Burk Visit/Outer Banks

This past week, Brian’s parents came for a visit.  They got to spend a week seeing where we live and also took a trip to the Outer Banks with us.

 

Picking the Burks up at the airport

When we got to the Outer Banks, the first stop was Roanoke Island where the first English child was born.  We visited the Elizabeth Gardens – a little hot – but very pretty.  We then headed to Nags Head, where we were staying.  We got to have some good beach time then and went to the Black Pelican to eat. 

The next day we went to the beach and swam in the pool and also went out to Corolla, to Currituck Lighthouse.  This Lighthouse was so cool to see – very hidden, but to think it once was a beacon to ocean travelers (they still have a keeper of the light).  We got to walk out on the beach after dinner, it had been raining all afternoon, and got some great sea shells.  Lilly enjoyed running after all the birds.  The water is very different to what we are used to in the Gulf – very cold, very strong, and very sea-shelly.  I love the beach, experiencing the amazing wonder of God’s creation is always amazing to me.

On Sunday we headed out to Hatteras to see the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.  This is probably the most well known Lighthouse in the area.  We got to drive through Rodanthe on the way (for those who have read Nights of Rodanthe) as well as Avon – which we really liked.  Lots of beach houses, not very commercial.  We climbed the lighthouse (took turns watching the  kids down below) – a nice 12 story workout.   We also tried to see Bodie Lighthouse on our way home, but it was under construction – a revisit for us. 

 

We revisited Chapel Hill with Brian’s parents and ate at two of our favs – Top of the Hill and Sugarland. 

We had a great visit – Thanks Ada and Billy! 

Hudson also finished up his mommy and me swimming class.  I think he enjoyed the songs, and blowing bubbles. 

Catch Up

Well I had not posted in a bit, so I thought I would play catch up.  That seems to be a theme in a mom’s life, right, always playing catch up.  Well, since we last talked, Father’s Day happened.  I love Brian – he is the best dad to our kids and they adore him!  So he asked for blackberry cobbler for Father’s Day.  We all went out to Volmer Farm to pick blackberry’s – let me tell you this was an adventure.  There were these huge bugs flying around (not the stinging kind) and would dive all around you.  Here is a picture of me dodging away from the bugs, because if you know me at all, you know I do not like any kind of bugs.  Well, we survived and this is what we had to show for it – a huge basket of berries.  The cobbler turned out great and we froze two bags as well. 

Brian and the kids thought I was pretty humorous – they were just picking right along, like those huge bugs were not even there.

The Fourth of July was fun, too.  This is our first not to go to the Burk reunion in Texas since we moved to NC.  Some friends in our new neighborhood asked us to spend it with them.  We all had a yummy dinner – thanks Katy!  The kids played and then we went to the ball fields in our neighborhood to see the fireworks.  There was also some sparkler fun, too!  

18 months! and Lilly Dance

Hudson recently turned 18 months - such a big boy now! His appointment with the new pedi went well - I liked him and he was very thorough. He is now in the 50th percentile for height and 40th % for weight. He has slowed down a little on things he likes to eat, but still much better than Lilly. He says funny things now, like Love You momma/daddy and Thank you Momma and is soooo loud! He can copy pretty much anything you say. He is a climber in every sense of the word - he will use every ounce of energy trying to get up on somethings and usually succeeds - he even uses his teeth to climb! He can jump or hop on two feet which is prett impressive and loves to copy his sister. I love being his mommy - he gives the best hugs and kisses now. He is pretty funny - in the car he likes to take off his shoes and put his feet in his mouth - I don't know why, but he thinks it is so funny! He started a mommy and me swim class - he seemed to enjoy it - likes to "blow bubbles" and splash.

Lilly had her end of year dance program (they don't have recitals for the little ones at this studio), but they had a little performance on Sunday afternoon. Lilly did very well and did everything her teacher asked them to do. They skipped, danced with watering cans and bears, ran with flowers, it was cute. Lilly is always excited to go dancing.

