We took a weekend away to Occoneechee State Park this weekend to stay in Cabin #5.  We got there before 5pm and unpacked before it started to rain and we listening to the rainstorm from their covered porch.  After it stopped raining we took a quick bike ride before we all roasted marshmallows and had s’mores, yum!  Saturday we started off with a hike on Old Plantation Trail and walking through the Terrace Gardens.  We checked out the marina before coming back to the cabin for lunch and quiet time.  We did a little family biking and the kids enjoyed going up and down the hills.  Alex even figured out how to start his bike by himself!  We biked to the trail-head of the Panhandle Multi-use Trail, stowed our bikes in the trees and hiked to Buggs Island Lake.  After that we went back to have dinner and relax around the cabin for the night.  Sunday we checked out then hiked Mossey Creek Nature Trail before leaving the park.  It was nice to get away from our daily grind and get back to nature.

This year during the kiddos spring break from school we took a nine day trip to Arizona.  My little fliers did well on the way out. Alex even took a quick lap nap before the second leg of our journey.  The first day in Phoenix was Easter and the kiddos got to have an Easter Egg hunt in Ammy and Papa’s backyard after finding their Easter baskets.  After a trip to the park to run off some sugar and Brooke helping Ammy in the kitchen we drove to Aunt Allison’s house.  Brooke and Alex enjoyed another Easter Egg hunt with their cousins, Ian and Aaron.  Then they had fun dying eggs together before picking seats at the kid table for Easter dinner.  The next morning Ammy and Aunt Allison joined us at our heated hotel pool for a fun morning and lunch in the sun.  The kids showed off their best jumping and swimming.  That evening was family dinner at Macayos and everyone had a great time.  Tuesday Ammy took us to the Phoenix Zoo to enjoy the zoo and a special dinosaurs in the desert exhibit.  We all had so much fun at the zoo that Alex passed out on the couch.  That evening was family dinner at Ammy and Papa’s and the cousins really enjoying playing with each other.  Wednesday we said goodbye to Ammy and Papa after lunch drove to Tucson.  Oma picked us up and since everyone was hot we stopped at Eegees on the way home.  AJ, Alex, and I relaxed outside admiring the desert.  We even saw a coyote heading to drink some water my parents leave out. Brooke and Oma cooked us a delicious dinner which we enjoyed.  Thursday we went to visit the University of Arizona and Christine at work.  She was actually able to join us to take the SunTran Lightrail to 4th Avenue for lunch.  After touring campus some more we headed home with a stop at Frost Gelato, yum.  That evening we sat in the pool yard looking at the beautiful scenery and listening to the coyotes talking to each other.  Friday morning we hiked Douglas Springs Trail with Oma and Opa.  Brooke wanted to go all the way to the top, but would have to wait.  After the hike we went to the Tanque Verde Guest Ranch to see their horses.  That evening we had a family dinner with Christine and Jake at Casa Molina.  Saturday morning Brooke, Christine and I hiked Phoneline Trail in Sabino Canyon.  Brooke kept saying that she wanted to go ‘to the top of the mountain’ and was her little mountain goat self and hiked the complete five mile hike (with half mile elevation climb).  She did amazing and afterwards I bought us all tickets to ride back to the base (as it would have been an additional 3.8 miles on the road back).  Brooke counted 16 lizards on the hike, one centipede crossed between Christine and I, and we encountered a desert tortoise on the trail.  Meanwhile, AJ and Alex enjoyed splashing in the stream crossing the road trail and took the full tram ride themselves. The kiddos deserved a cool down in Oma’s pool after and we enjoyed our last Arizona sunset of the trip before flying home on Sunday.