Duck Dreams

Sorry it’s been a while, we’ve been super busy with lots happening in our lives in the past month (lots of updates to come!).  First, we started off the end of summer with our much-anticipated beach trip to Duck, NC (August 31-September 7).  We went with my family and had an awesome time. 

The trip down was quick and easy, even with an 18-month old in tow.  There was time for some photo ops:


and I made sure to take advantage of having Abby in one place and taught her one of the most important things in life...

Let's Go.... "Go-Geeeees"

Our house was fabulous – plenty of room yet cozy, lots of charm, pool table, hot tub, pool, and right on the Atlantic. We arrived on GAME DAY – the season opener of the Hokies, who were unfortunately defeated by Bama, but it is Hokie football nonetheless :)

We woke up [unfortunately... thanks, body, for being in a routine] very early each day.  We would start each morning with a tea party

 

Tea with Abby

We spent lots of time relaxing with our toes in the sand

 

Abby playing in the sand

 

building sand castles with Grandma

Look at my seashell!



our set-up on the ocean... six big chairs and an Abby-sized chair

my cute husband soaking up some sun

hanging out with  Momma

Beachin' it with Aunt Kim & Uncle Daniel

 

"...you've got your wayfarers on and on the sun in your hair..."

After the sun faded away, we would cook dinner & spend lots of time outside on the deck or lounging in the family room.

this girl loves water bottles

boogy-woogy-ing

hanging out with my girl, magna-doodling

And all of those wrapped up our first full day on vacation. Here's the rest of our trip in photos...

Monday, 9/2 - Happy Labor Day!

hanging out next to the "pool!  pool!"

pre-power hour(s) floatin' and readin'

power hour: pool style.  oh, and times two :)

Labor Day Shrimp Boil

Good food, good family, good memories

 Tuesday, 9/3

another early-morning tea party session

hanging with the 'rents

a little lunch-time deck sittin' with my main squeeze

serious ball-playing competition

xoxo



Porch sittin' with my momma, watching the storm

good times with grandma

my girl

 

night swimmin'

 Wednesday, 9/4

enjoying a late lunch after a day of shopping (and the boys fished)

 Thursday, 9/5

Never have I seen the Atlantic Ocean so pretty & clear

paddle-ballin'

the game got FIERCE

we rule paddleball

sleeping hard with lots of toys and the seashells I collected!

getting all dolled up for dinner

 Friday, 9/6

So proud of myself to wake up and workout 3 mornings while on vacation.  This was my "gym".  PS, the water was BEYOND rough that day!  No swimming signs posted, boo!

my post-workout cuddle sesh

fun in the pool with Aunt Kim

relaxing in the hot tub on a chilly/windy day

Love our drink-floats

"are you seriously doing this to me right now??"

VA diner, part 2

will definitely miss this view out of our beautiful room!

We had such an excellent time!  Abby learned lots of words while at the beach including, but not limited to: pool, papa (my dad has an official name!), bird, baby, quack-quack, Hokies, etc.  She refused to say Aunt Kim and Uncle Daniel... I think she was doing it out of spite.  That's alright, she's cuter than a button regardless.  I loved reading, spending quality time with my family making lots of memories, soaking up the sun (with excessive amounts of sunscreen), and the mental break.  Normally, the end of vacation is bitter-sweet, but the blow was lessened because I was going home to prepare for my BEST FRIEND'S wedding!



I want crazy

My husband is the greatest.  Yep, he's pretty awesome, and sometimes I don't say it enough.

On Friday night, we had planned a date night - a quick dinner at home & a movie at the Byrd theatre.  I came home to a card (my favorite) and beautiful roses.  Love it.

Last night on the way home from Bruster's, we had a fabulous dance party in the car - those are my favorite.  We have pretty excellent dance parties - blaring the music, pretending to know the words, and dancing like we know how.

Today, he left to go to Oak Island with the Pipkin clan for a few days, and I have found several cards he's left me around the house.  He is so thoughtful & I love him to pieces.  I miss him tons right now, and will be so happy to have him home.  It's true, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

And one of my favorite songs right now reminds me of him, and how crazy we are about each other:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvtXgNtYFMs

"I don't want easy, I want crazy"

Happy to say, we're pretty crazy :)
I can't wait to see what our future holds

Robin's Last Fling

 

The much-anticipated Bachelorette Weekend to Ocean City, MD was last weekend, and it was perfect.  We had so much fun, laughed until our stomachs hurt, and made so many fabulous memories.  The weekend started when Amy & I met Maria & Robin in Woodbridge on Thursday evening for margs & mexican.  We left on Friday morning, and after a bit of traffic, finally arrived at our destination.  Our suite at the Paradise Plaza Inn was perfect - one room for all of our stuff, another room for sleeping, and a bar area for the drinks (and food, of course).  I'll let all of the pictures speak for themselves :)



The bachelorette on the way to the OC



Luggage stacked to the top!

