Happy Summer

Just back from a trip to Holden Beach, N.C., with the whole family plus the almost-family, the Howards. The Moores and the Howards have been doing the joint Holden Beach vacation since about 1984, we figured out this week.

Back then, we rented a little cottage that had two bedrooms, a bonus room, and a lot of floor space for us kids (three Moore girls and two Howard boys). Three of us are married now, two of us have kids, and all of us are long past the days of sleeping on the floor and sharing a bathroom. So we rented a six-bedroom, six-bath house right on the beach with space for all. My parents and sisters were in heaven with a week of the Billy man.


Grandpa Jack built sandcastles for Billy to knock down. His new favorite game--"Billy smash!"


We've been eating ice cream and playing mini golf at the same place under beautiful live oak trees for 24 years. Billy definitely approved of the ice cream. I could barely get a bite in edgewise. He actually tried to take it out of my hands.


He loved the water. But mainly, he loved the sand. Oh, salty deliciousness.


Pops made blueberry pancakes two mornings. Billy's discerning palate approved.


Thanks to Gran and Grandpa, Mama and Pops got to go out to dinner by themselves and be adults. Going out to eat without getting food in her hair or spit on her shoulder made Mama feel like a kid again.

So did hanging out in a dive-y beach bar with Aunt Marsha and Aunt Julia. Really, the worse Karaoke is, the better it is, no? David Allan Coe and Sir Mix-a-lot are a very good combination. Pops was even inspired to channel Elvis for a bit.

At times, it was all just too exciting.