Our Sweet Tea Sippin' Southern Vacation

It was SO good to be back in North Carolina for a week... it's just a shame it happened in July!  Ok, that's not really true.  I love NC during all seasons but the heat and humidity did seem to be at a peak while we were there (at least initially... it did cool off a bit on our LAST day).

Fortunately for us, we know how to handle such extreme weather - by going to the river... and the beach... and the pool! 

After a full day of travel, we landed at RDU and headed straight for the nearest Smithfield's for some bbq, hush puppies, and sweet sweet SWEET tea.  It had been so long I had forgotten HOW to order a bbq sandwich with slaw!  

We then headed to Wendell where we relaxed on the front porch swing and visited with my best friend/neighbor until the mosquitoes drove us inside.  It was GREAT to see you Jennifer.  I'm so glad we got to catch up.  I miss you terribly and you've always got a place to stay if you find yourself in Tahoe!  And you SHOULD find yourself in Tahoe sometime!  

The next day we picked up a rental car and headed to Knightdale to visit my sweet adopted grandmother.  After some good southern hugs, we headed on to Apex for a visit with Mike's grandmother where we sipped homemade lemonade while rocking in her rocking chairs.

MIKE AND NANA

From there, it was onward to Burlington/Greensboro.  We made NO plans in advance of this trip so on the way I started texting people in the area and asking if we could stop by for a quick visit.  As impromptu as that strategy was, it TOTALLY worked out!

We made a quick pit stop at a Krispy Kreme along the way (I really just needed coffee because I was a little fatigued from the previous days travels but ya know what goes great with coffee??? ORIGINAL GLAZED DONUTS!), then started our visiting in Greensboro with my dear friend Kendall and her family!  I can not even express how much I miss spending time with this girl.  She is purely happy.  Nothing seems to get her down and her smile and laugh are totally contagious!  It was sooo wonderful to catch up with her whole family!  Thanks again for letting us come by for a visit!  I'm so glad it worked out.

From there, we headed to Burlington where we visited my friend Amy and her ridiculously adorable pooch... our friends Josh and Andrea and their 2 sweet and adorable babies... and where we got to meet our tenant who is renting our townhouse!  All that was followed by a totally impromptu cook out with our friends, Dacia and Nathan!  Whew.  That was a productive afternoon of visiting if you ask me.  Thanks again everyone for being totally flexible and allowing us to stop by last minute!  And a special thanks to Dacia and Nathan for providing good burgers and good beer (and good company).  I hate that we didn't get a chance to visit with the Rocheleau's.  Sorry guys!  Next visit for sure!  Sorry we missed you too Gracie!  Love you!

Ok... lets get to the part of the blog that has accompanying PICTURES!  I know that's what you really want... less words... more pictures!

Friday-Sunday we spent at the Chowan river with my whole "fam damily."  We did a lot of river floating, tubing behind the boat, water skiin', storm watchin', EATIN', beer drinkin' and swingin' on the swings!  It was perfect.

ON THE WAY TO THE RIVER WE STOPPED TO SEE THE NEW
TREEHOUSES THAT WERE BUILT.  YOU CAN RENT THESE AND THEY
WERE FEATURED ON THE DIY CHANNEL.  PRETTY COOL. 

WALKING THE PATHWAY TO THE TREEHOUSES.

RANDOM BUT BIG SHOUT OUT TO MY SWEET PARENTS FOR RIDES TO AND FROM 
THE AIRPORT... FOOD... A PLACE TO STAY FOR A FEW NIGHTS... ETC.

WE SO APPRECIATE YOUR CONSTANT LOVE AND SUPPORT.  I DON'T
CARE HOW OLD I AM OR WHERE I LIVE, I WILL ALWAYS NEED MY MOM
AND DAD... AND I KNOW THEY WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR US.
LOVE YOU GUYS! 

THE RIVER!

WE GOT TO WATCH SOME AMAZING STORMS!  

LOTS AND LOTS OF FLOATING TOOK PLACE

AND MIKE SHOWED US HE'S STILL ABLE TO SLALOM WATERSKI!

MY SWEET COUSIN AND HER ADORABLE FAMILY!

FIN AND JOHNNY GOING TUBIN'

SEE?  MORE FLOATIN'!  I TOLD YA WE DID SOME SERIOUS
TIME FLOATING IN THE RIVER!

PA AND LAINEY PLAYING CHECKERS.
LAINEY ALSO PAINTED FINGERNAILS (WITH
COLORS AND SPARKLES) FOR ANYONE WHO
WANTED THEM PAINTED! 

IT'S NO SECRET MY HUSBAND LIKES CLEAR WATER.
I TOLD HIM TO IMAGINE THIS AS A
BIG RIVER OF SWEET TEA!
I LOVE IT.  IT'S CLEAR (BY NC STANDARDS) AND WARM!

 We spent a lot of time tubing behind the boat.  My sweet nephew is 6 years old and fearless when riding in the tube.  I honestly don't know who had more fun though, me or him.  

FIN, ME, AND UNCLE MIKEY

WE PLAYED BUMPER TUBES AND FIN WAS OBSESSED WITH
TRYING TO "BUMP UNCLE MIKEY OUT OF HIS TUBE."

