OCEAN ISLE PART 3: MEALS AND AFTERNOONS

Here we go, part 3! This post is dedicated to the people we were on this getaway with.

We were all, wait is this going to work??!? As in, are we all actually going to be able to make time to do this? And live together in a house for four days? And cook all our meals? With 9 adults and 9 kids?

Well, we did it. With great success.

These things helped: 1) We got together before the trip to plan out all of the meals, who would be responsible for buying, and then also preparing and making the food. During this meeting, we also discussed our expectations for this trip to make sure we were on the same page, and also discussed things that we wanted to get out of this trip. We agreed that we were excited to hang out together but also agreed that alone time was also totally fine when needed. 2) All the parents implement either a nap time or a quiet time in the afternoons, and we made sure that this was part of the schedule each day. In the morning, we had breakfast together and then afterwards we spent the morning at the beach. After lunch, the little kids and babies went down for a nap, and the big kids went into a designated room for quiet time, where they could play with toys quietly while listening to an audiobook. They all did really well with us for about two hours each afternoon sometimes longer, which allowed the adults some adult time either together or individually. The later part of the afternoon was spent out on the sound, either gazing, walking, or kayaking. Then cocktails, dinner, and then some sort of quick group family song or worship time before we put the kids to sleep. And then more adult hang outs in the evenings. Usually with more cocktails.

All of it felt surreal even while we were there. "Dreamy!" we kept saying to each other. It meant we appreciated all the moments and each other.  These people sharpen me, love me, and love my kids. I needed this.

FIERCE DINOSAURS!

This picture just slays me. 

(photographer: Sloane)

All of us! 

OCEAN ISLE PART 2: THE FIRST MORNING AND THE BEACH

The beach house that we stayed at was beautiful. There was plenty of space for all of us, both for communal living and also for quiet time if we needed. On one side of the house there was the sound and on the other side, across the road, a stunning beach. After our first night's sleep, we woke to a glorious breakfast to fill our bellies and then we marched over to the ocean where we were greeted with a cool breeze, soft sand and warm water. Who knew, September at the beach makes for the most perfect morning?! That first morning, I spread my towel down and let Logan toddle around me, happily playing with the sand, while Sloane and friends also played nearby.... and I read a book. It was luxury, it was rest!