The Pumpkin Patch

Our only rule when picking out your pumpkin is that you have to be able to pick it up. The kids actually enjoy this because they get to see how big of a pumpkin they can pick up. Each year, the pumpkins get a little bigger.

This year we went to a pumpkin patch where they charged $13 for as many pumpkins as one person could hold. We scored with 6 pumpkins, one for each of us, thanks to my man Adam and his strong muscles. Not a bad deal.

Trip to the Outerbanks of NC

Over conference weekend, the kids and I took a trip to the Outerbanks of North Carolina. Gary and Carol flew in to drive with us, and we met up with Casey and Jon and their families for a week on the beach. It was fun to see everyone and spend time with family. It was especially good to have the kids spend time with their cousins and get to know them. It didn't take long for them to warm right up to each other either.

The weather wasn't the greatest...VERY windy and quite chilly. But we made the best of it. The kids still enjoyed playing at the beach in the sand, and the cold weather didn't seem to stop the boys from getting in the water. The first day at the beach we were walking along near the water and a wave came in just hard enough to knock Halle over (mostly because she wasn't expecting it). It scared her quite a bit and she kept her distance from the water the rest of the week. Clate spent a lot of time playing football with the ocean. He would throw the football into the ocean and the waves would bring it back to him, or somewhere along the beach and he would run after it. The kids also enjoyed flying kites on the beach. When they weren't at the beach, they were in the hot tub at the house or watching a movie or playing in their rooms.

While there, we decided to drive down to Kitty Hawk to visit the museum there. It was pretty cool to see a replica of the first airplane. Even the kids enjoyed it. Clate had fun posing with all of the statues and copying what they were doing. He's a funny kid sometimes.

We then made our way to Jockey's Ridge, sand dunes in the middle of the island. We didn't plan to get out and walk around much. We mostly just wanted to see the view. But when we got out and felt the sand on our feet...we had to hike to the top. It was a beautiful site to see, and the sand was SO soft. It felt so good to walk on. I was glad we took the time to walk around, and the kids had a blast. Even Thomas had fun playing in the sand, and he didn't put any in his mouth. AMAZING. 

It was a great trip. So good to see everyone and hang out. We only wish dad could have been there.  

Kids at Kitty Hawk

Jockey's Ridge

Thomas loving the sand at Jockey's Ridge.

At the beach.

Building sand castles.



Thomas in his playland at the beach.

Clate with his sandcrab friend. He played with him all day.

Cousins! Payton, Brooke, Thomas, Clate, Chloe, Halle, Jack and Mya

Halle and Chloe doing their best to keep the kite in the air. The wind made it an easy task.

She did turn 4!

Back in September, Chloe turned 4.

This girl makes me smile EVERY day! She is goofy, happy, nutty, sweet, cuddly, smart, and all around fun. She is a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. My life would not be so good without her. She loves to color (literally would color all day if I let her), loves to ride her bike (and can haul on it), loves to help me bake, loves to play with her baby dolls and strawberry shortcake, loves her dance class, and LOVES to laugh! I love the way she talks. Says her favorite vegetable is "cone" (corn), and she is "foe" (four) now. She does NOT like dogs, big or small. She loves her preschool (at home with me) and says she has the best preschool teacher ever (her words, not mine). She's a great little student too. She sits and will 10 pages or more of her workbook at a time. Still hasn't decided if she is a righty or a lefty, cuts, colors and writes with both equally as well.

Chloe is as spunky as her hair is curly. We love you Chloe...just the way you are!

On her bike. She loves riding.

We had Parker and Lavender over to make bracelets and decorate cupcakes. It was last-minute, but they had fun. She has been lucky to meet these cute girls here and make friends with them. Parker is a neighbor and Lavender is from church.  

You can see Chloe's excitement on her face (love the tongue out). 

Lavender gave her these cute baby dolls. So sweet. 

And finally a birthday celebration with the family. We had already eaten a lot of cake that week, so we kept her cake small. But it was perfect and she loved it.