She picks sea shells by the sea shore

Nikki and I were shopping the other day and wandered into a completely random gift shop. They had a huge glass cage full of pretty shells and I just had to stop and take a quick peek.



This got me into some trouble quite a few years ago:

It was the summer and we had traveled down to Biloxi for a family vacation. I don't remember how old we were, probably 11 and 13 or so. The weather was cloudy with some sprinkles, definitely not swimming weather so we were dressed in these cute white jumpers. On the beach there were these very large, long pipes that stretched out into the ocean. I decided it would be a good idea to stroll out across said pipe and dragged Nikki along with me, since that is what big sisters do. About 50 feet out into the ocean, I saw all these pretty shells on the pipe. I plucked them off thinking how nice they were and kept stuffing them in my pockets until they were full. When my pockets were full, I grabbed a handful, as many as I could carry and slowly began to balance my way back to the beach.

All of a sudden, those pretty shells starting moving around! I completely freaked out! I threw them into the ocean and then I was frantically trying to get them out of my pockets. In the process of this, I fell into the ocean. Of course, that made me freak out even worse! I had fears of jelly fish and sharks and those little crabs coming back to get me. Even though Dad is yelling at me, "Just stand up! Just stand up!" I didn't want to stand up, I didn't want to be in that ocean. I eventually did stand up, and the water was up to my waist. But instead of walking back to shore, I heaved myself onto that pipe and threw my leg across it to climb back on. I did make it, by the way...but my leg was all bloody and raw. It took out a gash about 6 inches long.

And so our trip to the beach ended early because of a wet girl in a now see-through white jumper with blood running down her leg!

Oh the memories.