My favorite kind of Rundown

Apologies that I skipped graduation posts and dove headfirst into vacation ones. It's how my brain works- never a straight line or a dull moment.

The Rundown Cafe is one of my favorite places to eat on the beach. Their Rundown Chowder isn't only a must try- it's a "must consume a bowl at every visit." Wish they'd come up north and make vats of it to get me through the winter. Their fish tacos are never less than excellent. Thing Three devours the black beans, Thing Two loves the fries, and Thing One goes to cause trouble. Just kidding.

Yes, that's the ocean in the background. You can also dine inside, but some of us love being in the sun on the upper deck (the rest of us go along grudgingly and hope to find a seat with the sun behind us). 

The Rundown is a stroll across the street from the Kitty Hawk Hilton. You can drool over their menu here but I claim no responsibility for any sudden urge you feel to run away to the beach!

 

Roadtrip

We had a successful drop-off on Sunday. I piled the boys into the car and we were out the door around 10:15 in the morning, we didn't stop at all, we had a small mishap involving too much to drink and the fact that we didn't stop at all, and we made it to the outlets right around 1:15.

After a quick trip to Old Navy to buy a clearance pair of swim trunks (since this mom didn't have any extra skivvies in the car to go with a new pair of shorts and no extra time to hit more than one rack of clothes), we made it to Wendy's to meet up with Grandmama and Carrie.

After devouring our burgers and Frostys, we hit the road with a car full of kids and luggage, and made it north with enough time to stop and make the hardest of all earthly decisions: what in the world to choose from the amazing selection at Peggy Gray's Candies!?

After touching just about everything in the store (think Harry Potter in Honeydukes) and choosing two items, we finished the trip down the road and turned into camp. They've painted the playground to be incredibly colorful (it had been plain, wood-colored wood all this time), so it makes the train that much more exciting. The big swing looks like a rainbow, the sandbox roof is colorful, and the whole scene is bright and cheerful. Things One and Three made a beeline for it so I could do registration with Liam.

Right away, I was recognized (eep!) and hugged by Becky, a counselor who'd been there when I was a kid. Her son is also there this week doing his senior project. It was so encouraging and so from God to meet up unexpectedly with a warm, cheerful friend from many, many moons ago!

We got Liam settled with only a few "I'm going to miss you tears" shed. He was sitting on the wall in front of the dining hall, waiting to be led into dinner when we headed out. There were already damp kids (mostly boys) with squirt guns and water balloons dashing about when we left, and two pairs of boxer shorts had mysteriously made their way up the flagpole, much to Liam's delight. I think he's in for a fabulous week.

Things One and Three and I went to the White Turkey for dinner (well, I say dinner, but we actually had ice cream and fries. Don't tell my mother.) We hopped back into the car and headed the rest of the way home and pulled in at about 9:30.

Yesterday was the first evening of this week's VBS and the kids had a ball. There are about 75-80 of them and the energy was HIGH. The kids have already been enjoying the CD of the music for this week, and we listened to it once again while I took our buddies Nina and Jonathan home last night. It's going to be a great week!

And not just because Rita and I are going to Tekela tonight for dinner, kid-free. *whistling innocently*

But first, today holds an orthodontist appointment, a doctor's appointment, a library trip, and cleaning before VBS, so I better get cracking! Have a terrific day!