Pretty poses during Days 3 and 4

A trip to the OBX is not complete without a stop at the playground in Duck and carousing the boardwalk. These sisters were inseparable as they played princesses and had King Daddy chase them around the castle. 

Ellie is not shy about telling us what to do. 

Ah, sitting on the dock of the bay... 

rocking the day away... 

 Our family picture by the beautiful hydrangeas by town hall. 

The next day the girls posed in their new bathing suits by the house.  Evie is sporting a gap-py grin from her loose tooth which is ready to pop! 

The girls are bursting full of giggles dying to get out! 

Meanwhile, Ellie practices her dance moves and checks herself out in the reflection of the glass windows. Whatsa happening, hot stuff? 

OBX -- Beach Day 2 and Mini Golf!

Every day is a beach day in the Outer Banks. Day 2 was less focused on building towers, walls, and castles and more focused on...

 ...escaping the waves!

Luckily Evie's quickness usually proved too much for the ocean. 

 Ellie, on the other hand, was very much concentrating on her dancing for the entire vacation. Practice makes perfect believes Ellie and that meant dancing whenever she had a chance -- even on the beach!

Ellie is showing off her beautiful lines. 

Next comes a little shake... 

...and finally the big finish with magic fingers!

 While many people like to cool off in the ocean after a strenuous workout, Ellie prefers the "ocean pool" that Dad digs out every day.

 In the afternoon it was off to mini golf, which Evie has been looking forward to since last year.  We start our outing at our favorite course: "Professor Hacker's Adventure Golf" (that's the good professor behind us).

Unfortunately, we went during Ellie's nap time. The 20 minute nap in the car on the way to the course didn't quite leave her refreshed for 18 holes of exciting fun! 

 Ellie (somewhat) and Evie (definitely) enjoy the train, which takes us up the mountain on the way to the first hole.

Mom and Ellie with the lost pirate ship in the background. 

Are the two photos of the same hole in one? Nope. Dad managed two holes in one with only one good arm and just 10 days after wrist surgery (a feat he duplicated three days later).

 Evie shows off her fine swing, which allowed her to beat Mom and Dad on several holes.

 By the end, Evie and Ellie were both excited about our afternoon golf soiree. The box of explosives says it all!

OBX Annual Visit -- First Beach Day of 2014

After a long journey from Alexandria to Southern Shores, the family finally made it to its beach house for its annual week vacation in the Outer Banks in North Carolina.

Evie made a beeline to the beach to get some water  and sand for construction of her sand walls (which Ellie liked to call balance beams resulting in tiny destructive foot prints trampling Evie's work).

Ellie spots another balance beam!

Aaahhhh... nothing beats the sun, the ocean... 

...and throwing sand! 

Time to rebuild...

...with help from little sis!

After a quick visit to the beach, Evie, Ellie and Dad head to the water to rinse off the sand. Ellie, it's awfully challengng to rinse off the sand if you are jumping over the waves with Dad!

Ba's 80th Birthday and Dash for Dad...

The family was excited to celebrate Ba's 80th birthday this weekend!  Ba helped Ellie get blinged up in some beautiful bracelets before posing for this picture (Evie was outside having a water gun fight with the other kids). 

Ba surrounded by three daughters, two granddaughters, and one great-granddaughter. 

Four generations! 

Ba and her great-grand-children! 

The next morning, it was off to the races for our sixth Dash for Dad on Father's Day.  Evie did some stretches to prepare for the big race - the kids had their own Super Hero Kids Dash prior to the adults' 5K. 

Ellie gets in her cape and is ready to fly from Opa's shoulders. 

She's off like a speeding bullet!  Evie was going so fast, we couldn't even catch her on film... 

The two fathers show off their numbers, despite us skipping the race this year... 

However, the girls really got into their warm-up routine, doing some stretches - 

- and jumping jacks! 

Ellie was above it all. 

 Alas, Daddy was not to run this year, but there's always next year! 

Aw, these girls and their silly faces. Even though we didn't run the 1-miler, we still enjoyed at least a couple of delicious smoothies! 

Don't worry, Evie, there's always next year!

SIDE-TRIP! A fun detour on the way back from C'ville

On the way home, we decided to make a quick stop to go strawberry picking at Hollin Farms.  Evie really got into it, saying "I could do this all day!"  

Ellie, not so much, but that could have been because she just woke up from a nap and was more interested in snuggling.  

Evie peers through the leaves to see if she can find some juicy pickin's.  Strawberry picking quickly replaced the obstacle course as the best part of the weekend. 

Daddy and Evie with an amazing view in the background. 

They proudly show off their bounty. 

The family stopped by Naked Mountain Winery to enjoy a tasting and picnic lunch before hitting the road again for home. Evie tried out her photography skills to capture this shot, while Ellie is doing a dance routine in the background. 

Evie got a close-up of Ellie whose chin was covered with strawberries!  This was an outing we'll be sure to make an annual tradition!