OBX Sunrise

I finally made it out for a sunrise this morning - after only about 5 hours of sleep. It was worth it! I also went for a run at 7:30am thinking it would still be less deathly hot - NOT! 4.5 miles and I was about to die. If I had gone prior to sunrise, it might have been okay...and that's probably not going to happen!

Having the pool at the house is great. We can get our ocean/beach in a few times a day and then spend the rest of the day lounging at the pool. I'm liking it!

Beach Life Part 2 - Sunrise, Storms and Sunset

Our internet access wasn't so hot at the beach so I couldn't upload my pictures to the blog. Bummer for me because I really like to blog while on vacation!
We had some super hot, beautiful weather while we are here - which brought in some super, lightening packed thunder storms.

I only took the time one morning to go out on the beach and walk to get some sunrise pictures.  As I mentioned, the sun doesn't rise over the ocean (at least from our angle) where we were at - we were facing South. 

 

It was still pretty but didn't goad me out of bed every morning at 6am to rush out and take pictures. I was more interested in sleeping!

The weather was pretty steamy while we were there - high 80s, low 90s - feeling like 107 or something ridiculous.  But with the beach at the door...no worries. It made for some pretty cool late afternoon and evening thunderstorms.

The storm clouds were amazing to watch and the sitting out under the covered deck watching the lightening after it got dark was very cool. and kinda scary!

I didn't get time in the evenings to get to the Point to watch the sunset because either the weather was stormy, or we were busy with dinner, ice cream etc.  On the last night there, I ran (literally) out after dinner and family pictures and managed to catch about the last 10-15 minutes of sunset.  I was amazed when I walked out onto the Point (of Emerald Isle), having no idea what to expect.  I felt like I was walking on the moon.

Except that I could look up and see the moon....

There was so much sand/beach area, the water was everywhere and the view was amazing. I was kicking myself for not going every night that we had been there. I couldn't stop snapping pictures, all the way out - walking backwards because I didn't want to miss the view.

The last picture I snapped as I left the Point was of a bunch of dragon flies buzzing around the grasses. 

I'm so glad that I made it there before the sun set! It definitely made up for the lack of a "real" sunrise!

Spring Break part 2

The 2nd leg of our trip landed us in Nags Head, NC - definitely a favorite spot of ours. It was a great trip - relaxing, very nice weather (which was great because we really didn't know what to expect this time of year) and lots of great memories.  
One of my friends commented on a picture that I posted on Facebook:
"...you guys always look like you are having some kind of Hallmark-International Coffees vacation..." - notice that I don't post the video that catches all the kids screaming and fighting? :-)

Honestly, I consider this one of my parenting responsibilities. I don't expect to create a "perfect" environment but I do want to make sure the kids grow up with family traditions and a vision of family expectations for their lives later. We don't take a lot of family vacations but when we do I try hard to preserve the memories with lots of photos! This beach trip was fantastic in that regard - long walks on the beach, watching movies, lots of play time and even "fresh cookies" one night. I want them to catch these snippets of their childhood in their brains and when they smell the ocean air later in life, remember these days and family time!

We spent some time in the hot tub, found a playground in Manteo with a beautiful view, and Ella strutted around in her new sundress and purple fuzzy heels.

One evening Mason and I ran around like crazy trying to find a good spot to catch the sunset over the sound. I was tired of the same spot.  

And I did manage to get up one morning and catch the sunrise.

And of course, our trip to the beach would not be complete without  our visits to the ice cream shop, where we got flavors like grape, Kahlua and coffee, German chocolate cheesecake, mango, and even just plain chocolate...

It was sad to pack up and head home - we were having so much fun.  Maybe it really was perfect after all!

 

OBX '09 Days 9 and 10

Day 9 - Another gorgeous sunrise this morning. The evening storms made for beautiful skies in the morning.



Much of the day was spent just hanging out on the beach, relaxing, bumming...
We've seen so many dolphins this year. It's so fun to watch them swimming and flipping around.

The pelicans too have been fun to watch - I love this guy below (left) doing the dive for fish. The splash to the right is one that just dove in. Must have been dinner time!

We got a permit to have a bonfire on the beach. The kids LOVED it! We toasted marshmallows and made smores. YUM!

It was a fantastic way to spend the evening, relaxing around the fire with the waves crashing in the background.

Day 10 - A great day though we were slow to get moving...
It was a scorching hot day so we decided to go do some running around before spending the afternoon on the beach. We went to Manteo, which is a really cute little area with lots of shops and artsy stuff as well as some great historical parks.

Here's Ella and Si sitting in the BIG chair outside one of the shops...don't they look so itty-bitty!?

JP, Si and Ella - Ella wore her Michael Jackson glove most of the day (stunning that he died yesterday...)
Ella and Si crossing the bridge to Festival Park
They had some lots of beautiful flowers in the park area. I could have stayed and taken pictures all day!

After we got back to the house, we ended up spending the rest of the day on the beach...Mason and I were the last ones to come in, well after 7pm while Mason practiced his skim board.



And we took some family pictures on the beach - VERY difficult to get us all looking at the camera at the same time, let alone with somewhat of a smile!!

It took awhile to get a good one of these two goofs too!
We ended the last evening at the beach with some hot tub time (ahh....)


And I got up for one last sunrise before hitting the road home. Another beautiful (but cloudy) morning.
I bet these are the trips that the kids will remember forever...I know I will. I saw an older couple walking one day when we were playing on the beach. I saw them looking at the kids and then talking and laughing - like they were remembering their own times on similar beach vacations with their kids (or maybe they just thought that our kids were goofballs!). Either way, I know that when I am the old lady walking on the beach and see the young kids and their parents on the beach playing...I'll be reminiscing about our trips and all the fun that we've had. It doesn't get much better!!

OBX '09 Day 5

Day 5 was a perfect lazy vacation day. It was very windy and not a great day for playing in the ocean but it was perfect for reading a good book on the beach and then taking a nice 2+ hour nap (which is exactly what I did).

I did get up in time for the sunrise but there
were lots of clouds covering it.

Around sunset time, Justin and I went over to the sound side and
saw a stingray in the water.

The Sound

It's been a great mix so far of hot, beachy days and then a little cooler weather for just relaxing. Some cool thunderstorms too.

OBX.7 - Last Day Here

This will be our last full day here - it's gonna be a bright, bright sunshiny day.
It should be the perfect beach day.

Morning sunrise

The waters are rough this morning

The waves created this ledge all along the beach

Tomorrow morning we plan to get up early, clean up the house and hit the road by 10am. And then make the 12 hour trek home just in time for a busy weekend with friends and family.

OBX.6 - Rain Rain Go Away

Today is overcast and has been rainy - which is a-okay actually. We decided to go to the Aquarium and possibly the Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil dunes. Justin and I took a walk on the beach this morning. The walk toward the pier was easy, walking back was tough because it was so windy. I feel like I am definitely getting exercise between the teeter-totter and walks on the beach.

While I was snoozing in bed, Margie caught the sunrise this morning.

Ella and Silas were whooped last night - both slept almost 12 hours -

Dad took the kids on a beach walk this morning