Another Wonderful Day on the Outer Banks

This is the vacation where we've tried some new things. Maybe I'm just tired of doing the same old things every year or maybe the family is getting more adventurous. We headed out to Currituck Heritage Park where The Whalehead Club resides. We walked through the park, took some stunning photos, and saw the Currituck Lighthouse. We decided not to climb the lighthouse. Instead we traveled down the road to the Old Schoolhouse and Wild Horse Days. The girls got their faces painted and painted a wooden horse that was nailed to a tree. It was a bit expensive, but it supports the Corrolla Wild Horse Fund, so we didn't mind.

We stopped by Cosmo Pizzeria on the way back to the house. Awesome pizza and breadsticks. I have a feeling we'll be visiting them again.

After a brief thunderstorm, we headed out to a cheap supper at Taco Bell, then down to the beach to finish off the night. It's so much more enjoyable to sit and read when the sun isn't blazing overhead. The beach isn't crowded that time of day either, so the girls can horse around without disturbing anyone.

Today is our last day here. We're going out to the beach in a few and then the rest of the day is up in the air. The girls want to go down to the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island in Manteo. We'll lunch it at the house and then find a restaurant for supper. Maybe we'll try La Fogata in Kitty Hawk. I've wanted to go the last few times we were down here, but the girls usually say no way.

Outer Banks Fun and Good Food

Today we didn't plan much. We slept in, took in the beach for a couple of hours, hung out at the beach house for a bit, and then visited Jockey's Ridge Crossing. The girls got some spending money from their grandparents before we left, so they stopped by the Outer Banks Bear Factory and came home with two new stuffed animals and some cute clothes for them. We also stopped by The Fudgery and picked up some chocolate and some cookie and cream fudge.

For supper tonight, the kids begged to go to the Kill Devil Grill. Checking out their website tonight, I discovered that this restaurant that is fronted by a 1939 Kullman dining car, has one of only 6 diners in the national registry of historic buildings. We've visited the Kill Devil Grill for the past few years and have never been disappointed. The food is fabulous and affordable. Tonight I broke my rule of not ordering something I could make at home and went with the grilled pork chops. It was served on top of mashed potatoes with a side of applesauce. For dessert, the hubby and I shared a delicious apple crisp.

I finished reading Murder is a Family Business by Heather Haven today and I posted my review at The Book Connection.

Outer Banks Fun Continues

In case I've never mentioned it before, I'm a huge history buff. I'm partial to Colonial America and the Civil War era, but pretty much any American history fascinates me.

North Carolina is filled with history. You can't go much of anywhere along the Outer Banks that the past of this nation isn't celebrated. Last year we took in The Lost Colony show for the first time. Now in its 74th season, it is America's longest-running symphonic drama.

This morning, we traveled into the town of Duck to watch some of The Lost Colony cast talk about the show and give a musical preview. It was fabulous. After the show, they answered questions and we got a chance to chat with the cast a bit. They'll be holding these previews every Tuesday morning at 10:00 AM at the Duck Town Park Amphitheater. If you're looking to learn more about The Lost Colony or would like to take the kids to a family friendly event, this is a good choice.

We headed back to the beach house in Kill Devil Hills afterwards, had a quick lunch, and then enjoyed the beach. We wanted a chance to check out Tale of the Whale Restaurant in Nags Head, so we drove over there for an early supper. Loved it! Great atmosphere, fabulous food, and a wonderful staff.

Last on the agenda for today was our trip to Professor Hacker's Lost Treasure Golf, which is across Route 158 from the house. We've been golfing there since our son was little. The girls love it. You take a train ride up the mountain trail and then get a chance to choose between two courses that follow the good professor's treasure hunt.

Not sure what we're up to tomorrow, but it might be time to visit the Kill Devil Grill.

Vacation Time Reading

One of the best things about vacation time--in addition to getting away from the daily grind--is catching up on my reading. This year I took half a dozen printed books and my Kindle.

Here's what I've read so far:

Class Struggle: Journal of a Teacher In Up to His Ears by Steven Verrier

Voices from the Land by Jan Marquart

Born Under a Lucky Moon by Dana Precious

Do you take books with you on vacation? What have you read so far this summer?

Book Review: Love & War Devotional for Couples by John and Stasi Eldredge

A truly powerful, life-changing devotional for couples who seek to have the marriage they always wanted is what you'll find in Love and War Devotional for Couples: The Eight-Week Adventure That Will Help You Find the Marriage You Always Dreamed Of.

In this moving devotional filled with Bible-based advice, Scripture, prayer and exercises, couples can spend time working toward the marriage they have always longed for; a marriage destined and encouraged by God.

Before I go further, let me tell you this won't be one of my strictly professional tell you about the book reviews. I was drawn to this book at a moment when I was struggling, not as a wife, but as a mother. If anything, my marriage is the one thing I feel confident in. My husband and I have been together for 22 years, married for 11, and every day I fall more in love with him. He is truly a gift from God.

