Beach trip: July 4th!

We are so blessed to have the awesome luxury of a free place to stay and an incredible hostess anytime we want to go to the beach. My grandmother is so gracious to open her home to all that want to visit! We couldn't wait for the first beach trip of the season and for Braxton's real first time to play on the beach. We got to spend 4 days down at Ocean Isle and somehow I found myself doing 4 photo shoots while we were there!! It was great, really, b/c I had 2 current clients that planned trips while we were there so I could do their family pictures on the beach, and I also got to do sessions for my extended family (the Prudens) and some friends of ours as well. We had so much doing so many "beach" things...

Last year Braxton was really too young to get down and dirty on the beach...well, this year, he definitely made up for it! He was covered from head to toe in sand every day! He did great out there for about 45 minutes and then got kinda bored :)

Reilly's new favorite thing was "riding" the boogie boards. She really only put it in about 2" of water, but thought it was awesome when the waves came and moved her ever so slightly :)








We were so excited Shaun-y could come with us! He had a BLAST! He would have stayed out on the beach all day long if someone could stay with him! He loved it.
We introduced Reilly to putt-putt for the first time! She had so much fun. Of course, the "teaching" portion only last about 45 seconds before she promptly began saying, "I got it Daddy! I don't need help, I can do it!" with her most independent attitude :)



She let Poppi give her a few pointers about half way through though...



And of course Daddy had to spoil his girl (and Shaun) with some sparklers. Boy they thought that was super cool.

One of the best things about OIB during July 4th is the parade!! People all over the island go all out decorating their golf carts and drive down the main roads. There literally were hundreds of carts, tons of bikes and strollers, and even some cars and boats all decked out for July 4th. The kids loved this!




last day on the beach....



Reilly is obsessed with "dance parties", so of course she had to have one with Memama, DeeDee, and little Shaun. Braxton just sat and watched and laughed. What silly girls, huh B?!


We got a whole bucket of crabs from the neighbors, so DeeDee thought it was perfect for a "science/beach" lesson on cooking the crabs for Reilly and Shaun.


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