And ring it has!!
As you saw this morning, breakfast was early and frantic to try to catch two different ferries and make our way to Bald Head Island for the day.
We made the Fort Fisher ferry with plenty of bird friends to chat with
Dive!
Old Baldy in sight!
Golf Cart rented
Our plan was to watch the 11AM famous 4th of July Parade. We expected a bunch of golf carts decked out in RW&B and were given so much more – from pirates to Spongebob to a yellow submarine to an ice cream truck to the winning Mr and Mrs Potato Head!
Lots of cute doggins!
I had forgotten how fun parades are for candy tossing!! Just when I was feeling my blood sugar drop, I repleted my glucose with a few pieces of candy – Double Bubble, Starburst..
And part of a Chilly Willy!
I supported the dune turtles by buying a cup of Turtleade!
Then we went to see the marsh
For lunch we headed to the beach club for a cookout buffet of burgers, dogs, chicken and fish plus salad, baked beans, tater salad
And beer! Shocktop for all.
Mom and I shared one
I filled my plate with salad plus beans (LOVE baked beans!!), a piece of mahi and a chicken drumstick that I had a bite of and shared with Matt.
The fish was great!
So were the burgers (Matt gave me a bite)
Larbs and I spent the next hour reading by the pool while Matt and Matt went down to the ocean to do boy things
Then we headed to a Bald Head holiday tradition – The Hammocks, which usually has a wine and cheese party. You may recall in this post that the event has been quite extravagant in year’s past – poolside martini bar, cheese, shrimp – all kinds of fancy foods.
Today was a bit of a disappointment. No pool to lounge by and just a handful of cheeses and some wine.
Here’s Matt’s handful
I had some grapes and a few cheese cubes
We decided to head for the 5:30PM ferry back to the mainland.
And who should we begin talking to than Heba and Ed from the Biggest Loser!!! They were SO nice and we chatted food and blogging and all things fun for a good 20 minutes!
Back on the ferry…
Sadly, we MISSED the ferry back to Fort Fisher. It apparently fills up fast 🙁
We had to take the long way home – a good hour drive, plus a grocery shopping trip. I got to look at Larbs’s hair for an hour in our Buick.
We originally were going to go to Wilmington for dinner/fireworks, but decided a night at the beach house would be more relaxing. And I am ALL about relaxing!!
Cocktail hour consisted of Terra chips – LOVE!
And a lime + tonic mocktail. I really am just as happy with a mocktail as a ‘real’ drink. I do like a little wine with dinner though 😉
Family Key
- Kanz = My husband Matt’s nickname (named after the money Kanzi because he’s furry)
- Larbs = My sister’s nickname. Her real name is Laura Elizabeth Younger.
- Matt = Larbs’s boyfriend of 5 years. He and Kanz are not twins 😉
- Chelsea = Matt (Larbs’s Matt’s) sister who is visiting for 2 nights!
- Karen = My mother-in-law, who we now live with temporarily, and who we miss this week!
- Koops = My nickname from middle school, high school and college. Kanz always calls me Koops and so does his family and most of my high school / college friends.
- Buzz = My mom’s childhood nickname
The most wonderful way to blog!! Beachfront. I took a few moments to write the first half of this post and sip my drink.
Dinner tonight was our traditional low country boil (recipe here!)
Shrimp + Corn + Potato + Kielbase
Plus a pile of Great Harvest Jalapeno Corn Bread!
Plus a couple of beers
Everything is better with Old Bay!!! Our family is huge on Old Bay. Have been forever.
Split a beer with Matt
Lucky us, we got quite the amateur fireworks show from our balcony!
There are too many temptations in this house!
Leftover birthday cake, Breyers..
Mom’s homemade angel food cake with an almond glaze…
I had a slice of angel food with some ice cream. Almost too much actually after that big dinner!
SO VERY TIRED. Got up too early and can’t wait to sleep in tomorrow and just stumble out onto the beach and have nowhere to be for 5 days!!!! After a great breakfast first of course!!
Estela @ Weekly Bite says
What a great recap! Happy 4th 🙂
Eileen says
Beautiful family, beautiful scenery!
That’s a very fun celebrity encounter!
Marla says
Hi Kath! have fun!
I am kinda confused on where you are staying,the island etc etc
Can you explain in the next post about the holiday spot?(confused with ferries etc!)
Is the beach house on an island and is it one you rent every year-why so many ferries?
Thanks for helping my muddled mind 😉 I
Kath says
We’re staying at Carolina Beach but took 2 ferries to go to Bald Head Island for the day
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
great pix! i love golf carts; got a chance to ride my first one on catalina island a few months ago. what is it about islands and golf carts?! thanks for the family nickname key as well – even though i’ve been reading your blog for a few years now i wasn’t sure who was who! happy 4th.
Hannah says
Those vehicles are hilarious!! Would you believe I”ve never had angel food cake? I need to get some of that in my life…
Hillary [Nutrition Nut on the Run] says
I want your flat stomach!! Looks a wonderful 4th day of July for the KERF fam. I’m so glad to hear you have 5 days to RELAX… finally!
Chelsea says
I bought Old Bay the other day and thought of you. I’ve never had it.
What makes your Mom’s angel food cake blue?!?!
Kath says
ground up Smurff….
j/k – food coloring!?
Kerri @ Kerri Turns into a Zombie says
Wow what fun golf carts! Looks like vacation has officially begun.
Anna Lee says
Furry “Monkey” ….I was wondering what kind of MONEY is “furry” LOL!!
Kath says
Precisely
Jenn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says
That looks like a fabulous way to celebrate the 4th of July!! Love the golf carts + all the food looks deelish.
