The Beach, Part One

We have been on the road almost since Andy finished on June 30th. We planned a big Beach trip to Topsail and recruited a big crew to join us. Margaret and Bruce came the whole week. The Townsends came Sat-Tues. and Gigi and Grumpa came Wed-Sat. We had a BIG house right on the beach and it was great. We had SO much fun. I have truly posted a million pictures and this is just the first two days!

We caravaned to the beach on Saturday. As soon as we got the the house the big kids headed to the ocean with Dave and Margaret.

You can see Margaret with 3 of them. They were told to just get their feet wet, but that didn't last long! Joiner had to come in with me after a while because her hair was wet! So much for feet.

Bennett and Bear ate a quick snack in the house and then came down to visit the ocean for the first time. B kept looking out to the surf!

My Sandpipers were back running in the breakers!

Bennett literally getting his feet wet.

Bear getting his feet wet.

The trip is so worth it to see them so happy! I feel the same way when I see the beach each year! Here is Carly.

Joiner. I think we can see how she got her hair wet!

Bruce, Andy, B, and Margaret (hidden by Andy)

More water discovery

This was so funny. Carly, Joiner, and Ethan were outside on the upper deck. Ellison and B were inside. Ellison started running from window to window and Bennett was so interested in what she was doing. He was following her as best as he could and just laughing!

We fed everyone and got them into bed as early as possible. The big kids were all in a bunk room. They had a hard time going to sleep the first night, but they did great! Each morning, after the clock would turn to 7:00, they would get in each other's beds and read and talk until we came to get them. The first night there were also some really loud fireworks, so it wasn't all their fault!

The next morning, everyone was literally up with the sun. Here is Margaret with our girls plotting the beach fun. Note, they are still in their PJs!

Bennett nurses then waits about an hour and eats his yogurt before his nap. So Dave and Margaret took the big kids down again. I don't even think it was 8am yet!

Leah and I decided to take the little boys out to play for a little while before their nap. To say that Bennett was excited about the ocean and sand would be an understatement. I don't think a child has ever enjoyed the beach more than he did that week. He couldn't get wet or sandy enough. Here he is off to the ocean. Slowly at first...

Then crawling as fast as he could!

As usual, Carly is right there with him! And Andy, too, in case you can't tell with the hat:)

Everyone is so happy!

More of the crew building sand things

Dave and Bear

Daddy and his boy in the waves. B liked this, but he preferred to crash them himself!

Carly and Ethan. Carly is so much like me; clapping about everything!

Joiner is our serious sand engineer. So much like Pops!

Bennett came over to investigate and discovered this dump truck full of sand and water. It looks like Joiner is holding his hands, but she is really trying to get him out of the truck!

We moved him over to dig with Margaret.

Leah and I brought the little boys in for their nap and then settled into the hot tub! Too bad it was too early to enjoy a drink. The monitors wouldn't reach the distance to the beach so we traded off each morning with baby duty. I don't think Andy ever too advantage of the hot tub, but I know he napped!

The big kids came back in about the time the little ones woke up. We made them go down to the outside shower. There was a hammock set up beside it to "hang out" in until it was your turn.

The photographer that we love was taking beach pictures the week were there. The Townsends had their pictures Sunday night so we ate early and then headed out to the beach after they left for their session.

Carly

Joiner. Love the beach action shots!

Margaret and Joiner working on some plan

Joiner working on more sand items

Carly working on her sand castle

The men hard at work!

Bennett was in the sand again!

I love this series of pictures. Just look at how happy he is!

Does it get any better?

Margaret was watching his mayhem

Mommy and B

Joiner and Margaret working on their plan. Margaret was the leader of many sand projects that week.

This is what I spent most of the week doing...chasing Bennett. I was trying to let him play, but then he would quickly get too far and in too deep and I would have to...

...haul him back!

I made the mistake of running in the morning most mornings. I should have just let this be my cardio! If you talked to my parents you might hear that this water baby part might be my fault, genetically:)

More to come!

How Time Flies...

We have been at the beach. I try to get a picture of Andy and the girls each trip. I love to see how they have grown from year to year. This year we had a little bonus!