Parenting, however, has never come easy to me. I feel less than adequate. After a very stressful week, in which I swore I could not have been a worse mother, I sought out a new book to read while relaxing in the tub. God must have wanted me to read this one, because even though this is a devotional geared toward building up a marriage, the verses, prayers, and some of the advice could apply to my role as a mother. He must have known I needed to read that book just at that moment.

Now, hopefully more on topic, what the reader will find in Love & War is a small book that is packed with tons of encouragement and inspiration. Small enough to slide into your purse or a laptop bag, the enormous value of this book shouldn't be discounted. Broken down over eight weeks, couples explore different aspects of their marriage.

As the authors admit, marriage is hard. Love and passion attracts us to each other, but we need something else to build on to develop a life-long marriage. It's hard work, but God wants this for us, just as much as we want to have it--maybe more. It talks about the Fall and how hard it was even for Adam and Eve who didn't come with all that baggage that we do and did not know sin, to have a relationship with God and with each other. Love & War encourages the reader not to seek his/her happiness from a spouse, but from the only One who can truly provide it. By doing so, we are free to love our spouses more fully.

This book explores the high calling of marriage and what an honor it is when it is bestowed upon us, but it also talks about the costs. It discusses how men and women were created as opposites, but how despite that, Jesus, who came to save what was lost will help couples along the way.

I could go on and on about how wonderful Love & War is. I'm not certain if I can get my husband to go through this book with me, but I am going to try. Though we don't have any problems right now, we can all use a little building up in our marriage. I'm glad the Lord led me to it.

If your marriage is floundering or if you want to be reminded how precious your marriage is, read this devotional together.

Title: Love & War Devotional for Couples
Authors: John and Stasi Eldrege
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
ISBN-10: 9780307729934
ISBN-13: 978-0307729934
SRP:  $14.99

Books, Products and More is on Vacation!

Books, Products and More! will be on vacation from July 2nd - 10th. There may be an occasional post during that time, but we'll pick up our regular schedule on Monday, July 11th.

Enjoy your week!

Pump Up Your Book's July 2011 Authors on Tour!

Pump Up Your Book! Announces July ‘11 Authors on Virtual Book Tours

Join a talented and diverse group of 36 authors promoting 35 books and a publisher celebrating “Five Years of Irresponsible Reading,” as they tour with Pump Up Your Book! Virtual Book Tours during the month of July 2011.

Follow them as they travel the blogosphere from July 5th through July 29th to discuss their books. This month is filled with a variety of genres: fantasy novels, memoirs, short story collections, historicals, and more!

The month of July finds us host to short story collections from Hugh Aaron, Garasamo Maccagnone, and Dangerous Lee. Are you an author considering using the blogosphere to promote your book? Then be sure you don’t miss “So You Want to Write a Guest Post,” by Pump Up Your Book’s! Jaime McDougall.

Thrillers come to you from Steve DeWinter, Julia Madeleine, Aaron Patterson, and L.L. Reaper. Young adult fantasy novels are being promoted by Kara Bartley, Lory Kaufman, and Christine Schulze, along with other fantasy novels from F.J. Dagg, Maria Lucia, and Rie Sheridan Rose. And don’t miss the YA Dystopian Mythology novel, “Solstice,” being promoted by P.J. Hoover.

Emily Sue Harvey continues her tour in July with the inspirational novel, “Homefires,” and Daren Krupa is touring with his coming of age novel, “Such a Nice Boy.” Also on tour in July are Lilian Duval, Larry Jukofsky, and Paul Levine.

Authors Carole Eglash-Kosoff, James Mace, and Greg Messel are all talking about their historical novels, while C. Elizabeth will be sharing her contemporary romance, “Absolute Obsession.” Other fiction titles come to you from B.A. Chepaitis, Susan Still, Frank Zaccari, and Wayne Zurl.

Nonfiction titles we are hosting in July come from Blanca Beyar, Chamed, Barbara Conelli, Tom McLaughlin, and Nzingha West. Ever wonder what it takes to make it in Hollywood? Follow the tour of Bryan Hidalgo & Gail O'Donnell, who are promoting their book, “Making it in Hollywood.” We’re also thrilled to have author Steven Verrier back in the Pump Up Your Book folds to promote his new book, “Class Struggle: Journal of a Teacher In Up to His Ears.”

Last, but definitely not least, we want you to join us as Zumaya Publications celebrates “Five Years of Irresponsible Reading.” We’ll be featuring a variety of Zumaya authors all month long!

Visit YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iorCkMNhmcI to view a video trailer introducing our authors on tour in July.

Pump Up Your Book! is a virtual book tour agency for authors who want quality service at an affordable price. More information can be found on their website at http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/.

Contact Information:

Dorothy Thompson
Founder of Pump Up Your Book! Virtual Book Tours
Email: thewriterslife@yahoo.com