The Cullens Chronicle: July 2012

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Beach Highlights

Last week the kids and I , along with my mother-in-law, enjoyed a relaxing week in Oak Island.

The weather was fantastic and I must say that I was lazy, and that I allowed my kids to be lazy.
They used to wake up at the crack of dawn at the beach, but slept later than usual. One day Hayden even slept until 10:43 and I didn't complain!

The kids had fun riding the waves, the rocks that sometimes cover the beach were few and we didn't see a single jellyfish, or shark, or alligator! Soem teens we know went to OKI for graduation and snapped pics of lots of jellyfish and videoed an alligator in the surf.

Corinna befriended our next-door neighbors, Taylor and Claire from Texas.

We had ice cream and sang karoke three different nights!

We also played some miniature golf. Talk about the hot spot in Oak Island. There was a big crowd there every evening.

The kids even played board games in the house. I read books and played on my new phone.
I've even upgraded to texter status now!

I got up early one morning to see the sun rise but it was behind a cloud.

We're hoping to return for a few days in early August. Our weekends are booked but we might go during the weekdays.

That really depends on the outcome of my pursuit of a full-time teaching job. My interviews are done and I'm waiting to hear back.

Friday, July 13, 2012

DC Diary: Museums and More

On our way to DC we ran out of gas....right here!

My gas gauge is broken. The gas light came on so we pulled off to get gas and there was no power. We kept creeping down the highway and made it to another exit ramp, but not to the gas station. JJ only had to walk about half a mile to retrieve gas.

He got enough for us to drive to the station. It was a madhouse as many surrounding stations were also without power. We were only about 20 minutes to uncle Jim's house.

When we finally arrived, we got to meet JJ's cousin's twins, Banks and Toler, who are 2!

The Capitol building

We spent time at several of the Smithsonian Museums...this one is the musuem of Natural History.

saw lots of fossils

Jim's house was without power for most of our stay. He's on well water, which meant we couldn't shower. So, he got a hotel room so that we could shower!

I'm at the Air and Space Museum in front of one of the Wright Brothers' planes. We talked about them in first grade this year!

Corinna is posing with Ameilia Earhart's plane. One of tour guides told us how just a few weeks ago, on an island, someone found what they believe to be a jar of Amelia's freckle

cream.

We don't think Rinna needs freckle cream!

We saw lots of aircraft.

At the Museum of American History, we saw Michelle Obama's inaugural gown.

the original Smithsonian

Here's another hotel room booked for showering! Ann and Jim slept here as the basement sofas started to take a toll!

We stayed cool in the pool. We also transferred the pool water to the back of the toilets so tht we could flush them. Needless to say, the amount of water in the pool decreased a bit as the days without power continued. But we were so thankful for the pool!

Some people don't know about the 2nd Smithsonian Air and Space museum. It has big planes and helicopters, a space shuttle, etc.

Below, the kids (and JJ) are about to enjoy a simulator ride!

On the way back to Lexington, we stopped in Richmond to visit Jonathan and his family.

It was a great way to finish off our road trip!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

DC Diary: Monuments and Memorials

Over the fourth of July week we visited Washington, DC. We stayed with JJ's aunt and uncle who live closeby in McLean, Virginia. Although we were without power for most of the week, we had a good time visiting our nation's capital.