Roadtrip: AR spring 2016 (part 1)

We returned from our most recent trip to Arkansas earlier this week, and it was a really difficult, strange trip, in that Mimi passed away while we were home (and though her health hadn't been awesome recently, it still felt sudden and surprising and a little devastating).  But it was also a lovely, comforting week with lots of dear family members that we rarely get to see (much less spend a lot of time with).  But there are SO many photos from the trip, so I'll break it up into a few posts...

The trip started with a happy surprise that Stuart did not have to work on the Friday before his vacation, so we packed up and left a day early and made the quick drive to Asheville for a night in a hotel (James' favorite part of vacations, if you ask him).

True to toddler roadtrip fashion, we stopped for a play break one hour into the drive :)



Western NC holds a dear place in my heart, and I always feel a longing in my heart when I start seeing the hills rise up during the drive.  We came into the mountains just as the sun was setting, and I feel like that was a sweet little gift from the Lord just for me.





We did not stay at a very fancy hotel (a Days Inn, in fact), but the boys had a BLAST.  Ask James about it, and he will tell you there was a MICROWAVE in the BEDROOM, and that is just the coolest.



On Saturday we started our drive early and stopped for lunch somewhere in eastern TN at a random ball field with a playground.  Picnic lunch for the (frugal! fun! memory-making!) win.









Back in the car... on the highway somewhere in TN, James yells "STOP THE CAR!"  So proud that he told us he had to go instead of having an accident.  However, I will forever find this photo hilarious:





Saturday afternoon we arrived in Nashville, TN, at the home of our dear, life friends - Chris & Jill Merrick (who is currently with child and due in ONE WEEK).  It was so fun to spend the afternoon and evening with them.  They are always such a dear encouragement to our hearts.





Sunday we left the Merricks' after a leisurely breakfast and headed west... We stopped for another lunch picnic at an old Civil War site.





This lunch stop got me thinking about how fun and flexible it could be to homeschool - instead of reading about the Civil War (for example) in a textbook, why not take a ROADTRIP and visit all the battlefields, learning about it along the way?  Living in the southeast definitely has the perk of having a lot of our country's history (even all the way back to the first settlers from Europe) at our fingertips.







After many hours (over three days), we arrived in Little Rock and promptly had a glass of wine ;)  Nana had just finished hosting a bridal shower for Stuart's cousin, Heather (whose wedding is coming up in just a few weeks - yay and congratulations, Heather!), so we got to see a LOT of the Younger side of our family.  Love them.  Another post to come with more photos from the rest of the week - again, a hard week with losing Mimi, but we got to see a lot of faces that we miss and don't get to see otherwise!

Lately

Some photos from a few weeks ago...

Lots of front porch sitting these days

James is really into "working" and "cleaning up" in his play lately -- think he is modeling someone that he sees every day? Maybe I need to chill a little in these departments...



Dark chocolate chip whole grain pancakes for a breakfast treat (Sam loved them, James wouldn't touch them).



Struggling with all the emotions.  It's hard being 3 (and the mama of someone who is 3).

Mr. Potato Head

Confession: toward the end of breakfast, sometimes I turn on a show to get James to finish his meal... The dietician did say it is equally important to maintain "good meal time habits" as it is to increase his calorie intake... But sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.  Not every meal, and only on mornings when he is eating like a skinny, sickly little bird.



Impromptu playtime with Mema and P\paw at Piney Wood Park as they were on their way to WV for Easter weekend.

Thankful for the random Starbucks gift card I found in our junk drawer!  Coffee/lunch date with  my people.

New outdoor playhouse from Nana and Pop for Christmas... finally getting constructed and ready for use! (Lots of play has occurred since we got this up a few weeks ago - James calls it his "little house" and he LOVES it.)

Inchworm friends on Stuart's shirt

Brother snuggles on the pillow (James looks upset, likely because his baby brother shoved him off).

Monthly lunch date at Foster's with my small people.

A trip to the Museum of Life & Science with the cousins & Aunt Val!  They were totally worn out afterward!

Sweet snuggle from the baby during a webcam staff meeting I had for work (technology is cool).  It was fun to feel like a WAHM that morning!

Easter 2016

Happy Easter weekend!  We dressed up fancy for church and joined our friends Wen, Casey and Ezra at their new church, All Saints.  We didn't get any photos with Stuart before church (he went early to play music), but he was home with us to celebrate Easter!  Just not documented :(

Before service, they hosted a little egg hunt for the kiddos... It had to be moved inside due to rain, but still fun!  They also had donuts and biscuits from Rise.

After nap time we had planned to dye eggs, and Mema and P\paw happened to stop by on their way back from visiting family in WV, so it became a family event!  James had a lot of fun, though the orange dye did get knocked over at the end... We don't have a lot of experience around here working with materials that aren't washable!  We just did a few eggs, but it was fun!

Last, but certainly not least, we spent the week leading up to Easter Sunday (Holy Week) reading the stories of Jesus's last week from the Jesus Storybook Bible for the little people and from She Reads Truth for me.  I feel like we did a pretty okay job this year balancing spring celebrations (egg hunts, dying eggs, planting gardens, etc) and teaching our kids the truths and hope of Jesus, and that really He holds all the seasons together anyway and the Earth coming to life during spring time is simply a foreshadowing of Him making all things new.

"He is not here... He has risen, just as He said." Matthew 28:6

Lately (spring!)

Found this photo from Stuart's phone of our 30th birthday date - taken on the rooftop of The Durham.

Sam fascinated by the fire pit... Obviously we are teaching them they can't get this close to it :)

Tomato seedlings... struggling to find enough sunlight.

Bedhead and apple snack.

Katie sent me some great anti-aging products for my 30th birthday.  Ha, only a sister can do that....

Deck picnic.

Standing in line to vote in the Presidential primary election... We waited over an hour and all got sunburnt!

Continuing our regular exercising after nap each day - always end here at this spot for the boys to explore (there's a playground behind me, so we play there, too!).  I've been run/jog/walking regularly and have been feeling much more like myself after a very hard, dark season in our family.  I think exercise (the regularly scheduled time to clear my head, be outside with my boys, and the endorphins!) has helped a lot!  Also, Jesus.  Of course.  But I feel like I meet Him in Creation, so for me, I feel like getting outside and moving my body always moves me to know Him more.

Family date to Foster's Market for popsicles!!  One of my most favorite recent days :)

Lots of trips to Lowe's lately... Spring always brings on home improvement projects.

Saturday morning at the Durham Farmer's Market - it was cold!

Sam's favorite thing is making people laugh.  He thought this was a funny outfit :)

Palm Sunday - we joined our friends, the Reagans, at their new church, All Saints.  I really appreciate how heavily they celebrate the church calendar there.  Palm leaves and "Hosannas!"

We had a cold, wet spring egg hunt after church...

Stuart pulled out the mini violin for James' first lesson after the egg hunt.  James is a little obsessed with it right now.

Too cool for school on a trip to the library yesterday.  He melts my heart.