Ocean Isle Beach (Part I)

On the southern tip of the Outer Banks is a barrier island called Ocean Isle-- a hop, skip and a jump away from South Carolina. We grew up going to the smallest beach house on 2nd St. when there were hardly any houses beach front and the island was a sleepy little place with one ice cream shop that sold hermit crabs. It has grown. A lot. And so have we. A lot. More than tripling in size, my siblings and I  now total of 30. My parents, who started planning this reunion almost as soon as the last one ended three years ago, snagged a beach front house that could somehow hold all of us: 

My amazing folks xoxo

Brian and I have decided that a beach vacation is the only vacation with kids that still feels like a vacation. The first evening we showed up the waves were a good size and the current strong. This is my favorite time to swim. Brian and I got our boogie-boarding on. 

This picture sums up the girls very well. Hannah ate sand. Liesel played in the ocean constantly begging us to take her out farther and never seemed fazed by getting knocked over by waves and breathing in a mouthful of saltwater. 

We all like to sing. I should say we love to sing. And we pretty much took over sacrament meeting when they asked my dad to speak (he's in the mission presidency over that area), we sang and Kevin and Jana blessed their new baby Oliver.

 No Hatch vacation . . . actually, no vacation period is complete without great food. For kids that means endless ice-cream, for adults it means a low-country boil. 

 I LOVE these gals. Who else would agree to swim a mile to the water tower a mile away? In the ocean? Or draw terrible pictures with pastels while the sun sets? Or agree to watch your kids even though they have three already so that you can selfishly boogie-board again? Sigh* More on them later. And my bro's too.  

 It was so great seeing my family. Luckily for me there wasn't a single person that I hadn't seen since the last reunion. I somehow managed to squeeze in a chance to see my two brothers and four sisters. . . but there's nothing like rocking on the top balcony at night and chatting with all of the girls while the waves crash. Or seeing your bro-in-law paint your daughter's toe-nails. Or cuddle with your nieces and nephews. Or watch the house mount in conflict during a game of Jeopardy! . . .

 I guess all families have their issues, but apparently we Hatches are all a tad bit on the competitive side. 

Lindsey and Jana sporting their nerd glasses after dominating in Jeopardy! // Kevin, Kayla and Adrienne in the pool

 The pool on the deck got more use than the ocean did by the littles in the family. My favorite pool moments included performing my dance routine with Juliet, making a whirlpool and attacking my nephews in water fights. 

 After Brian got sunburned on the first day, he became O'Neil's biggest fan and a sunscreen Nazi. It was a mini-family reunion for us as well since we hadn't been together in six weeks! 

*I noticed while looking through these photos that this last photo is the only one of me holding Hannah.  No wonder she's afraid to let me out of her sight now. . .