To the South! week 1

So after 3 months of rough, rough days, a trip to NC was required for sanity-sake :) What started being a 1.5- 2 weeks trip turned into 3 blissful weeks of being HOME. Driving back to Ohio we laughed that we had turned into such "home"-type bodies. We were always the ones who wanted to pack up and move and be out on our own! I still see this if we had done so right after we got married, pre-kids etc.etc...But having twins and the support we needed and received, finding a church home that we adore, being able to serve others in our same life-stage has certainly changed us. Raleigh is home and we miss it.

Anyway - our trip started with adventure when Papa T flew up to stay with us for one night before helping me drive the twins down in our car. Papa T stayed with the twins while we went for our big ultrasound and reveal (another post in itself) and allowed me and Ryan to go on our first date all year! woo hoo! We initially played around with driving down Sunday...but I was ready to be in the 919 so we headed out early on Saturday morning! You think you see determination on the Olympians face this week....you should have seen us driving! Nothing was going to stop us! That mentality will get you somewhere faster that's for sure...but it makes for a miserable trip. We only stopped TWICE on our drive down. What took us almost 12 hours the first time, took me and Papa T 10 hours flat. So the poor twins sat in those carseats for 10 hours with the exception of one lunch break. Waaaaaaay too much to ask of two 20 month olds. Sorry kids:) I took the first 2 hours, Papa T got in his comfort zone behind the wheel and took the other 8.

Here is Papa T doing what you gotta do to entertain 2 toddlers in the backseat while mama is going nascar down the interstate....

We tried lots of things I read about on Pinterest and blogs about keeping kids entertained...apparently my kids aren't old enough for those "great" ideas yet:) Slinkies were great.....for 20 minutes.

This was my first text to Ryan...not "we made it" or "we're safely here" but......blessed Bojangles :)

We had lots of fun trying on our new outfits that Gigi got us...whether they went together or not!

We went over to Aunt Alice's for yummy southern food and home made ice cream! yum! We had a blast playing with our new cars too.

We went to Pullen Park with Aunt Alice and our Cousins....as you can see below...Caden wasn't sure about the Carousel. We also brought bread to feed the ducks....that was fun until the twins figured out it was bread and they could eat it too. The ducks didn't get much after that....

Then we went and stayed with Nana and  Papa a few days and had lots of fun! We went to Mema and Pape's house where Pape played ball with the twins....

Then we went to a new park with Nana where Jenna got knocked down by an older boy....and LOST it. Never have I seen Jenna so screamy! But the swings did the trick and soothed ole Jenna Girl right up.

Then we got Papa to take a day off work and we went out on his boat with Nana, Uncle Brent and Aunt Courtney!!!! So much fun! Jenna was queen of the ship immediately and wanted to walk up and down the aisle, with snack in hand of course. She loved the wind in her hair! Caden? Took a while...a good while to warm up to the sun and wind. We finally figured out his happy place nestled up next to mommy. When we stopped the boat he was happy and wanted to get down..but it was hot! So when Uncle Brent and Aunt Courtney jumped in....fearless Jenna wanted in too! Aunt Courtney took Jenna swimming in the lake and Uncle Brent was a good Uncle and held Caden barely wet in the water while he screamed:)

We had lots of Uncle Brent Iphone/Wrestle time ....

All this PLUS I got to go out with my girlfriends at night for dinner or after the twins went down to bed. Sooooo gooooood for my lonely self! I made sure our schedule was jam packed so we could soak it all in with everyone! I paid for it when I came back to Ohio but still wouldn't trade any of it! And that was all just week one!