Hatteras, an Earthquake, and a Hurricane

It started out great! Quick drive, sun in the sky, and smiling faces.

There was sand castle making, boogie boarding, kayaking, reading, lounging, swimming, crab eating, sunset gazing, beach combing, island hopping, and then...what? An earthquake back home?!?! After a few calls, we were relieved to hear everything was okay.

Then by Day 4, Irene was on it's way to Hatteras.

Seriously?!?! We could be evacuated? And the answer was yes...we were, but not without one last morning on the beach. We had it all to ourselves. By 3:00 on Thursday, we were on our way home. It was eerie...houses were boarded up and businesses closed. After a 6 hour drive, a speeding ticket, and a stop in pouring rain to save my camera (which happened to be tied to the top of the car) we arrived home.

And then Irene arrived. We finished out the last three days of our vacation folding mounds of laundry, stocking up at the grocery store, and entertaining (& refereeing) three bored little girls while sitting in the house without power for 10 hours. Not exactly how we pictured our last few days off. Ah well...our house is intact, the power is back on, we're all safe, and the sun is out! Time to get the girls outside!!!!!!!!!