Every year, we always look forward to our family beach vacation at Myrtle Beach. This year, we stayed for 6 days, and we loved playing on the beach, swimming in the ocean (& hotel pool), going to the water park at our hotel, and eating dinner out each night. We had a fun time, and we made lots of good memories together as a family.
Here is Brecken...all rubbed in (yes, Mommy rubbed sunscreen all in his hair, too) and almost ready to hit the beach.
Brecken on the beach...happy...
...and ready to dig.
(And, for those who remember, Brady had a huge love for a particular yellow shovel one year at the beach...funny how Brecken has an equal love for a different yellow shovel!)
With Daddy & Mommy standing at the water's edge, I got to try to boogie board on my own in the ocean. (It was a calm morning.)
Ready...
...and I did it! So fun!
Brecken is still all smiles...
...& was so funny at trying to figure out the ocean...why it kept coming up to his toes and then back out.
Either way, he enjoyed it!
Brecken Thomas
Brady Joseph
Averie Grace
Daddy & Brecken
The Boys
Love, love the sweet way Brecken is looking up at his big brother!
The Karaffa Kiddies
Myrtle Beach ~ July 2013
The boys loved digging holes in the sand...
...so did I!
My Daddy & me
Our Family
My BFF, Stephanie, & me
Our super cool babysitter, Miss Brittany, went to the beach with us, and as tradition (2nd year in a row), we get to bury her in the sand...
Miss Brittany, me, & Brady
Then, we got to have a turn...
(Check out Brecken's face...he wasn't sure what to think of everyone getting buried in the sand!!)
...Stephanie & me...
...& Brady.
One night, we headed out to Medieval Times for their dinner show. (Mommy forgot her camera, so these were taken with her phone, so excuse the glare/blurr/crazy eyes.)
The boys were all ready for the sword fights and games. I preferred just watching the horses.
Our Family
Brecken & Mommy...ready for the show to begin. Fun Times!
Back at the beach again for more fun in the sun! Sweet Brady is ready for some fun!
We loved digging in the sand...
...Stephanie & me!
Averie Grace
I liked playing with Madison, too.
All the VW granddaughters!
Some of the boys playing ball.
(Carter, Brady, Jackson, & Brayden)
Brecken didn't care for the hot sun this particular morning, so he had himself a little meltdown...then, he snapped out of it and had a fun rest of the day!
Brady said to Mommy, "See, it's like a little pool made just for me. Now, I can relax and enjoy."
Sweet Brady
Food & Miss Brittany to the rescue for Brecken...he was all smiles the rest of the day!
Brayden & Brecken enjoying some snacks on the beach.
Cousin Grant played bocce ball with Brady & Stephanie...they had a fun time together!
We love Grant!
And, Kaitlyn & I enjoyed playing in the ocean...
...while Brecken would fill up his bucket in the ocean and run back!
Kaitlyn & I also loved looking for shells and little ocean animals!
Brecken had a blast at the water's edge. He would run towards it and as it "chased" after him, he would turn and run...laughing & screaming the whole time. So cute!
Stephanie joined him in the fun!
So cute!
Stephanie & Brecken...yes, they are 4 1/2 years apart!
While they were at the water's edge, some of the older kids and uncles went out in the ocean to enjoy the bigger waves!
Lots crashed right on us...but we kept going!
Daddy & me...wiped out from the waves!
My Daddy & Me
Daddy & Brecken
Brecken wanted to go out in the ocean, too, so Daddy took him out for just a few minutes...
...he loved it! Smiling the whole time in Daddy's arms!
Grant also showed Brady how to play a little lacrosse. They had fun throwing the ball back and forth!
Then, it was time for our annual shaving cream fight. Aunt Cindi buys lots of cans of shaving cream (thanks, Aunt Cindi), and then everyone sprays each other. Lasts about 15 minutes, but we have a blast doing it. Well, everyone except Brady. He didn't like it at all!
Shaving cream fight!!
Noah and his super cool mohawk!
Even Brecken joined in on the fun!
I love it!
Shaving cream fight participants!
(Mommy is squatting down next to Brecken...I am on the right front...Daddy is in the middle back...Brady was sitting in the beach chair away from it all!)
