Is This Heaven?

Maggie sinking her toes into the warm sand...

Wooooeee!!! The big blue OCEAN!

I have the urge to frame every single picture in the post and scatter them around everywhere to remind me of this night. It was perfect. The only thing missing was our Daddy. 

Maggie wasn't so sure about sand after all. She got this disgusted look on her face and headed for high ground. Sometimes it takes her a while to decide that she likes something. 

Rachel on the other hand headed straight for the water. For Rachel the sand was all well and good, but the water was the icing on the cake.

I think Rachel thought this was heaven too...

Maggie, however, wasn't quite sold on this sandy, salty experience. I thought it was hilarious how she'd hold her hands after getting sand on them. Always spread apart and rigid... funny girl... 

Twirling on the beach... So capivating, I could stare at this picture all day. 

You know when you've been under water for a long time and feeling you get when you make it to the surface for a breath? Or when you finish a long run with a sprint to the finish and finally start to cool down? Or when it's been a long night with your baby and you finally get that baby to sleep? 

That is what this felt like...

I will cherish these photos forever. Thanks Caitlin for taking these! They are incredible!

Heavenly Father loves His children. 
Simple as that.  

Cheesy grin Jess... 
Yep, this is heaven. Well deployment heaven anyway...

There's a picture with Maggie! She preferred eating chips with Aunt Tricia, but came down a played on the beach for a little while...

And the pictures just keep on coming. You wouldn't believe this, but I had to narrow it down.

I love seeing that wavy reflection on the sand...

The beach looks good on her, don't ya think?

She never stopped smiling that night.

Despite some camera difficulties, we got a few pictures of all the Payne girls before it got too dark...

My whole world...

Maggie and those chips! Chips for dinner! Sounds good to me.

Rachel ate 4 hot dogs that night. 4! Since when does that happen?  

Uncle Mark grilling away...

Rachel still talks about going back to Aunt Tricia's house and seeing these two...

Beach+Sunset+Hot Dogs= Best FHE activity ever!

And a few more scenery shots for your viewing pleasure...

Gollllllyyyy, Gee Whiz, Holy Smokes that is pretty! 
I love this planet.

"Is this heaven?"

"No, it's San Diego." 

"San Diego? I could have sworn it was heaven."