i like your face.: The Acrees go to the Outer Banks!

We just returned from an entire week at the beach with my family (Mema, P\paw, Katie, Matthew, Meredith and their kids: Canaan, baby Deacon and their foster daughter)... this is the first time Stuart has ever been on an extended vacation with the Acrees due to his work schedule and everyone's availability to take a whole week off at the same time. We had a great time! My dad got his hands on a huge 3-story house for us in Corolla, NC... ocean-front with a pool (a must for a full week at the beach with kids)! Speaking of, between my brother's family and ours, we had 6 kids under age 5 (including 2 young infants). It was loud! And super fun.

Loading the car!

On the road - some Saturday morning traditions are hard to give up (donuts!).

We stopped twice during the 4-turned-6 hour drive

The view from the top deck of our house once we arrived

After everyone got there, we played in the pool and then lounged on the deck around bedtime.

Stuart's view each morning (black coffee, Capt'N Crunch and reading the news)

Getting ready for a morning on the beach

That's our house behind us - so convenient!

Marie was the only party-pooper. She didn't enjoy the beach... It is hard to have a baby that doesn't want to be laid down at any time, but especially when you're sitting on the beach. She ended up spending most of the week wrapped up on our chests to sleep. Stuart and I took turns wearing her, and she loved that 💜

My mom brought lots of things for indoor play, including this great bean bag game that she devised... but it pretty much just turned into a big bean bag fight. The kids still had a blast.

(P\paw tried to lay down the law and teach the kiddos how to actually play Mema's game.)

It was Katie's birthday (and my parents' anniversary) while we were there, so we celebrated!

Lounging pool-side (there was a covered deck beside the pool, so great for shade-loving babies and their mamas!)

Sweet Canaan kept getting sand in his eyes, so Matthew started carrying a bottle of water to the beach just for washing C's eyes out. Poor buddy.

Shade tent for Deacon (my nephew, the other infant) to nap in, but he preferred to stay awake instead... which bought him naps inside the house instead of getting to go to the beach.

Not only did Marie not enjoy being on the beach, she also generally did not enjoy sleeping much at all during the day (and some night time hours) while on vacation. Here is daddy trying to lull her to sleep.

Dressed up and ready to nap on the beach!

I spent naptimes snuggling Marie (nursing a lot) and reading The Zookeeper's Wife - it was great! I actually finished it the day before we came home.

Infant cousins

There were crabs EVERYWHERE on the beach! The were quick to run and hide in their little holes, so it was hard to get a good photo. But these guys were pretty large, up to maybe 8 inches? Fun to watch them scurry around.

Matthew brought his nice camera and we attempted to DIY some night photos one evening after a professional photog opportunity fell through... He captured some pretty good ones! Waiting to get copies...