I think my hair is a shade lighter. And I definitely have new freckles on my face!
Today was filled with reading ….
… and lots and lots and lots of waves!!!
The tide came in hundreds of yards and washed away our camp! (Almost!)
KERF vs Ocean continued and I got beat.
But also rode in a few great waves on the raft! Next year I think I need to bring my one-piece bathing suit…
Larbs and Matt made some killer Kodiak Cakes cookies for dessert this afternoon
Killer good!
We FINISHED THE PUZZLE!
It. Was. So. Hard.
Cocktail hour included crackers with a Tabasco Red Pepper Jelly my New Orleans friends gave me last summer! I’ve moved it from house to house for the perfect occasions. Served over a block of cream cheese!
I had a few Lime + Tonics for cocktails
And some wine….which we all decided was NOT good.
Then more wine, which was good!!
Dinner tonight was intended to be a fabulous seafood bash.
Crabs. Shrimp. Clams. Fish.
How to crack a crab without a mallet:
Plus a big salad and sautéed garlicky green beans.
And buttah.
It was perfect.
Gosh, it was the perfect dinner. I just love seafood!
Later on, dessert. Clean out the fridge!
The Kodiak cookies were awesome!! Chewy and soft.
Served with lots and lots of ice cream
Don’t ask…
So so so happy that although this amazing vacation is over, I have lots to look forward to in the coming weeks.
{ 61 comments… read them below or add one }
The closeness of your family is so great. Thank you for sharing how amazing it is to just enjoy your family.
How are you liking the book? I read The Secret Lives of Bees and loved it and have been wanting to read The Mermaid Chair for some time now. Oh, and I’ll take one of those cookies please!!
I know you didn’t ask ME. but I also loved Secret Life of Bees. Sadly, I loathed The Mermaid Chair.
Totally agree! Secret Life of Bees was Great! Mermaid Chair was awful!
Same same same. Made me loathe the term “make love.” way over-used in that book, in my opinion. it’s never good when any phrase in a book sticks out like a sore thumb-I just like my books to flow and then afterwards think, wow, that was written really well
Fetzer wine is not good.
Funny thing is, the Fetzer was way better than the other wine! It was barf-tastic.
That book is on my list! Hope it’s good. Seafood is my favorite.
I love that you branch out with your foods when you’re on vacation, but everything still looks heavenly to me! And well done, again, for getting through these past few months. Your future is so exciting!
You look SO tan!!! We just ate crabs the other day–so yuuuurm!!
I loved The Mermaid Chair – I felt that the story was well-told and full of emotion – it’s one that I definitely want to read again.
red pepper jelly on cream cheese is so great! i had forgotten all about it!
That dinner looked amazing – I loved the newspaper on the table. That is such an east coast/southern thing. I love it!!!
You and your sister look so much alike!
I love Fetzer! They live near my soon to be mother in law! And gave us two bottles of free wine as an engagement gift when we visited
YUM! Good eats.
Everything looks delicious, and the pictures of you are good too. That puzzle looks difficult!
Wow! All that seafood looks delicious:O Great food and dessert…the best part of vacation! Cheers!
great photos as always! and i’m so jealous of your current vacation
Everything is so picturesque! You take beautiful photos.
Some day I’ll live near the ocean and sit with an umbrella on the beach.
If you liked that jelly you should check out the hot pepper peach (or raspberry) preserves from Stonewall Kitchen, sooooo good.
My stepmom makes that cream cheese/ pepper jelly combo and calls it “Jezebell” and I love it. It looks like such a fun vacation, and lived it up on your last night
Ice cream container drinking is totally necessary. I don’t even have to ask
The beach and CRABS look wonderful! Ohh what I’d do for some good steamed crabs and Old Bay right now. That puzzle looks super hard, congrats on the finished product, I love it
Enjoy your last beachy moments!!
Meg
Yay for pepper jelly! Glad you enjoyed it! One of my favorite party foods!
Your seafood bash looks off the hook!
And I definitely think your hair does look a little lighter!
What an absolutely spectacular vacation. Though I’m not the hugest fan of seafood, your dinner sure looks great!
Did you like The Mermaid Chair? I didn’t read but my mom wasn’t a fan!
Congrats on finishing the puzzle! After the picure in the last post, I never would’ve guessed it was The Simpsons..:P
I’m glad you had such a good time anyway, you deserved it
You’re skin is tan & glowing =)
Is Larbs a nickname?
Puzzles like that are hard, I’ve done the Peanuts/Snoopy ones. Patience is definitely needed
You are so beautiful! You take great pictures! I wished I looked like you!
wow, such a great dinner spread!
I just finished eating pancakes made with Kodiak Cakes mix! Yum! How do you make cookies with it? That dinner looks unbelievably good, & congrats on finishing the puzzle!! Safe travels back home!
Puzzles are so fun! Great job, that looks HARD!
Wow, great job on the puzzle! I have no patience at all with things like that…haha.
