Happy Thanksgiving!

Only a week and a half late…

For Thanksgiving this year, we flew to NC to see Meamaw and Grandpa (and Uncle Billy).

The day before we left, we got our first snow of the season, and MiniM.E. had a blast testing out the sled we bought when we lived in Germany.

Then early Wednesday morning we flew to NC.  MiniM.E. did really well on the plane despite the turbulence (she definitely turned a little green!).

When we arrived at Meamaw and Grandpa's house, MiniM.E. was excited to see that Santa came early so she would have presents to play with.

We had a relaxing time while we were there.  We had a nice Thanksgiving dinner (that MiniM.E. slept through…). Unfortunately, I got a stomach bug (probably from the airport) on Friday, so I have no clue what happened that whole day- MiniM.E. was such a trooper though!

playing in Daddy's old blocks

on the pier

playground!

teaching Dolly to play piano

getting some exercise

with Dolly

Fortunately, by Saturday I was feeling much better and we went to Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach to meet up with our friends from college who also have a toddler almost MiniM.E.'s age.  MiniM.E. had a blast.  She didn't really remember E. very well, and trying to herd two two-year-olds through an aquarium and try to keep them interested in the same thing was impossible, so I never got a photo of them together :(.

Saturday evening we had mini-Christmas…

And then Sunday it was time to come home.

Until next time, North Carolina!

Outdoors in October

Fall is by far my favorite season.  While I love apple picking and cider and apple cider donuts and foliage and pumpkins and leaves and crisp cool mornings... well, I could go on... All things I've loved about fall since I can remember, I now also love playgrounds in the fall.  Spring can be to wet and summer is too hot, but fall is a really enjoyable playground season. I have to say, I never imagined how many hours I would spend at a playground once I had a toddler, but I love to watch her have fun.

MiniM.E. kept wanting me to take her picture as she came out of the slide

swinging like a big kid!

Our new favorite place to visit in the fall is Ellm's Farm.  We have been there twice since our first visit.  I thought maybe we'd get bored the second time... or the third... but I'm pretty sure MiniM.E. could spend all day, every day there for at least a week.

on the zip line!

MooMooChooChoo!!

bounce-a-bounce 

woo! roller coaster!

 The third time we went we went on a "Flex Day" with our "preschool group" of toddlers and moms.  Just as good.  PLUS, we got free cider and donuts and a pumpkin for each of our kids!

MiniM.E. as a spider

choosing a pumpkin

Out and About

I think I may have gotten spoiled by the summertime.  MiniM.E. is pretty much done with our house and all her toys (thank goodness her birthday is only two and a half weeks away!) so we spend as much time as possible outside and at locations other than our house.  I have to take advantage of all the mild weather before it starts getting cold.  As it is, the two hours in the morning where it's below 50 and I don't feel like putting on a hat to take her outside are PRETTY LOOONNNNGGGG... 

Here's what we've been up to:

Swinging at Ben & Jerry's (no ice cream, it was too early!)

Admiring the flowers

At an "old-school" playground

"Look at me!"

Peek-a-boo

pumping!!!

Fall is in the Air

...at least in my foyer.  I might have a slight addiction to Glade Plug-ins and my house smells deliciously like apple cider.  I'm saving the exceptionally fall-scented "Pumpkin Spice" for next month.  The weather hasn't seemed much like fall with temperatures in the 90's last week (right after all the pools and spray grounds closed!) and 50's now.  Add in some rain and it's been a pretty icky couple weeks.

We did squeeze in a playground visit:

Some time in Congress Park:

And a 5k that Bob and I ran in:

sitting in a fire truck wasn't as fun as it looked.

With a playground stop afterwards:

But then during the weekend before last, MiniM.E. really wasn't herself (seen here looking utterly unimpressed with everything):

I had one of my worst "Bad Mom of the Year" moments Monday before last when I took MiniM.E. to the doctor after a couple weeks of extra fussiness to find out she had screaming ear infections in both ears.  Arg.  It was a rough couple days nice, relaxing break to lie on the couch with a cuddly, exhausted, sick toddler (even though I felt awful that she felt awful).  Unfortunately, it took her a while to get back to herself (I'm still not sure she's 100%) and we had a couple play dates we had to leave early and a couple activities that we started last week that she definitely wasn't excited about.  Hopefully this week will be better.

Last weekend we drove to NH for H.'s 2nd birthday party.  Remember his 1st?

We didn't plan much for the weekend since I made the cake this year and it took up a lot of time, but we did get to see my sister's new puppy "Crumpins" (named by MiniM.E.).

MiniM.E. helping to bake the cakes

Hi Crumpins!

THE CAKE!!

A playground break 

At the party

Crumpins in MiniM.E.'s kiddie pool