Beach Babies & Beach Bums

We've just returned from a wonderful, long weekend at one of our very own, beautiful Alabama beaches, Gulf Shores. Two of our best couple friends joined us, and we had my dream family vacation...lots of outdoor activity, uplifting fellowship and conversations, lots of yummy eats, good shopping at outlet stores, evenings of Joker :) and so much more!!

Since pictures share so much, here we go...Chris & Tara Kear drove all the way from Arkansas...such troopers!! Chris and Russell have known each other for years, have served in ministry together, are adventure racing partners, and Tara is his perfect and sweet mate! Chris even performed our marriage ceremony! So, needless to say, we love this couple {and their coming baby, as they are expecting!! :) Yay!!!}, and we take advantage of any opportunity we can to spend time with them! Ryan & Jenn deVilleneuve were also able to come, which marks this trip our second annual 'deVilleneuve-Kear-Wright Family Reunion' :), if you will! Last year, we all met up at a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia and had a blast! Ryan, Chris and Russell have known each other for years and are great brothers in Christ to one another. I am thankful for their accountability and brotherhood to one another, and I know that any of them would do anything at all for us! Tara & Jenn are the icing on the cake! I love these women of the Lord and learn so much from them each time I'm with them. We each took turns cooking dinner after we put the kiddos down for bed. I got to cook a couple of Mexican casseroles, one with deer meat and one with chicken. Chris & Tara served up their yummy chicken parmesan over spaghetti noodles. Ryan & Jenn topped off the trip with their herb-marinated shrimp, served with a beautiful spinach-strawberry-walnut salad (pictured below).

We enjoyed some fun fruity drinks...some virgin, some not. :) We got to wake up to this each morning...The weather could not have been more perfect! {Well, maybe 20 degrees cooler. :)}
Rhys got to hang out with his Uncle Chris & Uncle Ryan, whom he evidently loves!! Wouldn't you say from the pics??? :) I didn't get pictures of Rhys with the ladies, but he enjoys their company, too...he sweetly nestles his face in their necks as they hold him. :)

And, last but certainly not least, the boys did great! Yes, both the big boys and the little boys. :)

We had lots of play time for the kiddos in between feedings and nap times, and they all got along so well, shared, and I'm excited to see their relationship/friendship grow into a strong brotherhood, as the Lord leads them.
My man left home without his boonie hat for sun protection, so he scouted through local stores, looking for the perfect straw hat. {Justin, do you approve? :)} I sure like it! Kinda sexy, but he's mine, ladies! :)

We had a wonderful beach vaction, and I loved pondering over all the fun details during our drive home yesterday. Russell sported his straw hat for me, while he listened to his i-pod, I listened to mine, and Rhys slept soundly in the back!!

I wonder where next year's 'deVilleneuve-Kear-Wright Family Reunion' will take us! :)