Vacations, Beaches, and Nor'Easters

Steve and I never take vacations. Since we started dating over 9 years ago, we have been to Atlantic City, Myrtle Beach, Kings Mill in Williamsburg, OBX, and Charlotte, North Carolina. We travel up to D.C. frequently to see my parents and friends and when we take time off from work it's usually because family is visiting from out of town or we are traveling up to West Virginia for my family reunion (no jokes please, I have heard them all! My family tree branches out appropriately, thank you!), but very rarely do we manage to get out of town as a family to just relax and have fun. So when provided with the opportunity, we jumped at the chance to turn a weekend trip to the Outer Banks for a wedding into an excuse for a vacation. Over the course of the last month, in which the Atlantic was very active in churning up storms, our mantra became "please let our trip be hurricane free." We forgot to add, "...and please no Nor'Easters." When we arrived on Saturday, it was already pretty windy. By Sunday, we spent a total of 10 minutes on the beach because the wind was so strong, the no swimming signs were up, and the sea was churning. Little did we know that this would be the only 10 minutes we would spend on the beach for our whole trip!!!! We ended up leaving on Tuesday to avoid getting stuck in the rapidly approaching coastal storm. We drove along the beachfront road in Nags Head before we left and the waves were already coming up under some of the houses that were built directly on the beach. So we finished off our vacation by taking Brian up to visit his Oma and Grandpa in D.C. We were a little disappointed with our beach vacation (as the vacation really did not include much of the beach...) but we were able to spend wonderful quality time together as a family, Steve and I didn't have to work for 6 days straight (AWESOME feeling!!!), and Steve was able to hang with (i.e. get intoxicated with...) all his college fraternity buddies at the very beautiful wedding we went to. So I would say, off time well spent! I feel energized and refreshed and ready to tackle the.....weekend! ;) Next weekend- off to Jessica's wedding in New York! Wow, I am feeling like quite the traveler.....
I am posting some pictures of our vacation below, enjoy!

Steve and I at Damien's wedding posing in front of the well stocked bar that I was unable to indulge in. I am determined to allow pictures of me to be taken during this pregnancy. I was adamantly against it with Brian, in fact I only have pregnancy pictures during two events- family reunion and my baby shower. I prefer to refer to them as fat and fatter. This will probably the last picture I have of myself pregnant that I actually LIKE....

I loved the centerpieces so much, I had to take a picture of one (check out the coozy wedding favors- made out of Coast Guard grade life preserver material! Very cool...Brian spent the 5 hour drive up to D.C. with one on each arm and told us they were his floaties for the pool)

Another shot of me and my honey (such a hottie! And not aging at all! 4 years older than me, and I will soon look older than him...)
The reception was overlooking the Sound and this picture was an attempt to capture the beautiful sunset.

The beer boat. Best idea ever. So glad we were toddler free for this wedding. Brian would have been IN the boat (or underneath it, depending on its perch's stability....)


Dreaded no swimming sign with Day 1 waves (not yet Nor'Easter waves)

Brian and me FREEZING our tushies off and trying not
to let the wind blow us away

Brian and Daddy BEFORE the long trek up to the Wright Brothers Memorial
I'm King of the World!

Brian is seriously the cutest boy ever. Yeah, totally biased but look at that face!

Another one of my cutie-patootie
Brian playing his new favorite game, "Go Lily Pad, Stop Lily Pad" Basically when he says Stop Lily Pad, you stop until he says Go Lily Pad. Theoretically. In practice, everyone BUT Brian has to stop on Stop Lily Pad. Kids. Where do they come up with this stuff?
Brian, do we have to pay you for a smile?? Mommy and Daddy are still in good spirits as this was before we decided to take the trail that claimed to be a mile and a half long that was, in reality, much longer than a mile and a half....

Ugh, I hate how long it takes to post pictures on this blog, arrange them in correct order, etc. I am so uncreative with this blog because I don't get it half the time.....
Tomorrow...D.C. pictures!!!