Life Lately - SPRING BREAK

We had a great Easter weekend seeing both sides of the family and celebrating that Jesus is Alive!

Easter fun on the Taylor Farm 

We got to see one of our favs- Jenna is home! 

Easter Egg Hunt at Mammys

Monday 

We cleaned up most of the day - Ella was playing school with her babies.  I asked didn't she need to get dressed for school.  She said "Nah, it's pajama day and crazy hair day today" - ha!  Both of those are days they celebrate during spirit week! 

Amanda and her crew came to town - while they were here we took advantage of some travel training!  I'm so excited to be working for Amanda at Time to Travel, Inc.   I've done 4 bookings far - Charleston, Atlantic Beach, Nashville and American Girl :) and made $50!  Two are for my family but they still count!

These two love their mommies and crashed in our bed! 

Amanda's brother and mom were also in town and spent the night.

Tuesday

I had to work that morning so kid stayed with Lauren.

That afternoon we feel in love with Morkie puppies at Driver Kennels 

Aren't they cute?  Too bad they don't have any ready and we are 9th on the list to get one! 

Girls night with Sunday School girls  - Heather Ritchie was in town too!

We celebrated the March and April birthdays - Heather Ward, Laura Wetherington and Rebecca Williams!

Wednesday 

Caleb finally brought Granddaddy's knife collection home since we started cleaning out to put Mammy's house on the market.

We headed to Wilmington for the day with the McKeel's and to see the Henderson's!

Heavy guns for these girls 

No problem for the big boys! 

On the Battleship 

Sitting in the dining hall 

At the Post Office - they always think of Papa since he was a mail carrier! 

Learning about life aboard the Battleship - Abbie teaches 4th grade and North Carolina history so she did a great job reading plaques to them 

Throwing a penny down the wishing well!

I love Ella's hand on Caleb's back - that girl does love her brother! 

In the bunk beds 

In the bathroom 

In the mechanical room 

This boy sure does try to figure out how it all works! 

Missiles 

The boys climbed up the ladder 

With some of the war heroes 

After a fun day on the Battleship - it got a little tight down below so we were ready to see some sunshine! 

All hands on deck! 

 

Getting ahead on his NC project for next year

with a Coast Guard boat 

Best friends since college 

Elijah's restaurant on the water for lunch - it was sooo good!

Throwing paper airplanes at the hotel patio 

Watching the "elevator bridge" - instead of a draw bridge - this bridge went up and down to let boats go by!  The kids thought it was so neat!

Ice Cream - must have at the beach!  Kilwins - Caleb got salted caramel and Ella got Blue Moon (their version of Cotton Candy)

 I decided on the island color thanks to a random door in Wilmington and the painter who was standing there and got the color for me!  Cityscape for the win - hope I love it in person!

Thursday 

Up early - game of Battleship on the way to Atlantic Beach 

Another fun day trip for Spring Break

We stopped by and checked on Nana's and Papa's spots 

We made it - kids love going over the big bridge 

Fun in the sun with the Browns

Weather was nice enough to play on the beach!

Brown/Taylor Crew 

Sun Tanning 

Afternoon at the Aquarium 

Annual picture on the turtle 

With a big catfish like at MeMa's lake 

Learning about sand dollars - Ella wanted to find one so bad on the beach!

We learned that a sand dollar with holes is actually called a keyhole urchin.  White ones are dead but if they have a green tint they are still alive.  We can't wait to go to Sand Dollar Island this summer with the Raynor cousins!

Touch tank is always a favorite 

Play ground

These two are such sweet friends - just like me and Claire back in the day! 

Digging for shark teeth 

Caleb got one - actually two but he gave one to Haley 

Ella found 3 - but didn't share :) 

Fun day with the Brown crew 

So thankful for these friends and our annual spring break beach trip! 

Ice Cream at AB Ice Cream Shop - so many flavors and such great prices!

Pralines and Cream for me, Salted Caramel for him

JC loves her Cabub!  He's a good sport!

Snuggled up and tired - watching a movie

Friday 

Back home and happy to have Hank here!

He rolled right over for a belly rub. 

Trying to decide on granite for the kitchen 

Think we decided on #2 since it has grey and tan!

The Harrells were back from the mountains and the kids couldn't wait to play! 

The girls did arts and crafts and playdoh while the boys played baseball and beyblades!

Ready for a movie!  Hank jumps right up cause he knows these two will rub him!

We love keeping him with Craw and Audrey are out of town!

Saturday

Hankers sleeps in his crate at our house but we let him in the bed to snuggle when we wake up! 

