Beach Vacation–Final Days

The last two days were so much fun!  We were beach bums by that point and I’m pretty sure I could have made it “home”.  The weather was picture perfect! 

Thursday we just played on the beach all day!

Maddox enjoyed pulling Ryder and his “load” in the wagon! I think he was pretending he was a truck pulling a trailer!  That boy has one big imagination!!

Who needs sand toys when you have empty water bottles!!

pulling the load!

That evening we went out to eat at Blue Water Point.

I had stuffed founder w/ grits and veggies

Chris had a good ole plate of fried flounder and shrimp.  Yummy!!!

The scenery at Blue Water Point is worth eating there alone!  There is water all around and the most beautiful sunsets in the evening!

The boys had fun pretending to ride this alligator.  I put a video on Vine.  If you are on vine and want to follow along….I am Kim Carrigan

The gorgeous sunset!!

The next morning we got up super early and dressed for pictures.  I have always heard that early morning or late evening are the best times of the day for pictures.  Well, If you’re a photographer and are reading this please tell me what we did wrong.  If we faced the sun…all we could do was squint and couldn’t keep our eyes open.  In the picture below…the sun was to our left and so our faces are half shaded.  If we would have faced with the sun behind us…the sky would have been burn out.  So…what should we have done?

The best pic…and its of our butts!

After pics we went to Southport and caught the ferry to Fort Fisher!  I never get tired of that ferry ride.  Especially on a beautiful morning like we had!!

Maddox was so excited to feed the birds!!

We forgot to bring bread with us so our leftover Bojangles biscuit and fries had to do!!

Maddox and his new poses!!

Sweet Ryder!

Happy Happy Happy!!!

Sweet Maddox

Ferry kisses!!!

Ferry Hugs!!

Daddy’s sunglasses.  They fit him perfectly…..and he’s 3!!!

North Carolina Aquarium

Maddox insists on pushing Ryde!!

There was a bird running around inside and Maddox was laughing at it!

I love the babiness in his face in this pic!!

Checking out the turtles!

“Hold me Mommy”

Ryder got so excited when he saw the fish!!

Posing with the alligator!

This is as close to a snake as I ever want to be….yikes!!

Maddox would not hold the horse shoe crabs or any of the other sea life that could be touched or held.  I guess holding the shark did him in!

I spy a crabby Ryder!!!

Who knew that this would amuse them the most at the aquarium!

The play area outside of the aquarium!

On the way out…Ryder insisted on pushing Maddox!! Too funny!

waiting to get back on to the ferry….finishing off his Bojangles

The boys got a short nap when we got back and then we woke them up to get a few more hours on the beach since it was our last day!

Best Parents Ever!!!

Best Husband Ever

So finally the last 30 mins we were on the beach…Ryder decided that he LOVES the water!  Thank God he didn’t like it until then or I would have had to keep him on a leash.  He would try to break loose of my hand and just take off running into the waves….full force!!  That’s so scary!!  We will have to work on some swimmig lessons before next years trip!!

Daddy breaking down our set up!!

Saturday morning…before we left….Maddox had to do one last thing. 

Throw his final paci into the ocean!

Here he comes!!

The Last Paci!!!

Going….Going……

GONE!!!

Maddox actually gave up his paci about a month ago and has done great without it.  His first ceremony for his paci was flushing it down the toilet.  I asked him what made him finally decide to get rid of his paci and he said, “God has been telling me to do it”….sweet thing…I pray he always listens and is obedient to what God tells him!

It was so chilly Saturday morning…in the low 50’s!!  We wrapped up and back to L-town we came!!!

Such a fun tradition!  So thankful to have a vacation and the opportunity to spend so much extra time with my family!!

Last but not least…I have to share one last photo.  I snapped it with my phone walking to the beach and it is PRECIOUS!!

I am so so thankful for my Mawmaw and that she will be 88 on June 1st and is still able to come to the beach with us and even more so…to walk thru all the sand down onto the beach.  She is such an inspiration!!! Love her!!!