Only Wednesday...Phew...

For the first time in over three years I feel like we are actually on vacation. Traveling with little ones can feel like more work than at home, but this time has felt, dare I say, relaxing. Of course, we have had some excellent extra hands on staff for the first part of the week.

The extra hands departed this morning. We were sad to see them go. Back to playing one-on-one, it seems our vigilant diversion tactics and redirection are less meaningful, and a bit more exhausting. But Papa and HeHe and Granny had to head back to Charlotte. We miss you already.

More work, but no less fun. Another gorgeous morning run and fun on the beach. And a late afternoon and evening in Southport. We ate seafood at Cape Fear Restaurant that boasts a lovely view of the water and OI lighthouse. Our view was slightly obstructed by a truck unloading someone's wedding tent and chairs. We could still see the lighthouse and many rabid seagulls hovering the restaurant, hoping to catch some stray hushpuppies. My blackened tuna was delicious. But I hit the wall. I do not want anymore seafood for a while.

Then we wandered our way over to Spike's Dairy Bar, home of the hormone-free soft serve. Our second trip of the week. The walk was leisurely for sure. Stella refuses to be strolled or carried, and is tempted off course by most anything--pots of lovely potted pansies (only a few survived her viper-like snatching), stray alley cats (Meow, meow, she called, while chasing it behind the local bank), and every person who walks by (Hi, Bye, Shoes, Bo-boats, quack-quack, she quickly tells them nearly every word she knows).

We all had cones and we all made a sticky mess of ourselves. Multiple people commented on our lovely girls. (Okay, okay, I get it. Heath will get his hair cut when we get home.) My cotton candy soft serve was delicious. But I hit the wall. I do not want anymore ice cream for a while. Just kidding.

A copy of The Insider's Guide to the Coast of North Carolina is here at The Sandbox, so I've been perusing it throughout the week, gathering bits and pieces of uselessly interesting information. Bald Head Island was a favorite hiding spot for Blackbeard. OI lighthouse is the last manually-operated lighthouse in the world. And Holden Beach is also known as Jogger's Paradise. While we were out running this morning we decided that we would, one day, far, far away in the future, name our vacation home in HB: Jogger's Paradise.

Glad we got that settled.