Wordless Wednesday: Labor Day Weekend!

Well I wanted to get this written much earlier today but alas the day got away from me...not to mention with a few hiccups, ughhh - but here is not where I dwell on the bad, it's where I embrace the good!  And let me tell you, this weekend was a GOOD one, as always, one of my favorites of the year!  So I'm trying a new Wednesday blog hop, Wordless Wednesday, here is a recap of my trip to DeBordieu in pictures...

Started off the weekend with some yummy tacos!

I think this is a Kings competition...

YAY beach!

They were on a date...

Where we spent most of the evenings!

So this picture deserves an explanation - and there are about 10 in this montage...
Kevin and I bet that whoever's team lost a game had to eat a pickled egg.  We ended up
both eating them and while I conquered the disgusting things, Kevin had a few issues - definitely wouldn't
suggest trying them!

Night time spoon dancing partner (and one of the lovely hosts!)

And the nights got a little crazy!

Favorite bull dog on the beach - BOOTS!

Everyone loved the joggling board (except Ian), have you been on one before?
They're lots of fun and can fit a ton of people!

Matching outfits

Stargazing - I seriously saw about 5-10 shooting stars, AMAZING!

...someone got a little tired by the end of the weekend

...it's hard to get back in the swing of things to say the least!

Beach time!

Happy Tuesday!  The beach is absolutely beautiful, it's so lovely to spend a little time relaxing on the shore.  Yesterday I picked up my grandmother and we headed down to the beach.  We got here and ate some lunch and just did a little relaxing.  Then my mom taught me how to paddle board - it was so cool!!  My wonderful cousin is very into paddle boarding and has her own that she brings down here.  Last time she was down here she left it for us to use.  I've been too scared to try it because I've been scared of falling in...I know I'm a wimp but when I was little I got a bad jellyfish bite from being in the water and have since been scared.  Anyway, I tried it and LOVED IT!  It's very relaxing but also challenging because you have to keep your balance.  I didn't get any pictures of myself but here are a few of my cousins and mom from the 4th:

I'm really enjoying being down here because this is the first time I've been at the beach without a big group.  I can just take some time to read and relax and reflect a bit.  Especially after this intense week at camp, it's nice to just take some quiet time for myself before the craziness of school starts.  Today I'm headed to the beach with my mom...first time to the beach in a month - how crazy!  I'm excited because I just got three new books  - one of which is the second book in The Hunger Games series (I started yesterday and am already halfway done!!).

Source: ohhelloyouprettythings.tumblr.com via Peyton on Pinterest

Source: thirtyhandmadedays.com via Peyton on Pinterest

Have a great day, wherever you are!

In keeping with the weekend theme

First of all, thank you to all of you who commented and followed me yesterday, I really appreciate it!  If you're not following my blog I'd love to have you join!

I'm off to the beach this morning so don't have a whole lot of time to write a long post but wanted to share this youtube in case you haven't seen it.  In keeping with the 4th of July theme and riding bikes (which to me is a big part of the 4th and the parades) check out this little boy after he accomplishes riding a bike for the first time, it will be sure to make you smile :)

Do you remember the first time you successfully rode a bike?  Wasn't it the greatest feeling in the world?  

4th of July, oh so soon!

So I'm starting to get EVER so excited about 4th of July and I thought I'd spend this semi-wordless Wednesday talking about it in pictures!




So, here it goes...
My whole life (minus the summers I was at summer camp and in England) I have spent 4th of July in Bethany Beach, DE.  As a child we used to dress up and ride our bikes in the parade and as we got older we had family floats in the parade:

Each year we would have a different "theme", the picture above the theme was Yes "surrey" cruisin' right into the 21st century. 

Since graduating college and being back in the mid-atlantic I have made it a priority to go to the beach for the 4th:

Cousin Jess and I watching the parade

Our floats were so much better

Watching the fireworks on the beach

Last summer my cousin Lexi who was living down with my grandmother decided to go all out and pull out some of the old 4th of July decorations and thus our theme last year was...

Last year the parade was not on 4th of July so we had our own parade around my grandmother's neighborhood...

decorating bikes

preparing for the parade

My grandmother informed me last night that this years throwback theme was wacky tacky family vacation...back in about 1996 we had this same theme and our float was one of the old cars which we called the "bomber" and all over it we threw toys and junk, we even put a kayak on top and had a child sit in it...wish I had some pics of that!  All that said, we won 1st place that year and the float was in the paper!  

Anyway, really looking forward to one of my favorite holidays and spending it with family.  The only thing we'll be missing is 2 of my siblings who I will miss terribly...

What traditions do you celebrate for the 4th?  Have any great plans?  Would love to hear what your up to!

Cousins, cousins, here come the girls...

Well after a whirlwind move on Thursday I threw everything in the house, jumped in the pool to cool off and sister and I headed to the shore (my stuff is still sitting in the living room...oops!).

We got down to my grandma's just in time for dinner and to have a nice, relaxing glass of wine.  The night was calm in comparison to the two other nights at the beach.  You see, the beach is where my family reunites and this past weekend was no exception.

I have nine cousins on my dad's side of the family...and if you've ever met my dad you would know that it's sometimes hard to get a word in edgewise...well almost all 22 members of the family are like him or even louder, so it's always entertaining.  This weekend we had three cousins, two friends, 1 aunt, 1 uncle and 1 grandmother with my sister and I.

The cousins are a big deal in my family.  As a child we were always going down to the beach together.  We would go exploring, try to climb over fences, get lost in the waves, or just spend hours upon hours looking for sandcrabs.  We have always gotten along well (for the most part) because a lot of us are the same age.  Ok so one time I did kick one of my cousins in her bad knee...I was young though!

All dressed up to celebrate my grandfather's 70th Birthday...yes we decided to
choreograph a dance to the Spice Girls for his 70th?

Christmas - notice the sisters matching dresses....thanks mom.

As we have gotten older it has been lots of fun going back to the beach and reminiscing about those times as children....and sometimes continuing to act like them ourselves :)  Rather it be shopping at the outlets, sitting on the deck eating crabcakes, swimming in the ocean, or having fun in Dewey, with the cousins you can always count on a fun, exciting (sometimes drama filled) time!

Ya-ya party with the fam - yes we all put on hats and little candles and became
ya-ya sisters like the book/movie

Memorial Day weekend 2010

Memorial Day weekend 2009

4th of July 2010 

Christmas 2010

this past weekend...man I'm a shrimp!

Anyway, we had so much fun!  We sat on the beach and caught up, ate lots and lots (especially seafood, my fave!), drank skinny girl margaritas (ok not me as I can't stand tequila, but my cousin is obsessed!), went on mini adventures, and just had a ball.

Do you have cousins that you enjoy being around?  Have you taken some time to catch up with them lately?  Is there somewhere that the whole family goes to get together?  Take some time this summer to catch up with family, you'll be glad you did!

Next stop - California!  OK so I may not be writing until Vegas (Tighe and I start our road trip tomorrow and have to do a lot of moving...) but I will be sure to update on the travels as we go!