Vacation pictures

They are finally here! To fit as many as possible, they are all very small. Simply double click to get a closer look.

This was our first real vacation since Hawaii in May 2003. This was the first vacation not involving family since our honeymoon over 9 years ago. We had an amazing week with dear friends. Four families: eight adults, seven kids running around and one simply along for the ride (that we didn't know about until after we got home - congrats Clarks!) all under one roof. We left on a Thursday after picking the boy up from school. We made it all the way to Gulf Shores that night. Clay's folks and aunt and uncle were at the end of their vacation so we had a free place to stay. The kids did really well on the long drive - even wedged among all the food for the group for the week and our own luggage. Ike was about 350 miles southwest and we felt his strength. The wind and waves were quite impressive (see the girl hanging on to the balcony on the 21st floor). We ate lunch with Clay's family including his cousin and husband who live nearby, and the place had a great sand play area for the kids. That afternoon we headed to the beach - a first for both kids. They were tentative at first, but not freaked. The boy had fun, but the girl wasn't so fond of getting hit by the water. They enjoyed walking along the beach and finding shells and such. We were encouraged that the week would go well.




All four families converged on our home away from home Friday night about 9:00 p.m. and the fun began. Here are various pics of the fun we had (and by far not even a drop in the bucket of all the pictures we have between the 4 families) - playing in the sand, playing ball, enjoying the water, boogy boarding, catching crabs and fish, soaking up the rays, playing at the amphitheater in Seaside on our last night. There are lots of things not documented because I forgot my camera, but I figure you can tell we had an amazing time...and we are all still friends! The kids did well with the change in routine for so many days (we didn't leave until the following Saturday) and with the varying conditions in the ocean. The boy preferred to be in the water and the girl preferred to play in the sand, but neither was totally opposed to the other. We are so thankful they did well. We are so thankful for the time away. We are so thankful for these friendships that began back in 2001.