Vacation Numero Dos

Today, I'm recovering from a week of vacation.

My bonus family always goes to the outer banks for their annual vacation. Every year, I've been invited and I usually can't go for the whole week but this year, I was able! I get along swimmingly with my in laws. I hear these horror stories from people about how awful their sister in law is or their mother in law and I can't even imagine it.

The hubs comes from a big family, the oldest of 4. All of them are adults are now but when I started dating him, the baby was only 9. I love her so much and had the pleasure of watching her grown into this amazing woman. Whenever I suggest something crazy, she goes along with it and is big on family too. She pushes me to go outside my comfort zone as well. I might say no to hubs but I won't say no to her.

This week was a week of firsts for me. A couple of years ago, my newest sibling and I went on a random journey traveling around the island. It was stormy out and thank goodness because the lighthouse was closed. I didn't tell her then but I wasn't eligible for climbing it. I was over the 260lbs limit.

Bodie Lighthouse 2016

I was going to make the most of this trip and my goal was to climb a lighthouse! The siblings were all interested too which made my heart smile. We rushed there and bought our tickets. Had roughly an hour to waste so we drove into town and visited a fudge shop. While we were there, I ran into an old friend from 4-H (I LOVE WHEN THIS HAPPENS! So great to see their success) who gave us some insight on climbing Jockey's Ridge. We had 20 minutes to climb it and get back down and to the truck...and we did it! When we got back to Bodie, the storms had rolled in and we couldn't climb it.

Top of Jockey's Ridge 2018

The next day, we went to Hatteras to climb...a much taller lighthouse. I did it!!! I hadn't climbed a lighthouse since I climbed Hatteras in 1994. At the top, I was tired but it was worth it.

Top of Hatteras 2018

Baby sister had rented bikes for the week. She had not ridden a bike in a few years and I had not ridden a bike since I was her age soooooooo....At one point in the week, I started to feel dehydrated and said I was going to go to the store and she said "I'll go! We can take the bikes!"

Ladies and Gentlemen, I rode a bike over a mile for a Powerade Zero. Yes...I didn't die. I didn't fall. I did grip those handlebars as tightly as possible and I almost was attacked by a family of geese but I didn't die!

My method for carrying a drink

Our adventures didn't stop there! We went out to Ocracoke and visited the lighthouse there as well as walked around the area. I sat at an outdoor table without the fear of it breaking.

But the craziest part for me was looking at comparisons...I looked over and my sister and hubs were wearing the same shirts from a year prior so we recreated the photo. Family photos are no longer a mental struggle for me!

2017 vs 2018

While I still need to focus on doing better sometimes, I also need to rejoice in how far I've come!


WT: 247 lbs....(-74lbs!) UNDER 250!!!!!!!!!!! For the first time since 2009!!!!