Mommy & Miss Brittany
Brecken & Oma
Daddy & Mommy
Thank goodness we were able to get all cleaned up and head out to dinner...here we are with Miss Brittany. We sure love spending time with her...she is awesome!
Quick pic of us before heading to the hotel's water for another fun day in the sun!
(Based on our daily rainy weather at home, we were so happy to have such gorgeous, high 80 degree weather at the beach!)
Brecken is ready to swim!
Brady enjoying the water park activities!
Kaitlyn & Brecken playing together
Brady enjoyed the slides...
...so did Brecken! Well, this was his first time going down...so he was a little hesitant at first...
...but he loved it and said "again, again" to Daddy!
Daddy & his boys
Brady having more fun on the slides...
...and so is Brecken!
I really enjoyed the lazy river!
Stephanie & me
Stephanie & Brady got to also ride the lazy river in this boat...
...and Daddy enjoyed taking the boys for a spin!
Brecken always went back to the slides...he loved it...
...so did I!
Mommy & Brecken enjoying the water park!
Daddy & Mommy with Brecken
We girls enjoying the water...
...while Brecken & Madison enjoyed some snacks!
After a few hours of water park fun and some lunch, we headed down to the beach.
Brecken was all smiles...
...so was Brady...
...and so was I!
Then, it was time to head up for showers and dinner. The boys were all ready with their shades on (compliments of Daddy & Miss Brittany)...aren't they adorable!!
Giving my Mommy a kiss!
The Girls...my Mommy & me
Another day at the beach...yay!!
We love the beach!
Oma & us
Brecken is all ready to dig again with that infamous yellow shovel!
The boys playing football!
Our Family
Mommy with her boys...
...and then with her baby girl!
Brecken digging in the sand...
...while we girls are busy building one of many drip castles.
Brecken & Madison came to join us, too!
Sweet Brecken Thomas
Brecken with Miss Brittany
(He calls her "Bitney"...so cute!)
Oma & her girls
The crazy helpers...(Cousin) Patricia & Miss Brittany
Brecken...
...having...
...so much fun!
Uncle Todd & Aunt Helen
Stephanie & I jumping the waves together. Mommy said that she remembers doing this with her cousins as one of her fondest beach memories!
The Granddaughters...this pic is too funny...Madison is screaming...Averie doesn't want to be in the pic...Stephanie isn't even looking...and Kaitlyn is just smiling!
Myrtle Beach 2013
The boys at the water's edge.
Brecken & Madison playing peek-a-boo!
We took a few family pics on the beach before heading to dinner one night...
Our Family
The Van Wingerden Family 2013
(L-R...Our family, Uncle Michael/Aunt Courtney & boys, Uncle Abe/Aunt Cindi & boys, Oma, Uncle Art/Aunt Kelly & boys, Uncle Todd/Aunt Helen & family, Uncle Thomas/Aunt Lindsey)
Oma & her 16 grandchildren
(Oldest is 20 (Eric) and the youngest is 13 months (Madison))
(Oh, and yes, the sun was very, very bright!!)
The Karaffa Kiddies
Our Family
Brecken, Brayden, & Brady
We all love taking pictures with the phones. So, Oma let Brady take a pic of her & Daddy!!
And, of course, we each had our picture taken...
Brecken Thomas
Brady Joseph
Averie Grace
On our last morning there, we packed up and headed to play some putt-putt. The lines are always so ridiculously long, that we have started a new tradition of getting up on the last day, pack the car, play some putt-putt, & eat some lunch. No lines, have to check out by 11 anyway, and we get home before dinner. This year, we played a Hawaiian course, so our first stop was seeing the tropical birds. Brecken loved talked to them...and they would make noises right back at him...so cute!
All ready to play some Hawaiian putt-putt!
Me
Brady
(Don't you love the way he decided his "necklace" should be worn? ;))
Brecken...learning how to play!
Daddy with his babies
Mommy & her babies
Brecken loved putt putt. He would putt the ball all the way until get go it in the hole. Good thing it wasn't busy!
Maybe we'll see him in the pros! :)
Averie
Brady
Brecken
And, Averie wanted to take a picture of Daddy & Mommy also...not too bad!
The putt putt game...had a fun time, but they were very tired from our fun week at the beach!
What a wonderful week...lots of fun memories made at our family vacation at Myrtle Beach!
