Every year we get together with college friends, and now their kids, to spend a week vacation at the beach. It started out with just the grown-ups, for a long weekend, and through the years, we have added 8 kids. So the location has changed, to accommodate the bigger house we need, and the vacation has turned into a week, to make it worth it. If we are all packing up and hauling around pack-n-plays, beach gear, suitcases, and food for our families, we are staying for a while.
This year we stayed in Virginia Beach, since Elizabeth Shafer had a softball camp/tournament in the area. Usually we stay in the Outer Banks of NC, but I think the whole group had such a good time, that we might stay in Virginia Beach again next year!
The house was perfect and had enough bedrooms/bathrooms to lodge the Levy family, the Shafer family (plus Abby, who was a perfect addition to our group), our family, Captain Rick, and Uncle John (plus Amy, who was also a perfect addition to our group).
The house was a few minutes walk from the beach, was on a canal (which was great for the paddle boarders in our group), and had a pool. We spent a lot of time outside, and the pool is always a "must have" when it comes to our group vacation.
Another thing we never thought was a "must have", until this summer, was a hot tub. This house was originally listed without a hot tub, but when we got there, we found one by the pool. It wasn't really working, so Chad, Rick, and John got to work either re-wiring it, emptying it, or cleaning it (with chemicals they bought at the pool supply store). They got it going, and all of the grown-ups had a lot of fun in that hot tub. Our only complaint was that it did not come with a "time machine" option!!
This year Chad and I did the "summered" t-shirts and went with a "Virginia is for lovers' theme. Only we changed it to "Virginia is for getting summered"! They turned out great.
On Sunday night, John, Rick, Chad, Amy, and I took the house's paddle boat out for a little sunset cruise. Rick and John paddled, Amy and I steered (with our feet), and we towed Chad in a raft. Oh, and the paddle boat only worked in reverse! ha ha ha It was quite a sight. But we had music and alcohol, so it was a lot of fun.
Throughout the week, we spent a lot of time, with the kids, down by the pool, or up around the kitchen. It seemed like we were either wearing out the kids or feeding them. But it all worked out great. Charlie ate in a highchair next to Skylar and Adrian. And Lauren ate with Ella and Matthew, at the table.
The rest of the time, the middles (Ella, Lauren, and Matthew) enjoyed the iPads, coloring with spray paint chalk and playing hide and go seek.
Charlie enjoyed watching the big kids (Elizabeth and Abby) and the middles. But he especially adored Matthew!
On Tuesday night, we ordered a bushel of steamed crabs and everyone had a great time hanging outside. It took a while, but we managed to eat every crab!!
On Wednesday, Chad and I finally took our kids down to the beach. We had spent every day at the pool, but it was time to enjoy the waves and the sand. Lauren had so much fun jumping in the waves with Ella and Matthew. Charlie did not really enjoy the water, but he did have fun with the sand.
That afternoon, Chad, Roy, and I took the middles ice skating. It was Ella's first time and Lauren was very excited to get her out on the ice. All three of them did great. (The grownups did great too, but that wasn't really the point).
That night, we all put the kids to bed, and the grown-ups got together to enjoy another annual tradition...Keggy. A watermelon keg, filled with a delicious, yet deadly, drink. And just like last year, it was a success. Not only did we have Keggy, but we had Keggy 2!!
The Levys had to leave a day early to get back to Arizona, and we felt that loss a lot on the last day. Lauren and Matthew no longer had Ella to play with. And it was much more quiet without 2 more toddlers running around. They might have left early, but they were not forgotten.
During a water balloon fight, Matthew and Lauren commented that it would have been more fun with Ella around. So we took some photos to send to her.
On our last night, it stormed, so Lauren and Matthew played some games with Captain Rick before bedtime. It was the perfect ending to the week!
This is absolutely one of our favorite weeks of the summer. Chad and I love that our kids are able to grow up with the friends we have chosen, for the past 14 years, and consider family. I hope we are able to continue these vacations and look forward to all of the memories we will create together!!
