Ryan Beach "Memories" (aka disasters)

When Thomas was five weeks old and Ella was four weeks old, they got to experience, for the first time of many in their lives, a Ryan family vacation.  All 18 of us stayed in a beach house together in Myrtle beach the first week in June.

Well... to say that we stayed in A beach house would be slightly incorrect.

We arrived early Saturday afternoon and walked in our beach house where the thermostat said 90.  But I'm honestly not sure if the temperature gauge on the thing WENT above 90 because it felt like about 115!

I don't do "hot" very gracefully.

We called the rental company and they encouraged us that it would eventually get cool.  So we waited and waited all afternoon as more and more people arrived and entered into the smoldering heat INSIDE our beach house. 

The porch was nice.  That's where we went to get "cool." (On a 100 degree day in myrtle beach.)

By 11:00, the thermostat had dropped to 87.

I'm pretty sure that had something to do with the sun going down and was by no means an indication of a WORKING air conditioner!  Plus all the bedrooms were upstairs.  And heat rises, ya know?!

So at about 11:30, all 18 of us loaded back up and went a mile down the road to stay the night in an AIR CONDITIONED beach house that the rental company provided.  (much smaller and less suited for our crew)
We slept in the cool. 
And loaded up the next morning and headed BACK to our original beach house where we were told the air was being fixed. 
And waited all day for it to show any signs of cooling. 
Which it did not.
So we loaded up AGAIN that night.
All 18 of us.
Seven children, four and under including two infants.
And went to yet ANOTHER "cool" beach house to stay the night.

We then hauled all of our gear BACK to our original beach house the next morning to find the repair man working outside and COOL air blowing out of the vents.

Lula refers to these sorts of disasterous occasions as "memories."  She says that you forget the events that don't ever have anything to go wonky or astray, but the "memories" are made when things don't go quite as you'd expect them to... those are the times you remember forever and laugh about for years to come.

We certainly made some memories on this beach trip, for sure!!! :)

These two are sure able to laugh at life! They are always great at rolling with the punches. 
An excellent example of "grace under fire (or SC summer HEAT)," especially an example for me, their heat induced, disgruntled daughter-in-law! :)



How adorable is this family of girls?!  I almost can't even stand it, they're so cute! 
I love having nieces :)



And it was so fun getting to spend time with our little Gibbs girl niece and nephew too!  I feel like Ryan Elizabeth went from infant to practically an adult in the 10 weeks I was on bedrest and didn't get to see her!  Her first birthday is coming up in August.  That just doesn't seem POSSIBLE! 
Sweet little family :)



And I mean, I know we're on vacation and all, but my boys are looking a little shaggy in this pic...
Another "memory"  haha :)



As we were trying to get some pictures of families on the beach, there were seriously GALE FORCE WINDS that were blowing (note the way that all of our hair is blowing away from our face-  it almost looks like we've all had facelifts! :)  )
Jeremy and Brittany's was the worst-  every time I went to snap a pic, Brittany's hair flew up into a swoop above her head that looked like something out of a Dr. Seuss book! In the middle of the "memory" of this picture, I got this shot, and honestly, I love it.  I just think they are so cute. :) 
It was so fun having our new sister-in-law on her first Ryan family vacation as a Ryan.  She was a sport, for sure. And she's cold natured.  So that was a good thing :)



This was Benson's last day as a three year old.  My precious baby boy is four.  It's so hard to believe!



And here we have the whole crew, wind-swept look and all :) 
What a tremendous blessing it is to have "memories" like this one to look back on :)