This month we took Alex on her first trip to the beach. We weren't sure we would be able to get a vacation in at all this summer. Between my medical placement at the hospital being 9 weeks, 3 days of teacher induction, and 2 days of inservice I didn't have a full week off all summer, but we were able to find a long weekend and so we headed to Virginia Beach from a Thursday to Monday. We had a great time-it was a much needed get-away. We spent some time on the beach but we couldn't decide if Alex liked it or not though-one day she couldn't get enough of the water and sand and the next she didn't want much to do with it. We did find a spot on the beach that had playgroung equipment, which she loved! We also took some time to do a few other sight-seeing things. We hit up the Virginia Aquarium, went to see a AAA ball game (the Norfolk Tides), and did some shopping. Alex very much enjoyed the aquarium-she even touched a snake, a hermit crab, and a stingray. She loved the interactive pieces where she was able to push buttons, put her hands in things, etc. She also had a blast cheering the ball team on at the game-this made her daddy very happy that she loved going to a baseball game so much (so much that when we got home, we had to take her to a Hagerstown Suns game). She clapped and cheered "Go Tides" and "get a hit". It was so cute! But we think Alex's favorite part of the whole trip was staying in a hotel and riding the elevator. It seemed like all she could talk about was the elevator. By day 2, she was a pro at pushing all the right buttons for us. We joke that next summer all we'd have to do for vacation is take her to a hotel in Chambersburg and get a room on the top floor so we can ride the elevator all day long-haha! All in all, a very nice family vacation and a nice time away from the craziness that has been our summer! 
