Mazen and I spent a long weekend on Bald Head Island with my parents and Larbs and Matt, who are getting married there in June. We did a wine tasting for their rehearsal dinner on Saturday and a tasting for the reception menu on Sunday. Mom, dad and I went out for pizza on the first night and cooked spaghetti on our final night. We watched several sunsets and sipped wine by the ocean. Mazen had a great time on his first boat ride, walking on the beach with P and playing lots of games with Buzz.
I unplugged from my computer, started a new book (Room – totally into it so far!), enjoyed a run and several walks (too bad it was still really cold), and increased my sleep deprivation bank. (Yes, increased. That was the only part of this trip that wasn’t a vacation!). But overall, it was a lovely escape.
“Sunrise” from the clouds
Sunset over the ocean
{ 117 comments… read them below or add one }
I always love your vacay pix!
I love all the photos of your little vacation! It is like a nice pictorial walk through with you
You look fantastic! And Mazen is growing up so fast! I will definitely check out “Room”, I am always looking for my next good read! Currently I am reading “Bringing up Bebe” and I love it so far!
Thanks Kath!
Love that y’all love Bald Head Island!! I’m from Dallas, Tx, but my family always headed to the Carolinas for vacation in the summer. We are huge fans of Hilton Head and went there mostly, but ventured to Bald Head Island once and absolutely loved it! I would love to go back sometime!
I’m sure you already know….but, he is just too darn cute!!!!
What a cutie that little Mazen is! Glad you were able to get away for a few days. Love all the beautiful photos!
Your blog gives me serious baby fever – Mazen is such a cutie! Bald Head Island looks beautiful, have always wanted to visit!
I was just thinking the same thing. I have MAJOR baby fever from the Mazen pictures!
Beautiful pictures Kath!… What kind of baby carrier is that? Looks super comfortable.
Boba.. Got it to review on BERF and we love it
Cute photos of Mazen! And great food it looks like. Just curious, you’ve mentioned starting sleep training on Baby KERF (and perhaps here on KERF), but have you started yet? I don’t know how you handle all those rough nights! You are strong.
Not yet…I am so tired : )
Love the picture of your dad with Mazen on the beach!
I love Maze’s little blue/white striped onesie in the first picture… It totally goes with the boat/nautical theme! He’s so fashionable!
Also, as always, I want to eat everything in every single one of your pictures!
I was on a business trip when my husband started sleep training (she was about 6 months and 2 weeks…) he is brave. We stopped feedings (per our dr.) and just did “pat-pat” as we called it. Took turns going in to do the pat-pat once or maybe twice a night – which was heaven compared to getting up for night time feedings. At nine months we stopped going in for the nightly pat-pat (also at the recommendation of dr. who gave us the ok) It gets MUCH better. Hang in there.
Aww! Mazen’s smile is so funny!
I love Bald Head Island so much! It’s hands down my favorite beach in NC.
Looks like it was a wonderful getaway! I’m sure your parents love every second they get with Mazen.
I read Room a few years ago. Good one, but made me so sad that it has really happened to people.
Kath- I have to say I absolutely love your new blog style. It is such a breath of fresh air seeing something new every day, a wonderful break from the what I ate for breakfast/lunch/dinner routine. Props to you for recognizing you needed a change, and probably taking a huge risk by doing so!
Loving stopping by the new version of the blog…hope it keeps up!
Also- Mazen is absolutely ADORABLE! Seriously, what a beautiful baby boy.
I completely agree–the new blog style is wonderful! Love the diversity of posts and learning more about you, your family, your perspective on nutrition and more.
And as always, your photos, food and baby are gorgeous!
Is he ever a sad baby! He’s always smiling, such a cutie!
At bedtime, yes : )
Precious baby! Loved the photos and of course the location!
Mazen is looking SO much like YOU!
Wht a great weekend…I wish my family loved red wine and food as much as yours! They all think I’m crazy pants
First of all, your son is precious! That smile and those cheeks! And wine tasting is always a plus in my book!
