OBX

So, if you live in Virginia, and you want to vacation in the summer, the consensus seems to be that there is only one place to go. The Outer Banks. For those, like us, who are from the West, this is a series of islands along the coast of North Carolina.

Having never been before, but determining that it was time for the Merchants to embrace where we live and start vacationing here, we were delighted to make our first visit to the Outer Banks in August with our friends, the Jones.

It was way easier to go with someone else who had scoped things out before, and our kids loved having friends to play with on the beach. Seriously, at one point I asked both Mia and Maggie if they wanted to build a sandcastle, and I was turned down by both, since they already had a friend.

The beach was gorgeous. I loved the remote and undeveloped feel of the area. I can't wait to go back.

Here is a taste for our time at Cape Hatteras.

The view up the coastline.

Hatteras Island.



Kids loving the ocean.

Elsie Jane not so much loving the sand.


The Cape Hatteras lighthouse.

Taking the ferry to Ocracoke Island.

Say Brie...

I love to take pictures. Not that I am a wonderful photographer or anything. But, I do enjoy it.

Unless, it is a special occasion and the photographees are my children. Then, I hate taking pictures. Not that my kids aren't beautiful and photogenic. They are. Not that I don't want fabulous documentation of how they are growing up and each special moment in our lives. I do.

But, that is precisely the problem.

Whenever I really care about getting great pictures, it seems like I encounter a mountain of opposition, leaving me and the kids wearing anything but smiles on our faces at the end of the photo-shoot.

So, trying to avoid the tears and ill feelings that have accompanied our family's Christmas-photo-taking over the past couple of years, and very much wanting pictures that included Jeffry and me as actual, physically represented members of the family, I decided to take a big step. I hired someone to take our family pictures.

The problem is, I am super, really, very picky about pictures. Nothing cheesy for the Merchants, please. I want something classy, refined, yet candid. I want perfection in a photo.

So, given our love hate relationship with photos and the high bar I have set in my mind, I knew just who to hire: Samantha.

My sister's sister-in-law is darling. And, she takes fabulous pictures.

After spending lots of time thinking about what to wear and where to shoot and all those other details. After several significant melt-downs on the way to the shoot. And, after several hours with Samantha, I have been dying to see the final products...

which she put up a preview of this week.



I have just one word. Perfect. Thanks, Sam. I am in love.

For the rest of the preview, check out Samantha's Photoblog.

I can't wait for the disk to arrive with all the rest on it.

Milestones Missed

In the middle of June, Mia finished kindergarten, I picked her up from her last day of school, and we flew out to Utah for six and a half weeks. I left with two little girls and a baby, but I came back with three girls that somehow feel so much older.



I am rather late, but on August 10, Elsie Jane was nine months old. During the preceding weeks at Nama's house she:
- learned to crawl super fast;
- learned to stand up and walk all along the walls and furniture (which is part of the reason that every picture of her for the next year will include some scrape, bruise, or mark on her face);
- stopped breast feeding;
- cut her first tooth (and now she has two!);
- learned to feed herself, expertly using her pincers to pick up cheerios or pieces of banana;
- climbed up the stairs for the first time;
- learned to play pat-a-cake, clapping and grinning whenever someone will play with her; and
-charmed everyone whom she met, especially her grandparents who cannot stand that she continues to learn things without them nearby to witness the events.



At the same time, I swear Mia grew as well. She is just so independent and capable. She excelled in her dance classes, learned to swim across the pool on her own, went on a two hour trail ride on her own horse, and was such a big help to me.

She also lost her first front tooth. Sniff. She will never look like my little girl again. There is just something about those top, permanent teeth coming in that makes kids look so much older. I am already dreading it.

When I looked in Mia's mouth and saw the gaping hole left behind from her baby tooth, I commented, "Mia, that is one big hole. I hope your new tooth isn't that big."

To which she replied, "Well, why not, Mom? Yours are huge!" Touche, my dear, touche.

And, on the note of the grown up things Mia says:

Earlier this week, for the first time I can recall, she used the peer pressure card on me. Mia had plans on creating a large village for her Calico Critters on the floor of her bedroom. Executing the necessary construction would necessitate relocating half of the toys in the house from the playroom to her room, where they are strictly not allowed. In the process of my insisting that I wanted the toys kept in the basement, she informed me, "I am the ONLY kid who doesn't get toys in my room. ALL my friends get to have toys in their rooms, and they are just the same size as my room!"

As she continued to work at persuading me, she made another argument about why she should get to move her toys to the bedroom and then simply stated, "I rest my case."

Whose daughter is she anyway?

Then, today, as she was telling me about her lesson at church she recited the seventh article of faith.

"That was great!" I complimented.

"Thanks, Mom," she said, "You're not so bad yourself."

I'm glad you think so, Mia. I don't think your turning out so bad either.

Criss Cross Applesauce

Since my last post, Jeffrey flew out to meet us in the West. He flew to Las Vegas and then drove to St. George, Utah where we met up and stayed at his parent's vacation home. It was HOT. I mean REALLY HOT. So, we only went out doors if we were going straight to the pool. But, we enjoyed eating at Cafe Rio, bowling, lots of swimming, seeing Annie at the Touacan, and attending the "Sunset" Ward -- where, literally, we were the only people at church who did not receive social security benefits.

Then, we made our way back to Salt Lake for one day, left the kids with Jeffrey's mom and drove to Idaho for two days, returned to my parents in Alpine and Jeffrey's parents in Sandy for a few days of swimming, family gatherings, family pictures, etc. Then, Jeffrey and Mia drove to Lake Powell at the other southern corner of Utah for several days on the houseboat, just to make it back for two days of my family reunion. Jeffrey then (after complaining to me that for some reason he did not feel that his "vacation" was very relaxing) flew back to DC on Saturday, spent a full day at church on Sunday, and then flew to Nashville for the week. The following weekend I got back home, spent a week, got sick, still packed up the family, and we left last week for the Outer Banks in North Carolina. We returned on Saturday.

If criss-crossing the country and changing time zones and not having any semblance of a schedule for eight weeks wouldn't have done it, the lack of air conditioning when I got home turned my body and brain to mush. I spent several days sticky, sweaty, hot and grouchy as we all tried to readjust. Thankfully, the house is now cool -- because let me tell you, this week in Virginia is HOT and HUMID!

The goal for the next two weeks before school starts is simple: we have got to rediscover a schedule. It is going to be Bedtime Bootcamp at the Merchants. Wish us luck...