Summer Vacation - Take 2

If I've never said it before, let me say it now. I am so grateful that I work for a family that is so good to me. Two full weeks of paid summer vacation is pretty fabulous. :) My first week was back in June, and the second week ends Thursday.

Daniel and I took advantage of the free time and headed to the beach! In his three years and my one year here in Charlotte, we had never visited a Carolina beach. Well, it's just four hours away, so really, what were we waiting for??

Zoe, of course, had to come along. She loves the car!

We went to Wilmington, North Carolina, four hours east of Charlotte. Downtown Wilmington is a charming little place, full of budding artists, and southern history. If you ever go, be sure to get a homemade waffle ice cream cone at Kilwin's. 

(forgot my camera)

Wrightsville Beach, Wilmington, North Carolina

Sand in my toes!!!

Unlike our last beach visit to Virginia Beach, we were super pleased and impressed with the cleanliness of Wrightsville and the blueness of the water. 

trying-to-be-cool-dude face

I'm-gonna-get-you face

<3 

The only picture we have of me at the beach... and we both are going blind from the sun. Lovely.

Monday evening we walked along the sand and let the waves kiss our toes. We talked about everything and anything, and fell in love all over again. Tuesday we hit high tide bright and early and jumped waves for several hours. After getting over the initial fret of sharks (my fear) and jellyfish (Daniel's fear) we always have fun. :)

Me: "If I were a tiger shark. This is where I'd hide."

(I know, we're lame... but seriously. Going to the beach during Shark Week gives me heebie-jeebies. Did you know Tiger Sharks like warm water just like humans? And did you know that unlike the Great White, Tiger Sharks actually like the taste of human flesh. Fortunately, they're shy and nervous creatures, opposite of the Great White, and if there is a lot of activity they'll leave anything alone. They're also a whopping 1,000 pounds - but that's only a 5th the size of a Great White, which averages between around 5,000 pounds!)

After a couple hours of leisurely jumping waves, I started to feel especially queasy, so I laid in the sun and read Anne of the Island, quite happily for another hour. We left around lunch time with intentions of returning soon, but Baby made me too sick to do anything but sleep the afternoon away.

That evening we had appetizers at The Oceanic, with the lull of waves and the brightness of the moon setting the perfect mood. (forgot my camera)

To finish off my vacation I made a spontaneous trip up to Michigan to visit my family, and say one last in-person goodbye to my sister before she leaves for Scotland.

We got a family snap shot Sunday afternoon!

Silly Faces!(personally, I think Mom's is the best)

Aliza "borrowed" my camera one evening and came back with pictures of all sorts of things. She's getting pretty good at self-portraits.

 She's a stylin' lil lady these days. Her photography isn't bad, either. :)

(don't know how she got this one)

"Here Ash. I took some pictures for you. I took a picture of our house... see... so that you would always remember where we live." <3

Sunday evening after Angela and Mare headed back to Ohio, those of us at home enjoyed a breezy evening outside. Nevin and Nolan showed me all their new tricks on their skateboards. Still as impressed as ever!

Nevin grinding

Nolan doing a kick flip

Great week of vacation! Two more weeks of full time, then school starts. Boy, am I ready for that. :)