Oak Island, NC: A week in heaven

I just got back from a week at the beach. It's been a long time since I've had such a lengthy vacation, and a job where I could ask for a week off. We drove down Sunday morning, the day after Joe and Maria's wedding, and met my parents for brunch at Cracker Barrell (it was father's day!). Then we hit the road for about five more hours and finally arrived at Oak Island, North Carolina. Oak Island is a remote part of the NC shore which is hardly as populated as many other beaches you'll find. It's near the southern border, very close to SC. The weather was beautiful every day of our vacation, which was full of rest, relaxation, laughter, good beer, good food and good company. Every two years, Sam's family on his father's side gets together at this condo on the beach to reunite and catch up and sit together on the beach under an arsenal of umbrellas. There were about 45 family members present. It's the perfect kind of reunion; everyone does their own thing and there are hardly any scheduled events other then "meet you under the umbrellas tomorrow" and the occassional night crab hunt and hotdog cookout. Here are some pictures that will describe the rest of our vacation is greater detail...

Our condos are visible in the background. Mike, Sam's bro, is lounging in the corner.

A little crab greeted us in the kitchen when we arrived.

I was given a daily tennis lesson (except for the morning it rained) by a very talented (and adorable) teacher...

Ballet+ tennis= my own personal style :)

SAM'S FAMILY


Vic scares everyone with a crab. And, yes, he was pinched later!



LuAnn is hilarious.



Imelda...the filipino connection!

Like father, like son.

Sieb rides up in the sand asking "Can someone refill my drink?"

I taught Karen how to knit.

The family was wonderful...very warm, welcoming, Southern, and comical. I really felt welcomed into the group. There are more pictures of them at the end of this post.


Fun with PUTT-PUTT

One night we braved the humidity and made our way to the local putt-putt course, which was about 5 minutes away. Sam beat Mike and me...suprise, suprise. :)

Sam takes his putt-putt, like all other "sports", very seriously.

Don't hurt my elephant friend!


Indoor fun.



We taught Sam's dad how to play beer pong.

Knitting, of course!

Back to the beach.

We found out this trick quite early. Hold a wheat thin in your hand and you'll soon have a formation of seagulls hovering above you. Just don't give it to them, or they'll never leave you alone!!!

The sand sculpture is a reunion tradition. This year: froggie!

Somebody bought a new towel with the Superman S on the back...






There's nothing cuter than a cowboy, except for a cowboy reading Ayn Rand. :)
Sam stole my hat for the day, and I didn't mind because it looked so nice on him.



Hotdog night (or veggie burger night for me!)

This night includes the taking of family pictures, which is quite an ordeal. There are members of the Layman, Tuck, and Brown families in attendance. Each family must have their own picture, and then each generation must have it's own...it was really fun to watch all the family connections!



All the cousins. That's second cousins or first cousins twice removed...or...or...


Here's a picture of the "outlaws" who attended the reunion.


Sam must have said something obnoxious to get this response from me :)

me and Sam


Brothers.

On the last night before we left, at the stroke of midnight, it was my 25th birthday. I wanted to be down on the beach, sitting in a chair under the stars when the clock struck midnight. Sam and I enjoyed the night sky until the bugs started biting us. When we walked back into the condo, Mike and Sam 3 were waiting with a birthday cake (decorative text by Mike Brown). Sam bought the cake at Walmart earlier (a trip to buy energy drinks supposedly). It was the perfect way to ring in my 25th year with three lovely gentlemen.

Well, the beach is over for now...but it was a perfect time and much needed. Back to the real world, I suppose!