Life is happening

The time for my monthly blog post has arrived.  October has been a busy month for us.  Our kids had a 3 week fall break and we celebrated 2 birthdays.  This is Presley and Teag enjoying their birthday blankets from Grandma Nacey.  They are both so nice and cozy.  

 During fall break we tried to do fun things that were close and free (my two favorite things).  We spend an afternoon at Sandhills Community College where they have a huge horticultural garden.  The kids loved it.  The weather was perfect and we explored every ounce of the area.  This is the kids getting in their meditation pose.

Look at our beautiful vegetables.

We also caught a little lizard.  

Kroy also enjoyed the garden.  Such a sweet little baby.

Posing for the camera.

Another day we took a hike around a lake.  It is a 2 mile loop and all the kids did great.  Of course we all eventually had to get our own hiking sticks and there were plenty to go around.

Sweet Presley.

Lovely Kenady.

Me and my kids.  I can't believe I have 4 kids.  How did that happen?

Soccer also started this fall, which we love.  My girls both love it and Josh and I love getting to watch them.  Presley said after one game, "Mom I was playing a..., What's that word?  Oh yeah, aggressive!" I guess she had heard that request a few times.

Presley on her 7th birthday.  We had a candy making party at our friends house.  Josh happened to get off work early this day so he came home and took Presley on a Daddy/daughter date for lunch to Mellow Mushroom.  They got to enjoy pizza, her own adult size rootbeer and dessert.  She was so happy.

 When we got home we let her open her presents.  She got Barbie Popstar Princess.  She was super excited.

Kenady and Kroy during the birthday present opening.

Look alikes Teag and Presley.

Presley had a friend birthday party a couple of days later where we made necklaces, decorated cupcakes and had a dancing number game.  She had a great time.

Presley with her little cake.

Here's the sweet baby.  He is such a good little guy.  He wins the award for the best baby.  He just rolls with the punches.

Opening presents from friends.

We attended Autumnfest in Southern Pines.  We all ran the 1 mile fun run.  I was so impressed with my kids.  Kenady and Presley shot off like rockets so I ran and caught up to them.  Josh pushed the stroller and stayed back with Teag.  All 3 kids ran the entire way without crying and Kenady ended up finishing 4th overall.  So proud!

Here they are with their ribbons.

Happy baby!

The kids also joined sprint contests.  Our kids each took 2nd in their respective heats.  So another ribbon.  We are so awesome!

Teag's birthday celebration was next.  Josh bought him a spiderman fishing pole.  Teag is trying to fish from upstairs so Josh tied a little frog to it.  Teag was pretty happy to reel that up.

Birthday boy with his shark cake.

We just had a few families over for dinner and cake and ice cream.  This was the group of kids that wre there.

Teag opening his first hot wheels toy which he loves.  He plays with it all the time.

This boy loves some sharks and killer whales.

Which is mostly what his presents were centered around.

Daddy helping with the opening.

And finally some pictures of Kenady playing soccer.  We have been so impressed with her throughout this soccer season.  She is getting better and better.  We love watching her.  It is definitely the highlight of our Saturdays!

We have been keeping busy as always, playing as much or more than we are working.  We love being able to be here and enjoying the beauty and the wonderful friends that we have made here!  Kind of a boring post but now you know what we are up to!

Up and at 'em

Our summer has been full of new experiences and lot of good times.  So grateful to be out here and see and experience new things.  We were able to spend some time in Outer Banks NC.   We had a blast.  My sister Jenna and he family made a 25 hour drive to be with us for the week.   

The week started off with a deep sea fishing trip for Josh and his best buddy Kurt.  They caught some fish and had a great time minus the seasickness felt by Josh.  They each started out with a half-patch of that sea sickness medicine stuck behind their ears and pretty soon Kurt gave his to Josh since he was a little green.  They had a great time though.

Smokin' hot Jenna, Ernie, and their adopted son Teag (glad he could pop himself into this picture).

 Cohen and Jenna.  Upon getting to the beach Cohen immediately put his sandy hands into his eyes.  The sand and him went round after round and I like the sand won.