All the seafood looks so fresh and delicious! How perfect is that for the beach?
Those puzzles are really hard. We have a spider man puzzle like that and it was so hard with me and a 6 year old! I love the hard ones though. Sorry your vacation is over, but you have more adventures to come! Have a safe trip home!
I’m so sorry to see your vacation come to an end, but it has been so fun getting to see all your relaxing and enjoyable posts.
As it has been said many times this week, your clothes and swimsuits are so pretty, and your body is freaking AWESOME!!! The seafood bash looks scrumdidlyumptious. 
) You certainly have a beautiful and loving family, and I love how you all support each other on your individual interests (be it blogging, brewing, puzzling, etc. haha). Btw please tell your sister that her skirt is so cute, and she looks beautiful. Now you have me craving good old fashioned chocolate chip cookies. Have a safe trip home, Kath!
Thanks Kori!
How is the Mermaid Chair? I loved the Secret Life of Bees!
Good so far!
You truly deserved that vacation after all of the hard work you put in with your internship! I’m glad that you had a wonderful time!
On the topic of spicy jelly… I’ve always been afraid to try jalapeno or pepper jellies…the concept makes me a little uneasy – how are they?
That looks like one of the best days, so fun.
Wow! The Catena wasn’t good?
I’m from Argentina and for us it’s like in our top 5 list of favorite wines
Since summer has officially arrived (it’s been a heat wave here!), I have been craving ice cream hardcore!
And seafood -I’m unsure of it – but we’re vacationing in Maine soon and I’m going to have to try it! Can you believe I’ve never had lobster (or clams, crab, etc.)? Insane!
‘
Definitely try it!! And think about all the humans stranded on islands and who lived by the sea who ate it in the past. Makes me appreciate it so much more.
You’re the only healthy living blog I read in which garbage isn’t eaten nor read very often (and you read BOOKS, not just SELF and the like). THANK YOU.
Now THAT’s my kind of dinner!!! Seafood galore
I didnt know that ouzzle had all those itty bitty pictures in each peice…no doubt it was killer!
Wow! I attempted one of those Simpsons puzzle twice I think! I must admit my impatience got the better of me! Good job!
I’m pale pale pale so I don’ really tan but I love the summer sun because of how blonde it makes my hair!
Glad you enjoyed your vacation Kath, you totally deserved a big break!
I love how close your whole family is. You guys are so cute
Hope you’re enjoying your last moments!
Wei-Wei
PS: Butter + lobster/crab/shrimp = ABSOLUTE HEAVEN. Add garlic and omg. I’m almost dying from lust (yes, lust) right now :F
Kath,
I very seldom comment on blogs, but I simply want to thank you on the lovely content of your site. I love the balanced approach, and your life/eating/wellness philosphy is very similar to my husband and I, who are also mid twenties w/o children. I find your blog practical, inspiring, and relevant to daily life. Also appreciate so much that you are “all things in moderation” which to me seems to be the most sane, realistic way to live!
Thanks Cathy!
Your cream cheese appetizer reminds me of a family tradition we have! Every Christmas my aunt serves Club crackers to dip in a block of cream cheese topped with baby shrimp and cocktail sauce. It sounds like such strange combination, but it’s absolutely delicious! Must be that sweet, spicy, salty, creamy combo… I think you’d enjoy it!
Kath, you look so cute in your sitting-on-the-railing pictures.
I’m so glad you’re having such a relaxing vacation with people you love. It was certainly well-deserved:-).
I love that puzzle. I am a huge Simpson’s fan!
It looks like you had a great vacation. It’s bittersweet when vacation ends.
That last picture pretty much sums up how I feel about ice cream. ALL. The. Time!
You look even more glowing and radiant in every single picture you post:) and i must say the beach looks more glorious in each picture you post too! SO jealous! also very jealous of those yummy looking cookies xx
I LOVE SEAFOOD! That’s one of the things I look forward to the most about following my husband around in the Navy. We’ll pretty much guaranteed to always be near fresh seafood!
Those cookies look sooo good. I’d love to try some Kodiak cakes cookies!
Kath, your hair looks grrrreaaaattttt lighter! you should keep it that way!
If you love seafood, you should visit Seattle! Pike’s Place Market is AMAZING! I went to this one restaurant, the Crab Boil (?), where you picked what you want and they threw a big heaping bowl of delicious seafood on your table for everyone to share. Mallet and butter included
catching up on posts….
you and your sister are definitely the prettiest people ever. i also really like your polo (and the color!)– any idea where you got it?
& of course, i am majorly jealous of your beach vacation and the amazing, amazing scenery. next time you go, i think it might be nice for you to have a maid. more beach time > washing dishes & cleaning. basically: please take me.
Awesome vacation, Kath! Thanks for sharing so much! Any idea where your sister got her skirt? Thanks!!!
VERY late comment…catching up
1–those shorts are so cute on you. great color, great fit. go on girl.
2–i definitely do that w/ ice cream cartons. totally normal. and awesome.