Your little guy Maze is too cute! Enjoy it as it goes by all too fast. I have 2 kiddos 10 & 11yrs old and time really flies. I love your vacation pictures. We are hoping to take a short get away vacation when the kids are out of school in a couple of weeks…
Love that fuzzy head of Mazen’s!
What an adorable, cute and happy baby!!! Love the pics of Mazen:)
Lovely pictures! Makes me long for spring (still tons of snow here in Northern Ontario!) Mazen is so sweet, looks like a very happy baby!
Looks like such a wonderful time!! Makes me so excited for our east coast trip this summer
Absolutely gorgeous!! Does that adorable nugget of yours ever not have a big ol’ smile on his face?? So cute! So glad you had a good time!
Mazen looks like such a sweet and happy baby! You’re so lucky! I love those little cheeks when he smiles!
Can Mazen get any more cute!? He seems like such a happy baby all the time! And all your food looks amazing!
He is too cute for words! Can’t wait for the post on M starting solids! I’m still nursing our 6 month old sometimes 2X/night, can’t wait to stop that and get some sleep!
What a great vacation!
Mazen looks SO happy
He looks so much like you Kath!
You should put a warning at the top of your post to prepare us for CUTENESS OVERLOAD!!!
Are you kidding me with those cheeks?!
Somebody apparently likes to smile
– what a cutie Mazen is!
Bald Head Island looks beautiful and I’m glad you enjoyed your vacation despite sleep deprivation.
Your Bald Head Island posts always make me want to go there!! I think there’s something so nice about being at the beach when it’s still cold out. When I lived in Charleston, I loved walking on the beach (bundled up, of course) during the winter and early spring months. So pretty!
Glad you got a nice break!
Your posts always make me so hungry! Beautiful pictures.
Love your yellow shirt! The fish tacos look yummy. They are my newest obsession! I love the beach in the winter time (even though this would be considered spring break!), it is so peaceful.
Where’s the yellow shirt from?
Old Navy!
Can’t believe you’re back in Bald Head already … has it really been a year? Wow, time flies! Thanks for these glorious photos, Kath. It makes me remember the time I’ve spent there. That opening shot, I instantly thought, that’s either Wrightsville Beach, or Bald Head. It’s an awesome shot, as they all are. Sorry that your sleep dep is actually increasing though!
Man, NC is beautiful! I’ve never been, but I need to fix that ASAP
Girl, he’s big enough and apparently eating enough where you should try sleep training- those sleepless nights are no longer necessary…
Looks like such a fun weekend! And Mazen seriously seems like one of the happiest babies ever–always grinning from ear to ear.
Mazen. Blue baby grow. Smiling. Erm, yeh, NUFF SAID!! Cutest. Picture. Ever. That will always be my fave of him! Nice sunset pics
HE’S SO CUTE
Mazen cuteness on overdrive! So darned cute!
Such lovely pictures!! I know you’ve probably answered this before, but what kind of babywearing wrap is Mazen in in those pictures? It looks SO comfy. My little one is getting sick of her Moby and I’m looking into other options. Do you recommend yours?
Goodness, I see that you answered my first question above. So sorry! The Boba wrap. Do you recommend it?
Yes, it has been a lifesaver. We have a wrap and this carrier and I much prefer the carrier.
Thank you!! I appreciate it. Looking into it now…
What great pictures, it looks like you all really had a nice relaxing time. And I’m sure your family loved getting to spend some time with Mazen!
Some absolutely gorgeous photos of Mazen! He is so adorable! Also random but so true…you have the most amazing clear bright skin! Tell me your secrets!!!
Thank you : ) I don’t have any secrets or tricks, but I do have a post on skincare planned because I get this question a lot!
I’m not surprised! Truly gorgeous skin! I have to know…are you make up free in those shots?
No!! I’m never make-up free in public
Why not??! I bet your skin is beautiful without…or do you just like make up?
Looking forward to your post about skincare, I also think you have a great complexion, you glow Kath!
