That went fast - we've had a very busy few weeks. And I have tried to update this a bunch of times but it is taking me forever! The pictures will just have to come later (or not at all until I do the scrapbook of all of them - yeah, that won't be any time in the near future).
I headed to Wisconsin again at the end of July - I'm getting tired of the airline industry. Mostly, I feel sorry for the junk food vendors on the plane - or are they supposed to be flight attendants? I just want to know when I'm going to get a hot dog guy and not crappy candy. So I bring my own food and don't give a rip. (Big travel tip - carry an empty water bottle through security, then fill it up at the first available water fountain). I took direct flights because I booked early enough that they really weren't that much more and the guy traveling the same days as me got stuck getting out of Charlotte because of a connection problem. So there - I love my direct flight - you can actually watch a whole movie on a flight (or do what I did and work on data crunching that I get interrupted at my desk doing). I got called up to the desk before the first flight and asked to change my seat so a family could sit together, putting me in an exit row. There was so much moving around and people trying to sit together that my head was spinning. On the way back, I was exhausted, had a headache (another time I'll discuss my hatred of hotel beds), and had a very obnoxious older hippie with little kids ("I finally found myself at 40 and decided I needed kids - and for some reason 4 of them and take them traveling") sitting just in front of me and she talked the whole time. Her voice was really grating and she was overindulgent to her children's every whim. I think I would have rather listen to the kids whine and scream. It was a tough trip for me and for Beca. She didn't want me gone.
She had sprinkler day the next day at school so I got to wake up and tell her that she could wear her bathing suit and water shoes to school! I thought it odd that she was the only kid running around the playground with water shoes on. But when she got home, she did tell me that she didn't have to say "ouch, ouch" all over the playground! The next day I made it to pilates on my bike in the morning then rode back, then showered and went to work because there was too much for me to do and my VPN/wireless connection at home does not like certain applications from work and things take FOREVER to do. When I got home, we had to go buy a birthday present for Kate. Yes, BFF Kate is now 3 too!! After getting home, we had to pack.
Saturday (like the first one in August) was Kate's birthday party - it was an awesome tea party! they made cute hats and even had their cake on beautiful tea plates with real (totally breakable with pretty flowers) tea cups and saucers - for their milk of course. Kristen Sullivan is an awesome mom! OOh - and we all love Neil (Kate's dad) because he got Chick-fil-a and ribs from Harris Teeter (man - Saturday - rib deal in the deli at the HT - it's awesome!!) The girls had a blast with dress up and shoes and Kate got a new guitar - that kid is going to be a singer and musician. And baby Melissa has my favorite baby grin - she's so content just to watch the 3 big girls (she's 13 months).
OK, after Kate's party, Beca hung out with Oma so we could pack the car which inevitably tookk longer than we wanted it to. Then we were finally headed east on 40! We made it to Steve's parents for dinner with his siblings and to meet Bobby's new girlfriend Melissa. Beca was so excited about her uncle Bobby! Plus there were presents awaiting her! We had a great dinner and great conversation and then a good drive to Topsail. We finally got to check out our Halo lighting in the top of the van - it's sooooo cool! And Steve's TomTom, albeit slightly misguided sometimes (umm hello when does shortest route ever include DIRT roads?), is pretty cool. The house we stayed at is Steve's aunt's husband's family's house. It had an elevator and was a gorgeous place! Took us a while to get Beca calmed down and bathed, etc. and then my parents arrived just before midnight (more elevator trips!). Eventually, we all got to sleep.
The next morning, Beca almost burst from her excitement regarding going to the beach. The adults had to appease her for a bit until we got breakfast and the morning going. We knew it was going to be a busy day but it was really great, too. We headed to a family reunion for Steve's family - it's on this beautiful piece of property that overlooks the sound behind figure eight island. And there is so much food - lots and lots of fried chicken!! Beca had a hard time paying attention to any food. She chased Uncle Bobby and played with Aunt Jenny and Aunt Tracy (Steve's cousin). Several trips down to the dock - which is just awesome. We had to watch the hermit crabs and ghost crabs running in the sand. And there was an osprey family in one of the trees. I gave my Dad the camera with the big lens on it and he got some great shots of the family. The hill we sit on is really nice until the breeze stops - then the sun just gets too hot and we decided we needed to go. Dinner was really good (maybe service a little slow) and the shrimp the best I've ever had - the breading was so light but just enough flavor! Unfortunately, Beca was a pistol that evening and even a walk on the "beach" - where at high tide there was almost no beach - didn't actually calm down. Eventually Beca got to bed.
