Nags Head Vacation!

 I am a creature of habit and nothing makes me happier than visiting Nags Head every year  :)  Something about salt air just heals you!  We did a week in Kitty Hawk right after school let out.  Mom and Aunt Jill were able to join us for a day of shopping and dinner!  The rest of the week included trips to the beach, watching dolphins, mini golf, Slice Pizza, trips to the Sound, climbing Jockey's Ridge, shell collecting, and the occasional card game  :)  It was such a relaxing week and we somehow managed to avoid all day time rain storms!  Even when the weather forecast called for a rainy day, the clouds waited until night to let loose and we had great, mild weather.  
This year we decided to do another year in Kitty Hawk because it's close to all the action (food, shopping) and there are no houses on the ocean side (they have pretty much all been wiped out by now) so we could see the ocean directly from our rental house.  Our beach access was right across Beach Road as well.  

Professor Hacker's mini golf on Day 1!  Our yearly tradition!

Visiting the Wright Brothers Memorial for the first time!

Jockey's Ridge

We celebrated Caroline's 17th birthday the night before heading to the beach!  Then we went out to Stack Em High for celebratory pancakes on her real bday (June 5th).

Seeing all the pretty decorated ponies!  This one is at Kitty Hawk Kites.

First time at the sound for Jason!  He loved that the water was about 4 inches deep--for miles!

That's our "long commute" to the ocean behind us  :)  Great views of the dolphins swimming!

Another big fan of the shallow sound waters!

Old mini golf course from the 1970's included this sand castle feature.  It shows up every once in a while at Jockey's Ridge, depending on how the sands shift around.

Crab and minnow hunting at the sound!

Aunt Jill bought Jason this net and to say it was a hit is the understatement of the year!

Wright Brothers park

Our favorite frozen yogurt place!

Happy birthday to you Caroline!

At Surfin' Spoon, customers put spare $ in the cracks between the wood planks in the summer.  In the winter, when the wood shrinks, the $ all falls out--and they donate it to a different charity every year!

Snorkeling in the sound!

They have such a rough life!

Caught some minnows!

Ice cream sand set from Aunt Jill was enjoyed by Em!

Jay with the big net and Timmy with the small net  :)

Last Days of School!

Last morning of drop off for the 2018-19 school year!

 I cannot say it enough:  I LOVE being out of school in May!  It is pure joy to go home for the 3-day weekend of Memorial Day and not go back to work the next week  :)  The kids had so many activities the last couple weeks of school.  I went to the kindergarten celebration for Jason, the Mother's Day presentation for Jason, and then Jason and Emily had Field Day!  We had plenty to do around KGMS as well--they're building a huge addition to the school so that we can house the 6th grade in another year and part of the addition is a beautiful, big, brand new library!  I'll take up most of the second floor addition in the new wing!  Right now, I'm in the dead center of the building with no windows.  In October, I'll move to my new space with.....nothing but floor to ceiling windows!

We have loved Mrs. Boyd for 3 years now (2 years ago with Emily and now with Jason!)

Dabbing with the coolest K teacher ever!

Field Day fun!

Muffins with Moms!

Jason got Student of the Month for the whole kindergarten for May!

Singing in the Mother's Day presentation!

Water fun at Field Day!

Caroline the Stage Manager (KGHS Spring Musical)

 KGHS always puts on an amazing production (they do 3 plays a year!) but the spring choice is always a musical, which makes it even more amazing!  This spring they chose Cinderella the Musical and it did not disappoint!  Caroline and her buddy Lauren (Lolo to the rest of us) were selected as co-stage managers.  This production was a huge undertaking--the "villagers" and "dancers" easily numbered in the 50-70 range.  So many people to place on stage!  So many props!  So many special effects!  Caroline had a ball (pun intended) and can't wait to work on the plays next year.  I took the kids to the opening night of Cinderella and they loved it!  The HS Theater department ended up winning some regional theater awards for their costumes and set designs from this show!

goofing around during rehearsal

Not staged, I swear!  High schoolers really do read for pleasure!

I love seeing my old students in the productions!  It's amazing how mature they have gotten since the days of middle school!