OBX: My Favorite Vacation

Tomorrow ends the 11 day vacation that I have been on. What a nice week and a half it has been.

It started on Friday the 27th of May. The day came most welcome, as the week leading up to it had been a busy one. Devin left to go bear hunting that Thursday, and at lunch that day he showed me this video:

Comforting, huh? By the way, everyone asks me if it's Devin on the raft. It is NOT him. Haha, or anyone we know. His brother found the video on youtube.

But anyway, after only getting 3 hours of sleep the night before, I woke up early that Friday morning and drove through sunny, 75 degree Alaska, to get to the Anchorage airport. Then I took off from Anchorage, and flew the 5-ish hours to Salt Lake.

I then landed in Salt Lake where I met up with all of my family.

Everyone but me, my dad, and Trav's gf Annie took off on a Southwest 4ish hour flight to Baltimore. The rest of us were on Delta, and my dad and I were lucky enough to fly first class! It was my first time, and I was in heaven. For the first time in my life, I would not have minded if the plane ride was another 10 hours.

This is my dad and I showing off our "first class snacks." Instead of stuff like peanuts and pretzels, you get Harvest Cheddar Sunchips and Twix candy bars. 

We even had a nice hot meal, which right before we were given a steamy hot towel to wash our hands and face. My dad and I had a great, relaxing time. We spread out on the huge seats, watched movies, and played yahtzee. I never knew what a different world first class was. 

Then we landed in Baltimore.

That night we drove 3 hours to Hampton, VA. We slept in a hotel there, and met up with some of my mom's family. Then, the next morning we drove to our "heaven" in North Carolina. It is called the Outer Banks (OBX) and is a strip of islands off the coast of the mainland. We stay in a small town called Corolla.

 On the way, we stopped at this cool Farmer's Market called the "Morris Farm Market." It was such a neat place, and had all this fresh produce.

Then onto the OBX in NC at my grandparents beach house! Enjoy the pics (there are lots).

mom and trav at an intense game of paddle ball

Boogie Boarding with the fam

sand crabs and where they live

resting in the "sleeping chair" after a long day in the sun.

(on top of the lighthouse. note: travis is scared of heights, can you tell?)

Fishing:

While I was fishing on the Atlantic Coast, Devin was 6000 miles away fishing for King Salmon in Alaska. (He was unable to go on this trip because of school).

I just love these two pictures combined because I think that it describes both of our personalities very well. For one: Devin is a pro fisherman, and my fish is puny. But also, you have me on the left in my shorts and T-shirt with my sunglasses fishing barefoot at the beach. Then you have Devin on the right, in his nice warm Simms jacket, fishing for huge salmon on the river in beautiful mountainous Alaska. Good times :)

When I went to wake up Timm for early morning fishing, this is what I saw:

Tired I guess.

 (my dad had to leave early for work :(  )

Our annual "Farewell Corolla" picture. Then on to get bagels:

french toast bagel

Then on our way back to my grandma's house in Maryland.

-Made a stop by our favorite place: the Dismal Swamp. Sounds dreary right? Through here is actually an inter-coastal waterway, where people can boat from Florida to Maine.

Mine and Zach's annual picture on the bench. (2008, 2009, 2011)

We also stopped at Chick-fil-a, my favorite, and the DC temple. So beautiful.

 Visiting with our cousin Matt:

And now, we are all relaxing on my grandparents new porch, enjoying the nice cool Marlyand air on a Sunday afternoon. It is wonderful!

Tomorrow we all fly home. Sad it's over, but excited to go home and see Devin and be onto the next adventure!