Two Meatballs: Memorial Heyyyyyyy!

Hiiiiiiiiiii!!! It’s Sara…You guyyyyys…this Memorial Day Weekend was fahhhmazing!!! My family and I (sans kids) went downt to Salter Path on the North Carolina coast…which is our favorite place ON EARTH!!!!

I mean…is there anywhere more amazing on the planet…probabllly but, this is our little Beard slice of heaven. Is it the sound of the waves, that brine-y smell, the dolphins ten feet from us, the sand, the freezing clear water, the pelicans, the non stop laughing, the intoxicating scent of sunscreen (my favorite smell!), the relaxation, matching mother daughter outfits (finally getting to live out a childhood fantasy), the endless time with family or tan wars?!?

All of the above…Am I right ladies??!! I just love the beach!!! And my family obvi…but I will say, I was a little trepidatious about four days out of town…away from my routine…while I’m plateaued! Vacation is normally a real sink hole for any healthy resolve I have and in the past would have totally derailed me. Buuuuut, you guys…we came prepared and commited to being healthy as a family. We brought groceries and cooked and didn’t stuff ourselves silly which is a total Beard family first! We made Kale Smoothies…

And bacon and eggs…

Kale salad with spicy deli turkey and pepperoni…

Spa water and pistachios for snacks…

And grilled steak, squash and onions, baked sweet potatoes and spinach guacamole salads…

Everything was super easy and delicious…and healthy!!! Even when we went out to eat…I tried to make the best decisions I could!

I felt like high fiving a million angels. I wasn’t even tempted by my normal beach treats…ice cream and ice cold beer. We shared a cheers but I sipped on a Coke Zero (I’m 106 days sober!!!)…My one major splurge of the weekend!

For the first time in my life I actually served as my families voice of reason instead of the hedonistic instigator (my motto is DO IT!). Normally I would be the one pushing us to go out to eat even though the fridge was stocked…but not this time! I also had the pleasure of paying it forward and being the driver so my family could enjoy these beers! So many people have taken me home over the years and it feels so nice to return the favor! Then the healthy living continued…we even got a little exercise before beaching it up!

So what was the reward for doing so well ( I am a child and I love a prize )…family time on the beach!

Now you may be asking yourself…what is this tan wars you speak of. Well it’s a game that my family made up to make me feel even paler than I already do!!! All summer we compare arms and legs to see who is the darkest…spoiler alert my dad always wins bc of his dark arm hair, then my sister, then my mom, and brining up the rear…ME! My family (not myself included) could teach a master class in tanning! I am easily distracted and find it hard ot sit and sizzle!

But more than anything this vacation we enjoyed each others company…and not to the detriment of our health!

What a wonderful way to spend a weekend…with the people you love the most. Now I have so much more faith that our June and September beach trips can be healthy!!! (Chanting) Beards…Beards…Beards (slow fade out) beards…beards…beards…Looooove y’all the most in the world!