Spring Break Road Trip Day 8 - Beach Day!

And the pictures begin loading backwards, ugh.   Our day began sleeping a bit late and taking our time getting to the beach by about 10:30 AM.   It was a little cold in the morning, so we were not in a big hurry, but at the upper 60s to mid 70s throughout the day, shorts and tshirts would be fine for everyone except for Magan, who looked like she was prepping for a snowstorm in multiple layers and wrapped in a towel.   Dear me.   

Once on the beach, I realized we would need some sand castle equipment and beach games to at least get me through the full day on the beach.   So after getting everyone set up, I drove up to the "Pacific" store that had some really cool beach chairs for only $10, and some sand castle building materials, along with one of those velcro ball and catch games.   I think Magan also had me bring her another jacket.   

Once the sand castle was built, and me and Ruby setting the velcro ball and catch record at 19 in a row, we finally sat down for a lunch of uncrustables.   But I think Ruby actually had leftover salad from the night before out on the beach.   And looking around, I realized that we three seats because Belle did not want one...but she was now sitting in mine out in the ocean with Ruby.   So back to the "Pacific" for a 4th chair and while I was there I picked up a kite.   

The kite was a cheap $6 version and was fun, but quickly went into death spirals and knotted itself up really good.   So, it was fun while it lasted.   Ruby and I walked along the beach for some seashells again.   Mom listened to her book bundled up in her chair, and Belle laid out trying to get a little sun.   Ruby and I then got the velcro ball out and set another record, this time never to be beaten at 54 catches in a row.   We laughed some more about some almost "liver flips" getting into our chairs.   And some more IPN2DC messages.   

Then I saw both my girls getting deeper into the ocean with some waves crashing around them.   "Com'n Dad" they called.   I am only getting in if we are close to getting out.   By this time it was later in the evening around 5, so they smiled and I ran in with them.   Besides unlimited fastpasses, this was probably my most fun time with the kids, as all three of us could not stop laughing.   The waves were huge crashing about at my neck, and knocking the girls back several times.   The water was freezing but after about 20 minutes, we were numb and just laughing with each new wave.   I know magan grabbed hundreds of videos and photos, as I had to search thru them to get to the few below.   Belle left a sand mermaid below, and Belle caught a "sticker" image of Magan in the water.   The waves were so much fun, and those cute girls smiling reminded me of a girl that crashed in the waves with me 25 years ago down in Gulf Shores.   Belle's smile reminds me of her mom, I don't think either of the girls completely lose their eyes like their momma when they smile, but both laughed and held my hand and made me the happiest dad in the world.   

That evening we drove into Southport and found Alex's house from the Safe Haven movie, and actually parked where a temporary storefront was built of the movie.   It has since been torn down, but Belle and I had to run over for another picture.   Next, we visited the Ports of Call Bistro where Katie and Alex had their first date in movie, and we actually got the same table they had for dinner.   Magan and I tried to create the scene pictured from the movie directly above our table.   After dinner, we visited a local gelato place just down the road.   And I did not even notice that the girls were recommending different sherbets to me, as I saw a cherry gelato, and wanted it.   After finishing a full thing of cherry gelato, I could feel a rumbling that was not good.   I remember laughing tho at Ruby getting Belle to taste her coconut flavor, and Belle saying "That tastes like my shampoo".   

Back at the van, the girls were arguing about who would sit in what seat, and they will remember that I jokingly, but not so jokingly told them they better sit down and be quiet or I would leave them.   The rest of the trip home was just a prayer for no red lights, a prayer for no slow drivers, then a strange shuffle to try and keep my butt cheeks clinched while walking up 3 flights to our condo.   But the crisis was averted and no additional clothes needed washed that evening.   We got started watching Safe Haven that night, but could only watch about half since it was already a little late.   But it was really fun watching and seeing places we had just visited.   

