I KNOW!!!

 I know it's been forever since I have posted anything.  In fact, I even considered never posting again just so that I wouldn't have to deal with the guilt that comes with sporadically posting -- and trust me -- I feel guilty!  But then I had to take a step back and REMEMBER...that the reason I have this thing in the first place is so that I can write stuff for "the world" to see - but I have absolute control over it and it's my perogative to post as often or as infrequently as I'd like.  So...with that said.  I'm back.  For at least today.  You're welcome :)

Really, I just wanted to post some pictures from our trip (in AUGUST!) to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  It was the first time I'd been to the OBX since 1999 (the year I graduated from high school and went off to college).  Prior to that, I had been a handful of times, and always with my family.  We used to load up our suburban full of toys, food, beach blankets, and a couple of bathing suits, and drive the 9 hours down to "the shore" and spend a week in a beach house - always with some of my Mom's sisters and their families.  Those were fantastic family memories!  And, to me, beach vacations are the ultimate way to relax while getting away!  There's literally  not much to do but sit on the beach or at the pool, sunbathe, eat, drink, and be merry.  And, that, we DID!

All told, there were 14 people with us including my Grandmother and my 3-week old nephew, Emitt.  We stayed in a house about 2 blocks away from the beach that had it's own private pool and hot tub.  The weather wasn't great during the week we were there, but we made do, and, personally, I got a TON of reading time in, so that was amazing.

Here's some pictures of our glorious time together.  We didn't take many pictures - especially of all of us together as a group.  But, we sure did have a great time!