Ana
What a cutie pie! That was a good book.
The Kidless Kronicles
Wow! Love all the photos…what a happy baby boy! I read ‘Room’ awhile back…I found it difficult to read at times…but it was a good book.
Great photos of the whole family and of course that beautiful scenery. You’ve been tempting me to book a flight to NC to visit Bald Head Island for years…hopefully this will be the year! It’s just my kind of getaway. (And, what a beautiful, appropriate spot for Larbs’ and Matt’s wedding!)
re. Room: I read it last summer and remember it as vividly as it was yesterday. I really admire the author esp. for her originality. Though parts of it were a little difficult/troubling to read through, the overarching message was beautiful. Enjoy.
Love the photos, how beautiful! I especially love Maze’s little hat with the ears!!
I can not get over how CUTE Mazen is! He is such a happy boy!
So fun to see allyour photos. Looks like life is treating you well:)
I love how Mazen smiles with his eyes. They twinkle
I really enjoyed the book ROOM. I hope you like it.
Hope you get some sleep soon. Be good to your mama, Mazen!! Let her sleep!
Delicious food and beautiful family in a lovely setting. Family shorties represent!!!! Room is a thought-provoking book. I couldn’t put it down.
Looks like a beautiful getaway. I love the pictures of the beach & the sunset!
Some Snapshots Blog
Jess
Mazen is so gorgeous, and looks like such a happy baby. You’re doing a wonderful job.
What a lovely compilation of vacation pics!!
That destination looks amazing and so serene
I’ve always wanted to go to Bald Head! Looks gorgeous. I read Room last year; it’s so incredibly disturbing but a page-turner for sure.
Mazen just glows! What a healthy, happy looking baby
Lovely pictures!! And Mazen looks adorable as always. I’m glad you guys got a little break!
Mazen is one of the cutest and smiliest babies I have ever seen!!! You cant look at those pictures of him and NOT smile! Its impossible haha
So many pics of Mazen!!!! Thank you! Such a sweetheart!!!!
There is nothing on your blog today that could surpass the sheer perfection of Mazen’s belt. LOVE. IT.
It looks beautiful there!
What a great vacation! Maze is getting so big! I can’t believe he’s already eating baby food!
Mazen is sooooo adorable, i love his cheeks!
Love Room! It was such a good book!
Oh, these are such beautiful pictures!!! What great memories you will have.
And I read the Room last year. What a great book! Very sad, very disturbing. But definitely worth the read!
Some beautiful photos Kath, you have a rare talent. And boy does it look cold!!
I was so frozen by the end of the sunset party that I could barely speak. It was one of those colds when all of a sudden, you can’t take it anymore. Sure was a lovely sunset though!
You have a beautiful family and M is just precious.
Have you written a post about how you and Matt met? Also, by the looks of some of your pictures prior to weight-loss I think I can see a slightly heavier Matt. Does he have a weight-loss story as well? I would be super interested if so!
I know I shared it at some point. It involves freshman orientation and a conversation starter pair of Duke shorts.
And yes, Matt lost 25-30lbs after college too. It came off effortlessly and was more the absence of beer and frat food than any drastic diet plan : ) plus we started exercising together
Hey Kath, were you heavier when you and Matt met and dated? I struggle with being self-conscious dating because I’m not as fit as I used to be and should be. Would love to hear your thoughts on this…?!
Mazen is just precious! That wide grin makes me smile so much!
Mazen is so happy and cute. I love his big grin
never gets old!
I LOVE ROOM! That book was amazing.
Also I’d just like to say how much I appreciate your blog. I lived in Charlottesville for about half of my life and I went to Great Harvest all the time! John D’Earth, a jazz trumpet player, was my jazz teacher in high school and his studio is right across the street. Anyway, I moved this year to DC for college and only then did I get into your blog – I actually was reading your blog for a month before I even made the connection that we were from the same town! I’ve been to the shop so much so I’ve probably seen you already not knowing who you were! Anyway, keep up the great work!
