North Carolina Critters

Looking back at this last year we have spent here, I think I have had some memorable photos - of critters that is. Our backyard is an ecosystem in and of itself complete with an American alligator. A look back at some of the more remarkable ones which were all taken at our house:

I have no idea what this thing was but it was about three inches long and just sat on the screen for several hours.. weird!

We have scores and scores of caterpillars that are on the siding of the house, cars, sidewalks, etc. They are so beautiful and so are the butterflies:

This spider which was the size of a golf ball decided to park itself across our backdoor for three days and bounce down like a yo-yo when I opened the door to let the dogs out. I don't think I have ever felt that close to passing out before..This spider was living at the Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores and I kid you not - it was a good 10" across. Creepy doesn't begin to describe him...

The ladybugs here are extra large :although you can't see that from the scale of the photo:

This was so cool. The dolphins were swimming up the Neuse River out our front door:

There are countless species of birds here:

The tracks of the endangered American alligator in the swamp in our backyard. Haven't yet seen him though:

End of the Summer

The weather is finally cooling off here which is such a welcome relief. We have really been enjoying the outdoors here (see previous posts) and now with autumn around the corner, we can do it with a little less sweat appearing on us. Not much has gone on in the month since I posted last. Dave's health has gotten better and he started flying again a few weeks ago. His month out being sick has set him back in his training and thus our moving out to Yuma, AZ. Probably going to be in the winter sometime now.

Dave took a three day training trip to Wilmington last week before Labor Day and he was able to take some pictures from one of his flights. It's a perspective one doesn't get to see often. I have chosen some of the more interesting shots to put up so enjoy. Savor these last days of summer and remember today marks a day to always remember and never forget....be thankful for our all volunteer armed forces defending our freedoms.

Doggity Days of Summer

It's HOT here but we can't help but venture out around 4:00 or 5:00 p.m and enjoy a beer or a glass of wine and watch Brenden romp around the giant yard with the dogs. He loves looking at the water, birds, sailboats, bugs, puddles, etc. We even go out in the rain showers which tend to happen here every afternoon. There are so many wonderful things to enjoy right out our front door. I think we will miss this place when we leave in a few short months.

Here is a video showcasing Brenden's infectious laughter. Man he is cute!

Here is my attempt at a self taken picture of both of us..doesn't he looked thrilled to have me do this??
Playing with one of many Tonka trucks he has:

Trying the beer koozies out as mittens:He loves loves loves water in all forms: White caterpillar on our front storm door:

Ocracoke Island in The Outer Banks

Since Dave has been sick and unable to fly but well enough to still venture out on day trips, we decided to go to Ocracoke Island which is the lowest island in The Outer Banks here in North Carolina. I have always wanted to visit the strip of islands between Kitty Hawk and Cape Hatteras which is the next segment north of where we went but I think I am going to have to settle with our two day trip and call it good. The drive/ferry ride out there and back was a bit much for Brenden who has trouble falling asleep in the car as it is - then add two hours and fifteen minutes where it rains and we have to roll the windows up in the stifling heat and you can start to see where I am coming from. In other words, we had to work pretty hard to get there.

Once there though, we were quite pleasantly surprised by the town. It definitely had a San Diego small beach town feel to it. Think Encinitas or Solana Beach. The locals ride around on their beach cruisers and there are no chain restaurants, hotels or shops. All Mom and Pop places. Very nice indeed.

We stayed at the Pelican Lodge which is a bed and breakfast with four rooms. We rented the Sweet Suite on the top floor because it had a jacuzzi tub and a wet bar! Actually it was because it had an extra room so we could put Brenden in his pack and play and not have him staring at us the whole night giggling and wanting to be picked up but the other reasons sound more fun don't they?

I didn't take too many pictures because we were only there for the late afternoon and the first part of the next day and it was HOT HOT HOT. We walked the little town and tried to duck into the air conditioned little shops when we could to cool off. The mosquitoes there are wickedly large as well. Brenden got bitten under his eye and it swelled up for three days. Come to think of it, this trip was two weeks ago today and he still has the bite...can you say allergic? This first picture is when we finally got him to go to sleep with thirty minutes left on the fairy. The plus side of the ride is you don't have to have him in his car seat as the car isn't actually moving. The negative side is you don't have to have him in his car seat as the car isn't actually moving. It's both because he got so excited that he could stand up and run around in the car that putting him back in the car seat was apparently pure torture for him and thus us. You also can't have your car idling which of course means no A/C. Not pretty... The Pelican Lodge B&B - that top deck was right outside our suite - a lousy Internet photo:Dave standing on the top deck of the Lodge at sunset: "The Ocracoke Lighthouse is North Carolina’s oldest operating lighthouse. In 1798, a 54 foot wooden tower was built on the point of Ocracoke Inlet to mark the channel. Soon afterward, the inlet shifted, rendering the lighthouse ineffective. It was replaced by a light vessel in the inlet in 1820, but by 1822 this structure was rendered useless yet again by shifting sands, and Congress authorized the funding to build the present tower, which stands 75 feet tall and shines 14 miles out to sea. As a harbor light, it emits a constant fixed beam.Not open for climbing." I like this picture of my two guys:

