Our First Family Vacation

Orange Beach, Alabama - 7/7/10 - 7/14/10. We survived! Not only did we survive but we had a wonderful time. Let me just tell you about it.

What typically should be a 4 hour drive, it took us about 5 hours to get there...not too bad considering our load! We (Big Pop and G.G. were following us), stopped for about an hour to eat lunch and give the kids a break. My brothers and their families along with our friends, Jeff & Heather, and their two girls were all meeting us there. That's 10 adults and 11 kids(all under the age of 9)! It was wild but SO much fun. Before we left, I was quite concerned on how well the babies would adjust to being away from home an extended period of time. We have deviated from our strict schedule in the past, but this was going to be the ultimate test. I was especially concerned about them sleeping. They were going to be in our bedroom on the floor each in their own peapod. They have napped in them a handful of times but never slept in them all night. I was sweatin'. Whew! They did it and did it pretty well, I must say! I am so thankful because if our nights weren't good, our days were bound to be rough! So how did we spend our days? Swimming, of course, now that they are swim school graduates ;), eating, napping, and playing with our cousins! We only went to the beach one day - that sand creates all kinds of problems when you have four toddlers! BUT this would be their first time at the beach and in the sand so we couldn't wait for them to experience it...

Love it!

Madden: "Is it time to go yet?"

"What's the big deal?"
Once she got used to it, she loved it!

Rocco: "Can someone pick me up now?"

Jagger: "I'm not sure I like this stuff."

Probably my favorite picture from our trip...their first real look of the ocean. I wonder what they were thinking?

On Friday, we had a short but SWEET visit from the Cochran family. Sandra and Matt came to visit with their four almost 2 year olds, Cannon, Gunner, Lauren and Avery, along with their five year old...beautiful, sweet, hilariously funny and oh so helpful daughter, Hannah Noelle! I adore this family and am so glad they got to come play with us! As you can imagine when swimming with 8 toddlers, there wasn't many free hands to take group pictures. Sandra manage to capture this one for us...

the Lambes and the Cochrans

Nick left half-way through the week so he could get home and get back to work, and Nanny Alicia drove over to stay the rest of the week with us. What a blessing she is! Before Nick left, we made sure to get a family picture. I guess this was the best we could get...

5 out of 6 looking is not bad, right?!?

I took SO many pictures of our trip. So many that I really had a hard time condensing it to one song! But here goes, hope you enjoy!

Hope you have enjoyed your summer with your family!

Love,
Kami