Cape Hatteras Vacation

Posted on Monday, July 9, 2018 by Laura

We spent four days in the North Carolina Outer Banks at Cape Hatteras as part one of our family vacation this summer. We drove up on Monday and enjoyed lunch at Sandbar Grill in Buxton before checking into our hotel. We tried to go and play at the beach but unfortunately a tropical storm was hitting the island and forced us to retreat to the pool. The next day it was stormy again with winds between 20-30mph so we decided to do some sight seeing instead of try the beach again. We went to Cape Hatteras Nation Seashore and climbed the lighthouse. There was some amazing views from the tallest light house on the eastern seashore. We are very proud of AJ for climbing and taking pictures from the top of the lighthouse, he was very brave. We explored the museum in the old lighthouse quarters and attended a very interesting talk about barrier islands given by one of the rangers. Afterwards we walked the sight of the lighthouse before it was moved a half mile inland in 1999 which is now beach. After lunch it was still too windy to go to the beach so we took the rangers advice and took the kids to the Palmico Sound to swim. It was still windy ‘as all get out’ but at least we weren’t getting pelted with sand as much and a fun bonus I got to drive my Subaru right onto the beach (which is legal in NC). After we got tired of the wind in the Sound we headed back to the pool. The kiddos and I had some dessert after dinner and we had a family walk on the beach when the winds finally died down with just a quick pause to get Alex into his swim suit because he promptly took his clean clothes and freshly showered self into the surf. Wednesday we got lucky and finally had good beach weather, 86 degrees and only 6-10mph winds! We spent 7 hours at the beach, starting at 9am. We built sand castles, buried children, swam in the water and walked out to the sandbridge 100 feet in to be standing in ankle deep water after being in 5 feet of water, caught fishies and put them in buckets, and went boogie boarding. It was a busy and fun day at the beach. On our last day it was raining so we went to The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum to learn about shipwrecks and enjoy what they had to offer. After a delicious lunch at Bruxton Munch we drove home. It was a good vacation even with the storm!

10 Year Anniversary Trip to New York City!

Posted on Wednesday, June 20, 2018 by Laura

Late Tuesday night I was putting the kids to bed early because we had a long day of camp, magic show at the library, and a pool time playdate, and the doorbell kept ringing. I had already put Alex to bed and so I told Brooke to hold on a minute when I went to answer the door and OMA was there! She said ‘Happy Anniversary!’ and I was very confused. AJ had been very sneaky and planned a HUGE 10 year anniversary trip to New York City since January with Oma coming to watch Brooke and Alex for us. I packed my bags that night because we left the next morning after I took the kids to camp to introduce the teachers to my mom. We flew in that afternoon and enjoyed the view from our amazing W Hotel in Times Square that AJ had selected for us. Then we got to the business of getting travel gifts for Brooke and Alex including ‘I Heart NYC’ shirts, taxi cab toy cars, and custom made M&Ms from the store in Times Square. AJ watched Sex in the City while I got changed for our dinner at Aureole. It was a delicious dinner and afterwards we walked to the NYC Public Library, the Empire State Building, an interesting gem and mineral store, Grand Central Station, and Bryant Park. I took some pictures of the NYC skyline and our Times Square view before bed. In the morning I got up and read The New York Times while I waited for AJ to wake up and called for something for us to eat too. Thursday was our anniversary and the summer solstice so people did yoga in Times Square all day long. AJ had planned a walking tour for us so we started out at Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center. I got a picture in front of Tiffany’s window and The Plaza before we started to explore Central Park. We saw all the sights in the park and decided to have lunch at The Loeb Boathouse overlooking the water. After a delicious lunch we decided to rent bikes to ride all the way to the upper most part of the park and back. We parked our bikes and walked around the reservoir and across the Bow Bridge after seeing some turtles and resting on a sunny rock. We found out that there were bike lanes all throughout the city and we could use them to ride back to Times Square. Once we got back we had a light dinner and drinks before getting ready to see HAMILTON! AJ got us amazing seats to the show on our anniversary and when he told me we were going to Hamilton, I jumped up and down like a little kid. The show was amazing and we had a great time, even getting drinks at intermission in custom Hamilton cups. Friday we walked the High Line in Chelsea, visited Chelsea market, and rode the subway to the Village were AJ got a picture in front of the Friends apartment after we had lunch at Cowgirl. We headed back to hotel to get ready for dinner at Del Posto in Chelsea. We had a five course tasting menu and it was an incredible meal. They spoiled us with desserts at the end and we had them take a few pictures. AJ took a few last pictures of the bright Times Square for our last night in NYC. Saturday morning we had reservations for brunch at Tavern on the Green which was completely amazing. We both agree the best brunch we’ve ever had. We headed back to the hotel to pack up and head back home. It was such a memorable trip and so incredibly sweet for AJ to secretly plan for us to have this amazing experience together for our 10 year anniversary.

Occoneechee State Park Cabining

Posted on Friday, April 27, 2018 by Laura

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.

: I deserve a medal for getting these all to fit.

Spring Break Trip To Arizona

Posted on Saturday, March 31, 2018 by Laura

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.

Great Wolf Lodge

Posted on Tuesday, January 30, 2018 by Laura

We went to Great Wolf Lodge today as a family and had a really great time! We got to spend a lot of time in the water and on the big slides with them and they did a good job going on the little slides by themselves while we watched. Both kids also did the obstacle course and had fun! Brooke wore her wolf ears to school the next day!