Topsail Island 2008

Last month our family spent a week at Topsail Island, NC with my dad's side of the family. Having 31 people share a house is bound to be interesting. Thankfully, it was a good interesting.

We learned a few valuable things:

--A game of pool volleyball, in the presence of poolside cacti, will be very short.

--Making up a bracket for a 16-person double-elimination billiards tournament is a science.

--If enough people go fishing all week long, it's easy to plan dinner the last evening.

Also, I'm no good at billiards. Winning the Cousins Air Hockey Tournament (also a field of 16) is some consolation. But being the "Family Air Hockey Champion" isn't quite as glamorous as being the "Family Billiards Champion."

Family tradition is to do a scavenger hunt throughout the vacation week. Our Uncle Mark changed things up on us this year, dividing the cousins into two groups for a "photo hunt." Here are a few highlights.

A cousin buried up to his head in the sand (we decided to get creative)

A human pyramid

A sand castle "at least three feet tall"

Team posing with a sunset (Atlas has nothing on us)

Other fun stuff

After lunch at Cracker Barrel

The college-aged cousins were responsible for preparing dinner on Monday evening

(Pictures courtesy of my sister DeAnna)