Anna in Beaufort (Phase 2)

Mon, Jun 16

We have to give Anna some down time today.  She's having a hard time keeping up with her Grandparents.  (I know that there will be a response to this).

OK. I am not having trouble keeping up with Mimi and Papa. If anything they are having trouble keeping up with me! I am the one tubing and swimming and running and screaming and jumping and going crazy so yes Papa every now and then I will need a nap. Just like you need a nap cause driving the boat is oh so difficult.

We did manage to get in a little shopping.  The girls always have enough energy for that.

OH MY GOSH. My legs were about to fall off. You guys reading this have no clue how mentally and physically exhausting back porch decor shopping is. I so wish I had a picture but Papa didn' t give us a camera. But we got the cutest painting that matched the back porch so amazingly that I might cry. (Smears of course) Guess how much we got it for? Well I can't tell you cause that would probably be violating the invisible women shopping code or something that says we don't tell outsiders the price.

This afternoon Anna and I put the kayaks in the water and did a little exploring on Taylors Creek.  A beautiful afternoon with my beautiful granddaughter.

AWWWW! Thanks Papa!

Anna being "cool" while paddling

We went to First Deep Creek off Taylors Creek and the horses were everywhere.  At one point, we counted about 20 in view.

The real actual number I counted was 22.

I GOT A PICTURE OF PAPA ON THE BLOG!!! WHOOP WHOOP!!!

OK so I was holding up my hand to show Papa the 'blue fuzz' I got off of a rope. I was really just tricking him to come up close to me so I could grab the back of his kayak and  I could take a break.

Tues, Jun 17

I don't see how the girls can shop this much.  All morning!!

This afternoon, we picked up Allie and went to the Club Pool.  They played in the pool while I unsuccessfully tried to replace the sink faucet on Eureka.

Underwater us-ie! (Howie's version of a selfie)

The real beauty

After returning to the house, Allie, Anna and I went kayaking.  We went to the same area that Anna and I went yesterday, First Deep Creek.  However, we got there right at low tide and a nice sandbar is in the middle of the channel.  And the girls decided it was time to get down and dirty!

Two babes on the sandbar

^^^ I don't think daddy would approve of me being called a babe

Two kids learning digging in the sand!!

I'm  PLAAAYYYYYYING in the mud. Just PLLAAAYYYING in the mud! (read to the tune of singing in the rain.)

Making "dirt angels" in the sand

A mermaid stranded on the beach

After this Allie started a mud fight. We both were fighting for our lives as we flung sandbar mud at each other at crazy high speeds and crazy terrible accuracy.

Anna wants to see if she can get in the kayak without turning it over.  Not a chance!

I MADE IT IN FLAWLESSLY! 

A nice outdoor shower to get all the dirt out of their hair.

I'd bet that they don't want this to get around

OOH! You guys this was the mud fight aftermath I was telling you about up there!!!

Wed, Jun 18

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on my point of view for the day, today is my birthday.  One of the big ones that ends in a 0 (and it ain't 40).

GGGGOOOOOO PAPA! It's your birthday!!!!!!!!!!

This morning I was awakened early (for me) by two girls jumping into my bed singing some awful song about birthdays.

Ouch. Papa, that was a wound to the heart. I am now wounded. I thought our singing was amazing.

But it is another great day, not because it's my birthday, but because Anna is here.  She always makes life "interesting" (she doesn't think that's the correct word - she says she's more than just "interesting"!)\

Why interesting? Why not FUN, CRAZY, AMAZING. There are so many more adjectives you can use that don't have a good and a bad meaning!

Allie tried out snorkeling

This afternoon Allie comes over and we take Asitshdbe, the powerboat, out to Shacleford and Sand Dollar Island, followed by enjoying the traditional Maritime Museum Wednesday picnic and alumni sailing.

The Sail Camp has moved to a new location on Taylors Creek while the new bridge and bypass are being built.  Anna and Evan will be attending the last two weeks in July, so it was nice to check out the new location and I think Anna enjoyed getting back into the Opti with Allie for a while.

I was told later that the girls were singing YMCA and acting out the motions with their legs.  I would never have figured that one out.

 It was also a challenge as to who could keep their legs up the longest without falling out of the tube on the very bumpy ride.

A Hermit Crab takes over the conch shell

I TOOK THIS PICTURE! YAYAYAYAYAY IT TURNED OUT GOOD!

Getting ready for sail camp

I am in an opti. I kinda forgot that optis were only allowed to go so far away from the dock but it somehow clicked in my head once I figured I passed that point. I could tell the counselors wanted to tell us to get back but once they saw how old we were I guess they just let it go. So thank you to those counselors for not totally embarrassing me!