a few beach pics--

on saturday morning, after we all got up and had breakfast, we trekked outside to check out the waves. i just had to take some pictures, though they don't do the waves justice.

for that matter, neither does this video.



but the waves were huge. and i can imagine that the storm front that came through later on made them just as intimidating. needless to say, i was okay with coming back home around lunchtime.

not before i did one of my favorite beach activities, though.

and here's where some people might think it's weird, and some people may wholeheartedly agreed.

i LOVE the enclosed outdoor showers at beach houses.

love 'em. always have. i told lynn, it might be because when we were kids, we'd have a kiddie pool on the back deck that would turn into a bathtub in the evenings. just made sense :)

at any rate, i'm not sure exactly what it is, but if i'm staying at a beach house that has an enclosed outdoor shower with both hot and cold water, i will set up my shampoo and conditioner down there for the week, cause that's where i take my showers. there is just something so invigorating, refreshing, relaxing, just plain 'ol different--but the fresh air and still being able to hear the waves while i'm showering is just a quintessential beach experience for me.

so i had my shower in the outdoor enclosed shower, stopped by kitty hawk kites for a little browsing, and then determined that with the beach out, i would have to spend money to entertain myself and i might as well head on back home. (we just spent an unplanned amount on replacing my radiator on friday morning, for those of you who don't follow me on facebook.)

besides, i had a husband and three animals eagerly waiting back at home. last night, we went ahead and celebrated justin's birthday a little early. we went out for a nice dinner at rucker john's, did some shopping for random necessities, and then came back to the house to enjoy cheesecake and a movie.


(his birthday is officially on monday, so feel free to wish him happy birthday tomorrow!)

finally, an update on the cat litter situation. (i know, just what you wanted to hear about, right?)

so we put another litter box in the middle of the game room, right on top of the spot where grace appears to be going. this one is a plain jane litter box--no cover, no hood, just your ordinary litter box. that way, if it's the smell that's bothering her (as some friends have suggested), it's not as intense. one of them had used it last night, so i thought maybe we had solved the problem. but i just got home and found that our problem is not solved...so we're going to continue trying some options. i'm just not sure what else to do. they have three litter boxes, all with clean fresh litter in them--and this new stuff is so much better! but i guess i can't exactly explain that to them, so if it really is just a reaction to the change...i'm not sure if i should wait it out and just continue cleaning up after them, or cave in and put out a litter box with the old type of litter in it. anyone had issues with switching litter like this before?

alright, i've got a couple more hours before i return to church (just had a long youth planning meeting--but man, i'm fired up about the coming year! it's going to be an awesome program) so i should be productive :) later, y'all!

(p.s. this is one of the blogs that i follow that was also in the OBX yesterday and got better pictures of the waves. wow!)