I wish it would've lasted longer...

It was a good weekend. The sun was shining. The wind wasn't blowing (hard). And I spent most of my time outdoors doing fun stuff...

Daisy: Mom, he's touching me...

Noelle (aka Marshmallow): Pet me now. No, more...

Daisy: Seriously, mom. I don't wanna pose...

Noelle: You stopped petting me. Start again. Now...

RR: Are we done yet?

Daisy: I'm outta here...

Noelle: Still not enough. Scratch belly now!!

All in all, not my most cooperative subjects. But it was too nice not to take some pictures. Even though it caused this:

I am pouting now. Go away...

No, seriously. Go away...

I can haz log?

On Sunday it was finally time to introduce Elmo to the ocean. Since I've had him here, either I haven't had the gas money to get him to the beach or the weather has been too crappy to go. Sunday I had good weather and gas money. Poor Elmo had no idea what he was in for...

I loaded up the dogs, hooked up the trailer and set out for the beach.

Hey mom? I think someone stole part of our truck...

No one panic. They rode up in the cab with me. Which reminds me... I'm pretty sure the whole "chocolate is toxic to dogs" thing is a crock. My dogs proceeded to eat a whole box of chocolates (that I forgot were in there) while I was saddling 'Mo with no visible side effects other than a very satisfied look and much muzzle licking.

After that, I explained to Elmo what we were going to do...

You want me to do what?!?

Ain't gonna happen. No way, no how...

In the end, I managed to convince him it wasn't that bad. And for the most part, while riding through the neighborhood, he was on board with the plan. Until we came upon this:

What the hell is that thing?

It took much snorting, spooking and investigation before 'Mo decided that we could, indeed, pass the beast without anyone being eaten alive. But it got the evil eye the whole time we were riding by... just in case.

Then it was time to hit the beach. The sandy path down wasn't too bad... except for all the driftwood laying around. Those got snorted at.

Then we hit the deep sand... Elmo didn't really walk through it so much as throw his legs around in a blender like motion until we hit the firm sand. Then he planted all 4 feet and wouldn't move. I tried to convince him that we needed to move at some point but he remained firmly rooted to terra firma until a sneaker wave rolled in. Then we moved rapidly down the beach. Some would say in a blind panic. I prefer to think of it as an animated "lofty" trot. Perhaps a prance, even. But whatever. We were moving!!

Our trail looked a little "drunken sailor"...

Which way is the trailer?

That white stuff is WAY too close. Just sayin'...

 Time to go back, right? Right...

Eventually he settled down a bit and we rode down the beach for about a 1/2 hour. By then I figured he was on overload and it was probably time to head back to the trailer. But before we left the beach completely I wanted to get photo documentation of the momentous event...

Um, mom? I'm sinking...

No seriously. Time to go. The ground feels funny...

So we paddled back through the deep sand and up to the trail and then headed back to the trailer.

For his first time, he did pretty good. I was proud of the 'Mo...