OBX Beach trip 2015

 Our annual beach trip is certainly different than it used to be, say, 5 years ago.  But I must be used to the change because this year- first time as a family of 5- the trip was very fun and even relaxing.  We are getting better at hauling a BUNCH of stuff up over lots of stairs and across sand. Anderson and Brady are each a little more independent than last year, too.  And I'm hoping it will just get easier from here.

Things I want to remember...

*Anderson had the time of his life!  I think he loved every single minute of the trip.  He couldn't wait to see the sand and the ocean, and as soon as we would hit the beach he was playing and running non-stop (except for a brief snack break every once in a while.)  Plus ice cream shops and go-carts and tons of people to play games with and be silly with (Daniel!).  PLUS his buddy Will, who we only get to see a few times a year.  They are so happy to be together and so cute. :)

*Brady enjoyed the pool and his toys a lot, but he was super shy in a big group.  Individually he knows every person who was on the trip, but he was pretty much silent unless it was just the 5 of us or Nannie and Papa.  He would get in the big boys' room for naptime and talk for hours on end because he'd saved up all the words from being mute so much of the day. It was refreshing to hear he could still talk- a lot.  I guess it's a two-year-old thing?

*Colby was a dream beach baby!  On the beach, he was happy to be awake and even hang out in the little pop-up pool, but he also took some good naps being held.  We took all 3 boys back to the house for a "real" nap around 2 or 3 each day, so I'm sure that helped. But he could not have been more pleasant on the beach!  Or cuter in his size 9-months bathing suits ;-)  He even enjoyed an outdoor shower a couple of days- just like a true Ives.

Photos.....

We felt like we needed to take the truck because we could pack so much stuff in the back, but it meant the boys were packed in like cute little sardines.  They did really well considering.

Relaxing the first morning

Anderson and Ryan getting right to the important business of digging holes.

The whole crew went to our favorite seafood restaurant, Basnight's Lone Cedar, for dinner Sunday night.  Lots of good photo ops!

Will's "Victory Dance" and Anderson and Daniel just being goofballs

Lots of hand-holding between these two buds. Love it!

Woo hoo!  A family picture!  Next time we'll shoot for 5 smiles. :)

Hammitt/ Gray/ Manis family

The Ives

Nannie and Papa with the boys

On the beach...

Making the long trek across the beach with Nannie

We made a sandcastle

One of my favorite pictures of the week.

Sarah and Daniel

Will!

Hanging out in the beach houses...

Youngest to oldest in their beach week shirts! Planning to do a youngest to oldest pic every year now. 

Starr getting baby snuggles

Hanging out at the Hammitts' for dinner and corn hole

 Getting cuddles in between timeouts.

Modeling some more cute trunks.

Anderson sure loves his baby brother. 

Story time 

Some morning downtime

Play hard. Nap hard.

Colby staying up to play a little cards

After really good weather each day (a couple of storms at night) we opted to spend our last day at the aquarium.  We've been twice before but this was my favorite trip so far.  For one thing, there was a cool outdoor dinosaur exhibit.  The pictures don't quite do it justice because they moved and made realistic sounds and the boys really liked it.

Fun week!  Many, many more OBX weeks to look forward to!