Practically a year ago we planned a Sadowski family trip to the beach. The process included trying to find a kid-friendly beach, a house big enough to accommodate everyone and amenities that would keep everyone occupied should there be rainy days. We found the perfect beach house in Corolla, North Carolina.

The family quickly filled with excitement and anticipation of a whole week at the beach! About one week prior to the trip, Mandy received a phone call while we were in Greece. The call was from North Carolina with news that our beach house was struck by lightning and no longer available. Within days of the trip we must now find a new place. What are the odds of that???? There is a joke in here somewhere about why something like this only happens to the Sadowski clan. I am sure that each of them know the joke or can make up the perfect reference much quicker than I can.

Change in Attitudes home in Duck, North Carolina

The realty company helped us to quickly reserve a new home in Duck, North Carolina, just 15 minutes closer from our original destination. After a whole 48 hours at home in Columbus we pack up the car and we are back on the road.

Travel was easy through Ohio, West Virginia and Virginia. North Carolina was good until the last 40 miles. Forty miles should mean we only have about an hour before we arrive, right? Well, not on a Saturday afternoon into the Outer Banks. If hell were to ever be called anything else, it should be "The Last 40." It took a grueling 4 hours and 30 minutes to get through the last 40 miles. It was so grueling that at one point Mandy jumped out of the car and walked along side of the road to stretch and move her body. I picked her up when I finally arrived in the car. Brutal.

We were the first to arrive to the house and it was beautiful! Three floors of living, open concept design, wrap-around decks, a pool, a hot tub, a volleyball court, basketball hoop and bathrooms off of every bedroom. This is the moment we KNEW it was going to be a good week.

As family members began to trickle in, the relaxing chaos began. The week was chaotic because there were 16 people, but in a relaxing, beach vacation kind of way. Here are some of the highlights of the week:

Dusty forgot his license and we couldn't go karaoke, but this didn't stop the fun.

Sibling karaoke in the living room on a downloaded app. The Apple store doesn't need to see your license for that!

Megan almost died when her and Jordan got caught in a rip tide

Mom was taught to pee in the ocean by her kids

Four hours of family volleyball

Dusty and Megan beat Mandy and I in 2 on 2 volleyball because I had a laughing attack and then lost all capabilities to play after that

Kids had their own fridge of pop in the basement. Parents turn a blind eye for the week

Mandy and I have the girls for the night. Team Elsa and Anna battle in a game of memory. Team Elsa is victorious! (Mandy and Sadie). Sadie now calls Mandy "Team Elsa"

Megan shattering a glass bowl in the kitchen. She was juicing and I am confident that anyone who juices doesn't have the energy to hold a bowl of that size

Fishing with the boys and catching 2 stingrays (skates actually) off the pier. Blood worms are messy. Skate barbs are poisonous.

The profound study findings linking the biological dependency between sunshine and drinking beer

The joy obtained by seeing true happiness on everyone's face

No drinking before 11 am...unless it is non-beer

Dad won't get off the beach. Megan thinks he looks like a bacon wrapped skeleton

Family time is awesome. So is breaking away for more intimate moments with just a couple of people

Having the deep end during pool volleyball spells doom for that team

Mom spilling her daiquiri all over the picnic table because she was overcome by an uncontrollable hot flash

Dusty braiding his girls' hair...including his wife's

Naps, naps and naps. Everyone loves naps

Saw a pod of dolphins from shore

Everyone getting knocked over by a wave at least once

The boys asking if we can replace annual camping trips with beach house trips every year. This request is making bank accounts cringe.

Dad planning his next meal just after eating

Curling up on the couch in the evenings

Duck Donuts are the devil...but, sooooo good

Now, reflecting back on the trip, I have a feeling that this is a week the entire family will talk about for years to come. We loved it. If you Sadowski's are reading this, we love you. We are also glad we don't live with the 15 of you everyday ;)

The whole Sadowski clan.  What a bunch! — The whole Sadowski clan. What a bunch!

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