sorry!
here we go...
this is the 5th year we've done this trip.
it's probably the highlight of our year.
these friends feel like family.
we have so much FUN together.
many people wonder how we manage to all live in 1 house for a week...and i really don't have a great answer as to WHY it works...i just know it does. and it's so enjoyable. sure, it has it's moments. but we all love each other, support each other and have His grace with each other. and i always leave feeling so LOVED...unlike any other week of my year.
i'm a pretty open person - in writing {like here...on the blog...or if i write you a letter} but i have a hard time being open and honest in person.
this group of people during this week...where we see each other from the minute we wake up to packing snacks for our morning at the beach to sitting by the pool while our kids nap to making dinner and giving baths and going for runs and sitting for hours over the dinner table...somehow opens me up to share my heart and fears and excitement and it just feels good to let some things out!
EACH of the people that are there are such a blessing to me and our family and i'm just so thankful for the gift that God has given us in them.
tuesday was rebekah's birthday.
most of our group walked into duck and got donuts for breakfast.
we spread them out on a bench and everyone dug in!
right after we sang "happy birthday" to rebekah :-)
what a FUN birthday for her!
the granger brothers!
they might as well be brothers...LOVE their friendship
this was the bike rack IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE!
those are all OUR bikes/trailers!
tuesday on the beach...
{i put those braids in bailey's hair that morning...didn't take them out til last night - SUNDAY! yikes! things got a little crazy...}
the waves were pretty rough so rebekah couldn't boogie board like she loves...
he stays as far away from the waves as possible
bailey having a tea party with cary and ellery
when the tide came up the first day, the waves got our stuff and wiped out a few babies...so the next 2 days the guys built a trench in front of our "camp" and it really worked!
baby ryan...the only baby so far that makes me sad i'll never have another one...
these 2 were hilARious together!
the water was rough.
but also so CLEAR at the beginning of the week!
it was different than i've ever seen it there.
the guys went out.
just a few feet out, it drops off and is at least 10 feet deep (they say...i didn't test it)
but pat did talk me into going in.
you could see your feet when you were out there! it was so cool!
brian, caroline, caleb and sawyer
the trench was so FUN to play in!
lunch on the beach
sawyer still finishing.
only on the beach can you dump the crumbs of the bbq chip bag out and mom laughs and takes a picture of you :-)
in the afternoon we iced and sprinkled cookies "poolside" for rebekah's birthday
owen, joshua, mike and mason
make your own pizza for dinner that night
michelle, me and peyton
all 13 kids.
5 years ago this group had 3 kids.
now we have 13.
a year from now we could {potentially} have 18.
wow.
chari and rebekah
leah and rebekah
me and leah
a little bike ride before bed...
i think rebekah had a pretty great 9th birthday!
1 comment:
what a FABULOUS way to celebrate her birthday again! i love all the donuts lined up - and the kids picture with ALL of them - what FUN is that! :) baby ryan is just too cute!
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