The Dunes

On Thursday we went to the dunes at Jockey's Ridge State Park.

Our van was packed. Some funny conversations were held back there.
It started spitting rain right when we got there but thankfully it passed quickly. The kids had a blast.
After wards the mom's headed to the lunch and the outlets. It was such a nice break!

EJ and Mason

Tim with Jacob

Courtney with Bailey

Owen

EJ and Mason

All the kids

The big kids, please enlarge for full effect.

None Beach time

Keeping 10 kids ages (6 months-8 yrs) occupied when it was either raining or to cold to be on the beach.

Making Puppets

Water balloons

The Foamerators-such a fun activity.
All ages enjoyed blowing or catching the monstrous bubbles.
Simply cut off the bottom of a water bottle. Attach a damp towel cut in the shape of a circle around the bottom with a rubber band. Dip in dish soap.

Rebekah, Joshua, Mason, Peyton hanging out.

Baseball

These 2 were "buddies" all week. They turned our horseshoe pit into a sandbox.
The indoor pool

Beach Time

I should preface these next postings by explaining that we have been going to the OBX with the same group of college friends for the past 4 years. The group is awesome and we are so blessed to be with them each summer. Most of the guys were EJ's house mates in college. The wives get a long great and the kids act as if they are cousins. Our group continues to expand from the original 5 kids to now 10.

Unfortunately the weather this past week was not ideal for being on the beach (or outside for that matter). We did the best we could and it certainly helped us appreciate the good days.

EJ with the kayak

The whole gang

One of our walks

One morning when we arrived at our usual spot we were greeted with the presence of a dead sea turtle. Later in the week, Mason and I made a sand sculpture in honor of our week's stinky friend.

The Last Day

The last morning promised to be a sunny day so a majority of us decided to stay longer and hang out on the beach. It was my favorite day of the week. Packing was behind us, we were all thrilled to be in warm sunshine, we enjoyed a picnic lunch composed of the house leftovers and we could pretend for just a little longer that our vacation wasn't really over. The showering and changing of clothes in a GROSS bathroom almost ruined it for me, but we still got home before dinner and both kids slept for the last hour of the trip. NICE!

Owen, Bailey, Rebekah and Joshua buried.
Mary Jeanes, Courtney Cassada and me

EJ and Owen

Arriving in Duck

We arrived at Duck, NC around 11:30 a.m. We left our house early to avoid traffic and it worked. We made such good time that we had a lot to kill before getting into the house. It turned out not to be as long of a wait as we expected. I am so glad I had that time as a family b/c once we were with the other 4 families and 8 kids I hardly saw mine kids.

We eat burgers on a picnic table behind a little place called "Baldies."

We went crabbing near the light house in Corolla.
Mason went fishing (without a hook and bait. He loved it!

We caught 4 or 5 small crabs. Enough to make it exciting.

Then we got word our house was ready and the Cassada's had arrived. Owen dropped his crabbing gear and made a beeline to the van (can you tell he was excited?). Too bad he had to wait for his poky brother who casted the fishing rod all the way to the van.

Collides

Summer is colliding with fall today as we recover from a week of the beach and prepare for the start of school. Perhaps it will keep me from really thinking, okay crying, about the start of school ;) Lots of pics to come. I am not sure how I will pick.