Monday, May I...Vacay/Coupon/Goals!

Last week we were on vacation.  It was the perfect wrap up to a wonderful summer.  I really think you see how quickly your children grow during the school year but this year I was nearly taken aback by how quickly they have grown this summer!

Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina is our go to family getaway spot.  We've been really blessed to have a great place to stay the past two years.  Unfortunately, this year was our last year in the condo we've been lucky to rent form a some great folks close by.  They decided to sale earlier in the year.  It really made this trip bittersweet.

No worries though!  We hope to be renting a unit close by next time :)

Instead of bombarding you with picture after picture I made some collages of the highlights of our week away.

We are beach people!  Each of us LOVE the ocean - despite this year's shark activity - and just hanging out on the beach.  This year was so much fun since our Little Man could enjoy the water with us.  And no worries - we were shark free!  There was a brief call out of the water due to two sharks being seen from an airplane.  However....I'm not sure if that was legit or just people starting something up.

Our Tuesday was a bit dreary. We woke up to gray skies so we decided that would be our Southport day.  Southport is the town I want to move to when I win the lottery.  I actually picked out just the house I want while we were there (if you have 1.5 million we can totally go get it today).  Last year we spent the entire Southport adventure looking at the places from the movie Safe Haven.  (I know what you're thinking, I'm a Nicholas Sparks fan.) You're dead wrong.  My husband happened across that movie last year before our trip and had to search out all the hot spots from the film.)  This year we just enjoyed the shops (especially Ocean Outfitters) and lunch at Fishy Fishy.  If you love historical port cities you would love to Southport.  It is beautiful, historical, and so quaint.

On the last day of school my daughter received an award from her teacher.  It was the high achievement award.  With each award the teacher gave a little prize.  Our girl got a kite.  The beach and kites fit together like peanut butter and jelly.  We saved the kite all summer for this trip.  Needless to say my husband LOVED tinkering with the dollar kite and the kids enjoyed the sand and surf.

I had to share these melt my heart (and maybe yours too) shots of my kids on the beach together.  Our daughter was pleased as punch to play in the tidal pool building sand castles and then out in the ocean with either myself or her dad.  Our son was in full motion the whole time!  He chased a sea gull 400 yards and you should have seen those tiny legs going!  He also enjoyed yelling "Ouch the sharks are biting me" then he would point to the sharks on his swim trunks.  Truly, these are the best memories because they will never be this age again at the beach.

Our last day at Ocean Isle was so much fun.  The kids were busy in the sand and water and we enjoyed playing with them and people watching.  There were some memorable folks....

*The Jersey dad who enjoyed showboating his soccer and handstand skills (yes, he was sober thus it was no fun to watch)....
*Smoker mom in her mesh shorts and a twelve inch cigarette hanging out of her mouth while she mouthed off at her kids....However, she wasn't really mouthing at them she was really funny and very very kind...
*Tattooed princess...she had a garden gnome on her arm....life size!
*The angry NCSU alumni who was not very personable after we threw him the Pack sign (day one) and complimented him on his State visor (day three).

While we were around the southern coast we had to hit up Calabash, NC for dinner one night.  We enjoyed fresh seafood (and a huge steak) from Dockside Restaurant.

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It is always hard to come home after vacation.  Normally, we take our vacation earlier in the summer but this year it worked out to have it at the end.  There are some perks to an end of summer vacation like....

Being a bit more accepting of the fact you drove by a house that had pumpkins in the side yard.

As a decoration.

Oh.my.lord.

Hey you know how I mentioned we visited Ocean Outfitters?  Well I think you should go check out their website and take 10% off your order with this code:  OCEAN2015

Go ahead and stock up on your favorite Southern brands like:  Southern Tide, Salt Life, Southern Marsh, Simply Southern, Vineyard Vine and more!

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It is the LAST week of summer vacation here.  My goals are:

1.  Have a successful Monday. I have some stuff on the table I want to rock out.  I know that is vague but pray for me, God knows the need.

2.  Have a successful back to school shopping trip with BOTH kids?  We're talking haircuts, shoes, a few new clothes, and the rest of the school loot.

3.  Savor this last week of having a two year old and a soon to be second grader.

What's Going on In NC....

The biggest weekend of summer is a couple days away!  I have compiled a listing of some fun things to do this weekend starting with.....



Mocksville - July 3rd & 4th is the annual Piedmont Antique Power Association's Tractor Show & Parade in Historic Downtown Mocksville.  Music, food, and tractors from the early 1900's to today all geared up to celebrate small town America!  FREE!

