A couple of weekends ago we headed out to a local apple orchard that has become a family tradition since out time back in Ohio. Due to an indian summer, we left our sweaters and flannel back home in exchange for a little bit of sweat on our brow. The weather didn’t feel very fall-ish, but picking apples always feel right. Ollie, who demands his apples at home be peeled, could be found chomping on apples fresh off of the limb. We had fun as a family walking around the farm and enjoying the time together. Next stop, the pumpkin farm. We are glad that you are here Fall.
First day of school 2018
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.