Englands in NC

Wonderful bakery!

Duke University

Mimi and papa arrived

Lilly's end of school program - yes, her skirt is tucked in her panties!


All the pictures are out of order, sorry about that!

Before mom and dad came to visit, Lilly finished this year of preschool. They had a little program and sang some songs - Lilly knew all the words and sang very loud! It was cute!

My family came to visit us for a week and we had a great time! We enjoyed getting to show them around our new surroundings and our home. The kids loved having them here and having quality mimi and papa time. We got to do some new things too, while they were here. Here is a brief overview of what we did while they were here.

1. Tried to see a Durham Bulls baseball game, but once we got there it was sold out. Durham has a cool downtown area, so we ended up eating there at the Mellow Mushroom - yummy pizza and letting the kids run around before heading to see Duke campus. Duke has a really cool chapel that is beautiful (did you know if you want to get married there, you have to camp out next to it at the beginning of the month to secure a date a year in advance?)

2. Showed them our little town - it has a neat park and some antique shops, a few restaurants.

3. Took everyone swimming - my mom even rode the lazy river with me!

4. Ate lunch with Brian and played at the mall, did a little shopping

5. Got to go on a date with Brian while my parents watched the kids - loved the grown up time! We saw Iron Man 2 - I would recommend it, a good action flick.

6. Went to the library to get some new books

7. Spent a day going to the capital - we went in, but Hudson got a little loud and it was suggested we take him out! :) Then we drove to Chapel Hill and visited North Carolina University - a beautiful campus and ate at The Top of the Hill restaurant (very cool!) and ate a delicious treat at Sugarland bakery (delicious ice cream and cupcakes!)

8. Did a curtain project - dad hung the rods and mom helped me sew Lilly's - they turned out great!

Thanks Mom and Dad - we had a great time!

Back to Earth

This spring we have decided to start using The Produce Box.  They deliver fresh, local organic produce each week to your door.  It is so great to know the farm your food came from and be able to prepare healthy, sometimes new things for your family.  Today was exciting, we got our first box!  Here it is:

Spring onions, strawberries, new potatoes, asparagus, cabbage, greens, fresh dill and parsley, and a kids garden to plant and watch grown throughout the summer.  Lilly loved doing this today!

 

Mother’s Day Festivities

This Mother’s Day was fun.  It all started 2 weeks ago when we went to get a car – I am officially a mom on the go – I have a mini-van now!  I love it!  I has so much room and you can walk from the front all the way to the back and the kids can climb in by themselves!  Very fun!  So all of you kiddos out there that were like me and said I would never, ever have a minivan – I can officially eat my words! 

Lilly’s school had a mother’s day breakfast with muffins and juice and they sang a few songs for us and gave us each a rose. 

We went to a Durham Bulls baseball game Saturday night – we made it about 6 innings with the kids.  It is fun to be in a smaller stadium and they had a fun playground in there too. 

Sunday we went to church, ate Chinese, and the kids and Brian gave me a cool wind chime that plays tinkly music and a bird feeder for our woodsy area behind our house. 

I love being a mom.  I was thinking about how I came to be a mom and the journey that it was for Brian and I.  I would not trade giving birth or watching Hudson’s birth mom give birth for the world….each made me a mommy to my kids and gave me such joy. 

Strawberry Pickin’

We were able to go with some neighbors to Vollmer Farm to go strawberry picking.  Vollmer Farm is a wonderful place that grows organic foods and has all kinds of things for the family and kids to do.

We got to go on a hay ride around the farm to see the play areas that open in the fall and the different crops that they grow as well.  These organic strawberries were delicious!  The whole family enjoyed them and the kids liked picking them too.

 

We have a little stand at the entrance to our neighborhood that sells these strawberries too, so I stock up quite frequently.  Here’s some pics from our picking.