Every year, we get to go on our annual Van Wingerden Myrtle Beach trip. We have so much fun playing in the sand, jumping waves, searching for seashells, burying each other, night swimming, enjoying lemonade icees (thanks to Oma), & time as a family. We didn't bring our boogie boards this year due to the frequent shark attacks along the NC/SC coast, but we did get to go in the water some. We had beautiful weather, and we sure enjoyed hanging out with our cousins, too.
The boys
Emmersyn wasn't mobile last year, so it was a whole new world for her. She walked right in the water without a care in the world. When she'd fall over, she'd get right back up and keep going. Silly girl! She only tried to eat the sand a few times...& maybe a few shells...but, she loved every minute of it...sand & ocean!
Filling up her bucket
Mommy & Emmersyn
Mommy has picture of each of us around this age of "sunscreen hair." So funny!
Emmersyn & me in our matching suits! I loved it!
Oma & Emmersyn enjoying another day on the beach!
Averie Grace (9)
Brady Joseph (7)
Brecken Thomas (4)
Emmersyn Faith (14 months)
Best Friends
(Stephanie & Me)
Just a walk on the beach with Oma!
(Emmersyn calls her "Opa," which is bittersweet...)
Emmersyn enjoying the ocean...
...& watching the water come to her feet!
She would have no fear...going as deep as Mommy would let her!
Sisters
I love my little sister!
Before we know it, roles will be reversed. Rather then Daddy's and Mommy's picking us up, we are picking up our parents. (This is Sam picking up Uncle Art.)
Enjoying some sand time
Emmersyn & Madison
Brady & Jackson
Brecken & Brayden had fun with the dump truck...& Paul had fun photobombing...
Daddy & Emmersyn
Every day, these boys would play with this dump truck...& had so much fun!
I think someone is getting sleepy...
Brayden buried Brecken in the sand...
...well, he had some help from these 2, too!
Daddy & Brady
A very curious little girl enjoying the sand...
...& the water!
Brayden giving Emmersyn a ride!
She enjoyed that!
Cousin fun in the sand
Brayden, Jackson, Jake, Carter, Brady, & Brecken
(When Mommy went to take this pic, Mommy's cousin, Jake (who had just arrived with his family) jumped in the pic last minute. We enjoyed having them visit for 2 days!)
Water Baby!
I loved having Emma (one of Jake & Wendy's daughters) visit for 2 days. We had so much fun together...
Snack time for this munckin!
Brecken & Oma
Oma & me
More dump truck fun in the sand!
Averie
Brady
Brecken
Emmersyn
Brady & Stephanie
Oma helping Emmersyn dig a hole!
Burying Stephanie in the sand.
(L-R: Madison, cousin Patricia, cousin Grace, Brecken, cousin Erica, Stephanie, Brady, & Kaitlyn)
Brecken...all ready for the shaving cream fight!
Each year, our family has a shaving cream fight on the beach. We have so much fun! Here is the beginning of it...
...the middle of it...
...& the end of it! So much fun!
We have some crazy fun...
...& even Emmersyn got to enjoy her first shaving cream fight!
Then, she went boogie boarding on the sand with Aunt Courtney...
...while Daddy wrestled Brady in the water!
Boys will be boys!
Daddy & me
I still love holding his hand!
Emma got to spend the night with us at the hotel, so we got up earlier than Daddy & Mommy and decided to make breakfast for everyone. We set the table, made cinnamon rolls, cut up fruit, & put out the cereal, milk, & coffee. We were so excited to surprise them with this...& they loved it!
Fun with 2nd cousins!
Another day of fun in the sun
Brecken, me, & Emmersyn
Emmersyn & Madison sharing some float time at the edge of the water...
...& they looked so cute together!
Sweet Cousins!
Those curls...this girl!
This picture attempt did not go as well as Mommy had hoped, but this is best of what she could get form this angle...
...and this angle! Maybe next year...
Attempt #86!
I love taking pics with my best friend.
Our 2nd cousin, Patricia, joined us for our time at the beach. She was a helping hand to Daddy & Mommy with all of us at the beach. We had so much fun playing with her. She is showing Emmersyn how to make a drip castle!
But, Emmersyn decided to just play in the wet sand instead.
Cousin Fun
We headed up to the hotel's water park one afternoon and had fun together. Kaitlyn enjoys keeping an eye on Emmersyn sometimes.
Brecken had a blast...
...while Brady enjoyed relaxing on the lazy river!
Emmersyn went on the slide with Daddy a lot...
...& she loved it!
Daddy & Emmersyn
I had a great time, too!
Brecken sliding...
...& then, my turn...
...& Emmersyn's turn with Mommy!
Daddy & me
Brady, Madison, & Stephanie pumping the water!
Brady enjoying the water!
Walking on their hands in the water.
Oma, Brady, & Emmersyn hunting for seashells
Sweet Brady Boy
Mommy & me
Enjoying our daily lemonade ices from Oma
(Brecken, Brayden, Jackson, Oma, Madison, me, & Brady)
Another walk on the sand...
...& picking up some sand.
Oma & me
These boys enjoying their lemonade drinks!
Uncle Thomas & Aunt Lindsey put this solar panel over their umbrella in hopes to stay even cooler...& it worked.
Emmersyn, the beach babe
Looking at what's in her bucket :)
Madison & me...I do love to act like her momma sometimes :)
Some of the boys...
...enjoying a game of bocce ball!
Brecken is excited about the beach!
On our last night after dinner, Mommy wanted to take some pictures of us. Well, similar to the ones earlier, we can be a tough group to get a good one...so, here's the best of what we got!
(Brecken & Emmersyn's faces are too funny in this one!)
The Karaffa Family (Attempt #42)
The Karaffa Family (Attempt #268)
Daddy & Mommy
We also attempted to get a few pics of Miss Emme...
She loves clapping...& still sticks out that precious tongue!
She also learned where her belly button is, so she was pretty happy to show us where it was! At least we got a very cute happy face!
Sweet Emmersyn
On our last morning, we enjoyed some breakfast and then headed out to play putt putt before the drive home. We enjoy this tradition..no lines...and it gets out some energy before the drive home.
Brady is all ready to play...
...& so is Brecken...
...so am I!
Emmersyn didn't get to actually play putt putt, but she enjoyed the ride!
Brecken's concentration...
...got him a hole in one!!
The Boys
Mommy & me
Daddy also got a hole in one!! He was pretty excited!
I got a hole in one, too!
We had a wonderful time at the beach...making lots of memories. We are thankful to be able to go to the beach for a week...and we are thankful for lots of family time!
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