Summer Break: Week Five

Vacation week over our summer break just happens to be one of my favorite weeks of the entire year!! It takes a lot of time and planning to get everything packed in the car, but the excitement I feel as the car is loaded down and the kids are locked in their car seats ready for the next adventure can not be contained!  I always take WAY too many pictures and I'm working on trying to enjoy the moments rather than document every detail, but then I always love looking back at these pictures each year as we prepare for our next vacation...... so here are way too many pictures for your viewing pleasure!  We were able to spend time with Zack's family for a few days and see some of our best friends on our way to my family's beach vacation.  In all, we were gone nine days and while we enjoyed the time we got to spend together, it also feels great to be home! :) 

I dropped off Burke after VBS on Wednesday.... he was being boarded at the vet's this year.  We had planned for him to have a fatty tumor removed while we were gone so he could recover without two cute boys pestering him.  

We were loaded in the car after Zack got off work on Wednesday night.  The boys traveled in their pajamas and we made the five hour drive and arrived just before midnight to the condo we were sharing with Zack's sister, brother in law and nephew.

Both full days we were in Charleston with Zack's family, it rained so we tried to get outside when it wasn't raining (since the boys have been counting down the minutes until they could go to the beach!)  We flew a kite and blew bubbles the first day along with taking a couple golf cart rides with Uncle Jay!

 On the second day, we opted for some indoor fun at the local aquarium! 

Both dinners were spent at the house that Zack's cousins were staying at so the boys had room to run around and had a lot of fun with Jacob, Sadie and Emma Claire!  I still can't believe that Jacob starts college next month!

On Saturday, we loaded up the car to spend the day with the Badens.   They happened to be staying at the same beach my family was staying.  Liz and I realized that our families' trips would overlap by one day... making for the perfect beach day with best friends!

That night, we got settled in and unpacked for our next adventure!  The girls (mom, Linds and myself) tackled grocery shopping as the men put the kids to bed.  We always try to knock out the bulk of the shopping so we don't have to go multiple times to the store.  Other than getting more milk, eggs and yogurt, we were quite successful.  When you are planning breakfasts, lunches and three dinners at the house, we load down a grocery cart with groceries... just check out the receipt!

 We had a blast at the beach every day!! It rained almost every day of our vacation this year so it was interesting trying to plan morning runs, beach time, nap time and evening adventures....we made the most of the soggy weather conditions!

 Our first dinner out was at Ocean Isle Fish Company Restaurant!

 Then, we took our boys for a walk at the Ferry Landing Park..... they loved seeing crabs!

On Tuesday, the Kennedys and Houstons went for a matinee to see Ant Man and the Wasp while Grammy and Grandpa held down the fort while the kids napped!

 Maddox loves giving Emmy hugs, even if she doesn't want them! :)

 My boys in their matching Hawaiian shirts from Grammy and Grandpa!

 The second dinner out was to Inlet View, a favorite from last year! We just had to go back.... the hush puppies are AMAZING!

It was so fun watching the cousins interact with each other.  Maddox had a hard time finding his "place" this year...he wasn't as big as Zander but he was older than Em....I think he has the classic middle child syndrome..... he also is almost three years old so that might be a contributing factor as well.  One of my favorite things Maddox did this week was sing the ABCs non-stop which included thinking they count as his bedtime prayers.  He also has almost mastered his dinner time prayer.... "God Our Father"...... it is so sweet to hear his precious voice pray!

 Zack and I went to the local creamery for a frozen treat during nap time one day!  We also had a "date" not documented by pictures to the urgent care... I have been sick for the month of July and finally needed some medicine!  It turns out I had an infection in my lymph nodes that wouldn't go away.... the medicine has been amazing!

 Our final dinner out was to Dockside..... a favorite we have been going to for years!

 The Houstons went to the pier after dinner and grabbed ice cream as well!

 And of course.... I have to include my comparison photos.... six years and counting......

Look at how these little feet have grown over the last three beach trips!

 Until next year......

Summer Break: Week Four

Well.... first of all.... Zack and I qualified for our concealed carry permit this past weekend!  Zack has wanted to take this class for some time and I thought it would be fun to take it together!  We have a friend from church that teaches the class so we coordinated with him to put it on the calendar. I was so nervous about the written test and the actual shooting to qualify but I am proud to say I passed both parts and even had all thirty rounds land on the target!  It was an educational experience for sure!

 My qualifying is on the left and Zack's is on the right....

While we were away for the day, Grammy entertained the boys at the neighborhood playground and around our house!  It was fun getting picture updates throughout our class.