And we finally made it!  Ocean City, MD

 

Fun buckets complete with coozies, beach spikes, monogrammed hats, personalized tumblers, wayfarers & personalized croakies, and hangover kits

Signature drink for the weekend - Robin's Egg!

beach time, soaking up the sun :)

Our hotel... right on the beach :)

Eating at Blu Crabhouse on night #1 - delicious food & perfect atmosphere

amazing bloody mary



love her

me and my best friend

When you gotta go, you gotta go... even in a hurricane, outside a bus shelter



Hanging out in a bus shelter waiting for the hurricane to pass

....still waiting.  Love these ladies!

The hurrican never passed, so we got on the bus... and encountered lots of fun people.  Here are Robin's strippers

 

And Panama Jack, who loved to talk, and we found out isn't a local because he hasn't been here for three generations, and he has homeless friends who like to drink grape vodka

And here's the hooker with a switchblade sitting on the floor of the bus

And we finally made it safely back to our room, eating brownies in bed in our sweats!

 

beach day with pretty toes

Our very own Alex Trebec for Bachelorette Jeopardy

The bachelorette herself about to play jeopardy

And our bartender working on our drinks

best game ever... Robin is getting all suited up

yep, that happened

best friends and their dogs

on our way to dinner on night #2

 

tan girl, pale girl, best friends

Robin's Last Fling - the wolfpack

Robin proposing

Beautiful sunset over the bay at dinner

Robin & Amy with Ralph & Wader. Ralph was the BEST server ever, hands down!  He was amazing, and even helped with my MOH speech for the wedding :)



Robin, Zach Galifianakis, and her wolfpack

 

Robin & her cop



At Seacrets... we lasted about 10 minutes and decided we were too old for this mess

So glad our bachelorette doesn't look like this one we found on the bus!

Yep, sums up our weekend - last fling before the ring, bikinis, sun, rain/hurricanes, goats, frogs, babies, drinks, more drinks, boardwalk fries for lunch, celebrations, and buses.  More fun than I've had in a LONG time.  Can't wait for the big day!!

Yes, it was amazing.  We had more fun than we could have imagined.  Robin has picked the BEST maids, and September 14th will be the most beautiful, fun, and enjoyable day!  I absolutely cannot wait for my best friend to marry her other best friend.

Summer Update

I know it's been a month - so sorry, folks!  We've just been so busy.  So here's what's going on in our world...

We decided to return back to the Bay the weekend after we went with Annabeth & J so his brother could have an opportunity to make some memories there.  We had a blast (although, not as much fun as with A & J).  I did LOTS of reading while the guys played and played :)

Enjoying the sunset with my main squeeze

Beautiful sunset - and Ian/Matthew playing in the water

The next weekend we didn't have any obligations, so we just got a few things done around the house and celebrated Mr. Sink's birthday.  The weekend after that was fun-filled with bridal things!  Robin had bridal pictures that Saturday (which she is GORGEOUS! Can't wait to post pictures after 9/14!), and we had a blast.  Sunday she had a bridal shower... good food, good company, good gifts!  Wanda & I went in together on a recipe-themed gift.  We gave her a recipe cutting board - complete with handwritten recipes from Wanda, her Grandma Blonnie, and her Aunt Kay Kay.  I LOVE that gift!  I'm always looking for memorable & personalized gifts, and was thrilled with this one.  I also made her a recipe binder, similar to mine, which I love!

My old boss, Jessica, had another baby recently.  I made her this cute newborn onesie (with a plain onesie & iron-on applique)

And it ended up being his "going home from the hospital" outfit!

Daniel & I went on a hump-day (and pretty random) date to the Melting Pot.  It was so nice to just get away from everything on a non-traditional week-night and really enjoyed it.

 

Then Daniel went away for the weekend - he was kayaking with a few of his friends.  He had a great time, and I got LOTS of bachelorette crafting done [more on that later]!  It's always nice to have a weekend apart - having your own space & doing what you want whenever you feel like it, but it's even better when your best friend comes back home.

Yesterday, my family came over for a pool day & cookout.  It was extremely comfortable outside (read: not in the pool weather, but perfect for laying out), and we had a great day!  We had the pool to ourselves and enjoyed an excellent dinner of grilled sausages, creamy corn casserole, fresh fruit, and - of course - cucumbers :)

This is what happens when Momma/Aunt Kim leave Abby under Uncle Daniel & Daddy's supervision

Look whose hanging out with her Aunt Kim... chewing on a rubber ducky

Her hands were always too full of toys!

sweet girl

We leave for our beach vacation in Duck, NC in exactly 2 weeks (well, from yesterday).  We are all SO excited for a week of sun, relaxing, good food, and lots of memories!