Carolina Beach Vibes

Six hours south of DC landed us at Carolina Beach, NC, just outside of Wilmington. It was wonderful to get away, relax, and recharge. The weather was breezy, high 70s/low 80s--i.e., perfect! There was a small boardwalk, little boutique shops, and a beautiful park that hosts a market on Saturdays. Steven and Julia got coffee from Majik Beanz every morning (no Starbucks anywhere). Another highlight was getting a "squigley" from Squigley's Ice Cream & Treats, which was named by the Today Show as one of the top 10 ice cream shops in America. They also tried Fun Time's soft-serve ice cream (super soft and melty) and strawberry shortcake with cheesecake ice cream (huge hit). Renting a house near the beach brought back many fond memories of our Outer Banks family vacations of long ago. 

Gang Back Together

It is so nice to have glimpses of normalcy. We had a lovely visit with Meme, Mariam, Benjamin, and the family. Didn't think twice about hugging or wearing a mask; it was wonderful. We are looking forward to many more dinners and visits with friends and family this summer. 

Back in the Hood and Mother's Day Weekend

Julia and Benjamin have been back in DC for a full week and it has been wonderful. The house is a bit more lively and the cats are happier with the better cat to human ratio. Laura came to celebrate Mother's Day. We also celebrated Ethan's 19th birthday (with Georgetown Cupcake). We got mani/pedis and deep-fried a turkey from Wagshals. It was delicious. On Sunday, mom came over for some Rocklands and a visit to the new Eisenhower Memorial. It is spread across four acres on Independence Avenue, near the Capitol. There isn't much to it--some bronze sculptures, engravings, and a huge tapestry depicting the beaches of D-Day (had to look up what this was, because it wasn't obvious or stated anywhere!). So thankful to be sandwiched between a wonderful mother and an amazing daughter.