Life's a Beach!

Okay, I know that title is incredibly cheesy but I cannot help it. I am SO very excited for Saturday morning to get here. I've spent the past few nights doing laundry, folding clothes, filling the dining room table with necessities for both Emma and Max, and making lists of things not to forget. Tomorrow I took the day off to pack everything into neat little suitcases or rubbermaid containers and run a few last minute errands to pick up things I forgot the first time.
And come Saturday morning we are off. To sunny Corolla, North Carolina in the Outer Banks. This will be our 5th year making the 11+ hour trek from Ohio to the Eastern Coast.

This is the house we will call home for the next 7 days.

Corolla holds a special place in our hearts. For one, where else can you see wild horses on the beach?

Secondly, our first trip to Corolla was in the summer of 2006. My dad was still alive at the time and although he was sick and already on oxygen he came with us and absolutely loved the beach town and talked about coming back each year. Each time we cross from the mainland to NC-12 to drive North up the coast it's a little bittersweet as the balmy salty air blows in through the open windows.

But we still manage to have fun - because dad wouldn't have it any other way.

We are hoping that Emma loves the water as much as she did last summer. After a disastorous attempt at winter swim lessons I am not so sure! But last year we had a hard time keeping her out of the pool.

Same goes for Max who has come with us since he was a puppy. A true water dog you can often find him paddling around the pool. Or jumping into the waves.

Emma wasn't so sure of the ocean last year - instead she liked to sleep on "Gaa"s chest with the cool ocean breeze blowing on her bare skin. I don't think my mom minded one bit.

For the past few years both my Aunt Nancy who lives in Boston and our dear friend Kelley have joined us on the adventure. This year due to circumstances out of their control they are unable to make it which makes us all very sad.

But I am sure we'll manage to still have a good time.

Especially with this little girl; a whole year older and ready to explore.

And eat copious amounts of popsicles in the sunshine.

More to come as our adventure unfolds...