Family Vacation ~ 2013

This past summer we had another fun vacation planned to Williamsburg and the Outer Banks.  I must admit I had a heavy heart going in to our vacation and every evening got a little sad because my sister and her husband were supposed to be on that trip with us.  It was definitely hard.  We stayed in the unit we would have stayed in (so bigger than the year before last because it was three families instead of two) had they been there.  So yeah ... definitely had a heavy heart.

But, never the less, we were excited to get away and have some fun for a week.  Jacob left earlier in the day with my parents and got down there with enough time to go to Busch Gardens that evening.  Henry and I waited until John got off work and then we packed up the van and headed South.  We pulled in to Williamsburg pretty late.  We were beat and headed straight to bed. 

 

(These are the "Virginia is for Lovers" LOVE letters that we happened upon at a rest area we stopped at on our way to Williamsburg)

The next morning we got up, had breakfast at McDonalds and then went straight to Busch.  This was the first year John and I had bought season passes, and we still need to go at least 1-2 more times to make it worth it to have bought them.  We were there all.day.long.  Exhausted doesn't even begin to describe it.  And dirty.  And sweaty.  Oh it was so hot!  BUT ... we had fun!  The kids played in the splash pad in the Sesame Street Forest of Fun for a LONG time.  I kinda wish I had had a bathing suit just so I could get wet too.  They looked very comfy!

 

 

Jacob also overcame a pretty big fear of characters on this trip!! He finally took pictures willingly with Elmo and the whole gang!

 

 

We also got caught in a pretty big rain storm that you would have thought would have cooled things off, but not so much.  It was still hot as could be!  Here's Jacob looking out from one of the covered bridges willing it to quit raining.  It did eventually stop so we could go ride some more rides!

 

 

The day after Busch we packed up and headed South.  We had to take our time because you can't check in until 3 or 4 in the afternoon, but you also have to get out of the place in Williamsburg.  One fun thing we always do is stop at On The Border.  It's a fun souvenir/gas station/convenience store/deli all rolled in to one and it spans the border of VA and NC, so half is in one state and half is in the other.  I always enjoy taking a picture of the kids .... one in one state and one in the other.

 

 

Once we got checked in and settled we checked out the unit, went to go check out the ocean (like it ever really changes, lol) and then got some takeout for dinner.  Normal first night at the beach stuff.

 

 

 

The next morning after breakfast we walked over to the sound to see about renting a pontoon boat for later in the week.  While Gee was busy taking care of business, the boys were checking out all the cool jet skis.

 

 

 

After our walk to the sound side, we came back and got ready for our first day on the beach!  And, it ended up being our best day weather-wise.  Henry was STILL scared of the ocean and not fond of the sand, so that made beach trips ... interesting.  haha

 

 

That evening we went out for our first of a few seafood buffets!!

 

Captain George's! YUM!!

 

 

On Tuesday, we did more of the same ... the beach and pool.  It was cooler out and so the water was cooler.  We only spent a small amount of time on the beach and even smaller amount of time in the outdoor pool.  We ended up packing it up and heading in to the indoor pool and spending most of our time there.  That night we ate at the Black Pelican.  In all the years I've been going to the Outer Banks I have never eaten there!  Thanks to my mom's friends who joined us on our trip, we got to try it out and we really loved the food and the ambiance!

 

 

On Wednesday, it was just too chilly to be out at the beach and pool, so we got showered and dressed and headed South on the Outer Banks.  Jacob and I got to climb the Bodie Island Lighthouse that day!  We went to buy the tickets and found out the wait was so long that we'd have to come back, so to kill time we went shopping at the small outlet mall that is just up the road a bit.  Finally we were ready to go back to the lighthouse to climb to the top.  I love that I have my little climbing buddy!  Next year I'm hoping to make it down to Ocracoke to climb that lighthouse.  I think then we'll have done all the lighthouses in the Outer Banks.

 

 

 

I got so many amazing photos of this lighthouse (as you can see), but I got some even better pics from the top!  Just gorgeous!

 

 

And, a very happy little guy at the end of our climb!

 

 

Wednesday night we tried a new "hole in the wall" buffet on the beach road called Carolina's Buffet.  It was so good, I can't believe we'd never eaten there before either!

 

Thursday was the day of our boat rental!  This year we just went across the street to the sound side to rent the pontoon (and we ended up getting a brand new boat, too!) instead of driving all the way down to Kitty Hawk.  Henry finally decided he likes boats!!  Woohoo!!

 

 

Ok, well ... at first he didn't like it, but he DID eventually decide he liked it.

 

 

 

 

Thursday night we had dinner at Jimmy's Seafood Buffet!  YUM!  Ashlee is the one who found this place two summers ago, so it was extremely difficult for me that night, but I tried to make it through ... I think I failed as I was just cranky thinking about her and missing her.  I snapped at the kids for no reason. :(  Thankfully they still love me!

 

Here are my mom and her very good friend, Sue.  They've been friends since elementary school, I believe ... can you believe it?!  Must be nice!  And, Sue's daughter, Shannon, came too.  We had a fun week with them and were sad to see them go on Friday morning.