I am proud to say that this week we officially worked together to complete a puzzle!! These two brothers put this puzzle together themselves!  We are still working on sharing and taking turns but on this day, collaboration prevailed and mommy is celebrating!!

 Maddox looks so big going into church on Sundays and for VBS with his little shark backpack.  He insists on carrying it himself and leading the way to his class each day!  Also, he is saying the ABC song (almost entirely correctly)..... and will throw in an "amen" at the end of it.... which is just so cute!  I think he believes the ABC song is a prayer. ;)

 After VBS on Monday, we got Chick-Fil-A for lunch and ice cream for dessert!  I continue my streak as "mom of the year" over here! :)

 Here are some pictures from VBS..... we are loving spending time learning about Jesus with our friends at church!
Here is the room I am working in.... "shelter"....our bible story is from Acts 3 which talks about the lame beggar that is given the ability to walk through the power of Jesus Christ bestowed on the disciples.... we reenact the scene at the temple (hence why the temple appears in our island ship-wrecked adventure).

 The boys love bringing pennies in for the penny campaign.... Maddox stretches out the word "pennnnnyyyy".  They also love bringing home their crafts that follow the "Ship-Wrecked" theme!

The children's worship center is transformed each year depending on the theme..... isn't this incredible!?

We have also fit in dinner with the Williams family at a local park.... it is so great to watch the kids playing together!

Tonight, I had dinner with my college roommate, Sam, and her kids.... it is so wonderful seeing her and her kids have grown so much since last year!  With Sam living out of state, I take any opportunity to see her if she is nearby.  We are already talking about how we might need to have a girls' weekend away next year to actually have complete conversations!  We had a delicious dinner at Mellow Mushroom and then took the kids to Chick-Fil-A to get out some energy before bed and had a little ice cream for dessert!  As you can see from the picture below.... the kids were the best for picture purposes when they held ice cream cones in their hands!  

Summer Break: Week Three

We have loved our third week of summer break!! I took the boys to the pool three different days!  They are doing a great job jumping off from the side and Zander is even going under and swimming (when we are in water that he can clearly touch if he needs to).  I tried to take his puddle jumper off once in the big pool and he didn't like that one bit!  I wish he knew he was actually swimming and wouldn't be intimidated by the deeper water but I am trying not to push it (or traumatize him!)  We went to Chuck E Cheese last weekend (Zander had a gift card from his birthday).  This was the boys' first experience there and we had a blast!

 Also last weekend, we fit in a trip to a water park!  Grandpa won us free tickets to Wet-n-Wild so we spent the morning exploring the wave pool, splash pad and other kid-approved water areas.  It was a fun day in the sun!

I have been so proud of myself that we have been eating in for most meals (since I'm not known for my cooking in spite of my maiden name!)  We usually have a simple breakfast and sandwiches etc. at the pool or at home for lunch.  I have made basic dinner entrees that I know the boys will like (ex: spaghetti, tacos, pizza, hot dogs, grilled chicken, corn on the cob, watermelon, etc)..... but these meals have made for extra time at home and extra money in our wallet (or money that goes to other repairs that have come up lately.... but who's counting?!)  On Wednesday, we had an "Eat Out For Education" where local businesses were giving a portion of their total sales for the day to our local schools.... so we had to take advantage of this occasion..... we went for the Mexican restaurant...a family favorite!  I loved not having to prep anything or clean anything up..... we might be sprinkling in a couple more meals like this over the summer! :)

 A couple nights this week I helped set up for our Vacation Bible School which starts on Monday..... which means Week 4 of summer break will be spent at VBS!  I am helping in the "shelter" room of our "Shipwrecked" theme.  I can't wait to see all the boys learn next week and I absolutely love working with the kids at our church!  This is definitely one of my favorite weeks of the summer!

The boys and I love getting out of the house every day..... as I mentioned earlier, three days this week we went to the pool, one day I had a meeting for work so Grammy watched the boys and one day we had to visit the car place (my car was having a little trouble... I think I ran over something I shouldn't) and stopped at the doctor's office to have Zander diagnosed with an ear infection or swimmer's ear!  We are treating the ear with very expensive drops (I was shocked something so little could be so expensive!) and hoping we are ready for more water adventures as we finish out the rest of our summer!

We have also worked with stickers, stamps and markers as we wait for daddy to come home in the evenings..... Maddox usually writes on himself.... as he is pointing to his lip in the picture below.

And finally, I love this picture of the boys in the matching shirts my parents got them from some of their recent travels....they are definitely summer-approved! :)  Zack thinks it's funny they are rocking plaid shorts with them... I think it makes the ensemble!