5th Wedding Anniversary in St. Augustine, Florida

Good afternoon my dears,

Can't believe its already almost the end of summer, can you? 

One important event on our summer calendar is our wedding anniversary. This year we celebrated five years of marriage and almost eight years together. Since its a milestone anniversary, we decided to pack the car and head to sunny St. Augustine, Florida for a week of sun, sand, sea, and sightseeing. Here's a few pictures from our anniversary trip that I'd like to remember.

We stayed in an adorable oceanside and poolside condo. Each morning we'd get up early, put on our bathing suits, pack our beach bag, and spend a few hours beside the sea side.

Then we'd head to the pool to swim for a little bit before heading back to get ready for a day of sightseeing. This is the view of the pool from our third floor balcony. 

On our fifth wedding anniversary we decided to have lunch at Columbia Restaurant. Its a family owned and operated restaurant, since 1905. The food and atmosphere were superb, with old-time Spanish renaissance décor, an atrium, and a water fountain. 

Afterwards, we walked through the charming streets of St. Augustine to Flagler College. Listed as a national historic landmark, Flagler College, was built by railroad magnate, Henry M. Flagler in 1888, and is considered to be one of the finest examples of Spanish Renaissance architecture in the nation. 

As we were walking we saw this dreamy MG.

The Lightner Museum, built in 1888 by Henry M. Flagler, is home to many gilded age antiques and a magnificent courtyard. 

The majestic Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, established in 1565, has the oldest continuous congregation in the nation. The aura inside was indescribable, you could feel the joy of baptisms and weddings, and the sorrows of funerals and prayers.

The necklace I was wearing was made as an anniversary gift to me. A silver chain with wooden beads to represent our wooden anniversary. 

Castillo de San Marcos, is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States, built to protect and defend. 

I used to spend every summer out on the water boating and jet skiing with family and family friends until my dad got sick. So whenever we're near a marina we go visit and I get nostalgic for summers past. 

In the evenings we'd come back to the condo for baked potatoes (something simple to make) and go watch the sunset on the beach. It was the perfect mid-summer week away to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary. 

Our 5th Wedding Anniversary Home Movie

Kiki Nakita

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Prayer Request & 31st Birthday In Outer Banks, NC

Good afternoon my dears.

You may have noticed that I haven't blogged in awhile. That's because we've have had a lot happen in our family over the past few weeks, and we could really use your thoughts and prayers. 

On May 2nd, my hubby's paternal grandmother passed away, aged seventy-five, a few weeks shy of her sixtieth wedding anniversary, on Memorial Day, May 29th, which just so happens to be my birthday. She will be missed.

Grandpa and Grandma, on their wedding day, May 29th, 1957

Saturday, May 27th

On Saturday, it would've been my Nana's eighty-sixth birthday. She passed away in 2009, five months after my Granddad. We talked about her on our drive through the Carolina's to the village of Southern Shores, on the Outer Banks, where we were greeted with this charming beach house. 

We spent the evening unpacking, and situating ourselves. Later that evening we had a bite to eat at the Sunset Grille and Raw Bar, while overlooking the spectacular sunset over the Atlantic Ocean. 

Sunday, May 28th

On Sunday, we woke up with a spring in our step. We walked to the beach and spent a few hours sitting and chatting, looking for seashells (which I collect), and jumping in the waves.

That evening we got dressed up for dinner at Aqua. My hubby used the picture below for his birthday message on Facebook.

"Happy Birthday to my wonderful wife, Kiki! I cannot put into words how thankful I am for you. I am constantly amazed by your kindness, generosity, and creativity. I hope this year brings you all the joy and happiness that you bring into my life."

 Monday, May 29th

On my birthday morning we skyped with my family while I opened my birthday presents. Although, I'd much rather give gifts than receive them, as there isn't really anything that I need or want that can be bought.

After we got off skype we noticed a missed call, and voicemail from my father-in-law. He called to let us know that my mother-in-law, aged fifty-nine, was in surgery. So that was on our minds the whole day. She could also use your thoughts and prayers while she heals.

We postponed my birthday dinner to the following day, and spent the day driving to Hatteras, spotting scenes from the movie Nights In Rodanthe along the way.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

Bodie Lighthouse to watch the sunset.

Tuesday, May 30th

After a morning of rest and recuperation, we got dressed up for my 31st birthday dinner. We made reservations at Kimball's Kitchen which is part of the Sanderling Resort. We had two young men waiting on us, and I think they were surprised when I said we don't really drink, besides special occasions, and then ordered a cider, Pellegrino, and coffee.

We came home to sing happy birthday, and have a slice of cake. My birthday cake was strawberry, and it was honestly one of the best cakes I've ever tasted. Afterwards, we went to the movies to see Diary of a Whimpy Kid: The Long Haul . Which was so funny!

Wednesday, May 31st

We had wonderful weather all week, especially on Wednesday when we went to see Whalehead, a beautifully restored 1920s-era Art Nouveau-style mansion listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The home has been carefully restored to the way it looked when Edward Collings Knight Jr. and his wife, Marie Louise, first opened the doors as a lavish hunting retreat in 1925.

Corolla Lighthouse

That evening we had the most spectacular sunset. All God's handiwork.

Thursday, June 1st

After a morning on the beach, we went to the Wright Brother's Memorial. It may not look it, but it's quite a climb, especially in 90-100 degree heat. Oh my word!

The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, were the two brothers who made the world's first successful flight on December 17th, 1903, four miles south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

That evening we had another spectacular sunset.

Friday, June 2nd

The day before we left we went to the Elizabethan Gardens. It is a project of the Garden Club of North Carolina, and a living memorial to the time when Sir Walter Raleigh’s lost colonists lived in this very place over four-hundred years ago. 

Queen Elizabeth I statue

Afterwards, we went for a nice stroll around Manteo. We had dinner reservations at the 1587 restaurant, and our table had a sunset view over the Shallowbag Bay.

Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse

Saturday, June 3rd

On our last morning we packed up and drove to New Bern, NC to see Tryon Palace, North Carolina’s first permanent state capitol. It just so happened that they were having a Renaissance Festival that weekend, which brought the house to life.

At Tryon Palace they have a lot of dessert replicas, and this one caught my eye. My granny used to make a pastry dessert - croquembouche - just like this.

Then we made our way home, sweet home.

In my next post we'll be travelling to the British Isles for a family reunion.

~Kiki Nakita ~

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