North Carolina

Corinne has already written a wonderful post about this here, but I would really be remiss if I didn't share some thoughts about this delightful weekend. Our dear friends the Edwards invited us to spend the weekend with them at Clint's folks' house in Morehead City, NC. I felt really strongly about going because as my kids get older, I just crave special memories with them. This weekend did not disappoint. I'll just try to add to Corinne's photos and share my own favorite moments. The bottom line is that we had a really wonderful time. It was really an honor to be included in their family vacation plans, and we loved being with them.


I loved this old cemetery in historic Beaufort, NC. I wish I had more time to set up a shot that would have captured the light. It was just magical. Look at those luscious Live Oaks.

The weekend was filled with moments like this-my kids and Corinne's kids just being pals. They really seemed to enjoy being together.

Here is the blinking lighthouse at Cape Lookout. I wish you could feel the cold, stinging rain in this photo. We chose the only 6 hours of the weekend with less than perfect weather to get in a boat and leave the safety of the shore, but it would have been so boring if it had been calm and sunny. :o) No, really and truly, it was fun to rough it. Everyone was such a good sport.


This is Sara running to the beach at Cape Lookout. I kept imagining what it must have been like to be the lighthouse keeper and be all alone on this island. People tried to settle it, but all that is left is an abandoned town. It has such a sense of history and place. Well worth exploring if you find yourself down that way. The other thing I loved about this weekend was that we were on the Outer Banks on Memorial Day, and it was not crowded, it did not feel touristy and pressured, it felt genuine and relaxing and special.
See Tufters and Xavey all hunkered down? What brave children. Isn't the lighthouse grand? I just love that the coastlines are still dotted with lighthouses to guide sailors home.
Can he be any cuter as he tries to get warm and eat at the same time?

Saturday afternoon and evening found us basking in the sun as if it were a whole new day. It was an amazing change. That night we went to my new favorite place. I will drive back down to Newport, NC just to visit Miss Holly's Sweet Shop. That lady is made of magic and fairy dust and everything good and sweet. Her darling little shop is a place apart-a place to remember childhood and happiness. Bless her.
See what I mean?




Sunday afternoon, after a wonderful family dinner, we visited Fort Macon, a really nice park with a very well-preserved brick fort. The sign out front, which was a warning for parents about the 15-foot walls that are unfenced throughout the fort, was sobering and quite poignant in light of current events:


Here is our group. Picture me behind the camera, of course. What fun.




These show the beautiful evening we spent enjoying the beach. This is my favorite time to go to the beach. Everything harsh and hard and too bright about the beach in midday turns soft and golden and gentle. I love that.

This was the sunset that guided us back home for our last night in NC.


These two picture show Preston and Evan on Monday morning in the moments after Preston discovered that they were wearing matching outfits. He was THRILLED, and Evan thrilled to it right along with him.
On the way out of town, we visited a great local aquarium that was really nice. Here are the kids reaching out and touching skates and rays and things.


Even though our charmed weekend was at an end, and we hit mad traffic from Richmond to DC, this is how the kids spent most of the ride home, and friends, no matter how old they get, there is something magical about a quiet car to enjoy while mulling over a perfect trip.