Gobble Gobble

**This post has been sitting since Dec. 6- waiting for pictures.  I guess I was too wrapped up in the holiday spirit!**

I have been really wrapped up in the holiday spirit this year- and way ahead of schedule!  I don't know why I'm so motivated this year compared to most.  Maybe because we were out of town for Thanksgiving.

My parents have birthdays in November and December, and this year marked a milestone type of year.  I won't reveal their ages, but I'm 35 and they are 30 years older.  They rented a house in the Outer Banks, NC and they whole family joined in on the fun of a Thanksgiving at the beach!  We did that when they turned 50, and the repeat now was even better!

As you may recall, we were just recently at the beach in mid-August and had a great, swimmy, sweaty time.  It was refreshing to be at the beach at a cooler time of year.  It seemed the prep work was less daunting- want to go to the beach?  grab your flip flops and go.  No sunscreen application and reapplication, do we have water, grab the sand toys, grab the towels, etc. etc.  Don't get me wrong- I love all of that, but this was a nice and relaxing.

We had some beautiful weather on the beach- in the high 60's

caught a great sunset

bubbled in the hot tub

played tennis

went to the pier

saw dolphins a few times

ate Duck Donuts, went for a turkey day trot (3 of us anyway), and relaxed.  Meredith had a great time with her cousins again playing and we celebrated birthdays (my mom, dad and sister) and my sister finishing her second marathon.

Now we are back in holiday swing- I got the Christmas cards done while we were gone and they went out in record time for us.  Shopping is almost done, we just need to decorate the tree and move on the baking.  Meredith is excited for Christmas and her break from school too!