AWAY

Sorry it's been so long- I will be honest, I've been pretty unmotivated to write since we got back from our trip.  Lots to do, non-sleeping children, and just the need to continue spending quality time with them.  We trekked off to the Outer Banks for Christmas- and not just the Outer Banks, but Hatteras Island.  And not just Hatteras Island- but all the way down to Hatteras itself.  For any of you who go to Duck, or Corolla, it is worth the journey to stay all the way down on the island.  Sooooooooo peaceful, even in the summer, which we have done before too.  In fact, the last time we went, Jack was 3 and Nate was 6 mos- prediagnosis.  I think that's part of why we wanted to go back- we remembered it as a happy time, before things got so complicated.  Of course we didn't recognize that at the time.  Ha

By traveling so far away we took all of the holiday hoopla completely out of the equation.  It was just us.  I was nervous that this would be so much work that it wouldn't be relaxing, but that was not the case at all.  We just reminded ourselves over and over again that there was no agenda, there were no expectations.  Just us.  And it worked.  The only major outing that occurred was a trip to the Wright Brothers Museum up in Kitty Hawk- don't think I have to explain that one :). 

Other than that, we pretty much settled in for some good old family time.  Hatteras Island is the antithesis of the typical beach "resort", especially in the winter.  Yes there are some souvenir shops, but few and far between, and mostly closed in the off season.  There is ONE major grocery store on the 60 mile long island, and fewer than 5 gas stations.  There is one highway that goes all the way down, and it was actually closed from September until about 2 days before we left on our trip.  They had an emergency ferry in place after hurricane Sandy.  They just reopened the road.  It's one lane, and they are constantly placing huge sandbags, as the waves crash right behind them.  It's quite a site. 

We managed to make a pretty nice Christmas- I brought a small tree and some cheap ornaments, and I sat down and did some of the things I never find time to do around the holidays.  Gingerbread house, letters to Santa, art projects (which Jack despised of course).  Even managed a pretty nice Christmas dinner. 

A few shots from a very relaxed day.
Then of course there was the beach...

We were the ONLY ones on the beach every time we walked over there.  There is just no greater feeling of peace. 

I highly recommend a beach Christmas to all families, but particularly autism families.  I'll say it again- peace.  Priceless!