June 23 ---> Can't Top It

Such a gorgeous beach we had!

We woke up, had breakfast, hit the beach, came in for lunch, more beach, short time at the pool, in for clean up and supper and crash at bedtime (after games maybe or beach crab hunting).  

We wanted to take advantage of every moment!

Family soccer game

Time in the shade

 

June 22, 2021 ---> Just As Perfect

Some of the super disciplined folks woke up at the crack of dawn to workout together.

They had a pool too and we had certain hours we could use it...once again...just us and no one else.  

It was a nice break from the sand and salt and the cousins all came up with fun games to play from the 5 year olds to the college grads.

We can be quite competitive!

No one was drowned though.  

The college kids and grads offered to babysit all the younger kids and let the grown up go out to eat at a nice place.  It was a wonderful treat!

Delicious seafood!

Our belated Father's Day picture.

Love you, Dad!

We came home to see the kids enjoying games.

 

June 21, 2021 ---> Perfect

The weather was perfect.

The waves were perfect.

We had my folks, my 4 siblings and their spouses, and all the cousins...that's 3 Warren kids (plus the spouse of one), 9 Fish Sticks, 4 Harrison kids and 5 Payne kids.

That's a family multiplying!!

We stayed at the Trinity Center which was the perfect set up.

We were their first guests since Covid hit and although they were understaffed (like all of the US), it was so nice to have the place to ourselves.  We had rooms that housed 2-4 people and family rooms to hang out together.  We ate breakfast and lunch in their dining hall and ordered out for dinner.  Aunt Linda and Uncle Paul (who live a couple miles away) joined us.  We had a walkway to our private beach.  We just couldn't have asked for more.

Walking to breakfast

Loving on cousins

games on the beach

sand castles

boogie boards

naps

brothers who started this all

beautiful sunsets

catching crabs at night

full moons

PERFECT!

 

Father's Day - Road Trip Day 2

The morning we woke up at the hotel happened to be Father's Day.

Not really the most ideal day to celebrate this amazing dad we have - being in the car with lots of people for hours on end.

But the kids had lots of sweet cards, letters and gifts to present to My Man at the hotel and let him know how amazing he is.

The "fun car" played games to pass the time and would pass cars and dance and blast music in hopes that the stranger in the car next to them would have a "dance party" with them.  It kept them entertained and laughing.  So when we passed Nonie and Pops, they tried their best to get the grands and cousins in the back to do a little dance. Pops was sure to disappoint although Nonie proved to be "fun" to the "fun car."  So when we saw we were about to pass their red Tacoma again, the "fun car" told us to get ready and join the dance party as we passed.

Good thing the Fish Sticks in our "not as fun car" were hesitant because I quickly realized before starting my dance that the red Tacoma was NOT Nonie and Pops. 😂. I didn't tell the "fun car" though.  😏

In the summer of 1994, right after I had graduated from college, our family took a road trip in our camper out west all the way to Yellowstone and back.  Mom brought along a read-aloud book that we enjoyed hearing her read to us.  It was Saint Ben. I vaguely remembered it but decided to buy it for our trip.  It brought back lots of memories in my mind of that old trip out west and my Fish Sticks thoroughly enjoyed it too.

There was that one part though that had me stop quick in my tracks before reading it.

I instantly took a photo of the page and sent it to my mom and siblings saying, "Mom, I'm sure you must have skipped this part over because I certainly don't remember you reading this page to us!"  😆

We got to the Atlantic Beach, Outer Banks and I've never seen my kids change into swimsuits so fast!

We couldn't wait to hit the water.

They had never swam on the east coast - just the Gulf - and the waves and water was just perfect!

What made our time even better was when all the cousins and aunts and uncles all arrived too!!

This was going to be a great family vacation!