Spring Break Road Trip Day 7 - Driving to the Beach

My conference ended at noon on this Thursday, and I quickly made my way back to the hotel to gather up the family.   But first, ordered some amazing croissant donuts (Like Krispy Creme and a Croissant had a baby) they had at the conference marriot hotel to take back for pre-lunch snacks.   Magan and the girls had everything pretty much packed up on a roller cart and ready to go.   So we checked out and headed to the beach for the rest of our vacation.   This was my plan from the beginning when I heard that this trip aligned with Spring Break.   The girls loved the one night at the beach we had last year, and I wanted to take them to Oak Island, NC, where I had worked for a couple of weeks at a Duke nuclear plant a few years before.   I remembered taking a 30 minute drive from the plant down to the beach passing some villas along the way, and said...I want to bring the family here one day.   That trip is in the blogs titled "North Carolina", but because Belle and I had recently read Nicholas Sparks book "Safe Haven", I also wanted to share with the girls some of the places it was filmed in Southport.   Our only stop on our travels was at a KFC for lunch, and while the food was pretty good, the water tasted like dirt.   

Our beach villas were through VRBO, and it was a nice two bedroom two bath condo with a balcony view to the ocean.   Perhaps not the newest or most luxurious, but I wanted something on the beach close to Southport, and this place was perfect.    It was tho three floors up with no elevator, and no luggage carts, so it took a while to move in.   And it was the exact villas I remembered passing and wanting to stay at many years before.   Once we entered, we immediately made use of the clothes washer and dryer, then started getting ready for a couple of hours at the beach before the sun went down.   

The water was freezing, but the sun was out and the temperature was in the 70s, so it was not too bad.   We wrote our names in the sand, we walked to the pier for a picture, me and Ruby raced along the beach (She won, and as Belle told Magan, my knees were hurting later), and I started a running joke of writing IPN2DC in various places on the sand.   I knew Ruby wanted to get in more than just our toes, so we finally walked out into the ocean, and then I committed and jumped in....WOW, it was cold.   But I then "committed" Ruby, by throwing her in with me.   I don't mind the cold water and waves, and we had a good time...as long as I know the next step is going back to the room.   

Next, we headed into Southport (about 20 minutes away) to see the restaurant filmed in the movie Safe Haven.   Safe Haven (2010) by Nicholas Sparks is a romantic thriller about Katie, a woman fleeing an abusive, alcoholic Boston police husband, Kevin. She finds refuge in Southport, North Carolina, building a new life and a blossoming romance with widower Alex Wheatley. When her past tracks her down, Katie must fight to protect her new family, discovering trust, love, and a supernatural connection along the way.

That night for dinner, we headed to the bar where "Katie" worked in the movie.   It was pretty cool to see it, then walk around to the bar area featured in a few key scenes.   I took a picture of the girls, but inside was super happy when Belle asked for a picture of just me and her.   She read the book first, and then waited patiently for me to finish.   And the ending was a bit mind blowing and really the best part of the book.   I still remember us screaming together at the end as I ran out of the room to tell her I finished.   We later watched the movie with Magan, and since Ruby had not seen it, we plan to watch it while at the beach again.   

The bar tho was not a good family place, so we went next door to the Frying Pan restaurant for dinner.   Ruby had been saying she was so tired of fried food, then we all laughed that we came to a place called Frying Pan.   .We laughed alot that night, mainly with a sudden move hurting my ribs.   Magan said that Nanny called that a "liver flip" and I have always described it as my "fat rolling over my ribs", in either of those cases, it is funny unless it is happening to you at the moment.   I ordered the Safe Haven platter, and the young server said that "I think that is a movie that was filmed around her somewhere".    He looked like he was probably Davis' age and probably missed that one when they were filming.   Before heading back to the condo, we stopped at walmart to pick up a few things, one of them being some of the frozen sour grapes that Belle said we should try.   Well I did, and magan captured my face in the dark picture below.   No No No...if someone says you should try these...how bout you don't.   Wow, that was sour.