Jenn
Susan says
I love reading your blog, but I wonder, don’t you ever just get sick of taking pics and blogging EVERY day? I think I would go crazy….but I’m glad you do it, since I’ve learned how to make delicious oatmeal and overnight oats!
Kath says
Nope – it’s fun + creative
Susan says
Good, you do seem like you have fun doing it!!! Keep up the good work, I’m learning lots of stuff….
Sam says
Wow. Heba & Ed have really put some weight back on. That is so sad since they both looked so amazing at the finale. It really just goes to to show that slow & steady is the key to lasting weight loss.
Laura says
OMG Mr & Mrs Potato Head are so cool!
Amy says
Thanks for the family key! I’ve been wondering what Larbs was short for forever!
Kaz says
Your evening looks like it was so much fun! 😀
Neato on the celebrity sightings! I would not have recognized them myself, though, hah.
Freya @ Brit Chick Runs says
Thankyou for the key 🙂 I seriously thought Matt and Matt were twins – I thought it was so peculiar they’d been given the same name!
Looks like it was an awesome day 🙂
Amanda @ Amanda On Foot says
That parade looks like so much fun. Great pictures.
~Amanda
Little Bookworm says
Looks like a great day and I agree with Freya, thank you for the key. 🙂
Wei-Wei says
Your first few photos look a little washed out; maybe the white balance wasn’t set quite right? You look gorgeous nevertheless. Happy 4th of July – looks like you had an awesome day! 😀 Loving the names 😉
Wei-Wei
Kath says
Good eye!!! Those photos were taken with the light balance still on “bulb” and no one realized it. I decided to post them anyways.
Marika says
As a Maryland girl, I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments about Old Bay!
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is says
I always wondered what your sister’s real name way!
Christena says
Looks like a lovely day! My family does the low country boil also for nearly every family cookout — it is so easy + delicious. We use Tony Chachere’s cajun spice and add chicken + cabbage to the pot, so it is a little different. Once we also added lobster to the pot. We also have a cajun butter sauce that goes with it…definitely more unhealthy, but it is fantastic!!!
Katherine says
awesome way to celebrate the holiday! I love that your family and friends share nicknames and such happy times together
Kristen @ Change of Pace says
The fireworks in Wilmington were crazy last night! Traffic is so bad 🙁 Be thankful you skipped it!
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
What a great day! Enjoy the beach today!
Tara says
I LOVE your necklace! Where did you get it?
Kath says
It’s actually an antique $5 coin my grandmother gave to me one Christmas.
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
That looks like such a fun day. I love the Mr. Potato Head float!!
Cara says
What an amazing day…those parade floats are hilarious…the dog with the sunglasses…Ha!
p.s. there is always room for dessert, especially angel food cake, it’s all air anyways!
Heather (Heather's Dish) says
what a wonderful 4th! that parade looks so fun, and i love you bathing suit! where’d you get it?
Kath says
Thanks! Old Navy, years ago
Mary @ Bites and Bliss says
oh my goodness so much to do!!!!!! I love the parade- ya’ll should have decked out your golfcart and jumped in! 😉 haha How’d you guys pick up all those nicknames for the family? Just something that happened overtime? They’re all really unique and fun 😛
Anyway, have a good day after and hope you got a lotta rest!
Ashley@thehungryscholar says
What a great 4th. That parade is absolutely adorable.
Stacey@http://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/ says
What a jam packed day. So fun that you ran into contestants from the biggest loser. I bet you had so much to talk about.
Laura @ youngDCliving says
I can totally sense the relaxation-vibe, haha. So jealous myself. Thanks for the family key! I’ve figured out most of it, but that was helpful. I can’t believe you and your sister both are with Matts! Too funny.
Stacey @ Tipping the (Kitchen!) Scales says
Looks like you are having a fab time and I love the Mr Potato Head cart!!
Duchess of Fork says
Sounds like an awesome day! We do Low Country Boils quite often (I live in the Florida Panhandle)…the bay shrimp are gorgeous right now, so I stocked up on 15 lbs for the freezer. Can’t get enough! Happy 4th of July!
Heather says
wow sounds like such a fun day! Love all the pics!
alison says
Whew, what a fun day.
I also have a sister named Laura Elizabeth!
Colleen says
Thanks for the family key 🙂 I was wondering about Larbs… Your dinner looks so delicious. it sounds easy to make too. Happy 4th!
Marie says
Looks like fun! We had the same dinner 🙂 Good stuff!
Amy says
Kath, I know a while back you were speaking about weight loss/gain spectrum and such. Have you lost weight? You look the thinnest I have ever seen you! (since you began blogging!)
Just wondering if it was on purpose and if you changed any of your eating habits or what not!!!
Kath says
Thanks Amy! I’ve been feeling back to my normal self these days. I guess I’ve just settled into a great pattern of intuitive eating and exercise that fits me well?
Amy says
Well, you look absolutely fab! Verrrrry toned!
Jill E. says
ahh bald head island! i used to spend a lot of family vacation there when i was a kid. we loved the golf cart parade though it seems like they are really stepped things up in the past ten years. thanks for the great photos.
after seeing that you were in nc i actually read your story, im a lazy reader i guess. your story is absolutely inspirational. i am currently at 145 and have been between that and 150 for my whole teen and adult life, currently 23 years of age, though for the first time i am living on my own out of college and i am committed to getting down to my feel great weight 120-130 but it been a long challenge. thanks so much for the daily inspiration.
Melissa @ HerGreenLife says
Your posts about Bald Head bring back some fun memories. I spent two weeks there (Memorial Day and 4th of July) during the summer of 2004 when I was a nanny — fun times! I’d love to visit again.