Oh, Beach House, How we LOVE You!

Every other blessed year Derek's side of the family holds a family reunion at a beach house they have been going to since Derek was a little wee baby. It's really cool because now he is bringing his own little babies and they are sleeping in the same closets! :) Well, at least Tai got to four years ago!

In preparation for the beach house, we pulled out our swim suits and hung out in them.

Well, really it was just the kids. But they loved it!

And, what good would we be in sand if we don't practice getting wet and making mud pies!

On our way!! Finally! Seriously, the last week before the beach house was a struggle. We were ALL in desperate need of a vacation and a change in scenery. Derek and I said to each other more than once that the beach house couldn't come fast enough.

In the car, I looked back and saw Callen touching his brother's hair ever so softly. I thought it was so sweet. I had to capture the moment....

Evey and her brothers had a BLAST!!! And it was so fun for them to be around so many people that loved them, played with them, took them out to the freezing cold water! Evey danced around all week looking pretty much like this! It was wonderful for us all.

AH, now this would not be a post about the beach house without showing you the lovingly and appropriately named, I might add, pee-cuzzi. I'll let you figure out why.....

This is the jacuzzi. Grown ups only! :)

One of the fun and also funny things about the beach house is the plethora of food.

Seriously, up stairs and downstairs added up to 65 people and let's just say we ALL ate ALL week at ALL hours of the day and we still had to take food home. It's ok because the general consensus is that beach house food calories just don't count.

My kids were in Heaven because I rarely said no to any food they asked if they could eat. I figured that's ok because I say no to them all the time at home. If we lived like this everyday, that would be bad, but one week out of the year that they can just have fun is alright with me. Healthy even! At least for the soul.... :)

And as Ethan was taught to say by awesome Aunt Mindy, "IT'S BEACH HOUSE BABY!!"

Yup, pretty much.....

Game corner central! Years of challenging and cheering has been done here.....

Tetris Attack and Doctor Mario.

Bring it on!

Callen was there too. :)

I don't have unfortunately, any great pictures to show, but he was an absolute angel, and he loved smiling at all the awesome family. I think it safe to say he stole a couple of hearts!

The next picture will hold near and dear to my heart forever. It's of our Cousin Christy, she feels like blood to me, her dear daughter Rebecca, and Ethan helping Christy to feed her.

One night we had our traditional talent show, and this year, after it was through Ethan discovered his cousin Rebecca.

He walked over to her, and looked at her with sincere love and interest.

He stood there for awhile, then he came over to Derek and I and he said, "You know mom and dad, just because she is in a wheelchair and can't walk, and just because she is different than you and me, she is still a daughter of Him."

I looked at Christy, we were bith crying, tears of just awe and joy, and it was the first time that I could not speak, I could not answer him, I could only nod my head that he was right and hug him.

He said it with such assurance, such understanding, I could not believe what I had just witnessed. The whole time he was by her, he was being taught by the spirit and he was taught who SHE was. She is a daughter of our Heavenly Father and from then on, he never saw her as anything different.

He then asked Becca's mom questions and she told him that Becca loved to be sung to but since it's so loud he would have to use his tongue and roll his "R's" to make just the sound of the music so she could hear it over the noise. I didn't think he would do it, it's kind of hard to do, but he walked right over there rolled his "R's" all the way through the song "I am a Child of God."

She looked his way, and Christy told us that his spirit was speaking to hers.

From that day on, Ethan would go down, help Christy feed Becca, and talk with her. He would lay his head down next to her on her pillow and sing to her. Christy also taught him to help her with Becca's physical therapy, so he would carefully straighten her arms and hands. He did this every day that we were there. He has made a life long friend with her.

I saw then that he has a gift. He has a gift of not being afraid to help those who are different and in need. He sees them for who they are. His spirit brothers and sisters. He is a great example to me, as I myself feel nervous sometimes. I could not be more grateful for my children and for these life experiences the Lord brings to them.

Ethan also made some more friends. I am so thankful for cousins!

The two two-year olds who ruled the top floor! Just kidding. But it really was fun to have them there and see them interact some.

In two years it will be even better!

I did not get a picture of it, but Tai had a BLAST with his cousins. There was a group of five or six of them who hung out together those last couple of days. I would find him downstairs on the top bunk just laughing and having the most fun of his life with his cousins.

I also find it quite cute that Ethan always finds people older than him to play with. He'll find one that he will stick to. This year it was Ryan, thank you Ryan, it meant a lot for you to play nintendo and everything else with him.

And Tai, he'll be just dandy playing with kids his age. He would play with them forever if he could!

Seriously, I want to cry I am so thankful for family and built-in friends that will be there forever!! Thank you dear family for making my children feel so loved and have so much fun. Every day they ask me, "can we go back to the beach house?" I say " Yes, in two years."