Week ending 11-3-14

 Here are the pictures we took this week. My parents were in town from California and it was soooo wonderful to have them here. You have no idea how much I've missed them and was looking forward to this visit. They are so special and I wish my children got to see them more often.

Samuel's First Birthday!

 His first gift was a card from Nathan's parents. He loved it and after that wouldn't open any presents.

The kids would hand him a present but he would just toss it aside and look at his card again. It was so funny.

 

 After we finally got him to open his presents. My parents got him some much needed winter clothes and I got him a pair of church shoes for $1.50 at Once Upon A Child as well as some O balls for $2.50.

 I made Mrs. Hyatt's brownies. He loves them!

 Wednesday and Thursday we took a trip to the Outer Banks. We've never been before and the timing seemed right: no babies being born, no baptisms, (the reasons my parents usually visit us) and perfect weather. I'm so glad we went! We had a great time.

 First we went to Ft. Raleigh. The picnic area had this awesome tree we played in for awhile.

Madalyn

 Alexis 

 Makenna

 Kaitlyn

 All of us. It's a tradition to wear navy on our school field trips.

 Walking down the beautiful trail.

At the Wright Brothers monument

 My mom holding Samuel in the outfit she got him.

 Jockey's Ridge State Park. The boardwalk way in the background is where my parents and I hung out for awhile while the kids played on the sand dunes. We couldn't see them once they disappeared over the first big dune so after waiting 30 or 40 or 50 minutes for them to come back I finally went after them. They took these pictures while they were having their adventurous hike.

 On the boardwalk after all the kids finally came back.

Swimming in the Ocean. It was cold, but so much fun!!

Seeing Bodie Island lighthouse.

 The next day was Halloween. This year the kids were birds. Kylie and Kaitlyn were peacocks, Madalyn and Makenna were penguins, Spencer and Samuel were chickens, Alexis was a cardinal, and Thomas was a turkey.

 Part of her penguin costume.

 Alexis the cardinal. She did the whole thing herself.

 Don't you think Makenna looks like my mom? Everyone says Makenna doesn't look like the rest of my kids but I guess they look like either me or Nathan while Makenna looks like my beautiful mother. I was thrilled to one day recognize the resemblance of Makenna to my mom's baby pictures and have thought she looks like her ever since.