OBX Vacation July 11-18: Thursday, Friday, and {sniff, sniff} Departure Day

Our last two full days and departure morning were filled with playing in the surf, flying the dragon kite (Andrew named him Owen after the main character in Jurassic World), and horsing around in the pool.

Love these sweet, busy hands

You've gotta bury Daddy at least once every beach trip.

Right before we left, I snapped a few of the house.  It really was cool!  The boys were so excited about it and hated to leave.

LEGO retrieval in the boys' bunk room.  I KNOW a few were left behind, even against our best efforts.... {sigh}

Goodbye, Outer Banks!  We will see you next summer, I hope!

OBX Vacation July 11-18, Day Five

After we climbed the lighthouse, we bummed around in Buxton for a few hours. We visited an adorable toystore (bought a dragon kite!) and had lunch.

Morning text from Grandma Cathy, who hung with the girls all week!

Perfect sign in Buxton.  It's this or the highway sometimes....

We have called Andrew the "Munchman" ever since birth.  I don't know why.  So, we had to choose this place for lunch, and it was really good!  I had the famous fish tacos and they lasted a couple of meals.

Back at the house, we teamed up for a second floor selfie.

Our entire family ate at the The Froggy Dog back in Avon that evening.
Ethan and JL were vying for the title of "biggest talker."

Climbing the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Wednesday, July 15

The coolest part of the trip for me was climbing the Hatteras lighthouse on Wednesday morning.

We arrived pretty early and had a 9:30 climbing time, so we beat the crowds and {most of} the heat!

This was courteously posted BEFORE you bought your tickets: $8/adult, $4/kiddos.

Beautiful and slightly intimidating.  There was a sweet park ranger at the bottom
taking our tickets and encouraging us to leave large bags with her.

Looking up

Thanks, sign!  There was also a ranger at the halfway point.

The climb really wasn't too bad because there were these landings every few flights.
Beautiful views.  I also love the floor.

At the top!  The boys are overlooking the sound side.

They were laughing at their hair blowing in the super wind!

A sign at the top asked that you only stay there for about 5 minutes so more people could enjoy.
5 was about all we needed!

Ocean side.  I wish my photography could have captured the amazing view of the horizon.
Should have taken a panoramic.

The lighthouse was completed in 1870 and MOVED in 1999 due to beach erosion.  Here, you can see the straight path it took.  Its original spot is where you see the tiny patch of grass.  Super interesting read about it right HERE.

Looking up at the light.

Making our way down.

Jon and Ethan led the way!

We LOVED this experience.

OBX Vacation July 11-18, Day Four

Tuesday was mostly beach and pool.  And only two photos were taken.  I see a theme emerging here.

There was some major sandcastle building this day.

Mary Beth made sure the boys got in bed so Jon and I could have a date to check out
the Pangea Tavern and the Avon Pier.  Dinner was so delicious!
And the pier was like something out of a Tim Burton movie..... one and done for that tourist activity.

OBX Vacation July 11-18, Day Three

Monday was best friend encounter number two!  I had learned a few weeks earlier that my best WV teaching/grad school friend and her family would be vacationing just an hour north of us in Duck on the exact same days!  So, Jon and I planned a day trip up there with the kids.  He golfed with her hubby while the kids and I hung at their beach house.  It was wonderful to see them and the EIGHT kids played well together.  The only drawback was that we were just about to set off for the Wright Brothers memorial or mini golf or ice cream when the sky opened up in a massive thunderstorm. So, we just stayed in for screen time and some hide-and-seek.  Luckily, the guys were almost done with their golf round before it stormed, although they did get pretty wet!

Ethan took this of Jennifer and me. Love.

Cute hot-tubbers.  Andrew was oblivious.

Hot dog lunch for 8 plus their mamas

When we got back to our house that afternoon, somehow a sand crab had gotten himself stuck in the pool.
He was just sadly crawling across the bottom. After a little fishing, Jon saved him.

A fun, busy day warranted a dip in the hot tub on our side porch.  Just chillin' by the sea, ladies.

OBX Vacation July 11-18, Day Two

On Sunday, we hit the beach and pool. You know. And apparently there were only two photos taken.  I DID bump into an old friend which was really wonderful.  Small world!

This was awesome!

Daddy/Andrew naptime in the tv room.  The boys LOVED this room and discovered VHS tapes here.  We learned how it picks back up right where you left off and to "be kind, please rewind."

OBX Vacation July 11-18, Day One

We just returned from a beautiful week with my family in Avon, NC, just north of Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks.  I hadn't been to the area since I was 12 and Jon/kiddos had never been.  It was great!  As usual, many photos were taken.  Here we are on day one: Saturday, July 11!

We had an amazing house right on the water.  Here are the guys
checking out the top deck as soon as we arrived after the 6-hour drive.

We headed out to the shore as soon as we got there.
Sand crabs were everywhere (didn't get a photo of the little guys, though)!

The weather was great almost the entire time.  We got a thunderstorm the first evening
and one in the afternoon a couple of days later.  Otherwise, SUN!