Our beach trip last week was fantastic. We built sandcastles, played in the waves, swam in the ocean, played mini-golf, ate, slept, relaxed, and had a great time.

An essential part of any beach trip with my family is flying a kite. I have very fond memories from my childhood of making and flying kites with my dad and my brothers and sisters. In the evening at the beach, after most people have gone home, the heat has begun to abate and the breeze has picked up, it just seems to me like the best thing to do.

Benjamin had flown a kite a few times before, but he had never taken to it like he did on this trip. He got a couple of kites (to share with Liam) from his Aunt Mina, and he was so excited to get out on the sand and put one up in the air.

He was completely a natural. He confidently launched his kite and watched it rise as he unfurled the entire length of string. Once he got it flying, he didn’t worry about it, he just chilled out and watched it. He had an instinctive knack for adjusting and controlling it, too. (He managed to fly it on 3 separate days without crashing it once.) He was peaceful and relaxed, and he just loved it. (He definitely takes after his Grandpa.) He was able to fly the kite completely on his own until it was time to reel it back in. I didn’t know a 4 year old could do that.

Liam loved it, too. He was fascinated with watching the kites, and he loved to help us hold on to the strings as we flew them.

After a week at the beach, filled with lots of fun stuff, it was B’s favorite part. Flying kites with both of my boys was one of my favorite parts, too.