where I've been...

It's already been two weeks, but I've finally had some time to catch up on life. Sigh......I had a vacation. A real-life, honest to goodness vacation. My David stayed home with our kids, and I spent a whole week with these girls, who I love.


It was so wonderful and a little excrutiating to be away from my my family for SEVEN days, but I came back feeling so glad to be home, refreshed, and a little more human than when I left...which is really the point, isn't it?

I could never recap the whole week, but here are a few things that will stand out in my memory...

Eating crazy good food at places like this...



(The Flying Melon on Ocracoke Island).

Seeing the Raleigh Temple,


historic Fort Macon,


and Sherri's fake tan!

Taking in the views...

from the road,



from a boat in the Atlantic,

and from the top of this lighthouse.

Island hopping in North Carolina's beautiful Outer Banks...

and wondering who lives here,

and here! Seriously...


Hiking on this trail...

Playing at the beach...

Watching the sunset...

stepping out at night onto the front porch to look at this...

And laughing....a lot!

I'm a lucky girl for having two amazing sisters of my own. But then I married Dave and immediately aquired SIX more amazing sisters, and ONE new sister-in-law and, somehow, my brothers have married far above themselves and given me yet another...THREE sisters who I love. That's TWELVE wonderful ladies I can call for advice, ask for help, dump my problems on, swap recipes with, who all love my children and have helped take care of them and who I consider some of my greatest friends. I'm a lucky girl. I just wish everyone could have been there!

And what else can I say about David, except that he is an amazing Dad! There were a few minor incidents during my absence (a triple drowning scare at the Desert Wave Pool, a lock down at Cabella's for thirty minutes when Eddie disappeared and some kind of rice disaster at dinner that I am still trying to figure out). But, despite massive amounts of cereal and fast food consumption, Dave handled everything like a pro including another ear infection, swimming classes, coaching 2 soccer games, preschool and work. And somehow, I came home to a clean house, an organized laundry room, happy kids and, in one unfortunate turn of events, to this adorable bedding in my boys rooms...

being replaced by this!

Punishment from Dave? Perhaps. I'm not convinced that the boys will EVER let me put there cute bedding back. The giant lettering reading "Their flame is mightier than their bite"???. Jacob and Eddie are beyond thrilled!

It was a great trip. Dave is going to get away in a few weeks for a trip of his own and I am so glad he will get the chance to do it. I missed my kids and Dave so much but this was one of those rare opportunities that I just couldn't miss! My first morning at home, Saren had some epic bed head happening to welcome me home.