Nags Head Day 2

This is the Bodie Lighthouse, not to be confused with the famous Hatteras Lighthouse with its spiraling black and white stripes. Lighthouses were needed as navigational aids to mark dangerous shoals, channels, or inlets and to help mariners determine their locations at sea. THat sounded good didn't it - copied it right from one of the many booklets laying around our house!



This is actually the third Bodie (pronounced body) Lighthouse. The original was an engineering and construction nightmare that was uneven and eventually torn down. The second lighthouse was blown up by the Rebel troops during the Civil War to prevent Union soldiers from using it as a lookout. This present day structure was build in 1872 on the north side of the Oregon Inlet.




Now you know all about it! Here we are with beach head and feeling the humidity from the daily storms that move in for an hour then leave.
We are having a wonderful time - playing the tourists to the hilt - enjoying visits with family and most of all relaxing with good company! OH the food has been pretty darn good too!

After dinner we went to Jockey's Ridge, the tallest sand dune on the Atlantic Coast.Over one million pepople visit this State Park each year to marvel at the commanding view of this "living" dune that shifts betwen 90 and 100 feet above sea level. The sunset views show the sun over Roanoke Sound.

Nags Head Day 2 Sunrise

I thought it would be a good idea to get up and watch an ocean sunrise. Unfortunately there were more clouds than sun. The actual sunrise wasn't spectacular in a photographic way but the dolphins swimming, early fishermen, and seabirds made getting up at the crack of dawn well worth it.





Sit back and enjoy the ocean. Look carefully you can see the dolphins.


Anna and Michael hit the beach at 8, the rest of the crew emerged from the house around 10. The sky was overcast, waves a little rougher but that didn't stop the boys from playing in the water. This is Jim's Pirates of the Atlantic Coast imitation.

Robin and I got to fly our kites today (we bought them last night!). It was remarkable how easily an ocean breeze takes them up. Mine is the rainbow colored kite; Robin has a dolphin and lighthouse on hers. I found out that once you get a kite into the air - someone or thing has to hold it in place. Unfortunately my bag was too light and the umbrella to cheap to do the job so I wound up bringing the kite back in.

A storm moved in and beach fun was called to a halt. Jim, Anna, and the boys packed up for home. That left Jill, Robin, Alicia, and I in a quiet house where we once again took out our summer reading materials. Until we decided to take a drive to the south on the North Carolina Coastal Road past the Chhcamacomico Lifesaving Station and through Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. The storms were well north of us so we stopped at a beach in the Refuge area.














Jill isn't grimacing - she wants it known the glare was too harsh!

Nags Head

The vacation started with flights that were grounded because of lightening, hail, and winds in Norfolk. My plane was diverted to Newport News Airport for an hour then we got back into the air for a 6 minute, yes, 6 minute flight into Norfolk.



















On Sunday we had some visitors to the house; Mary & Jeff came down from Norfolk and The Budday family came over to celebrate Michael's birthday with us. He wanted to spend his birthday at the beach in royal fashion, boogie boards, looking for sand crabs, and jumping the waves with Dad and James.




















Jeff isn't bored, he just got hit by a sizeable wave!

Mary and Anna kept an eye on the kids from their chairs. Jeff and Jim joined them for this picture

Robin and I in our beach millinary finery! Mine is kind of smooched from the suitcase. Actually except for this picture the hat wasn't on my head too much!

Alicia and Jill soaking in the sun and surf. WHO is that crazy guy in the background?

What do you do at the beach? Some people fall asleep and wake up feeling rather well done!

Others look for sand crabs and burrowing clams in the surf.

Pelicans flying in a V formations flew directly over our heads. This flock was rather high but they seemed to be going in slow motion. Others were only slightly higher than the kites being flown on the beach.

Speaking of the beach, it is a lovely white sand not crowded with tourist. Our house is the 3rd house back from the beach, close enough to run home for lunch or the bathroom. After birthday cake we went to a local restaurant for delicious seafood dinner. Then Uncle Jim took the kids for the required mini golf game. He won although I understand some of his scorekeeping has been questioned. We passed the evening playing 500 until the wee hours of the night. JAmes learned how to play although he wasn't impressed with the marathon nature of the game. Alicia whooped our butts!

It was a great day. Everyone especially Michael are tired and ready for a relaxing day tomorrow.

