Seashell hunting: The perfect low key family outing

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My family and I are new residents of the Coastal Bend having relocated from a small town north of Austin back in October of 2017.

We decided to move here because we love the beach and want our family to be able to experience a coastal lifestyle.

Our family loves to fish, swim, play in the sand, and hunt for seashells. It’s something we can do as a family, it’s virtually free, and we all enjoy it. We head to the water as often as time and weather allows.

seashells corpus christi moms blog

My husband works odd hours and many weekends. This is usually a major bummer. However, one of the silver linings to his schedule is that he often has days off during the week. We always check the weather to see if his days off will align with what we have deemed “beaching weather.” Last week the weather and his day off did just that. It wasn’t perfect weather. It was mid 60’s, partly sunny, and quite windy. But for January, we’ll take it. We decided to pick up the kids from school and drive straight to the beach. We loaded up with our usual gear and headed out to Port Aransas, our family’s favorite beach.

Upon arrival we decided it was too windy to just sit and play. So we decided to make this day a “shell hunting adventure.”

In this current phase of life it’s AMAZING how simply adding the word adventure to the end of an activity instantly makes it more exciting for my kids.

So for the next hour and a half we just walked. Very slowly with the wind whipping all around us and our heads mostly to the ground searching for “treasure.” The beach did not disappoint that day. There were literally thousands of shells on the half mile stretch that we walked. We collected several buckets full. Beautiful shells that I was excited to keep and display as decor. We talked about the nature we came across and had a great time. We all got some exercise, connected with nature, and lifted our moods. And seeing those shells on display will remind me of days like this for years to come.
seashell hunting
It’s always amazing to me how breathing salty air and hearing the ocean can truly soothe my soul.  

Just being near it reminds me of how small I am, but how connected we all are.

Seeing seashells wash up always makes me wonder about the story of each one. I wonder about each one’s journey within the ocean and how far it traveled. Though living so close to the ocean can be nerve-wracking during hurricane season, most of the time it is an amazing place to live. 

A place of beauty and of peace. 

I have found that a lot of locals, especially those who grew up in the coastal bend tend to take it for granted.  Don’t forget to explore it regularly in whatever way suits you and your family.

The coastal bend is bursting with “adventures”

just waiting to be had!

So the next time you have a free afternoon with “beaching weather,” consider heading to the beach to lift your spirit and find yourself a seashell. We just might see you there.

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Rachel
Rachel and her family are new to the Coastal Bend. They moved here last fall from a small town north of Austin where they lived for the last 10 years. Rachel is a part time pharmacist and a full time mom of 3! Her faith in Jesus and her love of family are the cornerstones of her life. Originally an Okie, she has a bachelors degree from Oklahoma State (Go Pokes!) and a Pharm D from Southwestern Oklahoma State. She works a few days a month as a relief pharmacist for a retail pharmacy chain and as an author for a company that sells pharmacy study materials. She has been married to her high school sweetheart since 2005 and stays busy with their 6 and 4 year old boys, their 18 month old baby girl, and their 3 dogs. Rachel and her family LOVE the beach and all the activities that come along with it! She also loves to craft, scrapbook, decorate, party plan, on-line bargain shop, travel, and garden. Rachel is a big fan of sunshine, Mexican food, organization, and Diet Coke. She feels very blessed in this life and is excited to be a part of CCMB!