{ahhh....]

I just got back from our annual beach week on the Outer Banks of NC.  We camped for a week in Rodanthe, with our closest friends, and had a GREAT week.  What is not to love about spending the week on my butt, in a beach chair, with a good book, some beading, some yarn and needles, a cold beverage, the warm sun, the smell of sunscreen, the giggles of DNK and her buddy, my best friend and the relentless sound of the surf pounding the shore?  Nothing.  There is NOTHING to not love about beach week!!!  I'm convinced that I could live the rest of my life with my feet in the sand.  The only semi-negative thing about our beach week this week was that due to Hurricane Danielle, DNK and her friend didn't spend as much time in the ocean as usual.  By the latter part of the week, the swell was getting pretty large, and the rip currents pretty mean.  DNK and her friend spent their time playing in the sand, splashing in the tidal pools, or in the swimming pool at the campground. The ocean was churning like a washing machine by that time.   Anyway, so now we're back home, trying to enjoy the last week before school starts.  And by "enjoy" I mean washing 7000 loads of sandy laundry, getting groceries and doing the last bit of back to school shopping.  However, we're gonna fit in one last day at the water park, and some afternoons in the pool.  I refuse to let this hard earned tan fade already!! =)

Look at the size of that wave!  At this time, the undertow wasn't strong, and there were lots of surfers out.  It was actually one of the safer days for the girls to play in the surf.  DNK is like a fish.  She has no problems out there except for me.  I won't let her go out deep....

I love this picture of DNK with her hair blowing in the morning breeze...

I could quite possibly live the rest of my life with my feet propped up like this forever.....

See who I found on the beach?  This is "Beardie".  Or, Beardette, since it was just recently determined that HE is a SHE. lol.  This is my friend's son's pet, and she LOVED the warm sand.  I love this critter.  I have no issues holding her.  She sat on my chest like a brooch for awhile.  I should've had my friend take a pictures....

Beware the Dragon!!  She protected us while on the beach. Doesn't she look FIERCE???

We're the second camper back.  That's my hubby in the orange shirt... =)  See how close we are to the dunes?  Next year I want the "front row seats".