July 3, 2011

Our vacation this year marks a milestone:  we can actually leave the house for the entire day.  This is due to a number of factors. 

1. We no longer have a napping child and everyone is potty trained, including Gerry.
2.  Gerry is here this year, so there is an extra hand around with the kids.  I actually talked to other adults today!
3. We drove our own car and thus have transportation.
4. Again, many thanks for the DVD player.

Gayle’s family and ours left Emerald Isle around 9 am, in route to Wilmington, NC to visit my dad’s side of the family.  My uncle, Carl Jr., and his wife, Linda, invited us to come over for a visit.  Bonus!  They have a pool, making it the ideal location for the kids.  I talked so much that I forgot to take photos until the very end.

We saw:

• Carl & Linda Venters (uncle & aunt)
•  Kristy, Billy & Julia Thompson (cousin & family)
• Grainger Gilbert (cousin)
• Chip & Shelley Venters (cousin)
• Julie & Price Sullivan (cousin)

We also visited my aunt, Bobbie, and her husband, Bud on the way out of town.  Always great to see them.  This time, I talked so much that I forgot to take any photos at all.

Grainger, me, Carl Jr., Linda

Chip, me, Gayle, Julie

 On the way back, we drove through Topsail to see my aunt and uncle on my mom’s side of the family.  Mary John (aunt) prepared a feast.  The biggest hit was the Turtle Burgers for the kids.  It was a short hot-dog wrapped in ground beef, then criss-crossed with bacon.  No bun required.  I think they were pan-fried.  No one complained about this meal, that’s for sure.  Billy ate his first deviled egg and loved it. 

"Hallelujah!  We are at the beach!"

Interlude  All of us have birthdays fairly close together so at this time of year we often have conversations about whose birthday is after whose and which one of us is next.  Mine was in June and Billy’s is next - this Saturday.  He’s been getting random presents for the past week already, due to various family visits.  Since he is turning 4, he is still somewhat confused about how birthdays work.  Consequently, he’s a monster right now with regard to gifts.

Billy:  [addressing any grown-up in the vicinity] Do you have a present for me?

Me:  [reddens with shame]

"Do you have a present for me?"

There was plenty to do at Topsail too.  The kids climbed all over and around Lee’s boat, Karl got pretty good at throwing the minnow net, Billy explored James’ car (“It has a spoiler and 4 pirates.  I’m gonna have one of those.”), and the early fireworks/smoke bombs were a hit with all.  I was amazed at how Topsail has grown in the past few years.  But I can still hold my breath all the way across the bridge.

James, me, Gayle, Lee

Lighting smoke bombs under the Corn Hole game is good fun

Billy watched the smoke bombs from the porch

 We saw:

•          Mary John & Herschel (Bubber) Caldwell  (aunt & uncle)
•          Lee Caldwell (cousin)
•          James Caldwell (cousin)
•          Debbie & Randy (Mary John’s sister)
•          Jamie McGlaughon (spelled it right!)

On the way home from Wilmington, the wind was just right for us to see the Holly Shelter fire firsthand.  From Topsail, the setting sun was red, red, red.  It looked eerily familiar.

Despite all the fires, today was a good day.