Ocracoke Island Bliss

Off we went - to our favorite OuterBanks location - to visit our dear friends, Justin & Joelle, and get away for our summer family vacation.

ready? set? GO! (Jake, sorry it's a little crowded back there!)

This trip should normally take 8 hours --- we expected a bit more since momma's preggo --- but between traffic and weather, it took 13 hours!!!  ABear was a rockstar.  And it was so worth it.

intent on catching a fish caught in the tidal pool

Glorious. GLORIOUS days!

attempt at a self-taken belly shot in the bathing suit

heavenly discovery - chairs in the tidal pool!

One of Ainsley's FAVORITE island things:

BIKE RIDING with DADDY!

 Justin and Joelle did it. Flipped their world.

They left metro DC and now permanently live in their Island home - and are the proud owners of the Ocracoke Coffee Company.  We went to the coffee shop every single day - and let me tell you - it's INCREDIBLE!

Ains tested every seat in the house

cool map to mark where you're from (is she being a pirate here? not sure)

fun things to do while chillin' inside with a java

mom restrained herself from buying a complete set - aren't these GREAT!?

the shop front

funky tables to discover on the porch

fancy "conversation" bench

mom and Ains logged nearly an hour, all told, in this relaxing hammock swing

ah. perfect seat discovered.

inside the shop

 We enjoyed staying at Justin and Joelle's.  What a great house.  A vacation in itself:

You have a boat garden!!!

Because she helped pick them, she ate these peppers like candy. Not kidding!

pepper 27 - or something

A fav of mommas: the outdoor shower!!

cartoon time!

who needs the beach?

wash those doggies! 

all tuckered out - this girl slept and slept!

 This time on Ocracoke, we discovered "Candyland" - a tiny island shop packed floor to ceiling with every candy and treat imaginable.  Ains and momma were in sugar-heaven! 

followed up by a fresh pepper from the garden, of course!

 And one of the things I'm particularly happy about - Ainsley's discovery of CLAMS.  Boy, can this kid down some clams!  She kept asking for more and more.  Since returning to DC, she's asked for them several times and ate more than mom (impressive feat) when we steamed a bunch at home.

We are the seafood girls - together forever!

Thank you, Justin, for your help with this one!  

Justin teaching Ains how to steam the clams:

what's cookin' without a little dancing??

testing a raw spaghetti

A staple of our visits: the puzzle

Kona, puppy, get out of the car!

Kona doesn't want to say g'bye to Jake

Sigh.  Time to leave the island.  

Farewell till next time!

on the ferry

 To break up the journey - and to add a couple of extra vacation nights (and, truth be told, a last hurrah at camping before baby 2 comes along) - we stopped at a KOA in Williamsburg.  We didn't actually explore Williamsburg at all - we were happy to soak up every minute of camping and family-togetherness.

"see food" !!

Yep - that's Jake - after a romp in the "river" - which turned out to be just a big mud pit.

Ainsley's assessment?  "Hey! Now we have a chocolate lab!" :)

Time to wash up!

goofy dog.