Beach trip 2007, 18 months old

Beach trip 2008, 2.5 years

Looking through my pictures, I somehow missed taking this picture in 2009.

Beach trip 2010, 4.5 years

Beach trip 2011, 5.5 years and Bennett 11 months

You can see by the fogging just how humid it was. Look hard and you will see all 4.

Still foggy and I couldn't see to zoom, but at least it is all 4. Look how tall the girls are! The funny thing is I think Andy has the exact same outfit on as from 2007:)

More beach pictures to come!

Peeping Tom

Before Bennett learned how to open the toilet, we would let him play in the bathroom. His favorite thing is to play with the shower curtain. We go to the pool a lot this summer and sometimes I put all 3 in the bath to clean off before naps, and sometimes I let the girls take individual showers. If B hears the shower start he crawls as fast as he can to move the shower curtain to see who is in there.

Our little Peeping Tom

Argh, he found me!

The other day Joiner was opening the curtain so much that he was soaking wet! That's what you get, stinker.

Why, Georgia?

Why, Georgia? This is the title of my favorite John Mayer song. The lyrics talk about driving down 85 and it's the kinda morning that lasts all afternoon. It ends with if I could go anywhere, then why, Georgia, why?

Well, to see Mamie and Pops, of course! Bennett has only visited in my tummy, so it was time. We headed out before the July 4th crowd and actually hit no traffic. We stopped at a rest area for lunch and a little recreation after B took a short nap.

Here is the crew at lunch time

The girls and daddy running off some energy

Bennett and I playing on the mat

How big is Bennett? So Big!

He keeps it up for a while after you ask:)

Playing with sunglasses

While Bennett was napping on July 4th, the rest of the crew headed to watch a parade in the neighborhood. Here they are with Mamie and Ruthie .

The girls could join the parade, but they were a little hesitant.

A fire truck came!

I stayed home with Bennett again the next morning while the crew went to Fernbank to see a new exhibit.

Here is Carly spinning a wheel of some kind.

Joiner with Mamie and Pops

Carly

Stomping the "fish" in a water exhibit

I don't know what we are here

Carly the mermaid

Joiner the mermaid

Bennett was there, but we didn't take too many pictures. Here he is after a particularly yummy dinner of Chinese Chicken salad and watermelon! He had to be hosed off:)

It was a great visit and the girls are headed up for their first visit sans us very soon. We had great food, went to the pool, the market, visited family, and even got to catch up with a couple of college/ childhood pals. Thankfully uncle Robert was able to see us for a day when he was off.

We stopped at another rest area for lunch on the way home. Unfortunately, as soon as we started to eat, Andy got stung on the hand by a yellow jacket and his handed swelled immediately. Then it started pouring! So I haul everyone under the shelter and we waited out the storm. Andy took an enormous amount of Benadryl and sat in the back to sleep. I put in a movie for the girls and was nervous about B. He slept a really long time (for him, not much of a car sleeper anymore) in the morning and I wasn't sure he would sleep for the last 2 hours. However, after Daddy fell asleep against the door, he slumped over to the same side and slept the same way. It was so cute. If I could have taken a picture without killing us all or waking everyone up, I would have. Alas, you will have to imagine it:)

Thanks Mamie, Pops, Robert, and Ruthie for a great visit!

Bird Watching

We have two bird feeders by the kitchen windows. These are very popular restaurants for our feathered friends. We really haven't filled them in a year because it takes so much seed and time. Andy filled them both about a week ago and the birds must have put out a "tweet" or been on Facebook because the feeders were full in about an hour.

Bennett loves to sit and watch all the action. If he is lucky, the house wrens will start to fight and make a big fuss. Look at his little face!

He heard the camera and looked over at me

I am trying to get a shot with him and the birds. Look hard to the left and you can kind of see the robins.

Cannon Ball!

The girls have done an amazing job at swimming lessons! In just 3 short weeks, they are now jumping off the diving board and swimming to the side, unassisted!

Here they are waiting to jump!

Joiner was nervous to walk out on the board alone. Here is another coach helping her out.
Carly had no such fears!

Swimming to the side

Joiner in mid-air!

It is really amazing to watch how they have grown! Joiner went off the board on her own yesterday and Carly goes repeatedly!