The next morning, Beca and Steve stayed at the beach while we drove with Traci and Carl back home to a funeral - actually a celebration service of Judi's life. It was amazing to hear her husband express Judi's wishes for everyone else. She wanted everyone to have a personal relationship like she had with God. She was one amazing and special person in this world and so many people were blessed by her prayers, cards, and letters. Judi touched so many people so driving back from the beach was just a way to honor her. I'm really glad I was there. And like that, it was over. We drove back to Topsail to find a cranky girl and her aggravated daddy. They had gone to the beach and played for a while. We got back and went to dinner - we had another good meal at a place on the beach. Good food and a really nice place to eat - almost felt like we were out side. Beca and I watched a waiter try to slide a beer down a wire to a kite surfer. It sooo didn't make it. Got stuck on a knot. Then once they got it over the knot, the kite surfer got it all the way down but then the kite sank real quick and the beer hit the sand and spilled all over. Beca was just enthralled with the kites. It was impressive to watch those guys! We also found a little ice cream shop that had Raspberry ice cream! I can never find that stuff - which is probably for the best. Of course, Beca had to have Mint Chocolate Chip (isn't it odd that her favorite ice cream is also the favorite of BOTH of her uncles!).
The next morning, we took a while to get ready and headed to the other end of Topsail to visit with the Blooms and family! Beca was so excited to see her Traci and Richie, along with Papoo, Pam and Allie. Rich helped Beca start a fishing line on a princess reel. She started reeling in after feeling something on the line and as it got close to the surface, Rich grinned and said "Uh-oh, she may not like this". On the end of the line was an EEL!!! Beca's first fishing experience and she gets an eel - that got turned into bird food and fish bait because it wouldn't stop wriggling enough to get the fishing line untangled from around it. Then, she wanted to try again. So Rich set her up again. This time, almost right away, she caught a little silver pin fish - she was really excited! The most amazing part was that she didn't even lose the bait! We put the fish in a bucket of water and she stood so proudly by it! She was soooo funny! then all the sudden, she announced she was done and wanted to go sit on the swing. She also wanted to go to Traci's beach - which meant the beach close to Traci. Down at the beach, we found Tricia and Big Becca (or Becca 2 C's). It was a lot of fun and Rich started Steve on a hunt for "sand fleas" or "sand fiddlers". My dad dug out a big hole (that ingeniously filled itslef in quickly when the tide came in so as not to cause any permanent harm to humans or turtles) and little Beca had fun in that. Beca somehow convinced Rich to pull her around on a boogie board for a while, squealing all the way. I'm still not sure quite how we got her off of it without wailing but I think she was getting hungry. We left "Traci's beach" to get lunch and help Mom and Dad pack up and they headed home. I think we tried to take a nap and then went to the grocery store and got some pizza at a little NY style place (very good but the service was a little less than desirable - I think I remember that being a theme on most beach vacations of mine).
Wednesday was a crazy fun day! Beca, Steve, and I went to the beach early on - she squeals at the waves a lot. We tried building sandcastles (which she had been helping with all week) and I made a moat around this one so the water would just fill in once high tide came. It was very hot out - heat index was about 105 - so thankfully the water was cool. Steve went hunting for sand fiddlers again and I happened to spot a little tiny one before he ever found his first one. Then we started seeing them all over the place. Not my favorite thing and Beca just kept wanting to let them out of the cup or wherever. I think she liked watching them scurry into the sand and burrow down. We weren't out long, knowing we had visitors on their way! I started getting food ready for lunch - we had a big crowd join us! Steve's mom, aunt, sister, nephew, grand mother, great aunt, cousin and her son all came to play at the beach. Of course, we had to eat first and I had been craving a chicken apple wrap - it's been a weekly thing for a little while now. I get one at this place in Durham and I figured I could somewhat copy. Mine had lettuce, chicken, celery, apples, pears, grapes, cranberries, and a ginger pear dressing. It turned out pretty good on a spinach wrap and I had found a few other kinds of wraps too. I also found out that you had to make and eat it right away - it did not sit well overnight. I made a bowl of Ceasar wrap filling too - Steve won't eat much with fruit in it. Then everyone started getting ready for the beach and we all waddled down! I loved watching Steve's mom and aunt head straight into the waves! Corey (Steve's nephew) went right out too, as did his cousin Tracy and her son Aidan. Beca did not want to be out in the waves much. Mimmie and Aunt Margaret looked so content in their beach chairs on the sand! I had to go in early to get some work done. plus, my neck had broken out again - heat or sun must be a triggering factor but it isn't the only one. sunscreen also aggravates it and I had to head in. So, I got my broadband card out and happily worked on the porch for over 2 hours before the beach crew came struggling back in - Steve had to carry Beca the whole way back. But it was worth it! Everyone had to leave but Steve's mom stayed a little longer and got more Beca-Boo time in. That evening, we started packing and cleaning and the next day, Beca and I made one last trek to the beach. She was tired and really cranky but we played in this really cool little tidal pool that had not been there any other day. She had lots of fun just splashing in the water and filling her bucket with water which got more sand than water usually (by volume not weight). She also chased a lot of birds. Then she got screamy about how I did everything and it was a good cue to get off the beach. It was good to get home that night and sleep in our own bed. Granted, it was a day earlier than we had planned but it worked out for the best.
I'll finish more of August another day. At least for now, some of the voices inside my head can chill out about the beach trip.
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