Summer Vacation

We just got home from a great family vacation with our family.  There was lots of fishing, and splashing, and crabbing, and sunning, and reading, and just enjoying each others company.  The beach house we stayed at was wonderful! It had plenty of room, and beautiful views.

View in the morning

Sunset

Unfortunately for us the tides have been unusually high, so the beach that is normally just outside, was mostly under water during the day.  That meant that we had to drive to and from the beach, but it wasn't bad at all.  We were able to drive on the beach, and keep a lot of our stuff up out of the sand by just leaving it in the car.  Not to mention the built in nap place for Tripp.  Most importantly, the boys had a blast! 

The first day the men went fishing, while the boys, Kate, Gabby and I played on the beach.  Shortly after we were all set up on the beach, the boys met another little boy who played with them most of the day. 

Waiting to go to the beach

The fishermen

Beach Baseball

Garrett, Tripp and their friend Sully

Headed out to "surf"

I love this!

Napping brothers, Garrett got up shortly after this photo was taken

Headed to dinner

Garrett a little worn out

The next day, the men went fishing and the boys, Kate, Gabby and I hung out and played on the beach.  (Notice the pattern) The one big thing the boys wanted was to get ice cream from the ice cream truck they had heard the day before.  Tripp was also super excited to play the "ball game."  Both were very excited to pull out the kites when the guys finished fishing.

The wind was blowing so hard!

The "ball game"

While Tripp was sleeping Garrett and I walked down the beach and then he asked me to take pictures of him jumping in the water so he could see his splash.

His sand castle

Kites!

Mr. Style

By the third day we started dragging just a little.  Garrett even slept until 9am!  The rest of the trip was spent shelling, crabbing, fishing, and playing a little more on the beach.  Garrett and Tripp both really loved when Clayton and Dorcyle came.  Clayton played and aggravated them, and as Tripp said, "that other dad was lots of fun!"

Headed to go shelling

Crabs

Tripp saw Garrett's "jumping" pictures, and wanted his own

Photography by Garrett

I could not get this suit to stay up on Tripp!

Tripp loved watching the little clams digging into the sand

a little beach reading

The boys "mud hogging" in the sand

All the little clams were attracting sting rays.  We saw several the last day on the beach.

Copying Pud

Fishing

Our sand castle

Clayton helping make a moat around the castle.

All our shells!  We found 20 sand dollars, and more than enough shells! We even found some really cool ones.  We also found lots of hermit crabs.  I even came home with one I didn't know I had, and as I was washing them off in the drive way it came completely out of its shell only to be eaten by Hank.

Cody LOVES to fish!! His whole time there was focused on planning to fish, getting ready to fish, and fishing.  Actual fish caught...well at least he enjoyed himself.  The last night Norman and Clayton went out in front of the house and caught two speckled trout. 

Clayton had to borrow Cody's shoes to wade in, they were a little too big.

Speckled Trout