personal // a family vacation.

We don't know how it feels for everyone else, but for us, the summer is FLYING BY... like almost gone! It seems like just yesterday that we were moving out of our apartment in Northern Virginia, and now it has been almost 3 months since that happened.. and we counted up the days, and for over half of that time we have been traveling instead of at home.

Thankfully during one week of that traveling time, we were able to take a family vacation with my (Jamey) family at the end of July to Topsail Island, NC!  It has been quite awhile since any of us has been on a vacation, so this is something that we had been looking forward to for awhile. Like before we even really planned it, just the idea of it made us so excited! For those of you that don't know, my family loves the beach, seriously LOVES!!!  Especially my mom and I. It was Lesley's first time going on a beach vacation with the Smith's and I know I can say that she had a wonderful time. I think I can even say that we might have made her into somewhat of a beach bum! Mission accomplished.

That's love right there. 

Just to emphasize my point, here is basically a snapshot of what an average day looks like for the Smith family at the beach:

7:45AM - Wake up (yes this early!).

7:50AM - Eat breakfast, check the weather report. Put on swim suits and sunscreen.

8:30 AM - On the beach! Which means we really just fall back asleep out there... then Lesley & I will go on a morning walk before the sun gets too hot.

11AM - Get in the water and depending on how hot it is, we may be in there awhile. I like to know when the tide is going to be and then get out there ride the waves.

12:30PM - Make/eat lunch inside. This is an important part of the routine now that Lesley is part of our family. A little after noon she starts to be about done with the sun and we take a break for her skin's sake and my stomach's sake.

1PM - More soaking up the sun and in the water for the Smiths! Lesley, however, retreats to the tent after lunch. She doesn't mind at all, but the tent is essential if she's going to stay out there with us. She naps or reads or just enjoys the ocean breeze safely from under there. The rest of us, well, we can't get enough of the warm sand and sun.

Lesley safely reading under the tent :)

4PM - Naptime on the beach for practically all of us. Unless Mom is entirely too interested in a book that she's gotten completely wrapped up in, which is completely normal & she'll be unable to shut her eyes for even a second until she's finished every page.

6:30PM - Dinner, which on this vacation was cooked by Lesley every night because she LOVES to be in the kitchen and to get to host for everyone.

7PM  til whenever - out to do things once it's not on-the-beach weather anymore!

So needless to say, my family loves spending time on the beach, so we are on the beach for at least 9-10 hours a day.  And this is pretty much everyday!  We're also all about some relaxing while we're there as well since every one of us doesn't take enough time to do this during our busy day to day lives. I told Lesley while we were on this trip, that I definitely wouldn't mind living on the coast one day. :) This was no surprise to her at all.

One night, Lesley and I went to this really beautiful boardwalk over the sound.  It was seriously like straight out of a movie!  And, the breeze and temperature were just right that night!

More beautiful straight-out-of-a-movie places.

Another night, we went to Sears Landing for dinner.  Another thing about the Smith family is that we love seafood!!  So obviously the beach is a great place for that. The wait was over an hour, but we had a great view from wooden rocking chairs and some great company to keep us occupied, as well as people leaving after eating their dinners that were all saying "it's certainly worth the wait."

Rockin' while we wait. :)

The whole week we have PERFECT weather! We seriously couldn't have asked for better.  Most days it was sunny and in the 80's, which to me is perfect for the beach. We only had maybe 15 minutes of rain the whole time we were there.

See? Beautiful days.

It was such a blessing for us to be able to take this trip before our lives started to get really busy again with preparing to move internationally.  I huge thank you to my parents for taking us to the beach with them!!! We had such a wonderful time!