Caleb was so happy to be working in Granddaddy's shop to make Crosses for Christmas at Easter!

I think this boy is going to be handy like his Granddaddy, PePa, and Daddy! 

Mr. Johnnie, one of dad's best buddies, came down to help! 

Danny was so awesome with helping me get this organized - he got the painted donated and bought the paint supplies.  Danny and dad encouraged each other!  Josh also donated the wood but was out of town and couldn't help us make them. 

Corey getting them all painted and making sure they passed Mom's quality control test :)

Kent helped too but didn't get a picture of him. 

We cleaned out all of dad's clothes and found this keeper :)  Not sure if its Indiana Jones or Carmen Sandiago style.  Kent also took home a wind suit.

Dad never got rid of ANYTHING - we took away 6 trash bags of clothes with holes and paint stains, put together 4 tubs of good clothes for the homeless veterans, made a few bags to pass out to people who we know would treasure some of dad's stuff and kept a few :)  Caleb got a few ties he wants to wear when he is bigger! 

Owen and B came to play while they finished up the Crosses - Hank is spoiled!  He rolls right over for a belly rub when Caleb is around. 

Connect 4 - B loves her jewelry and went to Ella's room to get some when she arrived! 

I think I have decided on an island color and granite - I always 2nd guess my decisions! 

My handsome date at PF Changs!  Our plans fell thru last minute and mom had already agreed to keep the kids so we enjoyed a spur of the moment date night and went to visit some of our BFFs in Raleigh! 

Fresh and clean out of the bath at Mammy's house 

This boy!  Caleb asked me the other day if he was funny.  I replied Of course!  He said "Good cause funny is my thing!"  Crazy kid!

Kelly was in Charlotte and sent me this sign - I sure need it cause I don't sleep lately!

Sunday

We planned to go to the Bird Park and take our kids and Luke.  I texted all the Taylors last minute to see if anyone wanted to meet us and they ALL said Yes!  What are the odds?

Picnic at the Bird Park  

Digging for fossils - kids found more shark teeth.

Are all these real you think?

Ella is getting quite a collection! 

Caleb's favorite part of the bird park 

Ella and Jodi had to warm up - they were not sure at first! 

Jules loved it! 

Jules trying to show Ella that it was ok!

By the end these girls were loving it and even asking for a bird at home!

Happy boy that his daddy finally got to come.  We have been twice before but this was Corey's first time 

Everyone loves Mema, even Luke!  Rhett says Mema ALL the time! 

Sweet boys 

Luke said this bird looked like Linus, his MiMi's bird 

Ella always wants to carry Rhett and Winfield - picking him up so he could see better ;) 

Taylor Family with our new cousin Luke 

Taylor cousins 

MeMa and her crew 

Taylor Family

Susan wanted a picture of her family so Luke was standing with Corey's aunts Nina and Phyllis.  Nina's friend June asked Luke his name and then shouted at us "Does Luke's parents know he is with us?"  We were trying to smile for the picture and didn't answer her but Luke responded "Yes I am with Caleb and Ella".  She was relieved to know we brought him and he wasn't a lost little boy - she had totally missed him with all the other kids during the picnic and first half of the bird park - ha ha!

I think Luke had fun and he said he would go ANYWHERE with us! 

These sweet Taylor cousins remind me of me and my Raynor cousins, Nicole and Amy! 

Not sure who trained Luke - Aunt Maggie or Mimi - but this boy wanted a copy of the map and to point us where to go. 

We saw these muskrats and Ella said "We finally found the beavers" 

Look at the fancy bird - the peacock 

I said "Look its the Fruit Loop Bird"  The kids quickly corrected me that it was the Rio Bird. 

Mema's Girl 

They both love their MeMa! 

Winfield with his little mamas.

Not sure if they were helping him or dragging him down but he was patient with them. 

We had such a FUN day!  Find a time to explore the bird park - but not sure this travel agent can  make commission on this trip :)  I had no idea it was world famous until a volunteer corrected me!

She told me they had the World's Largest Pidgeon and I wasn't sure but apparently this place is a big deal! 

Ella wanted a picture on the turtle 

Family picture with the flamingos 

Taylor sisters - love these girls!

I added to my Gallery Wall - I finally got Nana, Papa and GG's picture added as well as our silhouettes from Disney! 

Mom gave Ella my old batons while we were cleaning out.  The kids were impressed I could still twirl :)  Told them I was on the front page of the paper doing baton one year :) 

Ended the night making lasagnas for my fav youth and some friends going thru rough times! 

Homemade pimento cheese to end the night!

Spring Break was so much fun - we aren't ready for school and work again this week!