 

 

And, then after dinner we went mini golfing! I thought for a second we might get rained out as it started to sprinkle on our way to the golf course, but it stopped long enough for us to get a game in and grab some ice cream afterwards.

 

 

Friday was our next to last full day at the beach, so we tried to get in some beach/pool time, but again it was a bit chilly and cloudy ... like it wanted to rain. We did our best, though!

 

 

 

That night we had dinner at Dirty Dick's.  I love that place!

 

 

After dinner we went to Jockey's Ridge Crossing to shop and Bub ended up climbing a rock wall ... three times!  I didn't think he'd be able to do it once, but my little monkey climbed that thing three times.  Totally shocked me!!

 

 

 

On Saturday, our last full day at the beach, we hung around the beach and pool some more.  It was STILL cloudy/overcast and chilly, so we spent a majority of our time at the indoor pool.  I did go sit on the beach and read for awhile while everyone else was hanging out in the house.  That evening before we went to eat dinner, we did our family pictures on the beach!

 

 

 

After dinner at Barefoot Bernie's (LOVE THAT PLACE, BTW!) we just hit up a few souvenir shops before heading back for a night swim in the indoor pool.

 

 

We are always sad to leave the beach (and might even cry a few real tears over it), but I'm always glad to be back home in my own bed and own house.  I just love the beach so much that I swear I could live there!!  I can't wait to go back again this summer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Fourth of July Festivities!

I'm so behind on posting, so please bear with me while I get caught up here.  I realize I'm posting about the 4th of July in the middle of January.  Let's all start thinking of warm weather and sunshine!  haha

Anywho, LAST YEAR our 4th of July was awesome!  We went out to Leesburg for the parade like we do every year.  This year was the first year since Jacob was born that he got to be in the 4th of July parade.  It was such a proud mommy moment for me!!

 

We met Jacob and Pap at the firehouse before the parade.  He was pretty excited and not at all interested in taking pictures for me.  Can you tell?!  haha  He's wearing his turnout gear that Pap got him from the Fire Expo, but he ended up not wearing it in the parade.  It was just too hot.  Pap stenciled on his last name, so he could look just like one of the big guys!

 

When they left the firehouse and headed up to Ida Lee to line up, John, Gee, Henry and I all walked down to King Street to find a place to sit and watch the parade.

 

 

We watched MOST of the parade ... after we saw Jacob we kind of lost interest in the rest of it.  haha

 

 

 

For the afternoon and evening we went back to The Plains where we went in 2012.  It's kind of far, but I love it out there.  And, the kids love getting to see all the helicopters and the skydivers during the National Anthem.

 

 

The kids also got to play in a couple different moon bounces.  Henry is STILL not a fan.  lol

 

 

And, then we ended the night by watching an awesome display of fireworks with front row seats - can't beat it!!

 

 

I hope everyone else had a fun and safe holiday - we sure did!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last time we talked ..

Today makes one year since I last spoke to my sister.  One year since I heard her voice and her laugh.  It's funny how I remember so much about that conversation, but other points in time I have zero recollection.  I was sitting in the hospital room with John after his second back surgery and he was pretty loopy on pain meds.  My parents had taken the kids for dinner that evening, so I could have some quiet time at the hospital with my husband.  Little did I know that I would have a LOT of quiet time thanks to all the pain killers he was on.  He would nod off in mid-conversation ... pretty funny if you ask me.  Anyway, I forget who called who, but we were on the phone for a good 45 minutes chatting about nothing really, and ... it was nice.  It finally felt like we were getting back to a normal sister relationship after a few years of a strained relationship.  I remember being completely at ease and happy when I got off the phone with her.  She was even telling me I should move back to PA, so she could help with the boys.  She loved them so much!  And I knew she'd be a huge help if we ever did move back.

We talked about that coming weekend.  My mother-in-law was coming down on Saturday and staying for the week to help me with John when he got home from the hospital.  John was also to be discharged on Saturday.  On Sunday she said she and Mike were going to the pumpkin patch to get their pumpkins for Halloween.

I also recall she was making dinner while we were on the phone.  In fact we hung up just before they sat down to eat that night.  She was making tacos ... one of Mike's favorite meals.  I remember she didn't know how much water to add to the skillet until I reminded her it was on the taco kit box.  haha  At that point she needed to go so she could set the table and they could eat dinner, so we said our goodbyes and hung up.  One thing I DIDN'T say and I will regret it until the day *I* die ... I love you.  Three simple words and I didn't say it.  They were right on the tip of my tongue, but I just didn't say it.  I've tortured myself with that guilt for a year now, and I will continue to beat myself up over it for the rest of my days.  Tears stream down my face as I type this ... I can't help it but be so sad and so sorry I never told her I loved her.  The last word I SPOKE to her was "bye", not "I love you".  I'm sure she understands and has forgiven me, but I cannot forgive myself.

It's hard to believe we're two days away from the first anniversary of Ashlee's death.  It's been one of the fastest and slowest years of my life, but I have to say ... I'm glad this past year is almost over.