A Great Week at the Beach = A Million Pictures

We just returned from a great week at the beach. We spent a week in Corolla, part of the Outer Banks of NC. We went with my parents (Nana and Papa), my sister and her family (Amy, Lee, Hayley, and Rylee), my sister's best friend (Shelly), my parents' good friends (Ken and Carolyn), one of their daughters and her family (Deb, Todd, Collin, and Kailey), and their kids each brought a friend (Ryan and Gabby). That's right, 18 people in the house. And we actually had Ken and Carolyn's granddaughter and her boyfriend (Courtney and Blair) for a few days as well. We had a great house that was really close to the beach and our house had a pool in the backyard. Every morning was spent at the beach and every afternoon (while the kids were napping) was spent at the pool.

We had good weather the whole week. We did have a little rain but it was always in the early mornings or at night so it never kept us off the beach. We did have a couple of unfortunate events during the week. Drew got his first ever speeding ticket on the way out to the beach. Then we hit major traffic getting onto the beach. It took us about 2 hours to go 18 miles. The other unfortunate event was that we had a lady in our church pass away and Drew had to go home to do the funeral. He left on Thursday morning and got back on Friday night. Then we turned around and drove home on Saturday. It is about 7 hours each way. He did a lot of traveling in those few days. Thankfully he got most of the week in before he had to leave.

My sister planned a little birthday party for the kids on Tuesday night. They each had a cupcake and got to open some birthday presents. The festivities have begun!

Will LOVED the beach. He is a true beach bum. He loved the sand and the water. So much so that he would take off so someone was constantly chasing him. We had a small baby pool set up on the beach and he loved playing in that as well. He would squeal when the water would come up to him. Even when I thought it was cold he would still enjoy it. He took great naps each day after running all morning on the beach. He also loved the swimming pool. He loved being in his float and being pushed around the pool. The house had a small set of steps that led up to a little game room. We had a baby gate on the second step but Will's favorite place in the whole house was the bottom step. He played and sat on that step all week. He was so cute this week. There wasn't much he didn't love about our vacation!

Lindy wasn't the biggest fan of the beach trip. She didn't like touching the sand but was fine when sitting on a blanket and playing with toys. She did not like the baby pool but was fine sitting outside the pool on a towel and splashing in the water. She actually did okay the few times she went down to the water to put her toes in. One time I took a chair down and sat with her and she seemed to like that. She hated the swimming pool until Friday afternoon. My mom finally got her warmed up to the pool and the float and she ended up liking it. Lindy was happiest this week sitting in her Papa's lap. My dad sat under the tent every time he was down at the beach and Lindy loved sitting with him. She was happy as a lark with him. She really wasn't that bad but she was about the fussiest I have seen her in forever. It still wasn't too bad though.

We had a great week but we were glad to get home. The kids were pretty wild after getting out of the car yesterday. Lindy has been pretty clingy with me today. We will soon be back in the daily grind with appointments and therapies this week. Two very special people have a very special day on Thursday and will have a very special party on Saturday.

Get ready to enjoy a million pictures. Way too many to choose from.

Sleeping so cute in the hotel on the way to the beach. Beach baby outfits!

The first day Lindy wanted to lay right on her daddy's chest.

Will wanted to play in the water.

He also chased after the dogs on the beach.

THE step!

Hot spot in the house.

Lindy enjoyed the bottom step as well.

Will loved the pool and going fast in the float.

More cute beachy outfits.

Our view from the back deck.

Enjoying the evening on the beach, even with my crazy hair.

Gabby, Kailey, and Lindy. The girls were a HUGE help this week! Great babysitters/helpers!

Amy, me, and Will.

Lindy and papa. Check out those blue eyes!

Lindy, Hayley, and Will.

Lindy Lou.

The Cone family. (Deb, Todd, Kailey, Ryan, Carolyn, Collin, Gabby, Ken, Courtney, and Blair).

Will and his new t-shirt. Sweet Rylee

Eating birthday cupcakes.

The cake Amy made.

Will LOVES the Little People Farm that Amy and family gave them.

Lindy enjoying her Papa's lap.

Cool Rylee.

Wild Will on the run.

Papa teaching Will how to dig.

The whole gang!

Amy and family and her friend Shelly.

The Crozier gang.

The cutest kids EVER!

My parents.

Nana and Papa and their grandkids.

So darn cute!

I loved this outfit on Lindy! Our house for the week. Getting ready to go out to eat in more cute outfits!

The orange gang.

Ken and Carolyn

Lindy had a great time flirting with Collin and Ryan!

Nana, Will, and Shelly

Cute as a bug Hayley. Hayley got glasses a few weeks ago. She looks so cute in them!

Sharing a chair and a snack.

Having fun splashing the water in the pool.

Nana teaching the kids how to use the water gun.

Bumper float babies.

And she FINALLY liked the pool and float. Too bad it was the last afternoon we were there!