Vacation Recap
I'll try and do one big vacation update, and not bore y'all with different tales of it! Instead, you will get one long, boring post! LOL

We arrived at 3:00 pm on Saturday. Check-in wasn't until 4:00, but the house was ready, so they gave us the keys. Searching for houses online has it's pros and cons...you always hear about the positives, but sometimes the negatives are left out! One HUGE negative, was the house was right beside the by-pass road - a 4 lane by-pass road....the one and only main drag in and out of town......... There were 3 bedrooms/2 baths upstairs, and the same downstairs....2 kitchens and 2 living rooms - one on each floor. HUGE house, plus a heated pool (on the side of the by-pass road) and hot tub. Every time I was in the pool, I kept thinking what if a big truck had an accident and went thru the shrubbery, hit the fencing and came crashing into the pool. Gave me a bit of the heebie jeebies! LOL

We didn't do a lot Sunday, spent the day thankful that we were on vacation, lounging by the pool in the afternoon and flying kites !! Monday, we went out shopping for a bit. We needed a crate for the dog - if we were going to leave her at all we did need to crate her. Found one and a few other things at a K-Mart. The in-laws came in later that afternoon, and we went out to dinner that evening. Tuesday was more of the same, MIL, DS and I went shopping for a bit after breakfast, and then we just lounged by the pool in the afternoon. DS's friend (our 'adopted' son, Vinny) came down after work Tuesday evening. The guys spent the evening in the pool. LOL MIL and I fixed rotisserie chicken (from Food Lion already cooked) and baked potatoes, with broccoli and cheese. It was really GOOD.

Wednesday morning the in-laws left - before I managed to get out of bed! FIL was ready to go HOME. LOL DH had a wonderful idea to go fly kites on Jockey's Ridge. It was sunny, but plenty of clouds. We decided to take the dog and go. I found out how out of shape I was on the way UP the dunes...it is a good hike up, over and to the top of the ridge. But what a VIEW - water off in the distance as far as the eye could see...just breathtakingly gorgeous and thankful that our Lord can provide such a wonderful place. The guys had so much fun kite flying, and Nina running after the kites. We only saw a few other folks while we were up there....most were in line for lessons on hang gliding. After the hike back DOWN, which was hard, but not as difficult as going UP....we stopped off at 5 Guys for a burger...I guess there are 5 guys inside, one taking your order, one making it, one doing fries, one giving you the order and some other one......anyway, that's how DH explained it. I was outside with the dog! LOL

It was nice having the dog with us, but the yard had all these burrs in it that kept sticking into her paws. We couldn't walk outside barefooted or else we would get them on our feet. They had little tiny stickers that felt like needles poking in your foot...it HURT, I can only imagine what it felt like on her paws. Plus, somewhere, not sure if it was the house, the yard or where....she managed to pick up fleas....and not ever having fleas before...it drove her NUTS. We ended up going to Walmart and getting flea spray and stuff to put on her. It was time for another Advantage (which is what I use at home on her...but it had probably been over 4 weeks since her last dose). We have never had fleas - ticks yes, which is what I use the Advantage for, but not fleas. That was one of the first things I did when we got her home, was put the Advantage on her.

Thursday our friends T and D came down for the day. T bought some fresh tuna and we grilled it up that night. The boys, after spending the afternoon in the pool, had to drive home that evening. Vinny had to work Friday and Nate had school. They left about 8:00pm, and I prayed (and worried) until 10:00 pm when Nate called to say he had made it safely home.

T and D left Friday morning. DH and I spent some alone time together for the first time on vacation! The house was so quiet! LOL It rained off and on in the morning, so I went around and gathered up our things and started packing. We spent the afternoon in the pool, and about 5:00, packed up and turned the key in...and drove home. We didn't have to check out until 10:00 Saturday morning, but I was ready to sleep in my own bed, and use my own shower. Also, it was nice to get up this morning, get the washer/dryer going, and get things put away. Church is tomorrow and before I know it, Monday morning will be here, and it will be back to work!

It was a great, relaxing vacation. It was nice having friends and family to enjoy it with. DH and I are trying to decide where the next vacation will be, as I think we are both ready for a different location than the Outer Banks......but we shall see!!!
Suz