Topsail

To celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary, my parents rented a house at Topsail Island.

Then they went ahead and ruined their perfect relaxing getaway by inviting all their kids.

Throughout the two weeks, there was my parents, Matt and I, Bo, my sister and her husband, my sister’s friend, my brother, and my in-laws. And Buddy. Never all at the same time, but basically there were a lot of people on this beach trip. Fortunately it was great weather (making up for our April trip) and we were able to spend most days out on the beach, getting sand in our piggie toes or logging in a few miles on the golf course. There were a few days of really heavy, crazy rain storms but they provided a respite from the sun and a chance to curl up in the window seat and catch up on a trashy US Weekly (left behind by former tenants, possibly from 2-3 years ago, don’t even know, read them anyways) with a glass of wine while my baby scooted around on the floor dumping every single toy out and his 4 grandparents sit around applauding his every move. That’s my kind of vacation, ya’ll.

We’ve been pretty loyal to Surfside Beach, SC and Garden City Beach, SC for years. My mom has been going since she was a teenager, then my parents as soon as they started dating, and our family has only missed one year. SC beaches have a special place in my nostalgic little heart, but I have to say we loved our first Topsail experience. (Less traffic, less commercialization and you don’t have to drive down a road full of mini golf and firework stores to get there.)  I would say this was Bo’s first official beach trip (since we didn’t get out much in April) but he was smitten. He loved every day sitting on the towel, scooping up sand, smacking together seashells and sitting at the water’s edge with water lapping up on him. One day we were sitting down at the water’s edge and I brought him back up to my mom on the towel and ran down to the water to wash myself off. I returned back to a hollering child…. the message was loud and clear: “Don’t go back in the water without taking me with you, momma!!” I’m a beach bum through and through, so I’m happy to see my little guy is just as thrilled with sand, sun and SPF 70.

And now the photo dump…