wordless wednesday

we spend gobs of time down at topsail island every summer, but once a year we're also fortunate to tag along with chris's parents on their vacation at bald head island.  it's a completely different feel from every other beach i've visited.  because cars are not permitted, the main forms of transportation on the island are bikes, golf carts, and your own two feet.  that kind of sets the scene for all that you do while you're there -- everything moves at a snail's pace, which is really how every beach vacation should be.  slow, relaxed, easy.  of course, it's always nice to have a little bit of excitement, which this year came in the form of kate gosselin and her eight children (and bodyguards and nannies and camera crews from their reality show.)  i managed to snap a quick shot of the twin girls, which, if you pay very close attention to the pictures below, you might be able to spot. 

our summer is sadly drawing to a close.  liam heads off to kindergarten on september 1 and susanna follows a week later to preschool.  but knowing what absolute beach nuts my children are, i'm hoping we can squeeze in one more long weekend down by the ocean before the hustle and bustle of the school year routine kicks into high gear.  think the gosselins might join us?

hands down, the kids' favorite part of bald head was steering the golf carts.  good thing their feet don't reach the pedals, or i'm afraid we might not have seen them the whole time we were there

liam loves to ride the waves all the way into shore ...

... while susanna loves to lounge on the board, instructing her father how to pull her around the shallow water

my poor child thinks i took this picture because i thought he was so cute with this shirt.  truth be told, i was an undercover paparazzi, aiming my lens instead at who was behind him.  (side note: one of the girls, age 9, whipped out a $100 bill in the gift shop.  clearly i am in the wrong business.)

waiting to board the ferry back to reality