There is probably no more obnoxious class of citizen, taken end for end, than the returning vacationist.
~Robert Benchley
We just returned last night from a week long vacation to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where my son Matt and his family had rented a beach house. They were there for two weeks, and had entertained Amanda's father and brother the first week. As Matt told me, vacation for them is about reconnecting with family-- with each other and the kids, but it is also so much fun to connect with the rest of the family. What a wonderful attitude, and how much I appreciate that they wanted to include us! And a week with the grandsons?? What could be better?
It was a great week, filled with memories of the sights and sounds of the beach, of the Outer Banks and all that area has, of fabulous food and of the joys of being together in an unrushed setting with one of my boys and his family. Both Lanny and I find ourselves feeling that bizarre "day after vacation" feeling today-- we are at loose ends with too much to do and no desire to do it. We are too used to being relaxed, that kicking it up a notch just doesn't feel right yet. And I find myself returning over and over to the photos I took to relive some of the wonderful moments. I took a lot of videos of the boys, thanks to my new "smart" phone, but there were plenty of still photos too. Rather than blab on and on about the great time we had, I am gong to just include some of our photos for your enjoyment. And one thing-- I highly recommend the Outer Banks as a vacation destination, especially after the peak tourist season ends. The beaches were pristinely clean, the weather was perfect and there were no crowds. Just don't forget the sunscreen!!
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| Getting there took us through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! |
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| We stopped in Charlotte to stay with my sister and her husband. Had a wonderful dinner with them and my niece and her husband. Here is Andi serving up some of the Family Recipe... |
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| The first view of the Outer Banks as we drove across the causeway at Manteo. The water is so blue! |
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| No trip to the Outer Banks is complete without a visit to the Hatteras Lighthouse! |
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| or a trip on the ferry to Ocracoke Island... |
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| where the oldest lighthouse in the US lives! |
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| We also took a day trip to Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills, where Wilbur and Orville Wright flew that first plane! |
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| The first monument marks where Orville took off. He only flew as far as the second. By the end of the day he had flown all the way to the farthest monument that is that tiny white dot against the tree line. |
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| But most of all there was the beach... and time was spent every day here. This is Sam looking for sea shells. |
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| This is Will with his mommy and daddy learning to enjoy the ocean waves... he loved it! |
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| Both boys playing in the sand |
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| Sam |
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| Will |
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| Vacation means getting to do stuff like have popsicles for breakfast... |
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| and swimming in the beach house pool with Mommy and Daddy |
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| and playing "nice" with each other and some new toys bought just for vacation! |
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| Grandma and Grandpa got up early to watch the sun rise... spectacular! |
No man needs a vacation so much as the person who has just had one.
~Elbert Hubbard
Glad you included a stop in Charlotte on your way to "da Beach". Maybe next year we will be able to take you guys up on the offer to re-connect with family.
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