Topsail 2023

Good luck making it to the end of this one! It is always a challenge to narrow down the hundreds of photos we take, down to maybe...fifty? We had such a good time, and it was beautiful.

We love our beach sunsets, but we couldn't go out there every evening because strangely enough on this trip, high tide was REALLY high, like lapping the dunes, and it was mostly in the afternoon/evening. So on most days, we had very little beach left by about 3, and none left by dinnertime. Fortunately, this year we were in a house that had better views of the beach and a nicer deck, so when we were on it we felt like we were right there. The deck had gates that latched too, which was key to enjoying it with Thomas who likes to explore and to escape if he can. Not all decks have that, and it wasn't even something I was looking for when we were deciding where to stay. Maybe Grace was, because she helped me find ours. Anyway, very grateful for that.

Different duplex, same Grace with my morning coffee😎

He could wander when he had someone willing to wander with him.

The water was a little chillier than the adults would prefer -- it's taken North Carolina a little extra time to warm up this summer -- but you know it didn't faze the kids. They were in it every day for hours. I think Mom would have liked it if it had been hotter if only so that she could have gotten the boys into the shade more often. They liked being toasty in the sun. 

If I recall correctly, among other things, we were talking about a conversation we had last year this time, about how Scotty and Faith are the "fun bus," Grace said they're the "struggle bus," and I/we were the broken-down bus. (Tim might tell me to speak for myself on that!) This year I decided we're the trailer. We can hitch ourselves to the fun bus. Just a silly conversation. 

Grandy loved getting to spend time with Thomas.

I love Mom's smile and the sunset reflected in the window.

That's Mom with L-R David (Sophie's), Taj (Grace's), and Caleb (Sophie's). Mom and Dad took Sophie's kids to the beach this year because she and Michael didn't go. We were missing Anna and her family too.

We're accustomed to seeing our Marine friends flying over the beach, but one time they flew right over the houses!

My beach buddy

Grace and Israel. Israel is a month older than Thomas.

Dad and I

Beach hair don't care!

The obligatory family photos, on the deck instead of the beach this time.

The kids changed a lot in a year.

Israel, Thomas and Taj

I love this one of Grandy and Israel matching.

Damien (Sophie's oldest, he's 10 now), Joey and Scotty III

Scotty and Faith and their kids, L-R: Jaden (15), Roman (17), Aspen (17), and Scotty (13). 

Grace and Joey and their kids: Lotus (15), Elise (8 next month), Taj (5), and Israel (turned 1 in April)

We had just enough beach to walk on that evening.

Grace declared our last day the "most perfect last day" we've ever had. The weather and the tide cooperated, and even the music on my Pandora shuffle stations. We soaked it up. I even rode a couple waves on a boogeyboard. That night the babies did not cooperate for us, however. It took me over an hour to get Thomas to bed so I could say goodbye to everyone and hang out with Grace on the deck -- just in time for Israel's little head to pop up on the baby monitor.😜 As a relative on Facebook always says (as in comments on every post), "Babies... gotta love 'em!"