These pictures are in order-ISH. I will not try to move them all around because as you're about to learn, theres TONS.
The past few years, my family has gone to Ft. Morgan Alabama together and it is so so SO GREAT. We rent a house right on the beach and spend a whole week together. We've decided its just about the only vacation we can go on with 10 kids 6 and under where kids AND adults get a vacation. Kids play on the beach all day with each other, parents have happy, entertained kids and they actually get a chance to relax and play some too! This year was a little rainy at times but it never ruined a whole day. The kids had a blast together and the only one that got sick was Jaylie and she kept it to herself! It was so hard for me to choose between the almost 700 pictures we had from the week, but here's the highlights (and its still way too many pics).
This was the first evening when we got there. The kids went straight from the car to the beach. No time to stop and put on swimsuits!!!
Ellie and Jaylie having dinner together.
This was our dinner table every night.
Avery and Roselyn "surfing"
Some cousins having a little popcorn before bed. It was fun having 2 rooms for the kids. Everyone just slept wherever they wanted either in a bed, bunk bed, or on the floor with their cousins. So fun for them to get to have sleep overs every night.
Marion making sure Roselyn brushes her teeth REEEEEALLLY good.
These 2 little boogers kept trying to climb the stairs.
Paw Paw and Q flying a kite
klp loved the sand
Uncle Clay and klp. As you can see in the pic, klp lost a tooth. The tooth fairy came (beach style) and buried his dollar in the sand.
Mommy and Q. Beach hair is bad....and so is the color of the water. The water wasn't really green. But my hair was that bad.
klp loved the boogie board.
Early morning cartoons. Bad news about the beach: The sun is BRIGHT and early. Worse news: Kanyon would wake up with the sun and wake up all the other kids too. Nolan and klp became big buddies this week. It was pretty sweet.
How cute is Nolan????? Walkin' the bay looking for crabs like a BOSS.
Big kids. Nolan, Ro, Avery, Landry.
There was a sand bar just out a little ways from the shore. The kids LOVED it because they could stand up and jump waves. They spent most of their time out there.
Jaylie June in her bikini.
Clay and Clint both kept the Go-Pro camera on them at all times. We should have a pretty fun video once they get all the footage together.
One afternoon, Landry and Jaylie sat right in this spot and played in the sand for the longest time! It was pretty sweet.
Gay Gay and jjp
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Clint and Nolan wave jumping.
There was lots of this happening all week!!!
Ok, these pictures are HILARIOUS. Mom got all the kids cute little matching clothes to wear. So one morning we got them all ready to take pics before we hit the beach and nap times scattered all over. It was nice and overcast and the perfect time for pictures. Til we walked outside. The sun came out FEIRCE and BRIGHT! No one could keep their eyes open and before long, they were all crying in pain!! It was so funny!!! These pictures crack me up because the kids are in PAIN but trying to hard to keep their eyes open! Oh man. Just another time when our family is more like a zoo than a nice little "together" family.
These two are still pretty much inseperable. They were together 24/7. Played, napped, slept, ate, and EVERYTHING together. Nothing sweeter.
Working on a sand castle village.
Paw Paw and Roselyn snorkeling.
KLP swinging Q around on the sand bar.
We hit up the ice cream truck the last day. Everyone ran to it and started getting what they wanted and Kanyon asked Kory, "Dad, do they have french fries?" He was disappointed, but we gave him some Cheetos instead. Just so you know, this row of ice cream cost $27!!!!!!!!!! Oh well, vacation, right? Someone handed klp ice cream to hold in the picture....he's not to impressed.
Making a run for the ocean!
Marion: Uhhhhhhhhh Jaylie.......you might wanna fix your swimsuit.
Jaylie: What's the problem?
I missed the crab hunt because thats the night Jaylie started running a high fever. I'm pretty sure it was FUN!
Mom provided glow headbands and swords for the kids. As you can see in the picture, Q was pretty serious about his sword. I don't think he did much crab hunting because he was too busy sword fighting with himself!
Ellie relaxing on the beach in her private pool.
KLP with the baby girls. One of the things I love most about my big cray cray family is that we all just take care of each other. Grab a kid or 3, slap on some sunscreen and head out to the beach. Everyone played, bathed, put to bed, fed, entertained, dressed, lifeguarded and "redirected" each others kids. Thats just kind of the way we work and I love it. It only further convinced me that communal living is GENIUS!
Phillips Pham
The whole gang.
These 2 are rock stars. Seriously, best parents and grandparents ever.
Sweet little beach babies
Its kinda funny to think it used to be just us 5.
Clint refused to dry his face before applying sunscreen so he looks like a ghost in all the pictures!
More crab hunting...
They caught a huge crab and wanted to get some Go-Pro footage of it running away the next morning.
juney's beach toes.
Dads and kids on the sand bar
On the way home we stopped at the boardwalk in Shreveport for lunch. We hitched a ride (and took up all the seats) on the trolly.
Fish watching at the Bass Pro Shop
Out of order beach pics.....more fun in the sand.
jjp sitting in her chair playing in the sand. She loved it!
It was a great week and I just feel so thankful for my parents for building this family and for all the memories we get to make together!
