{"id":2958,"date":"2012-07-19T06:00:31","date_gmt":"2012-07-19T11:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.crumbbums.com\/?p=2958"},"modified":"2016-09-27T13:07:03","modified_gmt":"2016-09-27T18:07:03","slug":"the-last-of-the-vacation-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crumbbums.com\/?p=2958","title":{"rendered":"The Last of the Vacation Photos"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7136\/7600037334_0cb9c66e2f_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0385\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Before we get on with the rest of the vacation photos, thank you for all of your kind words through comments, emails, and FB messages about yesterday&#8217;s post. I felt the love! I had a really amazing childhood and was actually very lucky to have my dad in my life for as long as I did, given his constant struggles with health through his short but rich life.<\/p>\n<p>And though you are surely getting tired of the beach pictures, a lot of why I do this blog is to have a place to keep our memories so we can look back on not only the stories but also all the pictures of our adventures as a family. So, if you want to share in this journey, please feel free! I have to warn you, there are a lot of pictures in this post!<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7252\/7600036952_755a9ac8ea_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0377\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The weather for the first two days of our trip on Hatteras Island was blistering hot. I have to admit, I cringed a bit when looking at the forecast. We had been hoping to leave the hot, heavy St. Louis air behind for a week, but arrived to much of the same weather. It was so hot that it burned the bottoms of our feet just running from the house to the water. Luckily, some storms rolled in and brought cooler, more typical beach weather. Plus, the rain didn&#8217;t last long and brought beautiful skies with it. We took a family walk before the rain one day.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7250\/7600036374_6999027b53_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0373\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8166\/7600038364_5f5e2f69d9_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0410\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7127\/7600038666_4721055d63_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0412\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8142\/7600038108_07732a03b7_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0406\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Getting tired of seeing this dress yet? Every. Single. Day.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7256\/7600039100_38dae543e7_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0431\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8026\/7600039532_62373c8dcc_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0442\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7270\/7600025266_282ce3e390_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0223\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Oliver during the heat wave= miserable.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7119\/7600029002_0fd98ec69e_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0269\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7261\/7600039786_abb814a616_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0447\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7111\/7600040236_2a0cb67ce6_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0450\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8285\/7600040820_6210ddf131_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0454\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Jamie fed seagulls from our balcony one afternoon. One even ate right out of his hand! (Thanks Mary for taking these amazing pictures!)<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">And of course, the mandatory pictures of Milo jumping off stuff:<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7269\/7600045972_22e569c8c7_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0510\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8144\/7600046474_c232607e89_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0511\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7267\/7600046768_635d39a4ef_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0523\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8150\/7577256904_081711e0b4_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0856\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Our daily routine went something like this: Early rising (Emil was up by 5:30am every single day&#8211; that&#8217;s 4:30 St. Louis time!); breakfast on the balcony while watching the sunrise over the ocean; sunscreen time (I swear this took like half an hour every morning); beach; walk to the pier (the boys enjoyed pretending to play the arcade games); lunch; nap (for some); beach again; dinner; pier for ice cream; bedtime for little ones; beer and laughter for the mamas and papas (and one night Jamie and Andrew took Ben and Milo out night-beaching with sparklers!).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Obviously the pier was a major highlight of the trip. It was the only place we went other than the beach the whole week; a nice place to go for a change of scenery without having to wrangle the kids into a vehicle. It was amazing. The pier itself was weathered and zig-zaggy from all of the storms and hurricanes it had endured. Still sturdy, but crazy to think about!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8160\/7600047112_0ee57c3c35_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0525\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8165\/7600047540_cf81037323_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0526\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>View from the pier: kite-flying<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7275\/7600055512_df074b3dbc_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0653\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7260\/7600047804_459d80018d_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0567\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Oliver asking, &#8220;Could I slip through there?&#8221; (the crack)<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">And of course, the main reason for the trip? The popsicles and delicious ice cream treats!\u00a0<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8426\/7600054498_a798df33d4_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0579\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7260\/7600055280_8f4fac5b79_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0649\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7278\/7600054862_e7b0b5eec2_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0586\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8164\/7600026178_6cb6511717_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0250\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Greta wondering if there might be any extra for her&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8028\/7600026498_2c1fe9090e_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0253\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>&#8230; and giving up on it.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8288\/7600056368_211b9a4eab_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0687\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>My gorgeous bestie.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8154\/7600024424_debb3365c1_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0132\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">One of the best parts of the trip was watching Milo, Ben, Oliver, and Greta getting reacquainted. Their friendships (especially between Milo and Ben) grow and become more complex (read: literal head-butting, but mostly sweet tender moments) each time they see each other. Ben and Milo are so similar, both intense and very active and creative. To see what kind of shenanigans they got into was more than hilarious.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Documentation of the <em>only<\/em> nap Oliver took the entire trip (including the 20 hours of car time!). He passed out on the chaise lounge on the last day of the trip. My friend <a href=\"http:\/\/allisonthemeep.blogspot.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Allison<\/a> would call him a <em>neversleeper<\/em>:\u00a0<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8017\/7600056844_8a2bb317f9_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0714\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8010\/7600057370_aa4f81e307_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0716\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Sleeping as only a true middle child would: hand clenched around his stash of toys so that no one else could play with them.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7276\/7600062372_cf1d3f99a3_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0717\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8283\/7600062882_6635092899_b.jpg\" alt=\"DSC_0718\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>He looks so lovely and peaceful when he sleeps. Too bad he doesn&#8217;t do it more often.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">And now, here we are home! We did the entire drive home in one shot, which included a 2-hour stint of basically stand-still traffic 6 hours into the trip during which Oliver half pooped his pants\/half pooped on the side of the road. Oh, the misery. But man were we glad to be home once we collapsed at our door at 1:30am. Thanks, beach. Thanks, Mary and Jamie, Ben and Greta. We had a fantastic time and we love you!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>***Next week we will get back on track, including an outfit post, a recipe, and a DIY fun activity for the littles. Thanks for sharing our trip!***<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Before we get on with the rest of the vacation photos, thank you for all of your kind words through comments, emails, and FB messages about yesterday&#8217;s post. I felt the love! I had a really amazing childhood and was actually very lucky to have my dad in my life for as long as I &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.crumbbums.com\/?p=2958\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;The Last of the Vacation Photos&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12485,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[187,188],"tags":[126,58,68,82,54],"class_list":["post-2958","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-motherhood","category-travel","tag-beach","tag-friends","tag-jump","tag-pureembarassment","tag-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crumbbums.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2958","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crumbbums.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crumbbums.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crumbbums.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crumbbums.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2958"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.crumbbums.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2958\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12486,"href":"https:\/\/www.crumbbums.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2958\/revisions\/12486"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crumbbums.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12485"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crumbbums.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2958"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crumbbums.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2958"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crumbbums.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2958"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}