Last summer we had talked about going to the Outer Banks this summer, but due to several other trips that popped up this summer we never planned it out. At the last minute the other week we decided to take a 4 day trip down and enjoy some beach time. Of course a last minute trip somewhere doesn't usually entail an 8 hour car trip, but for us, it did! We packed relatively light (Oscar still needs some work on his light packing) and got on the road early Thursday morning, arriving in Hatteras around 2pm. The girls were really great in the car and are proving that bigger kids are just easier in the car. Being able to entertain themselves is a big helper!
The first thing we did was hit the beach. Wow, what a difference a year can make! Two years ago when we went to the beach Luli freaked out, didn't want to be near the water at all, wouldn't even look at it. She spent the entire time packing up toys and trying to get us to leave. Last year she was maybe interested in putting her toes in, THIS YEAR! she wouldn't get out of the water. Fiona was a bit more hesitant but wasn't about to be left behind in the fun.
We did a lot for our four little days there, and had so much fun. On Friday we took the ferry over to Ocracoke Island. The girls thought it was hysterical to put our car on a boat. Once we were there we got our bathing suits on and got our bikes ready to explore the island. We did a really nice 6mile bike ride with stops at the beach, stops for ice cream, checking out the lighthouse, and meeting Santa (who was also on vacation). Back at the condo it rain a little bit while we prepared and at dinner. Right as we were putting the girls to bed two beautiful rainbows appeared! This was the first time the girls have seen rainbows, and they admired their beauty for sometime (and prolonged bedtime!).
On Saturday we took a drive to check out some new windsurfing equipment and then had a picnic at
Hatteras National Seashore Park. We had planned on climbing the Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest brick lighthouse in the world, but there was a height requirement so half our family didn't meet that. Instead Oscar climbed and enjoyed the beautiful views, while the girls and I waved like madwomen at the bottom, but Oscar never saw us. But if you zoom in on the picture you can see me waving in the pavilion at the bottom!
As we were leaving we found this pond with a ton of little turtles in it, it was amazing to see all these tiny heads popped out of the water. So we pulled over and started feeding them rice cakes, it was hysterical and the girls loved it. Then we saw this sign....woopsy!
Saturday night we hit the beach again for one last hurrah, it was a really beautiful evening. And Sunday we got up and got packed. On our way home we wanted to stop at
Jockey's Ridge. Oscar really wanted to climb a sand dune and I remembered my friend Kathy blogging about her hike up a sand dune in Kill Devil's Hill. It was right on our way home so it was a great activity to break up the trip, run out some energy and tire out some kids for nap time in the car. I'm so glad we did stop because it was a lot of fun. Even though Luli took a nasty face plant and tumble as she ran down one of the very steep dunes.
The last week of June thru the first week of July we ventured down to the Outer Banks for our ocean get away. This year it was a big family affair with my parents and my brother joining the fun. We had a lovely house on the ocean and a week to play in the surf. We did a lot of playing in the water and picture taking, but not a lot else. I'm going to upload some pictures into an album and put up here to the right to check out. In the meantime, here are a few of my favs!
Last summer we had talked about going to the Outer Banks this summer, but due to several other trips that popped up this summer we never planned it out. At the last minute the other week we decided to take a 4 day trip down and enjoy some beach time. Of course a last minute trip somewhere doesn't usually entail an 8 hour car trip, but for us, it did! We packed relatively light (Oscar still needs some work on his light packing) and got on the road early Thursday morning, arriving in Hatteras around 2pm. The girls were really great in the car and are proving that bigger kids are just easier in the car. Being able to entertain themselves is a big helper! 
The first thing we did was hit the beach. Wow, what a difference a year can make! Two years ago when we went to the beach Luli freaked out, didn't want to be near the water at all, wouldn't even look at it. She spent the entire time packing up toys and trying to get us to leave. Last year she was maybe interested in putting her toes in, THIS YEAR! she wouldn't get out of the water. Fiona was a bit more hesitant but wasn't about to be left behind in the fun. 
We did a lot for our four little days there, and had so much fun. On Friday we took the ferry over to Ocracoke Island. The girls thought it was hysterical to put our car on a boat. Once we were there we got our bathing suits on and got our bikes ready to explore the island. We did a really nice 6mile bike ride with stops at the beach, stops for ice cream, checking out the lighthouse, and meeting Santa (who was also on vacation). Back at the condo it rain a little bit while we prepared and at dinner. Right as we were putting the girls to bed two beautiful rainbows appeared! This was the first time the girls have seen rainbows, and they admired their beauty for sometime (and prolonged bedtime!).
On Saturday we took a drive to check out some new windsurfing equipment and then had a picnic at Hatteras National Seashore Park. We had planned on climbing the Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest brick lighthouse in the world, but there was a height requirement so half our family didn't meet that. Instead Oscar climbed and enjoyed the beautiful views, while the girls and I waved like madwomen at the bottom, but Oscar never saw us. But if you zoom in on the picture you can see me waving in the pavilion at the bottom! 
As we were leaving we found this pond with a ton of little turtles in it, it was amazing to see all these tiny heads popped out of the water. So we pulled over and started feeding them rice cakes, it was hysterical and the girls loved it. Then we saw this sign....woopsy!
Saturday night we hit the beach again for one last hurrah, it was a really beautiful evening. And Sunday we got up and got packed. On our way home we wanted to stop at Jockey's Ridge. Oscar really wanted to climb a sand dune and I remembered my friend Kathy blogging about her hike up a sand dune in Kill Devil's Hill. It was right on our way home so it was a great activity to break up the trip, run out some energy and tire out some kids for nap time in the car. I'm so glad we did stop because it was a lot of fun. Even though Luli took a nasty face plant and tumble as she ran down one of the very steep dunes.