*the OBX*

Okay, so I am finally doing the big post. I have a few good excuses for taking a while...besides the fact that I have 3 demanding humans preventing me any spare time. Sam got poison ivy yesterday-- yay! That's been fun. I grew up in the desert where plants are honest and put their prickles on the outside. This land of deceitful poison plants has been a whole new experience for us- especially with my little tree climber. And my other excuse is that my parents and brother Aaron just left town this morning. So now I have a free night to blog blog blog as much as I can before someone wakes up screaming for one reason or another.

(Ha, just as I finished typing that Eli woke up to be fed. So here I go again 1/2 hour later...)

So we hit the outer banks of North Carolina. My parents and Aaron came with us. It was SO fun and relaxing. I could have stayed for another week or two. See that narrow neck of land there on the ocean? That's where we were.



There were many aspects that made this trip a successful one...

1. Our NEW CAR! That's right folks our very first ever mostly new car. It's a silver 2008 Buick Enclave. It had 7500 miles on it so we got 9 grand off the "new" price. It is perfect! Kids are excited about the dvd system, Mommy is excited about the back up camera, and Daddy's excited about the engine. It has 8 seats so we all rode down to NC together. Please don't judge me for bragging-- I have been riding around in white trash vehicles since I started driving about 12 years ago- so I am very excited to move up the food chain.

The kids enjoying a movie that was annoying enough to require the headsets.

2. The next thing that made this trip fantastic was the Trip'll Fish beach house.

We got a killer deal for this place because it was the last week of mid-season. It literally doubled in price the week after we were there. Each of us had our own bedroom and bathroom, there was a little "nook" to read books and look out the window at the ocean view, there were 2 dvd players, big kitchen, bbq, hot tub on the deck right outside that I soaked in almost every night, kayaks to use on the little inlet we were located on... this place was a dream.

Jar and Sam on one of the kayaks

See at the top left corner of the map where it looks like fingers? We were on Freeboot Ct. It was fun to go kayaking through the little inlets. Sam was in heaven!

At the bottom of the map above you can see the pier sticking out. Sam, Jared, my dad, and Aaron woke up early one morning to go fishing in the ocean. Aaron caught a 6 inch blue fish on accident... and that was about all that came of that early morning escapade. But as you can see, Sam didn't seem to mind.

We had more luck crabbing from the deck in our back yard. Sam also liked catching jelly fish and little tiny fish with his net. The kids are putting out crab lures (a hook on the end of a string with some raw bacon attached.) We caught 3 or 4 crabs this way.

Looking for crabs

Oh! Daddy caught a BIG one!!

The national seashore was about a 10 minute drive from our beach house. We did your average beach combing, wading, collecting seashells, and building a sand fort for the incoming tide to destroy.

Our sand fortress

My mom made a pretty wall on one side...

Dad made the outer wall-- Aaron made the moat

It was a group effort!

mom and dad (awww...) still in love after all these years.

One day on the beach Sam found a little sand crab. He was about the size of a large spider and Sam named him "crabby". Can you find him in this picture? (hint, look for tiny footprints)




He really wanted to keep him and guess what mommy said...

but he got over it.

On the days when we didn't feel like going to the beach we toured around a bit... Blackbeard the pirate used to hang around these parts and hide his booty. In fact, I think he died a dramatic death here. Anyhow, there was lots of stuff for the kids to get excited about and lots of overpriced souvenirs to spoil them with.

"Captain girl" or "pirate woman"

Jared and Eli with the Hatteras Lighthouse

We had a really really really really really fun time. Sigh.

Eli says, "That's all folks!"