Town of Oriental, North Carolina - a day trip

I know what you are thinking.. the town is called Oriental?? Yes it is and here is why:

WHAT’S IN A NAME?
First settled in the early 1700’s and later known as Smith Creek, the name “Oriental” was suggested by Rebecca “Aunt Becky” Midyette, wife of Louis “Uncle Lou” Midyette. Mrs. Midyette was inspired by the name of a Union Civil War ship that sank off the Outer Banks in 1862 while carrying Gideonites and soldiers from Boston to Georgia. On a trip to Manteo, she saw the ship’s name board hanging in a residence she was visiting. Taken with the name, she returned home with an idea that would change Smith Creek forever. The new name was approved in 1886. The Town of Oriental was incorporated in 1899. “Uncle Lou” served as its first Postmaster.

We have gone over to this little town a few times. It's very quaint and picturesque. I took a series of photos of Brenden and Dave that really capture Brenden's personality. I love these photos for many reasons one of which shows Brenden's new favorite thing to do which is run away from you while laughing hysterically. Glad I left the point and shoot at home and took the DSLR this trip. They have this great little boardwalk which is perfect for shooting pictures.

I have to say that we are really enjoying living here in Cherry Point, N.C. It's so beautiful and it's great to be able to expose Brenden to these types of outdoors. I know in Arizona it will be the polar opposite of forests and ocean so we are taking advantage of what is here now.

Sunny Sweet San Diego

Brenden and I had spent such a great week and a half in Salt Lake and on the 4th of July, it was time to fly to San Diego to see Dave's parents and spend a little time there. We thought we would stay over a month there and see Dave on the weekends in Yuma, AZ where he would be training for six weeks but it was not to be. A few days into the trip to San Diego we found out that Dave was very sick with what appeared to be Hepatitis A. He went into the hospital in North Carolina where he stayed for five days. We cut the trip short and flew back home to take care of him. Happy to say he is feeling much better now. It was very nice to see friends and family on our three week jaunt out West - I do miss that place...

On the 4th, we managed to spend a few hours at the annual party that the Slays go to at their friend's house in North County, S.D. Brenden's cousins Jordan and Conor and Aunt Kristen were there to play with. There was also an anteater and kangaroo (kept by a man who is licensed to rehabilitate wild animals) there which amused the kids:
Blowing bubbles with Aunt Kristen and cousin Jordan: We also fit in a trip to Sea World a few days after the 4th with my friend Pita! So so much fun to spend the day with her.

Pita showed The Cute dolphins which he absolutely LOVED: O.k I know this is so cheesy but I couldn't help myself: Finally - some rest for the wild one:

The greatest toddler activity I have ever seen...

.....is in Liberty Park located in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is called the Seven Canyons Fountain and it's awesome! Seven Canyons is a maze of water which starts as seven small pools that symbolize the water peaks at their summit in each of the seven canyons that run into the Salt Lake valley. They all end at a small water pool that symbolizes the Great Salt Lake. The pool is one foot deep and the "canyons" running out of it are only about three inches deep. The water is treated, so children are welcome to play in it. Swim diapers are required for young ones thank God! I went with my friend Kat and her two adorable kiddos Sebastian (3) and Alexandre (10.5 months). It was the play date I had been waiting for since our kids were born. What a great time.. although I was chasing Brenden around like a mad woman the whole time and I couldn't really enjoy Mom time with Kat.

Alexandre, Kat and Sebastian:
I wish we had this stuff in North Carolina...SO cool! They really should be twins:
I cannot forget to mention seeing my friend Melanie for lunch this week as well. We went to high school together and she is literally as sweet as can be. We have so much history together. I can't believe her oldest daughter is going to go to high school next year. I truly feel old.... I have missed her dearly:

Utah's Hogle Zoo

Going to the zoo was always a favorite of mine as a kid. My first job actually was at Hogle Zoo at age fifteen. I worked in the concessions and pretty much hated the job except I loved watching the animals on my break and lunch. I worked there for two summers and hadn't been back since. Fortunately they have done some upgrading in the twenty years since but it was pretty much the same zoo as I remembered. We went with the whole family and my two great friends and their kids. Big crowd but we had a lot of fun!

This is the same train they had when I was a kid. Durable little thing! They had these lion drinking fountains there when I was a kid:
Brenden wasn't so sure about the carousel:The whole gang.. I couldn't believe we got this shot of everyone!