Vacation

I just returned from my annual trip to Hilton Head Island with The Man, our kids, and the rest of my family. Eighteen of us to be exact. My mom, dad, two brothers, one sister, their spouses and most adorable children. 

The Man and I first came here back in August of 1995 for our honeymoon. HHI set record hot temperatures that week. But we hardly noticed. We were young and in love and setting record hot temps ourselves. (Yes, I know this is a family blog.)

We fell in love with the South Carolina island and told my parents it would be a fun place to vacation as a family. Long story short: we've been coming here together for 12 years. Back then there were no children and I, as the eldest of four, was the only one married. 

Vacations here were glorious. The guys enjoyed golf while the girls enjoyed shopping. We read fashion magazines on the beach and sunned by the pool. We all played bocce for hours on end and went out to dinner at night. But this sort of indulgence and ridiculous leisure cannot last forever. 

Now, with eight children in all and six under the age of 3 1/2, we do not enjoy golf or shopping or leisure. But we do enjoy each other. 

And the week is still glorious...but louder than it used to be.

Here are a few of my favorite photos, taken with my new camera. (I hope you're reading this Camera Fairy.)

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Our ever-growing crew...baby #9 coming any day!

My brother assures me that he can photo-shop my hair in this picture. I am much obliged seeing that all our other family photos feature an angry Cupcake. Poor thing. He got sick right after vacation started. Very, very sick.

See how happy he is here...

And here.

And here.

Here's a few of our happier moments.

I have the best nieces and nephews. I snapped almost as many photos of them as I did of my own children.

Cannot. Even. Handle. This.

Seriously, I have not seen such deliciousness in all my life.

And this...

I am going to have another girl just for the baby swimwear collections. Ruffles never looked so good. It's like polka-dotted icing atop the fattest, most scrumptious truffle I've ever seen.

One of my sweet nephews and his band-aid. And a poor starfish. This unsuspecting creature had no idea he was about to be plucked from his ocean home and land in the grip of an excitable 3-year-old.

Until next year...