Thanksgiving in Maryland!

Thanks for a great trip in Maryland!  We had a blast with our family.  The kids were worn out by the end but Elli is already asking when we will go back.  It was truly as successful as traveling can be with a 2 year old and a 7 month old.  They slept well in our little room downstairs, they actually traveled quite well, and we all ate well (thanks to pie pie pie!)  Won't be long before we'll make the trip again for Christmas.

Serious breakfast conversation with Grandma Cooley!

The kids

The whole crew!

Four generations of Cooleys

Delicious!

Making gingerbread cookies

I think we need an iPad

Now this is serious breakfast conversation

Checking it out with Uncle Caleb!

Rocket ships at the Air and Space Museum

Exploring with Grandma Waller

Moon rocks!!!

The fellas!

Maryland is F.U.N.!

Mommy and Me Book Club

I am so excited that a books club is getting started right here in our neighborhood.  We decided to get together and let a different house host a book/craft/snack activity for the kids when we don't have preschool.  We had our first one at our house this week.  Ok, only one other kid could come, but it was still a TON of fun.  Elli loved it!  And, lets be honest, I loved pretending I was teaching Kindergarten again.  I would host it every week just to get to be a teacher again!!  Here are some pictures from our first "meeting."  And so as not to pretend I made all this up - I got the information from this website.

We read Run Turkey Run

Then we hunted for turkeys based on their color!

Shape turkeys!

Match the feather to the right color...

and Tah-Dah!!!

Best part?  Turkey cookies with oreos/candy corn/nutter butters and  m&ms

Spontaneous Vacation Day One

So we had a last minute offer to stay at my grandparents' condo in Myrtle Beach this weekend and we took it!  This is a big deal for us.  We don't usually do spontaneous - especially with a two year old and an infant.  But, we decided to go for it.  I'm so glad we did!  We have been able to hang out as a family and focus on each other.  ]

We left New Bern Friday night at 7pm (Jackson's bedtime) and he didn't make a peep the whole way.  I figured Elli would fall asleep, but no, she did not. She knew Jackson was sleeping and we told her she had to talk quietly and SHE DID.  She talked quietly to herself THE ENTIRE 3 HOURS!!!  Oh well!  We got in at 10:30 and it took us until about midnight to get everyone in bed.  Even with that late night, Elli still managed to wake up at 7:30 am.

We spent today trying out Broadway at the Beach and then in the afternoon we hit up the aquarium.  Elli and I went out for a little late night shopping while Jackson was getting a bath with Daddy.  You know Elli is tired when she said about 15 times walking down the hotel hallway, "Mommy, I'm sooo tired!"

Elli took this picture!

Such a good Dad!

Build A Bear!!!

And again...Elli took this picture!

The Maryland tree!  Daddy was excited =)

How awesome is that?!

On the way there, Elli said she wanted to see sharks.  She got her wish!

They swim over your head...it really was pretty neat.

Dinner time!!

Just so you know it wasn't all a piece of cake..this is how we had to keep Jackson happy during dinner.  Hey - you do what you gotta do!

Yep - she is tired!

L.O.V.E. them

Day one of vacation:  FUN