Nags Head 2011

{Photo taken by Lindsey of our personal boardwalk to the beach}

My family goes to the beach every other year. The last time we went was in 2009. Zach was in his first year of his new job and didn't have any vacation built up. Ryan and I went alone. We have been looking forward to our 2011 Bailey Beach Week ever since. Unnnnnnnfortunatley... Zach's mandatory new student orientation fell on the same week as our planned vacation. Boo. So, Brady, Ryan and I are here at the beach with my family for a week- without Zach. We miss Zach terribly but are trying to make the most of it. (Which isn't too hard to do when you are in an oceanfront beach house with lots of helping hands who love your kids.) We drove from VA to NC on Saturday and the typical 4 hour drive took us 10. Yea. it. was. awesome.

All Ryan wanted to do once we got here was go down to the beach. He didn't get a good trip down on Saturday because we got in so late. We had to get groceries, eat dinner, unpack, get babies in bed, etc. So the first thing he said Sunday morning was, "Let's go to the beach!" It was not fun to break it to him that first we had to eat breakfast and go to church. Talk about a let down. So as soon as we got home from church we headed straight for the ocean. He loved it. He was very cautious at first but got very bold by the end of the afternoon.

Grandma Jodi met us down at the beach after a little while and brought her camera! It is kind of nice to not have a camera this trip and just steal pictures from everyone else. I am never left stressing out about not catching things on camera. I just let everyone else do all the work and reap the reward. :)

Ryan loves playing in the surf. We didn't wear our swimming suits to the beach on Sunday because we weren't planning on going swimming- but by the time we went back to the house Ryan was soaked from head to toe.

We liked to chase the waves out and run back as they came crashing back in. It was a great game to wear sweet little Ryan out for a good nap.
Grandma Jodi brought her kite as always. Ryan loved to watch it go higher and higher. Sunday was the perfect day for a kite.
Ryan also played with the ribbon dancers and loved them too.
Don't stand down wind from the ribbon dancer. You will get tangled in it.
After coming back from the beach and getting all washed off Ryan joined Chris for a little Nintendo. He gets really into the games and sometimes thinks he is playing even though his controller is never plugged in. It's pretty cute.
All that beach play made for one tired toddler. He took a three hour nap and woke up just in time for dinner.
Brady has crazy awesome beach hair. He will be due for a birthday haircut when we get home.
I love this picture of Ryan. Lindsey took it while we were having a pillow fight.

Sunday evening we headed back out for a walk on the beach. It was lovely.

This is my nephew, baby J. He is the most adorable, easy-going, cuddly baby I know. I just love him.
And that's all for our first full day at the beach!

We miss you Zach! See you in a week!

{the beach house- taken by Lindsey}