A week at the beach...via Instagram!

**First things first.  The winner of Friday's flash giveaway of a copy of my teacher planner is Brook!  Congrats, Brook!  You guessed correctly!  I'll be visiting London, Paris, and Amsterdam in just three short days!!!  Brook, please send me an email to beyondthegradebook12@gmail.com and I'll get the planner out to you!**

If you are following me on Instagram, you saw my posts from the past week while I was at the beach.  If you aren't following me on Instagram, what are you waiting for!?  I'm leaving for Europe on Thursday...so you are definitely going to want to be over there!!

Here's my recap from the beach...with my Instagram images!  My recap with camera pictures is coming later this week! 

All packed and ready to go!

We made it!  Stopping at the Visitor's Information Center for brochures!

One drawback to the Outer Banks.  Traffic, traffic and more traffic!  And this is after arriving 'early!'

We sat in traffic so long, that the GPS thought we were walking!  I've never seen that screen before!

Dark skies on the first day!  Luckily it didn't storm!

A family favorite!  Skip-Bo!

The beach!

Sunset over the Sound!

Breakfast by the Sound!

The Sound, again.

Bodie Island lighthouse

Riding the ferry to Ocracoke Island.  We didn't realize until afterwards that it was a one-hour ride...both ways!  Oops!  

Horses on Ocracoke Island

Ocracoke Island Lighthouse

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse!  AHHH!  That light is AMAZING!  Gotta love the camera on the iPhone as well!

While everyone went to the beach or enjoyed the pool, I preferred sitting inside and reading!  

Duck Donuts.  A must if you visit the Outer Banks.  Best. Darn. Donuts. Ever!

Wild Horses on Carova Beach

Kayaking in the Sound

Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse in Manteo.  This is by far my absolute favorite lighthouse in the Outer Banks.  Mainly because it doesn't look much like a 'lighthouse.'  I love it's quaint-ness!

Waiting for The Lost Colony to begin.  This is America's longest running outdoor stage show.  And the show that gave Andy Griffith his start!  How cool!

The Queen during the Lost Colony performance

The last night at the beach, we went to the OBX Murder Mystery Dinner.  It was fun, and a bit comical.

I woke up before everyone else on the last morning at the beach and decided to go for a walk on the nature trail.  It was so peaceful out there at 7 in the morning with no one else around.

And finally, when we arrived at our beach house for the week, I reset my trip meter.  I took this as we were leaving OBX on Saturday.  Most people go to the beach to relax, sit in the sand, and do nothing.  No me, I drove OVER 700 MILES this week!  Just while I was at the beach!  And counting in travel time to and from, I drove over 1000 miles total!  What can I say, I love to travel and be on the go...even while on vacation!

I'd love to have you following me on Instagram - and I'd love to follow you back!  If you are an instagrammer, leave your username below in the comments!