- Last day

Retrospective (11/28)

Patch #299 Saltbox

Original Post 

We got up before dawn ...

not wanting to waste any of the moments fast slipping away.

The ocean, so calm yesterday, roared its farewell ...

We visited another favorite art gallery (more on that later) and then headed to the Red Sky Cafe in Duck for one last meal ... but it was closed.

So we headed for the Rundown Cafe, only to find it too was closed. 

At which point I hit Trip Advisor and found a tiny little place in Colington called the Saltbox Cafe ...

Best crabcake ever ...

So good, in fact, that when we got to the airport and I was heading for the gate, I found myself turning the wrong way ..

wishing myself back again.

- Monday, Monday

Retrospective (11/27)

Patch #298 Dolphin day

Original Post 

What could be better than yesterday? Waking to see dolphins swimming in the surf ...

We unashamedly contributed to the delinquency of a minor ...

and her teacher mom ...

spending a blissful Monday of beach combing as the surf gentled down to the point of crystal clarity ...

Then listened to the Wilders playing our long-time favorite tunes ...

while eating steamed Carolina shrimp enough to tide us over until the next visit.

All too soon it was time to hug and say good-bye ...

Always too soon ...

- OBX Day 2

Retrospective (11/22)

Patch #297 How peeps might be paisley

Original Post

It's kinda fun when you realize you've passed on the "office supply store" gene. Seriously, our first stop after lunch yesterday was a trip to Staples!

As we awaited a healthier (than yesterday's) breakfast at Waveriders, Lo tried out the new markers ...

While we ate bagels, Don indulged in crumb cake and reminisced about having Entenmann's with his grandparents 50 years ago ...

"Just think Lo," I interjected, "50 years from now you could be eating crumb cake with your grandchild reminiscing about this moment."

Mind blown ...

The rest of the day was spent beach shop hopping in search of cloth so I could make a bag for Logan's book and markers to match the bag I made recently. We started at Jockey's Ridge ...

and were happy-beyond-words to find Seagreen Gallery open ...

after the hurricane two weeks ago ...

Of course we also spent a little time hangin' out with the peeps on the beach ...

And as the sun set in the west, it burnished the eastern horizon ...

Really, it just doesn't get much better than this.

- Grandparent's privilege

Retrospective (11/27)

Patch #296 Chocolate cake for breakfast

Original Post 

Seriously Logan, please don't tell your mom this is what we had for breakfast ...

After all, we'll eat healthier once we get to Nags Head ...

Like acai smoothie bowls at The Spot ...

followed by some down time hanging out on the balcony at the condo ...

Nothing better, right?

- The grandest week

Retrospective (11/21)

Patch #295 Fly me

Original Post

Last Friday we got to peek in on G's tumbling class ...

then headed out the next day for St Louis ...

leaving one week later for the east coast, where some things never change ...

which is why we fortified ourselves at the airport, loooooong before 5:00 ...

But it was totally worth it ...

- So much to do ...

Retrospective (11/20)

Patch #294 Balance in all things

Original Post 

So little time ... always it flies by!

A visit to tiny tumbling class with Jace's creative solution to walking on the stepping stones: one foot off, one foot on, diddle-diddle dumpling ...

a round on the rings ...

and sticking the landing off the balance beam ...

Play-doh play with J ...

"Mom, can you make her stop taking pictures?" ...

Installing the growth chart that PopPop made for Jace ...

Rolling lasagna noodles (from yesterday) ...

And last, but not least, pumpkin-prepping ...

Ewwwwww ...

- Just Jace

Retrospective (11/20)

Patch #293 Bat boy

Original Post 

When you're the second-born child, every picture of you has your sibling in it. So when Jackson went to pre-school, I decided today's pictures would be just Jace.

We were headed to a pumpkin farm, so Jace got in his car seat, then invited me to squeeze in to my comfy little spot in the back ...

It might have been a cloudy day, but there was lots to do from exploring tractors ...

to climbing a hill with corrugated plastic pipe slides dug into it ...

riding a rubber tire horse ...

and a Pony Express train ...

swinging ...

and getting to do stuff mom would never allow at home ...

basking in the undivided attentions of Nana and Pop Pop ...

until all too soon it was time to fly away home ...