it's how you live: jmu beach trip. year #9.

if you've ever been to the outer banks, nc...then you know this sight is WELCOME! it's the bridge that means you're almost there!!!

we've vacationed with this group of friends for 9 years. and it's a highlight of our year.

we have YET to stay in the same house 2 years in a row. we've tried a couple times, but it never seems to work out for one reason or another. a few years ago, we put "oceanfront" at the top of our criteria in a house. it's mostly because it makes it so much easier with all our beach "gear"...but i sure do love getting to SEE and HEAR the ocean at all times!

bailey was so excited to be reunited with avery :-)

some of the kids hadn't seen each other in a year. they all picked up right where they left off...(these 2 - sawyer and wyatt - look SO much alike. i mistake them for each other ALL week :-))

out of the 21 kids (!!) there are only 6 girls. so they have to stick together ;-)

LOTS of holes were dug.

we do "themes" for most nights. on "fancy" night, there is a daddy-daughter dance :-)

pat has 2 daughters to dance with!!

that's a lot of kids. we get a lot of double-takes from people walking by.

the first couple days, the water was SO calm. like a lake almost! cary brought his paddleboard and the older kids used it quite a bit!

cary constructed this contraption to SMOKE pork for us. it smelled SO good all day long! and tasted pretty darn amazing also! everyone cooks one night. most of the couples go above and beyond and make such YUMMY meals. we kinda stink at that part. we made taco's. and rice that was so sticky it was a big glob. but no one went to bed hungry...

we usually feed the kids around 6 pm. then the adults eat around 8 pm once the kids are in bed-ish.

"cowboy" night - making all the kids say, "yee-haw!"

many of the nights we sat outside on the deck for dinner. it's one of my favorite parts.

for some reason, this trip brings out the worst in me. our family has always had kids, so we've never gone into the week thinking it would be restful or relaxing. but it's always been a stressful week for us- initially because we had kids and others didn't and we were trying to keep them quiet so that the other couples could sleep in...and now we are trying to keep our kids quiet so the other couples' kids can take naps :-) i'm not sure if it's my "introverted-ness" going berserk with 30 other people around or what, but i always show my "true colors." thankfully, these people love me and are willing to deal with me year after year. we are committed to each other and this trip and i am so thankful for their friendships.

happy birthday, cary!

i only went for 1 run the entire week. it was a 6 mile run, which is respectable. but after that, i just slept instead of getting up. and it was NICE!

sunrise over the beach.

chari. SUCH a gift to me. i love her so much.

we celebrated avery's 3rd birthday with duck donuts!!

that's quite a birthday party, huh??

and then the ocean woke up!! remember the lake water calm? that was over...and we had some great waves for boogie-boarding!

they were selling something. lemonade? cookies? i don't know. it kept them busy and i got to read ;-)

sawyer. he got so brave in the ocean this summer!

they created a restaurant. it was awesome.

hawaiian night - LIMBO!

leah. LOVE her. she is SO good for me!

he has no problem going off on his own. i love to watch him in his own little world.

the adults chairs. they are all helping/attending to those many kids....

LOTS of cards were played by the kids!

one afternoon it was just ali and i on the beach. it was a precious little while...

making pina colada's on the deck during the afternoon so i don't wake up the napping kids...

where pat and i lack in meal "yumminess", maybe we make up for in fun?? for our dessert on our night, we got a permit and wood for a bonfire on the beach...and smores!