Outer Banks 2020

For a while we weren't sure if we would be able to go to the Outer Banks this summer with Covid-19 shutting everything down in the Spring. But in late May the Outer Banks opened back up for non-residents so our trip was back on!!

We arrived on Sunday, June 28th and said hello to our beloved ocean once again!!

Hudson seemed to have no fear of the water and we were sure this might be a pretty exhausting week to try to keep him safe from those powerful waves! Fortunately he wasn't quite that daredevilish for the rest of the week.

We rented a pontoon boat on Monday and enjoyed exploring all over the sound in style!

We enjoyed many mornings and evenings playing at the beach, filling our swimsuits with sand and water each day! On Monday evening there were lots of jellyfish being washed up on the beach and Hudson was quite enamored with finding pieces of them all around.

Chloe, Paige, and Abby kept the memory of their Grandma Julie alive by creating another fun theme for the week. This year's theme was "Around the World." Since Monday was France, we enjoyed some yummy Eclairs made by Paige, Abby and Reygan!

These two spent hours in imagination land on the beach!

At one point we tried to dig a hole in an attempt to keep this little one contained. It didn't work for very long!

Some beautiful evening walks on the boardwalk so we could catch these amazing sunsets!

Lots of hours playing games, especially RISK!

My favorite big guy and little guy playing together in the surf!

Love all the brotherly love!

And sisterly love too!

We brought Landon's Bocce ball set that he got for his birthday and enjoyed several games on the sand. 

Of course there were lots of sand creations built too...

Our last evening was also July 4th so we took some fun pictures while waiting for the fireworks to begin. 

Chloe (22), Paige (17), Abby (14), Tyler (14), Coldon (12), Landon (12), Reygan (9), Nolan (9), Willow (missing from the picture, 6), Maylie (5), and Hudson (1)

Abby holding the moon!

A few sparklers were lit...

And lots of loud and bright fireworks once it got dark. Such a wonderful week at the Outer Banks this year and we are looking forward to going back for another week at Thanksgiving!

Nolan's 9th Birthday!

Nolan turned 9 years old on June 28th. Since that was the day we would be driving down to the Outer Banks, we ended up celebrating it on Saturday, June 27th instead. Covid birthdays are a bit different than normal ones, but we made the most of it and Nolan was so excited to celebrate his birthday!!

We started it off with opening all of his birthday presents and cards...

The gift opening finished with a scavenger hunt to find his last birthday present...

A new bike!!

After playing with presents in the early afternoon, we went to a park that got some new playground equipment recently and explored there for a while.

Then we picked up some Chick-Fil-A to eat at home before diving into this yummy Peanut Butter birthday cake!

I still can't believe this little one is already 9 years old. He is still pretty small for his age which makes it even harder to realize he is getting so old!! He still loves anything to do with the outdoors, Legos, Nerf guns, playing board games, and the Wings of Fire book series. Happy Birthday Nolan!!

Frog Days of Summer

We have been enjoying going to Greenbrier State Park twice each week this summer. It is great place to swim, hike, fish, explore, and go frog-hunting. Landon thought it would be a good idea to put this little frog right on Hudson's head. Good thing Hudson loves these critters too!

Back to Greenbrier

The day after school officially ended for Washington County, we headed out to Greenbrier State Park to kick off our summer of fun!! It's a great place to relax, get some exercise, play in the water and sand all while practicing social distancing.

This little man was rocking his summer look there!!

Middle School Graduate

On June 10th we officially ended our online learning which means Abby finished middle school! It wasn't quite how we envisioned 8th grade ending, but as our motto for the last 3 months has been..."It is what it is!" She had such a great middle school experience thanks to some amazing teachers, friends, and unique opportunities. It was hard to say goodbye to that chapter of her life (I think I cried more than she did) but she's ready to rock high school at Barbara Ingram School for the Arts next year. Ahhhhh....we have a high schooler in the house!!

Of course she finished out the year with many awards including Distinguished Honor Roll (94% or above in all classes which she got every single quarter for all three years!), 8th grade Honor Student for Ms. Oney, and the Presidential Award for Academic Excellence. 

Slip-n-Slide

The next day was warm and the rain held off long enough to break out Landon's new birthday gift. The kids all had a great time slipping and sliding their way to a fun time (except for Hudson who was napping!)

Landon's Birthday

Landon was super excited about his 12th birthday on June 4th!! He had to wait all day until Jason got home from work to open his presents which was torturous but when Dad got home we covered him all up with his many presents!!

Everything was pretty much a surprise since he had only asked for 2 things (Rubiks Cubes in odd shapes and a wooden puzzle kit). He got those two things plus a science kit, some books, a Bocce ball set, and a slip-n-slide from his siblings. He also loved receiving cards and money from his grandparents and my sisters.

After ordering some Chick-Fil-A to eat at home, we finished off the evening by eating this delicious Cookies n' Cream cake from a local bakery called Charlie & Sam's. 

Happy 12th birthday Landon!! Here's to a fantastic year ahead!