One of the coolest things to do in my book is go on vacation.

I wish my budget allowed me to LIVE on vacation. 

It doesn’t.

But thankfully God blesses me with some now and then and this year turned into a two-vacation year.

THANK YOU, FATHER!

On 9/3 we got out of bed at 12AM and hit the road for Nags Head, NC.  Hurricane Irene had gone through the week before and left the area we were renting in with little damage.  [Areas both north and south were hit much harder, however.]

We checked into our vacation house with our “FAMILY for the WEEK!”

27 People.  Yup – 27! 
11 Adults, 13 kids, 3 babies.

My family (7) , my mom (1), my friend S’s family (8), her mom and dad (2), my friend R’s family (4), and S’s brother’s family (5).

We ate all our meals family style and took turns cooking. 
We ate like ROYALTY. 
We had dessert every night. 
[Do you wish you were there yet?]
I wish you were! ♥

And our house was right on the beach.

Now – it wasn’t the fanciest house out there, but the price was right, the bedroom set up was right, the pool was alright, and the movie theater made my kids’ year!  [Yes, there was a movie theater in the basement.]

There were a few too many mosquitos, and the Atlantic Ocean was closed three days to swimming.  It remained open for frolicking.

It was wonderful.  I hope you enjoy a few pictures.

Highlights…

• On the way down we got to stop at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.  It is one of the most fascinating places I have ever been.
  
• On Sunday we worshiped at a local church, Nags Head Community.  The congregation was encouraged to return at 4PM that day to go assist with Hurricane Irene clean up on the Sound Side which was heavily damaged.  JB and the boys went, as well as some of our friends.
  
• My friend R’s husband brought his guitar and music folders and lead worship many of the nights.  My kids are born singers.  [I am not, but I made a bigger effort than most people would appreciate!]
  
• The kids lovingly remember their pillow fight with S’s brother, “Uncle Budd.”
  
• I got to see 4/6 sunrises and shared two of them with my sons.
  
• Watching Tangled on the movie screen with my big girls.
  
• Watching Scooter go from not wanting the sand to touch her on Sunday to “owning the beach” by Thursday.
  
• Driving to Currituck Sound to see a puppet show and witnessing crazy flooding along the way.
  
• Seeing a HUGE rainbow on the ride home to NY.

The best way to look

at these is to hit, “View Slide Show.”

Love,
Stacy

Well, the last KID birthday!

Beau couldn’t keep himself in bed today.  He skipped the tradition of lying in bed until the rest of the family gathered to sing, “Happy Birthday,” in order to get the day moving. 

 

We woke up the rest of the kids so that we could open gifts before Daddy left for work.  My they are wide awake, huh?

 

 

He opened a few gifts – “Princess and the Pop Star,” markers and sketchbook, rechargeable batteries, two shirts, a pair of pants, and one of Dad’s old Star Wars toys.

 

 

 

 

 

Nan came by at noon with a new radio/CD player/cassette player.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

His birthday request was a pumpkin pie.   Yummmmmmm.

 

 

 

 

 

Off to Seabreeze which was WAY too crowded. 
Scooter got a few rides today. 

And she REALLY enjoyed the spraying water at the Splash Zone. 

Oh she was so precious!!

The biggest treat of the day for Beau was to have some sugar waffles.  We were all excited to find out they were a safe treat.  So $20 later we each had one to make a mess with.  I mean we each had one to eat.

Some made bigger messes than others.

Beau had some posters he wanted to paint.  Angel quickly decided she needed to do some painting as well.  Skeezix and Champ were happy just to color.  Mama was happy to furnish them with the supplies they needed.  They did this for a looooong time, until the approaching thunder showers sent big winds to announce their impending arrival.  Then we chased a few papers around for a few minutes before moving indoors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This morning Angel thought she’d do some baking of her own as I made strawberry jam.  She confided in me that she was making a surprise, delicious, special cake recipe.  She also mentioned that she was going to make an oatmeal flavored cake with raisin frosting.

I was hoping for chocolate.

  We gave the kids gift certificates to Mud About You for Valentine’s Day [thanks to Groupon].  Thankfully we remembered to use them before they expired!!!|

They each made something USEFUL.  🙂  Dishes to enjoy ice cream in.

 

At least we think they are black raspberries.  We call them blackberries b/c of their color, though.  As in, “Mom, can I have blackberry on my toast?”

 

 

 

 

 

I plan to make jam on Saturday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I borrowed my friend Jenn’s beekeeper’s suit.  She said it is made out of Tyvek.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skeezix said I looked like a Strom Trooper.  The kids then amended it to say I looked like Princess Leia.

 

 

 

This slide has been around since Beau was about 12 months old.  I remember the day that I saw it at the side of the road.  I could still take you to the house by the canal on Ayrault where I saw it.

 

 

 

 

I was on my way to work and wearing my uniform.  The homeowner came out when he saw me struggling to get it in the minivan.  He was a grandfather whose grandkids were too big to enjoy it anymore.  He was happy to see it going to a new home.

 

That was 10 years ago.

We put it in our finished basement at our old house.

It has been outside since moving here 4 years ago.

 

 

 

I wonder how old it is and how many kids have conquered it.

 

 

 

 

 

Skeezix and a friend in August 2007. 

They used their gift money to buy lunch!

Good thing they had extra energy…  The boys did an aerial obstacle course.

I WANT TO TRY!