Valdese - Fireworks & Independence Day Celebration.  Live music by Too Much Sylvia with fireworks to follow - FREE!

West Jefferson - 29th Annual Christmas in July Festival with country and bluegrass music, roving street entertainers, Christmas Tree Growers Competition, fireworks, and more!  And SANTA!  FREE!



Charlotte - National Whitewater Center is hosting tons of bands, food vendors, and fun (whitewater rafting and more, don't forget the zipline) with fireworks on the 3rd and 4th.  The event is FREE but there is a VIP admission that has a price tag.
Skyshow Charlotte will be at the BB&T ballfield and have a street party (FREE) with music, food, and tons of fun for the kids.  There will be a special flag ceremony by the military.  Team USA will be playing Cuba.  Enjoy fireworks over the Charlotte City Skyline at dark.  July 4th is the date, one day event.

Greensboro - It is the 41st year of the Fun Fourth Celebration (held on Friday and Saturday in Downtown Greensboro).  Music by Part Time Party Time Band, dancing in the street, food vendors, and LOADS of fun for the whole family.  A pops concert set to fireworks will wrap it all up.  Friday is $5 per person and Saturday is FREE!

Fort Bragg (Fayetteville) - Easton Corbin and Randy Hauser will be jamming out at the 82nd Airborne Division's home base.  Admission is FREE!



Chapel Hill - This event is ranked by Travel + Leisure as one of the best July 4th celebrations in our country.  Head over to Kenan Stadium for the watermelon eating contest, loads of fun for kids, food, music, and fireworks on Saturday.Admission is $1.

Southport - I shared this last week but it is still going on!  It is the North Carolina July 4th Festival and it is huge!  Historic Southport goes all out to celebrate the birth of our nation.  An extravaganza of music, food, vendors, boats, and fun on the waters and streets of Southport.

Camp Lejeune - Celebrate July 4th with the Marines.  Daughtry will perform and there will be many events focused around the Marine Corp.  FREE!

Carolina Beach - Celebrate on July 2nd with Southern Trouble (band) and loads of fireworks on the boardwalk.  FREE!

This weekend in NC.....

The weekend is around the corner.  Here's a little this 'n that about what is going on in North Carolina!  Can you believe it is already the weekend before the 4th?!?!?!

If the heat is getting to you head to Asheville to the play The Great American Trailer Park.  A comedy about, well, here's what the New Yorker said -

This wheel-spinning, mud-splattering good time of a show is the theatrical equivalent of a bag of Doritos – it’s thrillingly trashy! When Pippi, the stripper on the run, comes between the Dr. Phil–loving, agoraphobic Jeannie and her tollbooth collector husband at Florida’s most exclusive trailer park, the storms begin to brew. “More fun than a chair-throwing episode of Jerry Springer set to music.” —The New Yorker.



The High Country is in full swing this weekend with An Appalachian Summer.  On Saturday you can catch country recording artist, Kacey, Musgraves.  This series is held on the campus of Appalachian State University.  It really has something for everyone.  Click here for more information!

On my list of summer to-do's is a tour with the Yadkin River Keeper.  This weekend the River Keeper is taking folks on kayak tour in Wilkes County.  This is a 16.1 mile paddle that will include the option to camp at W. Kerr Scott Reservoir and Bandit's Roost.  Don't worry the 16.1 miles are broken into two days!  Click here for more information.  P.S. At A Brownie World, we love camping at W. Kerr Scott!

Hello Raleighwood!   The highly acclaimed movie, Bird Man, will be shown outdoors at the NC Museum of Art this weekend!  Click here to get the deets!



Love Old Hollywood?  Ava Gardner, the beautiful actress who was born and bred in Smithfield, North Carolina, will have her beautiful clothing collection on exhibit this weekend.  Gardner was a classy Hollywood actress during the 1940's and 50's.



Southport is one of my favorite seaside towns.  Oh you've probaby been there, thanks to all the shows and movies that have been filmed there (Nicholas Sparks loves that place, ya'll!)  They go all out for a week to celebrate July 4th!  Beginning Saturday the town will start all the fun festivities.  Be sure to check it out if you're in the area!

And over in Winston - catch the Dash as they take on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.  Yes for some of us it is the closest to the beach we're getting for quite a while....

Ok back to my delicious watermelon....gahhhh I love summer!