A family vacation at last!  Topsail Island saw the Motyka family come and go last week.  We enjoyed the 95+ weather every day.  Thank goodness for the breeze and waves at the beach or we would not have made it.  And at night when all was calm at last, Shawn and I enjoyed the breeze, some awesome salsa and some cool drinks while sitting on the porch.  We got to see the sun set every night and even watched some Evening Glories (flowers) open up at sunset one night.  What a beautiful view!

Maddie had a ball at the beach. She doesn't remember much about visiting the beach the last two summers but this time she was amazing to watch. She had no fear unlike her brother at this age. Maddie went bodysurfing over and over again. She didn't allow being tossed again and again by the waves to stop her. She also rode on her daddy's boogie board, jumped over the waves with her mommy, built sandcastles and made lots of "gloppy" mud with her brother.

 Alex's favorite part of the beach this time was bodysurfing. After 3 years of trying to get him used to all the rough waves and all the mess sand makes, he finally loves the beach!  He loves jumping right into the ocean, bodysurfing, making sand structures and teaching his sister how to make "gloppy" mud (just sand and water mixed together).  He also took after his mom with his love of reading to relax quite often while at the beach.

 

 

The kids also made a few new friends while at the beach. It was quite adorable to see Maddie and Alex interacting with other kids around their age.  They woke up every morning and yelled "Hello there" to the neighbors or at night they yelled "Goodnight.  See you tomorrow."

Overall, it was an awesome family vacation with all the main components...family time, relaxation and lots of great memories plus a pet or two.  Yes, we now have not one but two hermit crabs to add to our family pet list.  Alex picked out a large hermit crab in a shiny blue shell and named him "Blue Boy" (original don't you think).  Maddie picked out a tiny hermit crab and since she kept saying "Kermit Crab" for hermit crab when asked what she wanted to name her hermit crab, her response was "Kermie."  Can't wait to see what the next family vacation holds for us...Watch out Disney World!  The Motyka family will be stopping by soon.