Addison and the Race Track

This is a video from our time at Matthew and Katie's house. Addison loved this race track. We will are now on the lookout for one for her.

spring Break Part IV: Raleigh and Asheboro, NC

The last leg of our trip took us back to my Aunt and Uncle's place in Raleigh and then a stopover at the NC Zoo.(this is Xavier's 7th zoo) My Aunt made easter baskets for each of the kids. Xavier was very excited about this since we don't really do Easter basket in our home. We spent the night in Spartanburg, SC at a hotel with an indoor pool. The kids were very happy b/c they had been wanting to swim the whole time we were on vacation. Sunday we headed home and stopped by SEARS to see John. We had a great vacation!

spring Break Part III: VA beach, VA

Our third leg of Spring Break took us to VA Beach, VA to visit my good friends, Matthew and Katie. Matthew and I went to middle and high school together. Katie and I went to college together and I introduced her and Matthew. They got married 1 year after John and I. They have 2 children, Claire 3 and Sam 2. Xavier and Addison had a great time visiting with the kids. While we were there, we took the kids to the VA Air and Space Center and Nauticus. I surprised Xavier with the trip to Nauticus. He knew we were going there but had no idea that they had a WWII Battleship, the USS Wisconsin, to play on and tour the upper decks. He told me it was the best surprise ever.

Spring Break Part II: The Outer Banks, NC

Looking for fossils in the gravel. We found some cool ones, including shark teeth.


Sleeping in a colonial bed.

signing the quest book.

Addison is ready to board.

getting ready to go on board the Queen Elizabeth II

Addison pearing out.

up on the deck.

Looking out the cannon hole on the boat.

Walking towards the Lighthouse.

Serendipity, the house they used in "Nights in Rodanthe". Although they added the blue shutters, this is how the house has always looked.

The Hatteras Lighthouse.

Hanging in a tree.

Aunt Rachael and the kids.

Me and the kids waiting on the ferry.

Addison driving while on the ferry boat.

Xavier and Captain Sean. Aunt Rachael got us the hook-up.

Xavier sitting in the captain's chair on the Croatoan ferry boat.

Eating at Howard's Pub. I love that place.

One of the ferry boats leaving and heading to Hatteras.

One of my favorite beaches in the whole world, Ocracoke.

Addie and the Ocracoke Lighthouse!

Addison didn't care for the wind, but she liked her beverage!

Xavier on the beach in Ocracoke. It is so beautiful there!

Xavier and me playing at Jockey's Ridge State Park. It was super windy on top of the ridge, so we only flew the kite for a little while. He loved climbing all over the "giant sandbox". I also showed him the ramp that my dad helped build and my GS group helped design. He thought that was cool.


Our second leg of the trip was to the Outer Banks of NC. We stayed at my sister's place. The first day I took the kids to Manteo to tour the replica of the Queen Elizabeth II. Later that evening we visited and old school friend and met her family. It had been 15 yrs since we had seen each other. Xavier loved playing in her backyard. (she runs a home daycare.)

Day 2 took us to the islands of Hatteras and Ocracoke. My sister joined us for the day. She was able to get Xavier into the ferry boat wheel house. He thought that was super cool. (You have to take a ferry to and from Ocracoke)

Day 3 was a morning outing to Jockey's Ridge, just Xavier and I. I wasn't going to carry Addison up all that sand, besides she isn't too fond of it at the moment anyway.

Stayed tuned forParts 3 and 4 of the trip. I don't want to overload people with too many pictures. I will post those over the course of this week. Enjoy!