Photo credit for all photos in this post:  Karen Doody Photography

We (as in I) had booked our family photos for what turned out to be the windiest, rainiest evening of the entire vacation week. Yep, that's how we roll. But it all worked out.

Koda (age 5)

Our youngest grandchild, Ada Jane, had her 2-month birthday during her first trip to the beach.

The only scene that makes me smile more than this photo...

Emily Lehnert Photography

After 2 1/2 years of planning and some major disappointments along the way, our Gray family Hawaii vacation to celebrate our 40th anniversary milestone finally happened this summer.

We saw this sign outside an Outer Banks restaurant...so true.  In fact, I might change "ALL YEAR" to "FOREVER"!

Because I took SO many photos and it's just so much fun going through them and reliving the happy moments that make me smile, today I'm sharing a few many more from our July beach vacation.

All man-made play areas pale in comparison to those that are God-made...and the ocean is BEST waterpark ever created!

Besides my cabin home in the middle of Indiana corn fields, there is no place on earth that I'd rather be than seaside.

Magical sunrises...