The Hole Truth

Ok, later than I'd hoped, but a story needing telling, none the less.

Outer Banks (yeah yeah, I know, you're getting sick of it). Marc A. Hanna is not only the king of the snow sculpture, but creater of sand holes as well.

You're thinking, "Yeah, so I dig holes at the beach too, big deal." Well, have you ever dug holes so large that random people kept walking by and finally mustered the courage to photograph your hole?? I'll bet not. It required steps to get out of it. No joke.

Marc brings the heavy artillery with him to the beach. No sissy plastic shovels for him. (This is about where Devin would jump in and yell "MAN SCOUTS"- a camp thing apparently.) The men took turns digging the various holes that were created. When the kids were small, it contained them for beach play. Now, I think it's more for the men, but the kids LOVED the holes. Marc backed this one up against the incoming tide and sat in it while "awaiting the breach". Good stuff.

Which brings me to the last great hole, the one so big Marc put the whole beach umbrella in it. This was the award winning - stealth photographer - random people coming up to it to gawk - hole. I think it speaks for itself (now that I've talked you to death.)

A Few Maine Shots

Apologies up front for the crappy quality photos as they were taken on the Crackberry. Convenient, but it ain't no Canon.

We spent the last of what I've decided was a very busy summer up in Maine relishing in the quiet-ness of it. A few decidedly funny moments, some captured, some not. (My sister, "June" and I both thought we were hallucinating the same bat at Inn on The Blues. Sadly, no photos of that particular moment...)

We went kayaking, Letterboxing, saw the USS Albacore and got eaten alive by the most ferocious mosquitoes I've ever seen. We're talking mid-day, high noon feast on Kelly. I'm still itchy.

Finally got Devin to wear his Camp Tadma t-shirt. His insistence that he loved camp seemed out of whack with his lack of desire to wear the shirt. I'm still a tad skeptical.

Next up, Julia on the deck playing with a caterpillar we found - very fuzzy!! She loved his sticky feet on her arms.

Walking back from the lighthouse the kids were hot and saw the sprinkler. One of those "best Mom EVER" moments when I said "yes", they could go in and get wet.

The now beached USS Albacore. My claustrophobic self can't imagine 85 people living on that. Gives me the willies.

Last, my favorite shot of the whole weekend. It's out own "Where's Waldo" photo. Yes, my sister is under that pile of kids in there somewhere. Call her "June", she likes it. :)

First Day of 4th and 2nd

After what I've decided was a whirlwind summer, we've finally started to settle back into reality. That means lots of laundry and house cleaning and the first day of school!!

For the first time I can recall Devin was NOT excited about his first day. He's finally gotten into the "ugh school" years and the burst of enthusiasm just was there. Now, with that said, he got up, got dressed (in what I now think looks like a school uniform - haha) and had a big smile on his face as he left us to go line up. He won't admit it, but the social creature in him was dying to see his friends, even if that meant having to go to school to do it!

Julia couldn't wait. She got the teacher she wanted, in one of the "portable" classrooms that has AC (this was her most important factor when deciding which teacher she wanted). She put in the clothes we bought for her first day (apparently matching is OUT of style, so goodness knows what that will mean). But the little skirt was soooo cute on her. She grabbed my hand at the last minute as we got closer to school and then saw her friends in her class this year and took off.

And is it just me, or does she look 15 years old in the first pictures????

Again she had that one little minute of hesitation (which casused me to get an almost dulpicate photo from last year with her turning around in line). She's certainly consistent! Can't wait to get all the stories and paperwork tonight!! Do you think we'll have homework??

Shopping

You didn't have to go far to find some OBX goodies. A 5 minute drive brought you to Timbuck II where they boast 60 stores or something crazy. It's right near the "Brew Thru" (I think that's how it's spelled) which is a drive through beer/convenience store. Brilliant!!

Neil and I took the kids to lunch and did a little shopping. I wouldn't be me if I didn't spend SOME money on vacation...

Flora and Fauna of OBX

Saw some very cool stuff in OBX. From various sizes of jumping fish in the water, to blueberry jellyfish (is that we decided they're called?), to ghost crabs, to MANY turtles and finally - dolphins! We saw some very brave kayakers in the water one day and there seemed to be something breaching in the water near them. My 70's inner child immediately thought "SHARK!" but it was really a whole pod of dolphins. This was the best shot I got of them, which is rather pitiful.

Ok, really, ah-D.

My favorite shot of Emma!! Marc "chillaxing". Matt digging a hole (see future pos about holes on the beach). Devin and Jack searching for treasure. And Marc doing his best surfer dud imitation.

NO MORE DAY 4!!

Oh, but there are more...our beach set up with the chairs everyone loved.

Dev and Jack reflecting.

Matt and Emma flying a kite.

Love this one of Jack and Bec.

Justin with surfer dude hair.