Summer Break 2021: Week Five

Beach week is my favorite week of the summer and definitely one of my favorite weeks of the year!  I always look forward to spending uninterrupted time with the family and not having to worry about jobs and other responsibilities competing for my attention!  Here is how we spent our vacation week at Ocean Isle Beach....

On the way down to the beach, we were able to meet up with one of my best friends, Ginny, and her two boys!  Ginny and I have been best friends since high school, in each other's weddings and have boys that are about the same age!  Since they live in Kansas, it had been two years since we have seen each other. The boys loved swimming at the pool, floating in the lazy river and playing with the water guns as they aimed at each other and the adults.

Here are some of our favorite memories from our week.... feeding the birds, swimming in the pool, going on nature walks and of course, playing in the water and the sand at the beach!  Grandpa splurged and got the kids Italian ice one day on the beach as well.... something that Linds and I weren't able to get when we were little..... these grandkids are spoiled! ;)

We got dressed up for dinner two nights, enjoying delicious food at Inlet View in Shallotte and Dockside in Calabash.

We went to play putt-putt one morning..... I am pleased to announce that mommy beat all the boys, winning by 5 strokes!

Daddy decided to rent a kayak one day and we enjoyed paddling around the inlet side, exploring crab traps and floating through the tall sea grasses.  We were so excited to use the roof rack on our car for the first time since we purchased the car two years ago! 

I love watching the cousins play together... Zack and I took the oldest three to the pier the last night!

I have to include the annual comparison post... instead of showing each year at the beach since Z was born, this year I am showing "how it started" (from the first beach trip as a family of four) and "how it is going"...... this is a popular phrase these days to show the first picture taken many years ago along with a current picture for comparison! ;)

Maddox :)

Zander :)

Burke was in good hands while we were gone.  We had one of my co-worker's daughters watch him at our home for the first time instead of having him boarded.  I think he loved being in his own home and having all the attention from Hailee.  She was so sweet to send us "pup-dates" of our favorite four-legged pup including pictures while we were gone!  This picture is just adorable!

While we usually only look back on this beach week with positive memories, we had a very sad one while we were at the beach this year.  My grandma passed away on Wednesday, July 21st around 2:45 a.m.  While I believe we all thought we had more time with her and would at least be able to see her one more time, God's timing is perfect and that day was already known before Grandma Nancy was even born.  While I am still in shock and there will be much sadness in the upcoming days, I am hopeful that I will see her again one day as I believe the promises of Revelation 21:4-5 to be true. 

Until next year..... goodbye beach......