The rest of the week- Juner.

Aunt Jenni and Aunt Elizabeth we very smart and made sure to bring plenty of craft projects for all the kids.

Here all the big kids painted boxes. Later, they collected shells and glued them on top.

After mama's catastrophic fall, she was surprised that she was walking (hobbling) in just a few days. In order to prove how tough she was, she insisted on having pictures taken when her foot started changing colors. Here's the scrapes she's got down her left leg.

And here's her right foot. Looks pretty nasty and swollen.

We thought it was cool that her foot bruised all the way through.

And even into her toes. Sorry if these pictures grossed you out, but mama loves stuff like this. One week later, her foot is still swollen and her toes are completely purple. We think she looks like a zombie.

Guess what we did Friday? I hope you guessed "ate ice cream"!

Tessa wasn't allowed to eat any ice cream. Maybe nexy year Tesser!

Evie, Annalise, and Henry put on a great show of pretending to fall on the roof. Too bad mama didn't get a video.

And when everyone needed some peace and quiet, the kids got to watch tv. This is the best vacation ever!

We did some other fun stuff that we didn't get pictures of. On Thursday, mama and Aunt Jenni took a pilates class on the town green. Then Uncle Jim, Grandpa and Evie joined them for a kayak tour in the sound. They got to see a bald eagle, egrets, and otters. Mama's favorite part was when they saw a snake swimming int he water and she and Grandpa chased it down and Grandpa tried to pick it up with his oar.

On Friday, we spent all morning at the beach. Mama had a great time boogie boarding in the huge waves courtesy of an off shore tropical depression. Luckily she didn't hurt her foot even more in the big waves.

All the parents got a chance for a date night alone without kids. Mama drug papa to a ton of souvenir shops, but rewarded him with a big cheeseburger and some fancy chocolate.

On our last night, mama and papa took Henry to a souvenir shop to pick out a special present to remember the trip. He had $5 and chose to spend it on a very cheaply made train. Mama and papa didn't want to undermine his decision, and he's pretty happy with his new train. When they got back, it was dark, so they took him down the the beach to spot crabs. It was funny, but a little scary to chase quick moving crustaceans in the dark.

On our last day, headed to the beach one more time for some pictures.Here we are on our last day of island time. We certainly could get used to island on the beach.

Roanoke Island- Henry.

On Wednesday, there was a forecast for rain, so we decided to head down to Roanoke Island to check out the North Carolina Aquarium.

Evie, Annalise, and I wrestled this alligator to the ground. Aunt Jenni thinks it was just shocked by my cool overalls, dark socks and shoes, and my neon "large crowd" shirt that mama always dressed me in when there's a chance I'll be surrounded by 500 school kids.

June loved the aquarium, which had many displays suitable for a one year old.

Uncle Kevin and Aunt Elizabeth rented a jeep and took Natalie and Oliver out to spot wild horses on the beach. That meant Tessa came with us. We almost noticed her once or twice when she wasn't sleeping or sitting quietly.

The weather held out, so we went to Roanoke Island Festival Park. There we got to see a life size replica of the Elizabeth II, the vessel that brought the first Europeans over in 1582.

Mama was shocked that 55 people fit in that tiny ship and promised not to complain about her 4,000 square foot vacation house.

Grandpa enjoyed the views while the crew members shot their cannon at the Spanish who were chasing them.

After we got off the ship, we headed over to the historic settlement for some old timey fun and games. I wish mama had taken a picture of the pretty lady blacksmith who made me a nail. Papa was happy that I appreciated the historic village and I know that I just doomed myself to a childhood of vacations that only involve Civil War Battlefields.

Afterwards we stopped for custard. June got the bottom half of mama's cone. We took off her white shirt as a precaution.

Good thing we did. Despite the fact that June spent all week eating ice cream, she has now made the transition from recreational walker to full time walker. It's more fun to eat a cone when you're walking through a parking lot.

I got my own cone too, and papa was impressed at how few drips there were. What can I say, it's in my blood.

A normal day at our big house- Henry,

We had some pretty sweet digs just outside the town of Duck. Mama and I referred to our home as our "Big House." It had 8 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, 3 stories, a pool, and a hot tub. We certainly weren't roughing it.

Here's the view of the ocean from our third floor balcony.

If you know the Seiberts, you know there's one activity we love above all others- eating ice cream.

Aunt Jenni acted as what I now refer to as "the ice cream store" and bought cones so all the kids could enjoy in style. June was happy to have her first of many ice cream cones.

Evie dug in.

Annalise liked her cone.

I bet it took Oliver a long time to finish his cone with those little licks.

Looks like Natalie got those curls combed out in time for her cone.

Even Uncle Jim joined in on the fun. I had a cone too, but mama somehow didn't get a picture of me.

Maybe it was because she was so enthralled with June's first come experience.

She loved it! Mama loved it because June is wearing the same Curious George romper that I was wearing when I ate my first chocolate covered Oreo. (Click here see those pictures.)

Sand names- Juner.

We all tried to get good shots of the kids on the beach. Here's the best that mama got.

Evie posed and smiled nicely, but wouldn't look at mama for her picture.

Natalie didn't turn down an opportunity to pose all vacation.

Oliver wouldn't look, but did try to collect the shells that spelled his name.

Natalie in shells.

Evie sort of looked.

Henry refused to look.

But did make sure all the shells were straight.

I just tried to eat my name.

Oceaqn beach shoot- Henry.

Mama braved the treacherous boardwalk and took her camera to the beach to get some shots of the kids.

Aunt Elizabeth found a tiny crab and showed it to all of us.

Annalise refused to go in the water, but spent most of her time hunting for purple shells.

Juner was excited to get down to the beach to show off her new suit.

Oliver sided on the "Don't touch the water" team. Mama couldn't even get him to smile for a picture, but he did jump at the chance to stomp a sand castle.

Evie didn't avoid the water and had a great time jumping in and out of the surf.

Natalie also liked being in the water.

I hope Aunt Elizabeth brought a lot of detangler for that windy hair!

While June talked a big game, she stuck to her lawn chair for a while.

It took me a long time to warm up to the beach.

But there's always one thing that warms a kid up. Luckily, Uncle Kevin brought down a kite. Mama says it's the beach equivalent of swinging at a playground. Both are right up my alley, and I requested the kite every time we went to the beach.

Evie got some catching lessons from Uncle Jim.

Mama brought a tent so that the kids had a place to sit on the shade.

Juner preferred the company of Grandpa.

Oliver made sure we didn't lose any shovels.

Once June got used the beach, she had a good time playing in the sand.

I even hunted for a few shells of my own.

June tried to eat the shells and got very sandy.

June had so much fun at the beach, we're still finding sand in her folds and crevices (including inside her ears).

Aunt Jenni and Uncle Jim posed for a nice picture.

And we tried to get a family shot of own own.