When we were growing up, about every other summer we, grandparents included, would pile in cars and caravan to Oak Island, NC. I'm not sure if this is the Outer Banks or not. Mainly because I'm unaware of what is and where are the Outer Banks. But we would drive and drive and drive and finally meet our FL cousins there and a bunch of friends they grew up with in VA. (BTW, I'm also quizzing you on state abbreviations. Good luck!) A whole week was spent jumping waves and laying out on the beach. At least the rest of the family spent a whole week doing that. I was usually burnt by Day 3 and would spend the rest of the time reading on the porch or in the AC. Alas, that is the exciting life of a redhead.
Anyway, it had been about ten or eleven years since our last trip. Funny how the trip out there was basically the same. We just had more drivers. We even played the ABC Billboard game where you find words that start with each letter of the alphabet. Of course, we always get stuck on X (along with a few others like K...don't ask me why K is so hard to find.) I told my sister it was one of my life goals to find the word xylophone on a billboard. So much so I thought we should buy a billboard and paint xylophone on it just to help out the ABC Billboard game players everywhere. Well, lo and behold, look what we found.
Yes, that says 'xylophone.' Yes, that's Dillon's car. Thanks to the sneaky text messaging of my sister I can now cross that off my bucket list. It was awesome. I should also note that this happened during the only two or three hours I drove the entire trip. Us Harris women don't drive, we're driven.
After a long two days, a kinda sketchy hotel, and a huge bag of Twizzlers, we finally made it. Let's just say we were all paying for that first night the next day. Evidenced by the fact we thought it was necessary to take multiple shots of people wearing sun hats.
And such good shots at that. No one can say we aren't one photogenic family.
This was a regular occurrence on our front porch. I know I was shocked too. I didn't know Abbey could read. She said she just learned last year. Sidenote, we all get houses close to each other usually instead of staying all together. Ours was the furthest away but the best. Nice view, no? Oh you need a better look. Okay.
Nice, huh? Oh about awesome. That is my one of my favorite adjectives.
Joplin loved the water once she got used to the waves. Dad would throw sticks and she would swim out to get it. If there was someone out in the water, she wanted them to hold her though. She's a big baby.
We also discovered that she hates HATES black dogs. She's a racist. She ended up dragging Mom, Abbey, and a lawn chair down the beach at one point. The whole time Mom is screaming, "She just wants to play." If the dog's owner could have heard Mom over Joplin's ferocious, not happy barks, I'm sure she would have believed her. So Joplin spent a lot of time like this:
Bound by the stinking leash. That was also influenced by the leash laws they had on the beach. Which Dad was reminded of on multiple occasions by a crotchety old man and a six year old little girl whenever he chose to release the beast. Notice Abbey has no real responsibility over Joplin. As usual.
We always have a theme for each beach trip and a costume cocktail party at some point. This year's theme was Under the Sea. Apocalypse was a runner up but no one could read the Mayan calendar so we had to pass. Half the fun is trying to figure out what people are going to be before the party.
I was pollution. Thank goodness for Abbey's sea dress and a recycling bin.
Dillon was the Bermuda triangle. We both decided on our costumes about 45 minutes until the party. You can be impressed.
The cousins and aunt. Or a wave, high tide, and the sea goddess.
But the best costumes, by far, were these jellyfish. Because when they walked down to the beach they turned into this...
I hope you can see the tentacles too. Mom still can't quit talking about it. BTW, Mom and Dad were there too. I'm just too lazy to upload more pictures. Though I have quite a few of Mom doing Zumba. Those will be used as needed for leverage. Dad's costume of a sand dollar was pretty impressive too. Impressive because he participated.
However, all being said, the beach life is a hard life.
A thug life.
You and your family are HUGE dorks. I think they'd get along with my family.
ReplyDeleteLOVE IT>
ReplyDeleteThis is what Dillon said when some kid called him a dork in Pre-K, "I don't tink so."
ReplyDeleteHowever, Caitlin, I say "I do tink so. I do."