Come back and visit!
Looks like so much fun! Great people, great eats and a great setting, what more could you want from a spring break? Hope you’re having an okay time getting back into the swing of things
Dear Kath,
thank you for this “window” on the lovely island & family & food. It feels like being there with you.
Cutie Pie is cuter than ever. I have a little strange request here: I find babies adorable even when they cry or pull faces, could you take a couple of pics of those moments as well?
A warm hug,
Ella
Even if you don’t share sad or crying pictures, I hope you are taking those kinds of pictures. I find as I look back through my little guy’s pictures the ones with crocodile tears in them always pull at my heart strings the most.
Looks like a wonderful getaway – tasty eats, great company, and a beautiful setting – lovely!
Room is a fantastic book!
You always have the best looking bread – I can’t wait to go home for spring break and have some Great Harvest goodies again!
Beautiful pictures – such a beautiful place for a wedding. Can’t wait to see those pics!! How can little Mazen be growing up so fast? He’s a doll! What a wonderful, close-knit family.
He is the cutest thing ever! Looking at all those smiles surely compensates for the lack of sleep he gives you. It’s his way of saying, “I am cute, you can’t be annoyed”
Haha. Oh my goodness that child is cute.
We went to BHI in 2010 and absolutely loved it (we actually stayed in that tiny little Water cabin on the bottom left of your first pic! It was really nice.). The island was so serene and beautiful.
Has the water quality improved at all? That’s the only thing that’s kept us from going back. The water smelled and tasted horrible and, since I was pg at the time, we felt it best to be safe and avoid any food/drink from the restaurants that was made with it and went through a ton of bottled water. I would love to go back otherwise!
Beach water is always horrid in NC. sadly we drink gallons of purified while we’re thetee but I’ve never had trouble in a restaurant. I think it’s plenty safe just stinky.
That place is absolutely stunning!!! Btw, I LOVE that candid picture of your son eating! Too cute
I would love to visit BHI – any recommendations for a great place to stay?
Unfortunately the options are limited to house rentals, condos and the Marsh Harbor Inn. You can find the best value in the spring and fall (and winter). It’s really pricey in the summer, which is why we never go then! Except this one for the wedding. I’m so excited.
Such a happy baby!
I seriously love the pictures of him eating- he just looks so excited for the food.
Looks like a great (but cold) trip!
Looks like you had a fabulous time – love all the photographs – brings the story to life
Looks like a lovely holiday.
Room is amazing!!!!
Kath,
I have recently stumbled upon your blog and have been so motivated by your pictures and recipes. I am a busy mom too, but my kids are 14 and 17…
After a recent bewildering diagnosis of LGL Leukemia, I have jumped into a new phase of my life– one in which I really, truly pay attention to what I eat.
Fortunately, I am asymptomatic. I plan to stay that way as long as I can by treating myself well. Thanks for being part of my plan!
Welcome and best health wishes to you
one: I love Mazen’s name.
two: I reallyyy want to go to Bald Head Island now! My family goes to Emerald Isle, NC very often and I have also been to Hilton Head a handful of times too, would love to try this beach : )
So great to see how you are incorporating motherhood into your life. I love that you continue to travel, spend time with family, exercise, socialize–and read! My kids are teens now, and my time is once again basically my own, yet I clearly remember how difficult it was to justify taking time for myself when they were younger. And though I think tried, I don’t think I ever really committed to the idea of integrating them (especially as babies) into my pre-child life. So kudos to you, Kath!
P.S. Mazen is absolutely precious. Pretty sure I say that each time I leave a comment, but it remains true!
ahhhh Bald Head Island is the BEST!
Room is such an amazing book – glad you’re enjoying it!
Room is so so so good! Creepy and impossible to put down!
Beauty pictures! Mazen looks like the happiest baby in the world.
that baby loves him some avocado
YOU have the cutest baby in the world, KATH. He is beautiful!!! xooxxo So glad you had fun. Miss you! xo