Beach Trip - Family of 3!

I'm a little behind in the world of blogging.  (What's new, right?) I love to do it, but I have difficulty "keeping up." I know I'm about a month behind, but I'm trying to play catch-up.
We took our first beach trip, as a family of 3 the week after Labor Day.  We has such a good time!  We found out that Justin's cousin, Sherri (whom we LOVE) was going to be down the same time we were going, so we decided to stay at the same place they were.  We went to Kure Beach and stayed at the Sand Dunes Motel.  It was definitely not a 5-star accomodation, but it was clean, convenient, and nicely priced.

We just got a standard ocean front room with (2) beds and a little kitchenette.  Justin and I slept in one bed, Karsyn slept in her pack-n-play, and the extra bed was a catch-all for all of Karsyn's toys.  We were only gone for 4 days, but it seemed like we packed for a month!  Seeing that it was a MOTEL, and not HOTEL, meant NO ELEVATOR!  Poor Justin.  He had to lug everything up and down the stairs everyday.  He did it, with only minimal complaining.  Anything for his girls, right?  All kidding aside, Justin's a good one.  I think I'll  hold on to him.

Here's the back of our Tahoe, PACKED!

The May-Rig all ready to go

Being Karsyn's first beach trip, we wanted her to get the full beach experience.  (How much of an experience can a 9 month old have??)  We did a lot of things, that she probably won't remember, but hopefully our pictures and stories will mean something to her one day.  For example, "Hey, do you remember that time you pooped on the beach and we didn't have an extra diaper??"  At the time, we were in a panic, but now we can laugh about it.
Karsyn experienced many firsts on this trip.  She experienced her first time in the ocean, first time in a pool (not just our blow-up backyard pool), she slept in a tent on the beach, she rode the ferry, ate late-night ice cream, she visited the aquarium, she took her first "aqua-dump", and most importantly(to Justin), she witnessed her Daddy devour 12 plates of crab legs!

Daddy feeding me oatmeal

Hanging out with Cousin Reese after breakfast

She's always been the perfect baby, but even on a roadtrip, away from her bed, she was still so well-mannered, and smiled the WHOLE time!  Justin and I really are blessed to have such a wonderful child.  Here are some pics from our trip...

Already asleep, in the driveway at home!

Killing time, reading, like a smart girl

My LIFE.

She LOVED the ocean.  No Fear.

Late-night ice cream makes me silly!

K-O-ed (knocked out) on DA BEACH

Just happy to be here!

The only use this bed got, was for play

at the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher

After one of her several "Aqua-DUMPS"

Still just as happy as can be!

Sitting in the backseat at a Rest Stop, taking a milk break

Therapeutic Pickles

Yep, you read it right, Therapeutic Pickles! 
Having lived in the south all my life, I have always been around "homemade pickles."  My paternal Grandmother (Maw-Maw) still makes pickles every year. Even though, they're sweet, and not really my favorite, they're still always a hit.  Justin has never understood it, but my family always eats pickles with cake.  I guess it's that whole salty/sweet thing.  While I've been known to have a sweet pickle with my cake, I'm really more of a dill, garlicky kind of girl.  I did a little Internet research and decided to try my hand at them.
So, right before we went to the beach (actually it was the night before), I started my pickle making process.  I know you're probably thinking, "What moron decides to make pickles the night before they leave town???"  uhh....that would be this girl!
First step was to get 15-20 pickling cucumbers...I did that.  I also gathered my other ingredients (Vinegar, Sugar, Garlic, Dill Weed, Dill Seed, Whole Peppercorns).  I decided to take a couple recipes, and alter them to one "kick-ass" pickle recipe.  So that's what I did.  I didn't use any alum or anything like that in my recipe like that. 
After gathering my ingredients, I cut up the cucumbers (BY HAND) and placed them in a brine overnight.  The Brine is what makes the pickles crispy. (so you don't have to use Alum)

I washed the cukes, and then sliced them...BY HAND

Next, I sliced them (BY HAND) and place them in a salty brine, overnight.

This was a 2-day pickle process.  Day 1, cut up cukes and placed them in brine overnight.  Then on Day 2, I added the liquid and other ingredients and placed in the jars.  So on the morning that we were supposed to be leaving for the beach....I was making pickles!  They turned out fantastic!  They were loaded with dill and garlic...so while they aren't the best for your breath, they are quite tasty.  I will definitely be making more! (but maybe not the night before a beach trip!)

The hardest part about the whole thing was cutting up the cucumbers.  My Mom asked me why I didn't use a mandolin.  My response was that cutting them by hand makes them look more "homemade."  In all honesty, I did find it Therapeutic!  I know it sounds weird, but it was totally Therapeutic!

Pretty In Pink

We love Target.  Who doesn't right?  They basically have the same things as Walmart, but they are totally on "another level."  The Target near our house (in Burlington) has recently had a grocery store added, so we shop there even more frequently.  We've actually found some things are WAY cheaper than at Food Lion or even Walmart.
They also have an awesome Baby/Kid department.  We buy diapers, baby food, clothes, toys and lots of misc. items at Target.  At one of our recent trips, Karsyn found her a must-have.....A Pink Easy Chair!

The sign above it says "Under $10"...but believe me, it is not that price.  I think it's like $65, which really isn't that bad.  We may have to give Santa a call, and pass along a couple hints, because she is just TOO CUTE in this chair.

Of course, the pink dress she's wearing, as well as the Minnie Mouse doll add to the pink cuteness.  After all, little girls are PRETTY in PINK!