WHICH WE DID SUCCESSFULLY.... 4 TIMES! 

HANG ON UNCLE MIKEY!

WE HAD A BLAST!  THANKS AGAIN UNCLE CLYDE
FOR PULLING US BEHIND THE BOAT!  IT WAS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS
OF THE WEEKEND FOR ME!  

MY SWEET AND WONDERFUL FAMILY!
MINUS SOME AUNTS, UNCLES, COUSINS, AND THEIR BABES
WHO WERE SICK!  YOU GUYS WERE MISSED!!!!!!!  

I can't thank my Aunt Sylvia and her family enough for sharing their river house with us for the weekend.  It is SUCH a cool place.  I have memories of going there when I was a kid, and now a new generation of kids are getting to make memories there too.  We really appreciate you letting us use your floats, and taking us out on the boat, and feeding us so, SO well the entire weekend!  We had a blast!  Love you guys!!!  

Sunday after lunch, Mike and I decided to drive to the Outer Banks since we were only about an hour away.  Neither of us had been there in many years so it was great to do a quick visit.  

OBX!

DUCK DONUTS!!!!!
THEY WERE DELICIOUS!

WE STOPPED IN NAGS HEAD FOR A SWIM IN THE OCEAN!

 We made a quick drive down to Oregon Inlet, stopping by the fishing center to see the big boats coming in with their catches.  

 We made a quick stop in Manteo... 

... and then we headed south to New Bern where we stayed with my brother's family for a night.  

I didn't take a single picture while in New Bern because I was trying to soak up as much time with my niece and nephew as possible!  Thanks again for letting us stay with you guys!  We love the house.  It looks great!  Fin and Lainey - WE MISS YOU BOTH SO MUCH ALREADY!!!  

Aunt PJ and family - SORRY we didn't get by to see you guys!  Wish it would've worked out.  Hope everyone is feeling better!  Miss you and love you all!

I also was hoping to see my friend Alli from college but it didn't work out this trip!  Next time I'm going to be in New Bern, I will contact you in advance and we will try get by for a visit!

From New Bern, we continued south to Carolina Beach.  We brought Zater's ashes along on this trip and we spread a few of them at the water's edge at Carolina Beach.  We used to drive Mike's truck out there and set up for the day.  Zater would run after the ball ALL DAY LONG.  He absolutely wore himself out.  It was a wonderful memory and it was important to us that part of him remain there.  

The only dilemma was the fact that we were driving a rented Nissan Versa.  Luckily, a wonderful friend, Justin, allowed us to borrow his ridiculously awesome Jeep to be able to drive out on the beach.  We will never be able to thank him enough for this.  Seriously, never.  But, Justin, if you read this, please know that you've always got a place to stay in Tahoe... in the summer so you can take that Jeep on the Rubicon trail AND in the winter so you can snowboard!  Bring your wife and kids!  

ALL THE OTHER JEEP OWNERS ON THE BEACH WERE STARING AT US
(AND PRACTICALLY DROOLING).
I FELT LIKE A CELEBRITY RIDING IN THIS THING. 

CELEBRATORY DRINK IN MEMORY OF OUR SWEET DOG!

UNFORTUNATELY, IT STARTED RAINING ON OUR
WAY BACK TO RETURN THE JEEP!
IT WAS ONE OF THOSE GOOD OL' NC DOWNPOURS!!!!

WE DID TRY TO RIDE IT OUT UNDER A GAS STATION AWNING,
BUT WE DIDN'T MAKE IT BEFORE GETTING SOAKED.

SORRY JUSTIN!!!!!!

 I told ya... we owe him BIG TIME!!!!!!  

We had tentative plans to visit one my best friends from college but unfortunately, it didn't work out.  Next time Lauren, for sure!!!  Miss you!!!

We made quick stops by Mike's dad's boat and Hibachi Express (our favorite take out Japanese restaurant in Wilmington where NOTHING has changed), before heading to Raleigh to visit Mike's mom.  

We got so lucky that Mike's mom had the following day off from work.  So, we lounged in the pool and ate some delicious Mexican food for lunch.  

 My mother-in-law's birthday is in a few short days so we celebrated while we were there!  With cheesecake!!!  Unfortunately, we didn't have a candle so Mike improvised by sticking a match in it. Never-the-less, M-I-L, we wish you the happiest of birthdays!  And we love you dearly!  Thanks for letting us stay a few nights with you guys!    

We met Mike's Dad and his wife, Kim for drinks on our last night in town.  Sorry we didn't get to spend more time with you guys!  We really do love you guys!

There were SO many more people we would have LOVED to have visited.  And we are SO SO SORRY we didn't get to see EVERYONE!  Quite simply, we ran out of time.  Guess we will just have to come back for another visit sooner rather than later!

After a very long, and somewhat annoying flight, we find ourselves back in Tahoe.

Back to this... 

To my family, my friends, and my dear home state of North Carolina... I miss you all more than you know!  It was great to spend time with you!  And I can't wait to come back and visit again!  We'll try not to wait so long between visits this time!!!!  Thank you all for your sweet hospitality!

MUCH LOVE FROM TAHOE!!!

XOXO!!!