 This was Kroy's position for the 6 beach days we had while in the Outer Banks.

 One day there was a huge downpour for about 2 hours.  After it cleared up, the playground across from our condo was totally flooded which my kids took that as an opportunity to have their very own water park.  This, of course, was one of the highlights of the trip for them.  They played here for about 2 hours.

 Visiting the famous Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.  We couldn't go to the Outer Banks without visiting this famous landmark.  For $7 each the girls and adults could have hiked to the top of it but we thought better of it.  No air conditioning up all those stairs did not sound like that much fun.  It was very cool to be able to see it and the lightkeeper's house though.

 Later that day we drove farther south and took a ferry to Ocracoke Island.  It was about a 40 minute ferry ride to Ocracoke.  The island is only 16 miles long and about a mile across in the town section.  We were able to visit the lighthouse below.  About half as tall as Hatteras but still very cool.  The little town was awesome.  They encourge you to park your car and walk around to sight see because the streets are so small and parking is sparse.

 This was inside one of the original owner's of the island's house.

 Ocracoke is known for its pirates.  This is where Blackbeard spent a lot of his time.  So we got some pictures with Teach the pirate head.

 Our condo was in Manteo NC which is on the Roanoke Island.  They had a place called Roanoke Island Festival Park which we of course had to visit.  My kids had so much fun.  They are learning about the native indians who lived in that part of the country when the settlers first came.

 They also had a ship we could explore to see what it was like coming across the Atlantic ocean from England.

 The ship had actors on it portraying sailors.  Full on accents and everything.  The kids were a little leary around them.

 Exploring the grounds

 Indians would make canoes by digging out the centers of logs.  The girls thought it stunk in there.  Teag apparently didn't seem to notice the stench.  That totally figures.

 Then they had a part that resembled what a settlement would look like.  The actors there helped the kids try the different tools that were used back then.  The kids really like the blacksmith.  He was really heating up metal and making little nails.

 The weapon tent.

 Then we went inside to the hands on children's museum part.  Here they were able to dress up in play clothes to be like the early settlers.  My camera died right after this but I was able to get a picture of Teag wearing what I can only assume is a mixture of little girl and little boy clothes.  Still not sure on that one.

 Kenady's outfit.

 Another day we were able to go the aquarium there.  I realize that this picture doesn't say much for the aquarium but really Teag?  What the heck?

 She was hoping it would turn into a prince I guess.

 Kroy being just as content as ever.

 A picture of the causeway you drive on to get from island to island.

 Josh and Kroy chillin in the condo.

 Back in Southern Pines, playing at the local reservoir.  "Teag do not get your clothes wet," said the mom that no one listens to.

Little lovies!

Congrats to me for finishing my medical transcription editing course.  My friends threw me a surprise luncheon at the park.  I have the best friends here!

Playing in the lake at Whispering Pines.  Trying to catch little fish.

 Josh's first time fishing in NC.

 And look, he caught something!

So much fun!

 Back at the reservoir with friends.

 Handsome fella!

 Watching football with Daddy.

So sweet.  Kroy is such a good little baby.  It makes me wonder what he is going to be like as a 1 year old.  Lets hope that he is not like Teag as a 1 year old or I will have my work cut out for me again.

Got off the treadmill to find this......That is my brand new diet coke from the fridge.  Little stinker!

Celebrating Presley's upcoming birthday at school.  She wanted Grannie's donuts.  Long, chocolate covered, with sprinkles, her favorite.

 My 3 little ones.  Teag with the GQ pose.

Beautiful children!  I wish Kroy would have cooperated on this photo.

We learned about B this week.  B is for bunny.

I guess next week will be C is for cool!

That pretty much brings us up to date.  The kids are in year round school so they just started their fall break and don't have to go back to school until October 10th.  I am loving fall break!  Today we walked around the gardens at the college in the most perfect fall weather.  Something that we never could have done in the hot humid summer.  More to come on fall break later I guess.  We have only just begun!