The end of an era and the beginning of another. Both kids are in full day school. Both kids were excited to get back to school and we can't wait to hear about their first day over ice cream when we pick them up this afternoon.
horses and caves
We headed to Kentucky for a quick trip to visit two places we knew both kids would love. First was the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. We got the opportunity to visit with some previous Kentucky Derby winners like Go for Gin and some other beautiful horses. There was a great show with music that showcased a bunch of different breeds and the Lexington Police horses even stopped by as well. The kids got to pick out ponies for pony rides and they loved every bit of it. It was a beautiful day and I think we will return again to check out more of the horse park.
Then we headed a little further south to Mammoth Caves. We did some hiking around the National Park. We tried to explain to Oliver what a sink hole was and then were able to take a two hour tour through some of the caves. It was a hot and humid day so spending a few hours underground in the 55 degree caves was perfect. The kids learned a lot and I'm sure we'll make a return visit next year to take on more of the over 400 miles of caves at Mammoth. It was a fun adventure and we checked off a few more on our summer bucket list for 2018.
A week at Ocracoke
This picture says it all. You can see just why we take 2 flights, drive 4 hours and take a 1 hour ferry just to go to the beach. Ocracoke Island is quiet and slow paced. There aren't any tacky restaurants or shops. You can't find mini golf (even though we did play in Nags Head on our way back to the airport) and there certainly isn't a Starbucks or McDonald's. It's not odd to be the only humans in sight for stretches of the coastline. We came to love it before Charlotte and Oliver were born and now we get to share it with them...and we had a blast. Hope you enjoy the pictures.
The end of an educational era
On Friday, Oliver ended an era. Over four years ago, we were looking for a preschool for our kids to attend and after a dozen different people said, "Happy Days" we knew where we needed to look. The past four years have been amazing for our family, but ultimately, it has been amazing for our kids. Oliver's 3/4 year teacher was Charlotte's 3/4 year teacher. Then Oliver's 4/5 year teacher was the same that Charlotte had for 4/5. Happy Days has become a part of our family and the staff and teachers have been nothing but perfect.
Oliver has really grown up a lot over the past two years and we know that the love and nurturing he found at Happy Days has set him up to love school and learning. Next year Charlotte and Oliver will both be at the same elementary school and we can't wait to see how they continue to grow.
All things Easter 2018
We had a great Easter season this year! We kicked things off at Bass Pro Shop for our free 5x7 with the Easter Bunny. The kids always love checking out the aquarium and they both brought money from their birthday's and picked up some new toys.
The kids were filled with glee when Melissa let them know that they were responsible for creating centerpieces for Easter dinner. They both made nests out of yarn and filled and decorated their tables with special things. They were both so proud of what they came up with.
Of course we had to dye eggs. Then we wised up and decided to take our Easter Sunday pictures on Friday. In the past, Easter Sunday mornings have been so busy that by the time we take pictures, clothes are wrinkled, faces are dirty and attitudes are less than grand. Our experiment this year worked and we got great Easter Sunday pictures...on Friday, but no one will ever know...except you.
On Sunday morning, the kids were excited to see that the Easter Bunny had stopped by and left them some goodies. Oliver really loved his chocolate bunny. Church was great and then we came home to get ready for dinner with our family.
The kids had an egg hunt and then we all feasted on smoked ham and turkey and sides from Pickles and Bones in Milford. We had a great Easter!
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
