Cross Country Trip Part 2: The Triangle Area and the Beach

We had a lot of fun during our week in Apex. Saturday was a relaxing day, and it helped a lot when we were recovering from all the travel. A few kids didn't feel well at first, but with some proper hydration and rest, they were as good as new by Sunday lunch. I got to hang out with Mara and her girls for most of Saturday, which was great! Kaya let me hold her for an entire 10 minutes. The Clipp family and Myles and Skyla also came over for dinner. I hadn't seen the Clipps since I was a teen. I used to babysit for them in Florida.

James did at-home church with Kenny and Samantha so she could get a nap (an essential part of keeping everyone happy). I really enjoyed church. I don't know many people there since the ward has split so many times, but it's comforting to see that the format is the same wherever I go. The Relief Society lesson really touched me and helped me feel peaceful about our trip overall. We had a nice Sunday dinner, studied the scriptures as a family, and then played some games with Christian and Rachel. (Myles and Skyla had already left at this point.)

Monday, we headed over to Pullen Park in Raleigh with the Blomquists and Christian and Rachel. Not only is the park gorgeous, it has an indoor carousel, train, and pedal boats. Though we couldn't do the boats (closed down), the other 2 rides were really fun and not too expensive. We enjoyed a picnic lunch under the pavilion and then headed to Target to replace 2 lost pairs of shoes (Kenny's broken flip flops and Lewis's shoes he left in Kansas). After a couple of hours of rest at Grandma's house, we headed to Sanford to eat dinner and swim with the Blomquists. Samantha was a little whiney in the pool, but it was a really fun, refreshing experience once James got in. I couldn't believe how warm the water was!

Tuesday, we went over to the JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State. Christian and Rachel came, along with Brinson and Ceci. It was really fun to see all the beautiful plants. Rachel took some pictures of our family which will hopefully make me not look too sweaty. :) We got some lunch at Cookout with Brinson and Ceci and ate it at a nearby park. Then, we came back to rest for a few hours before going over to Christian and Rachel's house. We enjoyed a yummy meal of grilled shish kebabs while the kids played on the slip and slide. I even played a little badminton and wasn't terrible at it. We drove home without James since he was staying to play video games with the other guys till late. I hung out with my mom and sisters and watched a little TV before going to bed.

Wednesday, we went to the art museum in Raleigh. It wasn't the most engaging activity for the kids, but I enjoyed it. There were lots of things to look at. We returned home for lunch and a rest, except for James, who went out with Dad again for service calls (like they did on Mon. and Tue.). It was this day that Samantha and Lewis had their first big meltdowns. The rest really helped, though, and I was able to get the laundry done. We went over to Myles and Skyla's for dinner, and Myles kindly installed a new alternator in the car. Unfortunately, it still had a tiny misfire, but Dad cleaned out a dirty air filter and gave us fuel injector cleaner and Heet to hopefully get things running perfectly smooth again.

Thursday, James went to Walmart to get stuff for our trip home while I packed up for the beach. We met up with Brinson and Ceci at Myles and Skyla's for some leftovers for lunch and then headed to the battleship North Carolina for a tour. I'm not sure I've ever been so hot and sweaty, but it was a really interesting tour. The kids made it through 75% of it before starting to complain, which was a miracle. We then drove to Southport to the beach house we'd be staying in. We all unpacked while I was cooking dinner and then ate, relaxed, and played some games after the kids went to bed. James and I were lucky enough to claim the master bedroom, which has a king bed and a huge shower/sauna that would fit the whole family! It was also nice to get a break from the double at Mom and Dad's house. A shower and a good night of sleep were especially welcome after such a sweaty day.

Friday, I woke up a little early, but not on purpose. After a delicious breakfast made by Mara, we headed over to Oak Island (Caswell Beach). It took a little while to find the beach access with a shower, but we got settled in by 10 and stayed till 2. It was a perfect day. The kids all loved the sand and waves. No one came close to drowning, and no one got bored. Ceci brought a yummy lunch for us to enjoy, and we even managed to keep most of the sand out of the food. It was breezy and not too sunny. The kids made a couple of sand castles and collected lots of shells, too. Unfortunately, I got some sunburn. I didn't do as good of a job with sunscreen since I needed to reapply but forgot. I should've worn a shirt, too, but I'll survive. (Everyone else is fine, of course.) We headed back to the beach house (aka Crazy Birds) to shower and relax before dinner. We all walked down to the pier to eat seafood, and I now feel like I've fulfilled a life dream to eat dinner right on the water. Seriously, it was so cool to look out and see the lighthouse on Oak Island. If the kids had been less whiny/picky, it would've been even better.

Saturday, we enjoyed a breakfast from Skyla and packed up to get ready for the ferry. Everything worked out really well. The ferry ride over to Ft. Fisher was nice, and we then enjoyed the aquarium. It was small enough that the kids weren't too bored/tired by the time we needed to leave. We drove back to Apex and had a quiet(ish) dinner while I got laundry and grocery shopping done (to pick up on Friday). I got the kids registered for school and even shopped for their supplies!

Now it's Sunday, our last day in NC. My sunburn is starting to feel a bit better, and our folder full of tickets has now been replaced with memorabilia. Today, most of the family (except Carmel and Lars) will gather for a family dinner and picture at the temple afterward. It should be a relaxing day, the perfect ending to a very busy week. Tomorrow, we start our journey back to Vernal.