Back from Carolina--kids ready to move there

So I haven't had the chance until now to blog about our trip to North Carolina.  This weekend Tracy and her family came from Colorado so I used it as an excuse to have a big family birthday party for Ronnie.  We had a gigantic turnout and everyone stayed for a quite a while so I think it was a success.  We made beanie weanies (a Tovey tradition, quickly becoming a Green tradition as well) and BTS cake.  I always underestimate how much work those parties are.  I think I will take a break at least until Thanksgiving.  The kids a great time of course, using the weekend with no church as an excuse for sleepovers with cousins.

Anyway, backing up a bit to our trip to see Jane and Jeff!!

We had no idea that we would have so much fun.  The kids were fascinated by the plane ride and were surprisingly good.  We were armed with what Cam calls "shut-em-ups" -- more specifically -- ipods and DS's--so those made the trip very pleasant.

Chase is a turtle

We arrived in Raleigh and about suffocated walking out of the airport from the humidity.  I don't know if I ever got used to it the entire time we were there!  Jane and her kids were waiting for us outside and we had a great reunion!  We piled into her van and she took us to the car rental place.  Then we followed here home.

We spent the next day hanging out and Jane took us around her town and to their mall.  We ate at Moe's and Jane shoplifted.  It was fun!  You will have to ask her for the details.  Kate led the way in catching frogs in their backyard, opening our kids eyes to a completely new world.

Jeff was doing a little dance for me

The day after that we took off and went to the beach.  We had a three-hour drive of seeing tobacco and cotton fields--and of course a stop at the Piggly Wiggly.  It was so neat to see a completely different kind of landscape from what we are used to.  We were also pumped that a stop at Hardee's was so readily available.

Leah and Ruby

Jeff's parent's beach house was absolutely amazing.  Cam drooled over all of Jeff's Mom's art she had hanging.  I loved all the fruit paintings.  Meg and Randy came down from Maryland with us to party for the weekend so that was an extra special treat.

Cam boogeying

The kids loved everything about the house and the beach.  We spent one afternoon catching crabs out on their little pier and Randy boiled them up that night.  Chase claimed he caught the biggest crab of all.  We also loved, loved, loved the beach!  I think we spent 4 days there!  Kate taught Emma to catch hermit crabs, the kids learned to boogey board, Cam built sandcastles, and I learned to relax!  We probably could have spent 4 more days there.


The first night we were there, Leah was eaten alive by mosquitoes.  Actually, we all got it pretty bad that first night by the pool.  We learned our lesson very quickly to arm ourselves with bug repellant.
 

We counted over 25 bites on her back!

Erica and Jackson

We also ate awesome seafood.  My favorites were a toss-up between the night we grilled our own fish and the time Jane took us to get some shrimp burgers.  I still dream of the shrimp burgers.

One day Jane took us to Fort Macon which was on one end of the Island.  I had no idea Civil War forts still existed.  This one was fascinating--even though the little kids running around with the high ledges everywhere freaked me out.  The soldiers had to share twin-sized beds!!!  The entire thing was way interesting.

Emma and Kate

All the kids getting ready to crab

By the end of our week there, the kids were not ready to go home, which they usually are after an entire week together.  They would not be opposed to moving there I think.  They had such a good time with their cousins Connor, Tanner, Jackson, and Kate.  My favorite was watching Jackson take such good care of Leah.  They were two peas in a pod.

All in all, we had a blast.  Jane and Jeff were amazingly tireless hosts (Jeff had to teach early morning seminary all week too!)  And the Hendersons were the BEST for letting us use their beach house!  I hope that we can go back some time soon!