Morehead City & Emerald Isle 2009

This weekend, our good friends Russ and Allyson Johnston were married in Swansboro. Russ is an old college friend of ours and one of Bill's fraternity brothers. Bop and Pop Pop joined us for the weekend festivities, and the kids had an amazing time checking out the sights along the coast! The reception was at the NC Aquarium, and we all had blast looking at all of the animals and ocean life as we danced the night away!

My great-grandparents had a house and boat in Morehead City, so growing up, we took our summer vacations here. As I got a little older, we began to vacation in Emerald Isle which is about 30 minutes away from Morehead. As we walked around, it was amazing at how thinks have changed, but how much is still the same.

Paxson wanted to go down to the beach all weekend long, but it was a bit cool. Before we left on Sunday, we took the kids down to the beach. Paxson wanted to wear his "beach costume" so he could get into the water. We thought the kids would think the water was too cold, so we didn't even bother putting Gracie Myers into her "beach costume". The freezing water didn't deter our two water babies! They had a blast and are looking forward to visiting the beach again this summer!

On the way home, we stopped by Emerald Isle to see where I spent each summer growing up! Paxson and I shared an ice cream cone outside of the same Dairy Queen my family used to visit on hot summer nights! It was a neat experience walking with my own children in the same exact places I used to walk as a child myself.

Bill and Paxson check out the "pirate ships" in Morehead City.

Paxson was excited to buy a pirate kit with everything a little pirate would need!

We had lunch at The Sanitary, the same restaurant our family would eat at each summer...my great-grandparents and other relatives used to visit here as well!

Morehead City

Bop and Gracie Myers enjoy the view!

The cold water couldn't stop Paxson!

This was the first time Bop got to see Paxson and Gracie Myers playing at the beach!

Whee!

Her smile says it all!

Gracie Myers loved kicking the water!

Maybe we should have put her in her "beach costume".

Saying goodbye to the ocean!

Someone didn't want to leave!

Paxson loved digging holes in the sand!

I think Paxson would have stayed in the water all afternoon had his lips not started to turn blue!

The sign is still there!

Fran's was the best place to buy a bathing suit when we were growing-up! It was somewhat of a rite of passage to buy a bikini from Fran's each summer! I can still remember my first one was a pink, grey and white strapless OP bikini!

A view of the Bogue Inlet Pier.