The Zoo is Headed to the Beach ... OBX are you ready for us?

How many bags and baskets does it take to pack up for our family of 7 for a week at the beach, including groceries for the week?

I lost count on bags but it took one Honda Civic and a Suburban with a roof rack and bike rack.

We put the beach chairs on the bike rack.

I still have Destine's save the date photos to work on and our Family Formal ones but here are all the Fun Family Pictures.

Yes there are a lot.

I started with 655 and narrowed it down to 300+ of my favorites.

I loved going through these pictures.

It was like reliving our vacation.

This was the first time in over three years that we got to spend with Destine' and Steven and uninterrupted two weeks.

It was amazing for our Family.

As you know I am not in a lot of these pictures (maybe 5) but that's because I was enjoying the view.

The view of my Family was awesome.

Watching them play and interact was such a joy.

Re-living it while editing brought tears to my eyes.

It brought all the memories back.

Yes I know it was only two weeks ago but we are back to our crazy everyday Chaos and Destine is back to school and Steven is back to work.

It is so easy to forget the simple things.

As you scroll through these images, just imagine my pride and joy.

Know that I am madly in love with my family!  

Seeing how happy Destine' is and how wonderfully her and Steven interact day to day is such a gift.

I love our Crazy Life and Love our Crazy Zoo.

ENJOY!

Lukas loved the sand but not the waves when they came in.

As they would come up he would cry.

By the last day he was crawling to the waves.

The first two days Jaxson wasn't too sure about the waves and sand in general.

By the end of the week he was happy in the sand as long has he had his water shoes on.

It also helped that Sissy was willing to carry him anytime.

Eli loved the sand and water.

Eli loves to relax and just chill.

Bella's piggy's freshly painted by Sissy this week.

Bella loved the water and was going in but on about the third or forth day she got taken down by a wave.

After that she was done.

BUT she was still happy to just play in the sand.

Sissy pull me, Me do like Kylie and Aiden.....

...until I fall in the water and then Me done!

Steven was like a little kid.

Every Day and Every Minute we were there he was in the water.

Bella had an obsession with finding sea shells.

Steven spent so much time in the water he found a new friend.

Lucky for Steven and not so much for his friend is was dead.

Look at that eye ball.

Grammy grabbed my Camera for a few mins and caught a glimpse of me with Bella.

Yup just as she was going to take a few Bella wiped out.

She got back in after that but only with Grammy until she wiped out with Grammy too.

When a family of 7 goes to the beach you have a lot of crap to carry.

We used our yard cart as our beach cart.

It also worked as a wagon ride for Jaxson and Bella.

Jaxson loved playing with his trucks and made Daddy make him roads everyday.

Sissy made a whale.

Jaxson wrecked the roads as Daddy built them.

More roads.

She's in there somewhere..

And this girl is done

LOVE This Generations Image...

This was one of my best ideas.

This bucket was $6 at Target. 

We brought our sand toys in it.

Since we have a sand box at the house now, I told the kids to full the bucket with whatever sand toys they wanted but they had to fit in the bucket.

They picked the toys.

At the beach we used the bucket for water then at the end of the day, just threw the toys in the bucket for the next day.

At the end of the week we cleaned the toys off (got as much sand off as possible) threw them in the bucket to being home.

I LOVE having a Suburban with tons of space!!!

Sissy thought Skim boarding looked really easy.

So did Daddy, he bought the board our first day there.

The young kid (13 or 14ish) really made this look easy.

And was probably laughing as she fell a few times.

Snack time under our umbrellas.

Destine' and I enjoyed our Frozen drinks at the beach everyday.

I could get used to having a son-in-law.

He filled the cooler everyday with our drinks and made sure our cups were frozen.

Hubby's been going to the gym everyday at work and decided this week that he is going to do the "Tough Mudder" with Destine' and Steven.

At one point Steven was determined to catch a dolphin but that didn't work out.

Daddy got the kite up really high.

First day and Jaxson was not getting down.

** not sure why the photos uploaded out of order but I don't have the time to fix it.

I'm just happy they uploaded.

Fishing in the Ocean

The kids Suite.

(no one wanted to be on top bunk)

After spending every morning at the beach,

we would head back or bring lunch to the beach then head back.

After lunch we would do the pool or baths at the house.

After nap we went back in the pool until Dinner.

I look at these images and where does the time go.

When did my babies become big kids?

Working together to find Bella sea shells.

Mommy me found you a big shell see

Bella noticed everyone's feet print but couldn't figure out where her's were.

Not sure what was in the sea gulls beak so I took a picture to try to figure it out.

I still don't know.

Love Eli's shirt.

Due to Hurricane Arthur we were forced to end our OBX stay a few days early.

On our way off the Island we thought we would introduce Jaxson and Bella to Mini Golf as a "surprise".

It was a Chaotic mess.

BUT so much fun.

After the Second hole we stopped keeping score.

Also after the second hole Bella asked "can we do sumpin else for our surprise, I don't like this surprise."

Apparently Bella isn't into golf.

 Swing.... and 

...a miss

Try again

Batter Batter up.

Had to explain how to hold the club again at every hole.

Once he realized put the ball down this hole (see above pic)

and it will come out here (see below pic)

That was it he wasn't leaveing that hole.

Not even when other golfers wanted to play through

Bella decided that I'm just going to put it next to the hole.

Like I said she was done after the second hole.

I'm just going to kick it now.

Bella: "Really, Seriously"

Done.

Let take a picture by black beard.

We just made it in time before they closed the bridges due to the Hurricane.

I can't wait for many more vacations with my Awesome Family!

We headed off to plan B (the new lake house).

Stay tuned for Beach Formals and Lake House Pictures...

I'll end with a few Sunrise Pictures.
Des, Steven and I had a few early morning Photo shoots for some Save the Date pictures.
The first morning they were a little late 45 mins but I still got a few great sun rise images.
5:45 comes really early on vacation.
Needless to say we only did two Sunrise Photo shoots.