Annual best week of the year

It was another wonderful week at Emerald Isle with my parents and brother and my mom's extended family. I couldn't love this group of people any more! Everyone is so fun and laid-back, and the kids are in heaven with the beach, the pool and the hot tub and all the big cousins to play with. The weather was pretty much perfect (no rain at all!) and Luke and I even went out with a group of aunts and cousins to see a movie in a theater for the first time in AGES (Bridesmaids -- We all laughed til we cried except for the dressing room scene where I had to cover my eyes for fear of vomiting). And thanks to great food and plenty of frozen drinks, we all come home weighing 5 lbs more than when we left. It was well worth it though!

On the road... what a relief that the drive is half of what it used to be from Virginia!

Both of the kids were so much braver about the ocean this year. They had a blast playing in the surf together!

 A little father-son football on the beach

Beach beauty

Rachel, Katy and Aunt Debbie sucking in their non-existent bellies by the pool

Silly Uncle Sam makes sure he avoids poolside fat rolls, too. :)

Great-Grandma MeMe in her own private Diet Coke commercial

Luke and Uncle Sam take the kids out deep. The waves were rough this year! (Later in the week, Isaac, Luke and Luke's sunglasses were the victims of a big ol' nasty wave, which Isaac still likes to talk about.)

First mini golf for Isaac and Amelia

It was hot as blazes, so we rushed through the first 8 holes and skipped right to hole 16!

We all love a hot tub!

MeMe and her four beautiful children

 The week would not be complete without a little group karaoke. Isaac channeled his inner Axl Rose.

Because Amelia starts kindergarten this fall (!), we're going to be switching up our usual week next year and possibly losing our awesome house of the last three years but I am already counting down the weeks until we can all do it again! I think next year will be our 20th year in a row!