McCullers (Family of Four): July 2012

The McCullers - aka 2012 Beach Bums

We always visit a couple of beaches each summer, but this year, we got to be official beach bums. We started with our annual Amelia Island trip. We were greeted upon our arrival by Tropical Storm Debby. She was such a downer for the first few days! We made it to the beach each day even with the rain. I am sure other vacationers thought we had lost it as we used our sun umbrella for the rain and held on to it for dear life so that the strong winds wouldn't blow it away. It wasn't exactly a picturesque time. As soon as Debby left us, the weather was blue skies and perfect temps. So, we got to enjoy "our" beach like normal. Love our AI traditions.

From there we headed across Florida and barely into Alabama's Orange Beach. We spent a week with friends. We had a party of 13 when we went out, which included 6 adults and 7 kids! It was very laid back and filled with memories that will last a lifetime! The kids occupied each other, so we could really relax. They woke up and played and played from sun up to sun down. The beach was beautiful. I forget how nice the gulf waters are.

Last we kept it close and got to visit one of Georgia's beaches when we went to Tybee Island. This was an extended weekend to celebrate CG's birthday. She had all of her boys there (and girls). We stayed in the cutest little beach cottage. While there we got to take in Savannah too. Cam and Maeve loved all the new sights. We enjoyed our time together there.

My AI Shrimps

This is going to be a yearly picture as long as we have stairstep cousins

My two love being with their cousins, Clayton and Carson

Moo and Doo and their brood

Cam and Maeve are perfect beach goers now since they both enjoy the sand, water, and sight seeing. I guess that's a good thing since we spent half a month there. Cam preferred to be in the water, tackling the waves. His favorite attack method was diving through them. Maeve's entertainment was the sand. She doesn't mind being sandy and will sit, lay, or bury herself in the sand. We nicknamed her our MerMaeve! We even covered her legs and sculpted her a tail out of sand. Tony and I find a nice shady spot under the umbrella and enjoy the breezes. We tag teamed watching the water boy and the sandy girl.

Maeve declared Orange Beach Anna Belle's Beach!

Our two even played together a little bit

Chloe - 8
Cam - 6

View of beach fireworks from our balcony

American Honeys - Anna Belle, Chloe, Shelby, Maeve

Water Babies

Waterlogged family picture

We are so grateful for the time and the abilities to truly getaway. Our bum status was definitely secured as we figured up that we had a total of 15 days spent with our toes in the sand! Rotten. I know. Throughout the year, we don't have many days just to relax, so we try to bank them during the summer. If you ever see me with a nostalgic kind of look on my face, you can be rest assured I am thinking about my beach bum days, with a hint of salt on my skin, a thick breeze rustling my hair, the smell of my 50 spf, sand between my toes, and not much on my mind!