James Van Der Beek Shares Thoughts on Vacationing with All Six Kids as He Snaps Family Photo

James Van Der Beek and wife Kimberly share scenes from managing their six kids as they headed off to a family vacation on Instagram Tuesday

Photo: James Van Der Beek/Instagram

James Van Der Beek and wife Kimberly are taking on a family vacation with all six of their children.

Both the actor, 45, and his wife shared photos on their respective Instagram Stories on Tuesday showing what it was like to travel with six little ones.

Sharing a photo of the family at the airport, Kimberly used a rocket ship emoji to show they were ready to take off. She and James throw their arms up in the picture, which shows Gwendolyn, 4, Emilia, 6, Annabel, 9, Joshua, 10, and Olivia, 12, making funny faces as Kimberly holds Jeremiah, 15 months, in her arms.

Later in the day, the Dawson's Creek alum shared more musings from the family trip in an Instagram post.

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Kimberly Van Der Beek/Instagram

"I used to say that vacations with kids are vacations FOR kids - not for you. Because they require a certain surrender of your own agenda, your own comforts, even your own desires," he wrote to begin a lengthy, heartfelt caption.

Posted alongside a collection of photos and videos from the adventure so far, which showed the family filing off the plane, Van Der Beek continued, "But it struck me today, as @vanderkimberly and I were managing more tiny humans than I'd previously thought possible… that any excuse for a single-minded focus on those you love most really IS a vacation: From all the stresses and 'priorities' constantly nipping at the back of my consciousness, vying for my attention."

The father of six concluded, "It makes sense if you don't think about it too much. But it did make me happy today."

Courtesy of Libby's Vegetables

To close out 2022, the actor shared his thoughts about the year that's passed — and the one that's to come — in an Instagram post alongside family photos.

"I'm grateful for all the in-between times," he began, with the first picture in the carousel showing him nuzzling Gwendolyn. "Between Christmas and New Years, between awake and up-and-at-'em, between goals, destinations, and all the big events we plan for, anticipate, and vow to remember."

He continued, "Looking back on the year… it's the joy and presence I've found in the midst of everything I'd been rushing towards that warms my heart the most."

Van Der Beek closed out the post by "Wishing you all a beautiful 2023… and in the meantime, appreciation for the miracle that is this very moment ❤️."