Shrimp Boils and Weenie Wagons

That's right. I said it. Weenie Wagons. I'll get to that in a minute.

First things first. I have thoroughly enjoyed waking up at nine everyday since last Thursday. Might seem like a waste of a few good daylight hours, but when your morning routine is usually quite hectic, waking up at nine seems like the best thing since sliced bread.

And by now you know that every morning (after waking at nine), I had my coffee followed by bloody marys. Definitely a life I could get used to. Right after I said storms were passing over us, things seemed to clear off around one in the afternoon. Plenty of day left for some fun in the sun! We suited up, packed a cooler with suds and the juiciest watermelon, walked over the dunes, and plopped our behinds in the sand. We got plenty of sun and a wonderful breeze well into the evening.

I brought my big camera with me but with all the humidity and laziness on my part, only a few pictures were taken the whole weekend - I'm gonna share obvi. I committed to Instagram my weekend instead, as it was the easiest lazy-man's way. Here's a peek:

From left to right, top to bottom:

1. Suds on the beach with tons of WVU pride.
2. Favorite sandals from Urban Outfitters that I wore when kicking it around town, since Saturday was so dreary. We stopped in the SeaWorthy Gallery, owned by my dad's friend's wife. I purchased a piece of handmade pottery made for baking brie. I'm beyond excited to use it! If you're ever in Hatteras, please stop in this gallery - so many local artists that make jewelry, pottery, wall art, and other arts and crafts sell their goods here. You won't regret it for a second. If you're ever looking for a place to stay, they also rent gorgeous condos just above the gallery.
3. Cheerwine purchased at Lee Robinson General Store. Had to run in to stock up on their Cherry Butter, Fiery Peach Salsa, and Landshark. Even though I can get Cheerwine in Virginia, it only seems right to have one in North Carolina since it's bottled there. Seems fresher more fresh, right? For those that don't know what cherry butter is - think apple butter but made with cherries. If you're lost on the idea of apple butter, google it and get back to me. Either way, it's delicious. On everything. Fiery peach salsa is best served over a block of cream cheese with Tostitos Hint of Lime Chips for dipping'.
4. Cruised over to Risky Business Seafood for some skrimps for our boil! Don't forget, if it smells like fish, it's risky business!
5. Skrimps gettin' cleaned.
6. Shrimp boil in all of it's delicious action - cabbage, potatoes, kielbasa, corn, and shrimp! Don't forget the side of blackened wahoo. YUM! (Here's some info if you wanna recreate your own shrimp boil.)
7. Before hitting the road on Sunday morning, we stopped in Sonny's for some breakfast grub.
8. Returned home to find an awesome pillow on my bed that my Nannie had sent me a picture of Saturday morning - I definitely liked it Saturday morning and I really liked it on my bed on Sunday evening.
9. We got back home from the beach and took Nannie out for some yummy mexican and fro-yo for her birthday. We all splurged a little. All in the name of birthday celebrations!

Here's a little beach action from Friday.

We thought one of us would be impaled our knocked out by the end of the afternoon by this crazy thing. Usually they stand upright?

Later in the evening.

Beautiful sea oats.

Not a rain cloud to be had. Friday turned out to be a beautiful day.

Our view Saturday morning. This didn't clear off as soon as we had hoped, but either way the day was relaxing and enjoyable.

Our view Sunday morning. Unfortunately my camera won't allow me to share the level of humidity that followed this picture. I thought my skin would peel off!

After a few showers, the humidity tapered off. In fact, when we got back to Virginia there was no humidity. I'd even go so far as to say that it was almost fall-like yesterday evening! Eeeee! Fall is my favorite time of year. Mountaineer football, beautiful orange, yellow, and red trees, scarves, boots, jeans, pumpkin. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin ale, pumpkin coffee. I'm sorry - I know I'm getting ahead of myself. We probably have at least a month of miserable days left until the best time of the year. That's my claim and I'm sticking to it.

View of the New New Inlet (yes, it's called that - more on that here) from the backseat of the truck.

Driving over the Oregon Inlet/Bonner Bridge.

Hatteras, NC is a drinking town with a fishing problem. It's small, quaint, and quiet. The exact opposite of Virginia Beach, Nags Head, or Myrtle Beach. It's worth the extra hour drive though. While we have seen many odd things, many inventive things, and many cool things in Hatteras - this is definitely the most bizarre. Cue The Big Weenie Wagon. We ended up behind this contraption for at least 45 minutes and to say we were worried would be an understatement. We also said the word "weenie" about 100 times in a 30 minute time span. Let me point the important features here:

• The wheels. Oh my lordy those wheels. 
• The door is magenta with a sign stating, "Life is better at the beach."
• The door is being held shut with a bungee cord.
• They fly two flags - the American flag and a pirate flag.
• It's essentially constructed from plywood.
• It's being pulled by a huge, brand new pickup truck.

I'm not sure what goes on within The Big Weenie Wagon and I'm not sure I want to know, but I'm certain I've seen it all haha.

-Suze

Want Some Jimmies On That?

My birthday was back in February and I had quite a lot going on during that time: DDM Block II, two roommates' birthdays, etc. It was just mentally taxing. With that being said, I partied it up in Virginia Beach for my birthday, rather than make the trek to Richmond.

I made a smart choice. I basically got two celebrations. I must remember this for future birthdays!

The weekend after my birthday I went to the 804 for some lovin' and boy did I get it! My momma used to make cakes (birthday, wedding, anniversary, etc.) when I was younger, therefore I always had the creme de la creme birthday cakes growing up. This year she decided to go a different route and I didn't hate it!

Forever it seems, I have enjoyed those pasty, white, simple carb, high calorie, high fat, high sugar, DELICIOUS cookies (that I refer to as crack cookies) that Walmart sells year round with different frostings and decor. Know what I'm talking 'bout? I thought so. They are so awful and wonderful at the same time.

In fact, I have received them in place of Valentine's Day candy from boyfriends and I usually consume them in one sitting with milk. Lots of milk. Hey, no judging! I know you've done it too. Part of the process is overcoming the denial of it all.

They are actually called Lofthouse cookies, and my momma being the saint that she is made 'em for me. She used this recipe for Lofthouse cookies but tweaked it a little bit and of course added lots of love. I am convinced they got me through the following week of studying. Otherwise, I might not be sharing this with you now!

Now for the jimmies. While at WVU I had to take a speech class. Not because I have an issue with talking in front of people, but as a requirement. We allllll know that speaking isn't something I fear.

My professor would always bring up different words and ask the students in her class to say what they learned that it was called/named growing up. Examples would be shopping cart/buggy, toboggan/beanie, remote/clicker, vacuum/sweeper, and in another case sprinkles or jimmies?! I refuse to call them jimmies, but apparently they are not to be confused with sprinkles that adorn sundaes, cookies, brownies and more. I think it's a northern thang. Won't hold it against ya' though.

With that being said, my momma topped these cookies off with jimmies sprinkles and they were just divine.

Enjoy!

-Suze