Family Tradition

Each year, the Eiden family has the tradition of spending the 4th of July together at Oyster Harbour. This is this year's week in pictures.

Scenes from around the house. (above) and a few days at the beach (below).
The week is all about finding shells, making sand castles, and catching crabs and little fish in the nets. The kids love keeping them in a bucket filled with sand and water while we're at the beach. But, they're nice enough to always return the little treasures back to the sea.

Daddy's Girl - all the way.

She loves him because he always gives her 5 hugs and 5 kisses before leaving for work. She loves him because he plays cheerleader with her, throwing her all over the place. She loves him because he reads Winnie The Pooh in the dark on the iphone, even after Mommy said it was lights out and time for bed. She loves him because he's her Daddy, and every time he has to leave her behind, she tells him..."Daddy, I miss you already!!!"

One of the Guys

With five uncles, these two cousins get to feel like "one of the guys" for one week every year. There's always someone around to throw them in the air, teach them how to ride a wave, surf, or flex their muscles.


This is the summer she learns to cut cartwheels all by herself and our soon to be third grader learns the difference between pitching a curve ball and a fast ball.


A week at the beach is all about the good things in life...lazy mornings, days on the beach, bike rides and long walks, seeing the sun rise and set all in the same day. We take day-trips to Oak Island and Southport, and enjoy cold beer with crab cakes for dinner. We finish up our last night with a stroll to the ice cream shop before heading back to the beach house.

We're only on our 3rd year of this family tradition, and so far...the whole gang has made it every year. I hope the year doesn't come where someone is not able to make it...although, I'm sure with time, it will. I know keeping a tradition isn't always easy or may seem boring. But for me, traditions are a good thing. It is the conscious effort to continue to make something happen - to continue something that is worth continuing. It's a chance to stop, slow down, and know exactly what to expect for the same week, once every year.

Happy 4th of July everyone - enjoy the rest of your summer!