OBX vacation!

Thursday Morning July 23rd. We headed out to PA. It was raining so we had to make a last minute decision on going to the outdoor park Idlewild (which we already had tickets for) or changing plans and going to the Pittsburgh Children's Museum. VERY VERY last minute we decided to go to Idlewild. (w/ the help of Mom who was watching the radar for us)... just shortly after we made our decision our car broke down. As we were driving we smelled smoke and another driver started honking to alarm us. We quickly pulled off and checked it out. The rear left tire was smoking! :( and the front started making an awful clanging noise that it did months earlier and had just stopped....we just had the brakes fixed the day before and something apparently was not done right. We "chugged" on in to the nearest garage and sat for a few hours! :( so much for getting to the park early! Luckily they saw us right away and we had a waiting room w/ toys and a TV for the kids! So God was good to us in spite of our troubles! Here is Rich w/ the kids at Idlewild. Even though we were late we walked our legs off (especially me!) and had a full day of fun.

This year we tried out the water park. It felt sooooo good to get cooled off!

Luke LOVED the water guns!

I loved sitting w/ my feet up in the sun after lots and lots of walking! We left the stroller at home b/c of space... so Abby was a bit tuckered out as well.

The "Whip"

the kids favorite ride this year!

This picture is out of order... but it was easier to insert it here. This is our view out our condo at NC of the outdoor pool and ocean.

view off the north side windows of the pier that we all walked up to.

Living room of our condo

Living room, another view, w/ our bedroom in the back and steps up to my brothers place.

The "Loft" where my brothers oldest girls slept.

Mark and Deb's room... The put their two youngest in the HUGE closets. We've done this before other years, it works great! :)

Our bedroom. (the kids slept w/ us in sleeping bags on the floor)

During the week we ended up having MORE car problems. One day the car just wouldn't turn on,.. Dad helped Rich jump the car and it started, then stopped again when he was shopping w/ Abby. Eventually Rich had to get a new battery for the car. Overall it was not a good trip w/ our car!!! Luckily everything else was good!

Too be continued below!!!! blog entry is tooooo long!!!