We took a three and a half hour trip to the beach for an overnight vacation. All of us. A two year old, a nine month old, and two "adults".
One of the "adults" forgot to pack a few things. Pants for the two year old. Sunblock. More than one towel. We realized the pant shortage when we were stopped on the side of the road for a potty break and realized that the pants that were a little damp at this point were our only pair. We had planned on going out to dinner at a nice steak house. We had three choices: 1) don't go to dinner and buy pants instead 2) let the boy wear cars pajama bottoms to the nice restaurant 3) blow dry the remaining pants. We chose option three.
The next day we made it to the beach after three hours of getting ready. It takes about three hours to go anywhere when you are on vacation with little ones. Nevertheless, here are two of the guys, admiring the waves. 
Notice the pants. The lone pair.
Enjoying a nice, processed meat and preservative filled cheese and cracker sandwich. Later we ate a chocolate chip cookie that was the size of our head. Our mantra was, "It's VACATION!". We ate some yogurt when we got home.
Despite our lack of pants, there was no shortage of sand toys...
...and despite the abundance, someone kept asking where his dump truck was.
Someone also dumped water on my sandcastle AND whacked it with a shovel. I'm just saying.
Awww! Napping at the beach. I know his nose is orange by the way. It comes from a deep love of squash. We love us some squash!
This picture is just to prove that we did get sunblock eventually. We aren't bad parents. We just don't pack well under pressure. Wow, his nose is orange, maybe we need a squash detox session.
The two guys again. Sitting on the beach, watching a pelican try to catch a fish. Really! It was swooping down and diving into the water, like a kamikaze pilot. Even though we forgot to pack pants (and a few other conveniences), and even though we made our neighbors hate us at the hotel (six a.m. scream session anyone?), and even though the "adults" are exhausted from our "relaxing" trip to the beach, we had a great time. We saw a pelican fishing. We looked for shells. We made a sandcastle. We lived life, which can be hard to do with kids (especially if your happiness depends on having pants)!
For whatever we lose (like a you or a me),
It's always our self we find in the sea.
~e.e. cummings