Hennessey Family Beach Week

I'm missing it. For the first time in my entire life I will not be present at Hennessey (a.k.a Gunn-Barham-Hennessey) Family Beach Week. For those who don't know my family, think the Griswalds. Nothing EVER goes according to plan and we are very...unique? Marlene being a prime example. We'll get to her in a minute. In my immidiate family there are 4 of us kids - 2 older sisters, Whitney and Lindsay, and 1 younger brother, Billy. My parents are divorced yet we like to add that extra spicy element of still doing vacations as an entire family. I have 2 extremely brave and patient brother-in-laws, John and Dan, and 1 precious 5 month old niece, Sawyer....also known as Beans Lee. We vacation with my mothers side of the family. She also being 1 of 4 kids, each with kids of their own, has made our beach week(s) in the Outer Banks like something out of a movie. The stories told on the beach alone, are enough to make the 8 hour drive from Greenville worth it. I laugh more in a day with my family then most do in a week. You would too. Now that the majority of the group is 21+ the weeks seem to get even more unpredictable. I guess I'll touch on Marlene now.


Marlene became a member of my extended family almost 3 years ago on Christmas morning. My Aunt Penny (my moms sister) is hilarious and wanted to get my cousin Edward (her oldest son) something a little different that year. His last gift was going to be a treasure hunt to find the present. Reading his last clue sent Edward to the front door. Upon opening it he met and found Marlene. A tall, pale, slender woman wearing a very cute pink jumper and Santa hat. A little stiff, but ready to party.

Since then Marlene has attended several parties at UVA with Edward and Brian (cousin). Though sadly she has returned with less fingers - - her left hand now resembles "the shocker" thanks to some very mature frat boy - -  and a set of eye lashes missing. But after all she's seen I'm sure that's pretty good. Marlene has never missed a beach week and I'll be interested to see just how many she will be able to make it to. Now I think its funny, as do most people who walk past our family on the beach during the day, but I could see where it would be just a tad weird. Weird = fun. Right? If a family sitting on the beach with a manikin is weird sign me up. If a family dressed up as multiple countries singing the olympic theme song walking down the dune with a tiki torch leading the way is strange, well, we're strange. If a family riding around in an American themed school bus enhanced with a working toilet and stripper pole looking at Christmas lights is wrong, well then I don't want to be right. Like I said, my family is unique. In general I hate to miss out on things because I am always afraid I'm going to miss something. I think that has a lot to do with my social life and why I try to cram everything in. But when it comes to my family, if you aren't there, you are missing out. No questions. Here is proof I come from a different kind of fun.....