4x4...

Greetings from the middle of NOWHERE!

We've just arrived at the Outer Banks of North Carolina for our family vacation!  (And since I'm on vacation, I have some time to blog during naptime, hurray!)

This year at the OBX, hubby was in the mood for an adventure, so we're staying in the area north of Corolla where you can't get there except to drive a 4x4 on the beach!

That's right.  Though the asphalt and concrete end in the town of Corolla, Highway 12 continues along the beach and there are hundreds of houses spread out up here in Corova!!  The only "roads" are made of sand and the ride can feel like you're on a jet ski at times.  (Last night while hubby was enjoying the bumpiness of off-roading, we turned around to see Jameson had puked in the backseat.  Nice.)  

There's a few mile markers on sand dunes here and there, but thankfully our GPS knows where to go or we might have never made it.  The landscape around our house (about 1/2 mile from the beach) feels like a remote, shrubby island complete with wild horses(!), and it's crazy to see huge, beautiful 20+ bedroom houses built on the sand so far away from civilization!

This guy's in heaven.
 

Me?  Not so sure yet...

When we finally pulled up to our place last night, I wasn't so sure I was going to like this.  I mean, you take this city gal at least 30 minutes away from the nearest ANYTHING (pharmacy, grocery store, etc.), and you gotta understand why I'd be a little skittish at first. 

I wasn't prepared for the water here to smell HORRIBLY like sulfur.  This is no ordinary well-water.  You run the faucet and the entire room stinks.  It's like taking a shower in sewer gas, y'all.  

And no one warned us of this guy staying in our house, either. (see above)  Every time one of us walks by this hallway, he totally creeps us out!!  (Eek!)

Look what I found!

 But stinky water and puking kids and creeper pirate guy aside, this place is absolutely amazing, and already, it's unlike any other beach trip we've ever taken.   

It's growing on me fast. 

Within minutes of our first beach outing last night, Caroline was beyond thrilled to discover an entire conch shell.

And a minute later, she found a sea turtle egg!  (we buried it just after snapping the picture- hope the little guy makes it!)

Jameson is LOVING everything about this place, too.  (well, perhaps with the exception of Daddy's off-roading on the sand...) He's also beginning the era of fake smiling.

Wow.  This place.

Away from everything.  

A true vacation.

Can't wait to make some memories with my little fam this week.