For the Love of Family

Last weekend, we set out for High Point. Our main reason for going was Nolan's dedication at church on Sunday, but fortunately for us, we had two days completely filled with fun. All my sisters and brother and all their kids were also in town so we celebrated on Friday night with food, as we always do when we're together. It was fun just to all be together, sharing funny stories, letting the kids run around like crazy people, and eating pizza. Saturday, we awoke bright and early to make it out to Myles' soccer game. I think it lasted all of about 20 minutes, but it was fun to watch Myles run around, guard both goals, and stop by the side lines to check out what his spectating cousins were doing during the MIDDLE of the game.

Mom made egg and cheese mcmuffins for us all.


Myles charging down the field...during warmups.


Granna showing off her stuff.


Nolan enjoying freedom from his stroller.


A cousin-to-cousin pep talk...these two are absolutely best friends.


While Dad, Chris, Brook, and Jeremy headed for the links, Mom, Tracy, Eric, Whit, and the kiddos went to Target (Tracy's favorite stop since Boone is still Target-less) and then to the park, where once again the kids were able to run around like crazy people.

Cousins patiently waiting outside Target...look at Myles' arm around Liv.


Connor sweetly trying to extract Olivia from the swing and looking around for some adult assistance.


Mom and her 3 girls...hard to tell which is the mom and which are the daughters...My Mom is way more hip and stylish than I am and ever hope to be...I'M the one who gets the hand-me-downs from her.


Cora's turn to push...Olivia would get sad when Cora would try to take a break, Olivia would cry, and Cora would then keep on swinging because she didn't want to make Olivia cry...what a sweet friend.


Photo op with Eric, Connor and Cora.


Sunday was a wonderful day of celebrating Nolan, catching up with our Emerywood friends, and then a wonderful lunch at Brook and Jayna's house. We just love spending time with our families, especially sweet cousins, and are so looking forward to our next visit at Christmas.

Jayna's parents came from Chapel Hill for this special occasion...check out Myles' sly wink...


Proud parents.


Granna and her 5th...


Myles and Olivia, they both love others so much it often becomes violent :)


We love little Nolan so much and join with Brook and Jayna as they celebrate his life, and commit to love him and pray that one day he would be able to understand and know his Creator and Savior, and that God would use his little life in mighty, mighty ways.

Pumpkins + Horsies = FUN

Like our friends, the Cannons, we too ventured out yesterday to the pumpkin patch at McLeod Farms. On the 40 minute drive there, we began to wonder if it would be worth the trip...oh how it was!! After arriving and visiting with Reeves, Rebecca, and Tallon for a few minutes,



Olivia was restless to get down and run around and check out the joint. We quickly headed over to the tent where we were to wait for the horses to come back around for our $1 wagon ride.



Olivia spent the next 10 minutes laughing hysterically as she spun herself around the tent poles, getting dizzier...



and dizzier...



until she dizzied herself out!



Finally, the horsies arrived. Their names were Dan and Duke.



We rode for a little while, learning about all the different crops that are currently growing out in McBee, and finally we got to the pumpkin patch. They let us get down from the wagon and go out to pick our very own pumpkin.





We got a quick family photo with the horses before jumping back in the wagon.


But for the rest of the ride, Mr. Bill, our driver, had a surprise for Olivia. He offered to let her sit in his lap and drive the horses herself. Olivia was absolutely beside herself with excitement. In fact, we were supposed to stop and get another picture with a pumpkin billboard but Olivia wouldn't even consider letting go of those reigns for any silly ole' picture. She truly had the time of her life and I think is destined to be a horse-lover, just like her big cousin, Cora.





(This was serious business to her...do you see that look of determination and concentration all over her face?)



Our time at the pumpkin patch was coming to an end so we snapped one last picture of Mommy and Olivia and her beloved pumpkin before getting in the car for our ride back to Florence,



Olivia held (and kissed) her pumpkin all the way home, pointing over and over again to the three pumpkins in the backseat, declaring one "Livvy's punkin," another "Mommy's punkin," and the last one "Daddy's punkin." We will definitely make this a yearly tradition and add to our calendar any more fruits and vegetables that are going to be celebrated out at McLeod Farms.

Sky Valley Getaway

We've been back from our vacation for a week now. How does it happen that a week on vacation feels like it lasts a couple hours, while a week home feels like, well, a week? Nonetheless, we had a FANTASTIC time. We spent the last week of September hiding away in a little chalet in Sky Valley with Jeremy's parents and his grandmother. Let me tell you what...Olivia loves spending time with family. Though she doesn't get to see her Nana, Poppa Don, and Mamaw nearly enough, as comfortable and at ease as she is around them, you'd think she was with them every day. She absolutely loves them to pieces. And so do we. We had such a relaxing, enjoyable weekend. Let's see, what did we do?

We rode a train through the Blue Ridge Mountains...


We worked on crossword puzzles...


We played with our toys...


We explored some beautiful waterfalls and mountain scenery...




Courtney and Jeremy went horseback riding...


We celebrated Nana's birthday...




We found a great deal on some new Teva's...


We ate plenty of popsicles and birthday cake and ice cream and candy and peanut brittle and coconut cake and meals at the Cupboard Cafe...not exactly a Weight Watcher's menu...


...and Olivia's proof that we overate...


Poppa Don made a valiant but fruitless effort at getting internet access...


We played at a nearby park...










We posed for some (okay, lots of) pictures...





















There were lots of kisses to go around...








and all in all, we feel we conquered the mountain by making the most of our week on vacation...



Though it sounds like our time was filled up to the brim, we left plenty of time to relax and just hang out, play cards, work our puzzle books, watch movies. Truly, a getaway from our normally busy, hectic lives. We can't wait to go back next year!! Thanks Nana and Poppa Don for a wonderful week.