Spring Break 2012!

 Our destination this year was to the Outer Banks, NC - 

but we took our time getting there...

DAY 1

 ...was a lot of driving with a stop in Pittsburg 

for our first DDD meal of the trip -
 The Starlite Lounge's World Famous 1-pound Pierogies for dinner. 

They did NOT disappoint!

DAY 2

We spent the entire day in Gettysberg, VA.  Jeff was in HEAVEN

as we toured the museum and battlefields.

We did the "car tour" and drove through the town to see and read

about everything that took place there.

DAY 3

Busch Gardens Amusement Park in Williamsburg, VA...

This was the highlight of the trip for the kids because -

not only did we have beautiful weather -

but we hardly waited in line for any of the rides.

 

"The Cost of an Untidy Chamber".... "For Want of a Quiet Tongue"

So true, so true!

 

Jeff and the older kids did each roller coaster twice, 

while Ian and I stayed closer to the ground!

 

 

Ever eaten a "Pig in a Kilt??"

 

Highlight of the day for me was listening to the Sesame Street Sound Track

in kiddieland...."Rubber Ducky, You're the One!"

Made me want to have "littles" again so I could buy the CD to listen to in the car. :) 

The rest of the day/evening was driving to Corolla, NC on the Outer Banks.

DAY 4

Riley's 17th Birthday was spent like this:

It wasn't an extremely warm day but the boys swam anyway - 

we inducted them into the "Polar Bear Club" since the water

wasn't heated and it was only about 73 degrees outside.  Brrrrrr!!!

After lunch, we rented bikes and rode around the island.

 (this is our mentally-challenged daughter...)

 We rode our bikes to this pretty lighthouse

and then stumbled across this amazing dock with gazebo.

We learned that this water was briney - 1/2 fresh and 1/2 saltwater.

We had Riley's birthday dinner at a family-owned place in Kitty Hawk.

We all enjoyed the southern-fare - especially the shrimp & grits.

DAY 5
...was spent at the beach and by the pool, for more
polar bear swims.

It was also a perfect day for flying kites!

I don't have any pictures, but we ate dinner that night at "The Bad Bean" in Corolla
where their specialty is HUGE burritos and awesome queso sauce w/chips.
Back at the hotel, we played "Bananagrams" and "Phase 10"
and enjoyed the time to relax together.


DAY 6
We started our trek back home but stopped in Kitty Hawk on the way out
to see the "Wright Brother's Museum"
where the first airplane flights ever took place.

Again, Jeff was in HEAVEN!

 It was cold & windy, but it was fun to walk along the path
where these flights took place.

The rest of the day was driving...all day long.
But we spent the night in Mt. Airies, NC -
otherwise known as Mayberry.
This is the little town where the Andy Griffith Show was filmed
and where he was actually born.
It is this town's claim to fame and everyone we met had
a story of how they knew Andy "back in the day!"

 DAY 7
We drove all morning and had lunch at a DDD called "Hillbilly Hotdogs"
in West Virginia.
This place can only be described as...crazy!

It is made of 2 old school buses and they ring the "dinner bell" when your
order is up.  The menu consists of all kinds of hot dogs, burgers and
pretty much anything deep fried - including mac n-cheese!
We opted for deep fried pickles.
This was so much FUN - a feast for the eyes and the tastebuds, for sure!

And my new favorite Hillbilly quote:

"Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit!"