Tyler and Kym (my brother and sister-in-law) bought a house on the Outer Banks last fall and we finally got to go out there to visit them and see it! It’s truly the perfect house for them, complete with a saltwater pool and gorgeous lake views, while only being a 5-minute drive to the beach. It was the perfect way to spend a 5-day Memorial Day weekend. Trust me, we did NOT want to leave. We had so much fun!The wall of confederate jasmine at their house. The smell was amazing.
Their yard is lush and tropical, with a greenhouse, shed and small bungalow.
Unfortunately, Tyler had to work a lot of the time we were there and Kym was coming off of midnights so we had plenty of family time with Harrison and the girls.
Harrison sure does love his Uncle Tyler!
I can’t even say how wonderful this was. My heart was very happy here.
Saturday morning we headed to downtown Manteo for a local art and food market. It was really cute.
After lunch, we headed to the Elizabethan Gardens, a favorite spot to return to. There are blooms throughout the year so whenever we come, we tend to see something different. This year, we were shortly after azaleas and rhododendrons, but before the full blast of hydrangeas (but a few were in bloom, yay!).
Saturday night we had Daniela stay with Harrison and the four of us went to dinner at Ocean Boulevard, a fancy spot up in Kitty Hawk. I had the tuna special which was incredibly fresh, and Sean had the duck which was also delicious. 
Afterward, we went to Trio which is a marketplace and casual wine bar where you can go to stations and fill your glass with tastes, half or full pours of various wines. It was AWESOME. There was also some fun live music. We stayed here for quite awhile. When we got back, Tyler showed us his photography studio and let Daniela choose a few prints he had on hand. She loved his work – it was so sweet.
On Sunday, I got up with Harrison at 6.45am after two mornings of sleeping in while Sean did that. He was a little fussy so after bottle we walked around Tyler’s neighborhood and then a bit into Manteo. We shared a banana. I loved it.
After Harrison’s morning nap, we headed to the beach for Harrison’s first encounters with sand and waves. He LOVED the sand – throwing it, sitting in it and eating it. LOL.
Ohhhh, the sweetness. Sean is just perfect to him. Harrison didn’t love the cold ocean water. Yet. 😉
Nap time on the beach looked quite a bit different this year. And I really loved it. <3
We headed straight into the pool where Aunt Kym was waiting and Harrison was in a great mood. So much so that we tried to put him down for a short nap and after being quite for about 10 minutes, he started babbling and when he picked him up he was squealing with delight – and stayed that way until bedtime. He’s an awesome kid.
Monday morning, Tyler did a photo session for Harrison once he got off work. Can’t wait to see the results!
We then had Daniela work so Sean and I could have some time off. We had pool time with Tyler and Kym in the morning, then went to lunch at a local Thai restaurant called Single Fin with the most delicious Tom Kha soup with the freshest shrimp I’ve ever eaten.
After lunch, we went to Muse Originals because – GET THIS – my brother sells his photographs in this store!!! It’s a fantastic place that sells various wares from local artists – everything from handmade jewelry and paintings to t-shirts and Christmas ornaments.
I knew his work instantly. This was so awesome to see. Very, very proud of my brother for pursuing his passion.
A quick visit to the beach, and a stop at O’Neal’s Sea Harvest market for some fresh mahi-mahi and it was back home for family time – and another dip in the pool. 
After the freshest grilled fish tacos for dinner, we played games, chatted and relaxed outside. We were so, so sad to leave our family and this beautiful place come Tuesday morning. But thankful for such a memorable, fun and relaxing trip, quality time with family, and perfect weather. See y’all soon!
