, $18 for a carload.  You can't beat that price for a family of six, not to mention the drive does a double feature every night.  So for $18 we were able to see Brave and The Avengers.

There is a playground for the kids to play on while you wait.  We got there almost two hours before the movie started, so we could get a good spot to see from.  We brought our lawn chairs to sit on so everyone would be able to see.  We also didn't spend any extra money on food, since we brought it with us.  The movie doesn't start until just after nine, since it has to be good and dark out to see.  All the kids (and us grownups too) liked Brave.  Just before The Avengers started I put our eight year old in the back seat of the van and rub his back until he fell asleep.  He's still a little young to watch a pg-13 movie.  Everyone was exhausted the next day (we didn't get home till after 2am), but we all agreed it was a great time.

The girls sitting by the van
waiting for it to get dark

Total cost for our fourth of July fun:

• Beach pass was $15 at the beginning of the summer.  ($5 for just a day at the beach our pass lasts all summer)
• $18 for two movies
• gas and food which we would have spent any way.

I'm really enjoying finding relatively inexpensive ways to have fun this summer.

~Earthy Mom