"Neat Beach People"

Growing up, I was very blessed to have Grandparents who lived on the front beach. My whole childhood is scattered with memories of running out of the front door and into the ocean. I didn't really realize how blessed I was! I remember running around covered in sand, and every time that I felt like getting a drink of water, I would run up to the house. If I needed sunscreen, I ran back to the house...you get the idea. I remember watching people on the beach. They had a chair, 2 towels (one to dry off with and the other to lay on), a cooler of snacks and drinks, a radio, a magazine... I called these people "neat beach people". They were always looking good, never sandy, never without their needs at arms reach. They fascinated me.
I remember telling Noah when we were first dating how much I wanted to be a "neat beach person", the next time I saw him, he had bought me an adorable straw beach tote that had flowers printed all over it. He said it was the start of being a "neat beach person":-) I loved that bag so much! I ended up using it all the time, even to carry all my school books in...which is how it ripped to shreds one day. I still have some patches of it that I cut out and saved. I'm going to do something with it someday...it just makes me so happy to even see it.
Now that I'm grown up and visit many beaches that my grandparents don't live on, I have discovered that no matter what, I am not a "neat beach person". I don't think it can be learned. I think I will always be a mess!

Yesterday I took Barclay with two of my sisters to the beach on the Eastern Coast of NC. It was crazy! The wind was blowing like crazy, the sun was beating down, we had to bring EVERYTHING. It was quite the journey just to get there. Followed by discovering the float I bought Barclay and planned on putting him under it's umbrella had a hole in it...I guess that's what I get from buying it from a sketchy lady at a yard sale. By the end of our trip, I was covered in sand, and watermelon juice, my baby was covered in sand and was exhausted because he wasn't able to nap in the wind, all of our stuff was covered in sand, including our towels so we couldn't dry off.
Today I have a list of 3 things I must purchase if this beach trip today is going to be enjoyable.
1.Bathing suit for me that doesn't expose my chest...It doesn't when it's dry but it does when it's wet.
2.Baby tent...or something like that to block the wind and sun.
3.Baby hat that fits him and buckles under the chin.

So there I was sitting in the sand, covered in juice...at 23 years old. I was looking around at everyone else...and they had it together! How is this possible and what am I missing?
I wonder if people look at me and say, she's a "fun beach person". I bet they do! At least I'll tell myself that:-)