Brewster, JoePa, and M&Ms

We have a new baby in the house. Brewster is Pat's newest buddy, training to hunt bunnies this fall with him. Clancy is now the big brother although he isn't doing the job in helping Brewster learn how to GO outside!



I had a conference at Penn State University. Joe Pa was nice enough to pose with us in the bookstore! He is a lot taller than I thought!




Here's me as an M&M! Scary isn't it? But my hair is shorter so maybe my M&M needs to be redone.

July 4

All four of us kids managed to meet for the 4th of July. Peter and Nancy brought Daniel from North Carolina; Susan and Cory visited Washington DC with Matthew before coming to York; Leonard and Liz returned from their vacation, picked up Rachel from camp and hosted a picnic at their house for all. Laura brought Domenic up to spend time with the Wong side of the family. She is just back from "the desert" deployment and enjoying her return to the States. There were three grandkids who were unable to make the trip. The 3A's - Andrew who was reporting to Ft Lewis, Washington; Anna working in Colorado at camp; and Alicia who had to remain in Boston for work. We missed all of them but hey, we had a great time without you! Here is Gung talking to Alica - I do believe he was promising her he'd make it to Boston for the Christmas holiday. A promise she will hold him to keeping!

The kids (and Susan) enjoyed the latest fad, not a zip line, but a tightrope of sorts hung between two trees. Josh seemed to be the master with Daniel a close second.

Laura was very tenative considering her skills on the beam, Susan was confident as long as Cory was there to spot her.

Domenic was game to keep up with the young kids but after one tumble had to admit he isn't as young as he once was! Pat, great dad-in-law that he is, supplied Dom with some much needed Advils!

As usual Liz and her girls put out a fantastic meal, ribs, glazed salmon, fresh York County corn, and double chocolate brownies.

Dinner was a noisy affair with two tables of family story sharing, lots of laughter, and explanations. Then the younger boys (minus Domenic) put on the protective gear for the paintball battle.

Most of us brought out the lawn chairs and served as observers to the battle.

And then it was PICTURE TIME!

First the immediate family, that is Mom and Dad with the four kids.

Front: Susan, Mom, Dad, Debbie Back: Peter, Leonard

SPOUSES

Cory behind Susan, Peter/Nancy, Pat behind Debbie, Leonard behind Liz

Grandkids
From front row L to r: Jon, Apo, Gung, Daniel, Matthew

Back row L to R: Josh, Lydia, Laura, Domenic, Rachel, Abby

And then there were MORE!

Denver Conference

I was fortunate enough to attend a math conference in Denver over the summer. The conference itself was - well disappointing because there wasn't too much new information given out. But being near the mountains and USAFA gave me the chance to enjoy the West again. One day was spent traveling into Colorado Springs.

Rachel and I drove up on the High Road area and spotted a fox in a Broadmoor driveway.
The view from one spot on the High Road. We stopped at Helen Hunt Falls. No not the actress Helen Hunt - this woman was an old time advocate for Indian rights and preservation of natural lands. She was pioneer in the true sense of the word. The falls were beautiful. No I did not climb up to the little bridge at the crest of the falls. We went up the side of the mountain until the undergrowth disappeared. Nothing growing at this level except coniferous trees so I guess this would be a coniferous forest but not quite a tundra. The aspen groves were so picturesque but I was busy trying to stay on this NARROW dirt road and forgot to take pictures.

Alicia was home for the weekend. Jim, Sue, Nate, and Helen along with the Brickner family were coming over to celebrate the Lord's resurrection. Here is the table waiting for company to arrive. Dinner is served. The menu included Olive Garden's Zupa Tuscany Soup and deliciously refreshing Peach tea. From the right side: Pat, Alicia, Nancy & Don Brickner, Allison, Sue, Jimmy, Nathan, and Helen.

After dinner we talked in the family room,

challenged one another to pool games, or
played a new card game - Apples.
Clancy greeted all the guest and handed out the Easter baskets. Not really, but isn't he a cute little bunny?

Allison's husband Josh is currently serving in Iraq, his daughter Ashley is a little sweetheart!

The young and the old celebrating together. This is what makes family gatherings so special! Babies reminding us of God's wonderfulness.

And then Clancy shared his ears with Ashley. Alicia would have no parts of wearing them.
Can you tell it was a long day and someone was tired (of the camera being shoved in her face?) I love having the kids, small and tall, home for the holidays!