Part 2....Wrightsville Beach and Wilmington

For the most part, we spent a lot of time at Wrightsville Beach, which is just 5 miles south of Wilmington.  The weather was PERFECT!!  The temperatures were still in the 90s (like at home) and one day in the 100s, but with a cool ocean breeze, it felt more like 80s.

The pathways leading up to the beach had the hottest sand!

Everyone rode these cruiser bikes around! If we go back again, we are renting some!

Most of the beach time was spent with Tyson swimming/playing in the ocean, while I worked on my tan on the beach.  Every now and then I got in the water too.  The temperature of the water was perfect too!  Cool enough to cool you down, but after being in it for a couple seconds, it was warm enough too!

We ran a few days on vacation too.  In Wrightsville Beach there is a 2.45 loop (which is really called "The Loop") that we ran on a couple days.  It just took you in a big circle.  It wasn't as close to the water though, so it was pretty warm out there.


We also did a lot of exploring in downtown Wilmington.  It's a perfect little city.  The population is around 100,000 but when you are downtown, it seems like such a small town (kind of like Cedar Falls).  Here are a few pictures of places we saw and went.

Sofa Bar

YUM!! We got ice cream here.

Riverwalk

On the riverwalk

Riverwalk

 

To be continued....Part 3: Anniversary and Carolina Beach

Part 1....The Surprise

I'll write about our anniversary vacation in a couple different posts, so you don't get bored reading about it all.

On Tuesday, July 19th I received "part" of my anniversary gift from Tyson.  I had known for awhile that it was going to be something BIG!  He kept saying things like "you're going to love your gift" and "I don't know how I'll top this one".  I didn't ask questions because I wanted to be surprised, but I was getting very suspicious. 

The gift I got on Tuesday was a notepad that he had gotten made that reads "Mrs. Burton" across the top.  There was a packing list that he wrote out on the notepad, along with this....

We both got to packing right away.  I needed to know how many days to pack for because that part hadn't been listed.  He said we would return on Tuesday, July 26.  The one thing he wouldn't give away was the location. 

On Wednesday morning, we left around 8:30am to head to the airport in Moline.  He checked us both in and would only give me our first ticket which was to Atlanta.  I still had no idea where we were going....I actually wasn't thinking much about it.  I was just excited for a vacation! 

Finally on the flight to Atlanta, Tyson was telling me a story about how he was nervous that people at the gym were going to ruin the surprise....and during the story, he ruined it!!  Hahaha!  He told me that he thought one couple at the gym was going to say something because they had recently been to Charlotte and since we were going to Wilmington......and that's when he realized he said it! He had been keeping it a secret since March, so it was time anyway.  I would have found out within an hour when our flight arrived in Atlanta.

Wilmington.....to be continued :)

Insanity

One year ago today, the insanity of wedding week was beginning.  The Nevada wedding party had arrived and boy was I in for a treat. :)  Looking back now, it was fun having them here....but when I still had a MILLION things to do with a house full of (drunk) men....it was anything but fun for me.  So...who's getting married next so I can be in on the fun??!!?!  :)  Miss you Nevada family!!!

Here are just a few, appropriate pictures to highlight the week. 

Night 1: Broken mailbox

Night 1: Sideways truck

Night ??: Half-naked Kevin

Stay tuned for details of our 1st anniversary! Tyson keeps telling me he has a BIG surprise...so I'm excited to see what's in store!!

Dumont Sandbaggin' Day

I always looked forward to Dumont Day when I was younger.  Can you really beat games, a dunk tank, parade WITH candy, band/dance, and the list goes on and on...??  Well no, you can't.  (Someone correct me if I'm wrong) But it's been a few years since there has been a Dumont Day celebration.  This year, my mom took on the task of organizing the town festivities.  She did a GREAT job!!  It was called "Dumont Sandbaggin' Day" in honor of the sandbagging done during those summer floods that happen too frequently.  There was even a relay race (that we missed because we needed to cool off in the air-conditioning for awhile).

Tyson and I both worked for a few hours Saturday morning and then took off for Dumont around 10am on Saturday.  We met Wendy and Ava at my grandma Meinders house.  She just had surgery earlier this week on her foot.  She hadn't been getting any circulation to her foot so they did a balloon surgery that was a success!!  We were all thankful because they were looking at amputation if the surgery had not worked. 

After visiting with grandma for awhile, Tyson and I were off to the bags tournament while Wendy worked in the beer garden and Ava and my dad ate lunch and napped (my mom was running around from job to job and Josh was still at work).  The bags tournament was double-elimination with a $230 cash prize for the winning team.  Well....we lost our first two games so we didn't stand a chance at the prize.  We had fun anyway! 

After our 2nd loss

After we were out of the tourney, we sat around and took a walk around Dumont before the parade.  I love parades that throw out candy (I'm a sugar junkie!!!).  It seems like a lot of parades now (or maybe it's just CF) can't throw out candy anymore.  What's the point of a parade if there's no candy??  After the parade, we ate supper at the ambulance shed and then us and the Malcolm's decided we needed to cool off at my parent's house before the evening festivities began.

As we were about to leave, the Smiley Train was taking kids for a quick ride, so while Tyson and I realized we locked the keys in the truck, Ava got a ride on the train!

We returned to town in time to do this......

Failed attempt with the hanger

Tyson's pulling on the window while I'm reaching my arm in.

Thanks to a friendly stranger, I got the door unlocked!

......before we started our volunteering shift of checking I.D.s and selling beer tickets.

Great assembly line system!

And after our shift was over and we over-indulged in adult beverages.....this is what the Pecha girls do to end a great day......

We jumped on stage with the band!

Oh...and how can I forget my husband, "Ladies' Man".

How can he not be a happy man with these ladies on his arms?!?!?

                                         

Mission: Stain Deck......Accomplished!!

This is how we spent the Friday and Saturday of the 4th of July weekend. 

Before

 

 

After (I should have taken this without the shadow lines)

Before

After (not completely done...still had some touch-ups to do here)

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After - it stands out so much better now!

Oh...and don't judge us on the brown lawn in the "after" picture above.  It hasn't rained in FOREVER.  Tyson would probably be humiliated if he saw this. :)

Anyway, he says we're doing this again in 2 years.  Any volunteers?  Free drinks....food....anyone?  Anyone?

Sturgis Falls half.....continued (pictures)

Here are some pictures that my adoring fans took.

Walking to the start of the race (I'm up by the person with the bright yellow shirt)

Ready to go!!

Coming around the last corner!

Waving at my fans....and there's my new friend Russ in the white. :)

My "littlest" fan!