Brad larks about in the ocean while Angelina gets messy in the sand to entertain the children on beach holiday

As charming as they are, it's hard to describe the Jolie-Pitts as a normal family. Their size, their sheer celebrity... sets them apart, as does a lavish lifestyle lived across different continents.
But at the weekend, the newly engaged couple and their brood looked like any other (slightly larger) nuclear unit as they enjoyed a day on the beach.

Happy Families: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt enjoyed a day at the beach on Saturday while on holiday in the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador in South America

Pitt could be spied in his wetsuit carrying the couple's 7-year-old daughter, Zahara, into the water on Galapagos Islands beach.
Like any other father, he elicited giggles and faux terror as he tilted Zahara back towards the water as a wave came crashing in.
Later, she splashed about happily while her eight-year-old brother Pax did some snorkelling nearby.

Life's just beachy: Brad and Zahara play in the foreground as Angelina, Shiloh (to her left) and Vivienne and Knox (to her right) draw in the sand

Mommy's got it: Angelina holds onto the family umbrella as Knox and Vivienne watch on

Let's play a game: Three year olds Knox and Vivienne are still young enough to find sand endlessly amusing, and clearly share that special twin bond

Pretty little ladies: Zahara had bags of energy but Vivienne looked tired later in the day, the younger girl also kept away from the ocean 

Too shy, shy: Little Shiloh kept herself to herself, stayed close to mommy and wouldn't go near the water, which perhaps had something to do with the Jaws T-shirt she was wearing

Keeping an eye on them: Angelina managed to look like a movie star, and have her parenting head on as she kept an eye on her sprawling brood

Expressing themselves: The beach was covered with doodles after Angelina and her youngest children had finished playing... there were words and cartoonesque characters all over the sand

Vivienne and Knox, both three years of age, stuck close to their mother, who was the epitome of elegance in a wide-brimmed black hat and matching dress.

They watched as she struggled with a parasol, and later dug around in their sand messily - something Jolie,36, wasn't too elegant to get stuck into.

Four-year-old Shiloh - sporting her tomboy cut and jeans -  did the same, and played quietly by her sister Vivienne when the younger sister was asleep.

Different speeds: Shiloh ambled around as Knox played and Shiloh enjoyed a nap; Angelina had to keep up with their varying tempos

Paying attention: The Jolie-Pitt children seem like a well behaved lovely bunch, they all kept in order... with the younger children sticking to Angelina while Pax and Zahara tried out being more adventurous with Brad in the ocean 

Let's make sand shapes! Angelina, Shiloh and Vivienne got creative in the sand and Angelina was happy to much in and join them

Surf's up: Brad tilts daughter Zahara back as a wave comes crashing to shore, she has the same mixture of fear, exhilaration and security that daddy's girls all over the world have experienced as they learn to swim, or ride a bike

Free exfoliation: Angelina scrubbed the sand off with a towel, which is actually very good for her, she'll have saved herself a spa treatment

Daddy's got you: Brad keeps a firm hold of Zahara as they head into the cobalt waters, she looks excited by the new adventure

Umbrella-ella-eh-eh: The family had fun with a variety of parasols, but Shiloh used his as a giant pen rather than for sun cover

Ten-year-old Maddox didn't appear to with his family, perhaps he feels too grown-up now he's heading towards the big 1-1.

Later the family enjoyed a boat ride together, and Angelina styled out a life-jacket.
The nautical theme continued as later, she and Brad enjoyed a trip together and seemed to be locked in conversation.

Intrepid: Maddox can be seen snorkelling to the left, as Zahara twirls around in the water next to him - you can see a character the children have drawn in the sand and one sign that this isn't normal, a security guard on standby

I'll watch over you: Shiloh played near to her sleeping sibling, Vivienne, in a touching display of protectiveness

Boys will be boys: Maddox and Knox couldn't keep out of the water, though only the older boy was allowed to snorkel

This is how they roll: Jolie worked her all black outfit well, though she was perhaps a little too covered up. while Knox looked super cool in his wetsuit

Let me hold it for you! Vivienne holds the parasol over her mother as Shiloh and Knox potter about

Snooze bug: Vivienne slept on the sand as her family played around her, it can be very tiring getting all that ocean air in your lungs

Time to go? Angie grabs her cover all as Shiloh (right) starts to look bored, Knox and Vivienne (to the left of her) look happy enough

Perhaps they were talking about Angelina's visit to refugees in a village in Ecuador this weekend.

Or perhaps they were discussing plans for their forthcoming nuptials.
Although the couple always said they would never tie-the-knot until gay marriage was legalised in America, Brad told The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year: 'We're getting a lot of pressure from the kids. It means something to them.'

And nanny makes up the squad: The family had help, including security guards who watched their every move

Beach glamour: Angelina looked red carpet ready in an asymmetric gown, though she could've opted for a swimsuit

Hold on Shiloh! Brad and Angelina's middle girl seemed to be struggling at sea as she clung on to what looked like a blanket

Mommy is so beautiful! Vivienne gazes up at her film star mother as they glide along in a boat

All at sea: The family and their team hit the ocean, as little Shiloh prays they don't meet a hungry Great White shark

Newly engaged: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie appear to be deep in conversation during at boat ride in the Galapagas Islands after her humanitarian trip to visit Colombian refugees in Edcuador

Time alone: The couple enjoyed a well earned rest after keeping their mini-mes entertained

Disembarking: Brad was a gentlemen and allowed his partner to get off before him, Angie had a drink in her hand 

Spot of vino? Angelina was clutching a glass as she hopped off the boat

And when his brood of six asked him to 'get mommy a ring,' Pitt said he acquiesced and said: 'Okay, I will! I will.'

On the Ellen DeGeneres show in September, Brad told the host: 'I've said that we would not be getting married until everyone in this county has the right to get married.

'We live in this great country that is about freedom. It is defined by our freedom and equality and yet we allow this discrimination to go on everyday and that's not what we're about.

'That's not what makes us great. Until that is reversed. I just don't get it.'

Hitting the road: The couple head off on yet another adventure