Dauphin Island 2012

Every year we go to Dauphin Island, Alabama for family vacation. And every year it's bigger, better and more fun than the year before. Literally. Every year we have a new baby join the group. I love my big family. And I think the key to a fun vacation is to have fun traditions, fun people don't hurt either. And lucky for us, we have it all. Cooking competitions, ghost hunting, shell finding, card playing, craft making, movie watching kind of traditions. Here are a few a million pics of the fun we had a few weeks ago.

The obligatory beach photo. :)

Jo & Hens.

A favorite pastime.

Which one does not belong?

We're sisters, did you know?

Tootie and Natty.

My love.

Dad and I won the award for best meal. Winning. It's what we do. 

Mom and Jared won the dessert category.

For those not familiar with our cooking contest, it began several years ago when my mom suggested we find cooking partners the next year because she wasn't cooking anymore…more or less. So the next year we picked partners and were responsible for cooking and cleaning one night during the week. It didn't start out as a competition, but quickly evolved to that. The dessert plate was a highly sought after prize, we've since expanded it to include the meal as well. Oh and I should mention that every year the meals get more and more elaborate & delicious, we've got some real chefs in the family! At the end of the week everyone votes on their favorites, the votes are tallied (by trusted, non biased individuals) and a winner is announced. It's definitely a vacation highlight.

See? See what I mean?!

Back view of our massive house for the week.

Card playin fools.

Hens loving on Hunny & Pop Pop.

Hutch & Hens disappeared, but were later found in our bed eating goldfish and watching cartoons. Sneaky little toots.

My lovely parents.

One of Jeremy's favorite "vacation memories" was catching the fish and letting the kids reel them in. The kids got a kick out of it.

Cutest preggo ever? I think so.

Ace man & La La

A behind the scenes look at what we call "herding cats".

Best of 40. :)

Beach bums.

Miss Priss sunbathing.

Fun on the beach.

Buried alive 

Sweet cousins.

Best buds.

Stu & I got crafty one morning and made sand cast foot prints for the kids.

Ghost hunting. We were scared.

Ghost hunting is something we've done the past two years. And when I say "ghost hunting" I'm referring to the idiots bravest among us going out in the dark creeping through cemeteries, squealing like girls and running back to the car. It's so fun. We're not completely reckless though, we always brush up on Dauphin Island's haunted history before hand. It sets the mood. 

While at the cemetary, the camera wouldn't focus and then…it stopped working completely. Spoooooky.

We even visited Fort Gaines. 

We enjoy jumping.

A lot.

Every one of us.

Just precious.

Hens and Abey Baby.

Watching movies before bed.

The whole gang.

We had an amazing week. See ya next year Dauphin Island!