We did SO MANY fun things in December! It's time for a photo-dump to tell you about our activities and travels. I couldn't fit it all in one post, so stay tuned--I'll have more vacation pictures to share soon!
We went to Indianapolis in December. Ed and his brother watched Wisconsin win the Big Ten championship football game and we went to the Children's Museum with Natalie and Boston and Eric (Mr. Miles and Chase stayed home so the young Master could get his nap.) The kids LOVED it, as usual.
Jolly Days was going on. The kids slid down a huge slide on potato sacks, "ice skated" in socks and played in the snow castle.
In the Science center, the kids learned about nutrition, water, caves, ponds, weather, gravity, and played in a construction site--Eric helped them peddle around in a little bull dozer and here's Ed and Matilda up in the crane tower.
The big kids all rode the carousel. Evelyn rode a jumping deer, Boston rode a still giraffe and Matilda made poor Eric sit on a bench with her. The most boring seat on the merry-go-round. They enjoyed it. After the ride, they played a bit more, had lunch, got fro-yo from a robot and visited dinosaurs. They were WORN OUT that night!
Next up, Ed had to go to North Carolina to participate in an immersion program for his MBA at UNC. He drove down and a few days later the girls and I flew out to join him. The baby HATED being forced to sit on my lap during the flight, but the big girls were SO good. I was really proud of them, but would prefer to never again fly with a "lap child."
We took the kids on a walk through the arboretum.
Then, a drink at the iconic bubbler.
We learned that Civil War monument soldiers in the South face North.
We posed by the old well and the baby desperately wanted to get out and go stumbling through the wet grass and leaves.
After checking out the campus we drove out to the Outer Banks to our rental house on the beach in Southern Shores. We stayed for two weeks, enjoying time on the beach, celebrating Christmas, checking out some sites, and even joined the aquarium because the kids' loved it!
Matilda and Evelyn being attacked by "Sandy Claws"
Visiting the sharks in the largest shark collection in NC.
Evelyn's favorite part of the aquarium--the fake alligator.
Adelaide liked him too. Actually, the aquarium was a perfect place to take Adelaide--just small enough and never crowded so she could toddle around like she owned the place!
Babies love to be outside.
See? Love it.
Those black spots out in the ocean are our dolphins. They visited several times and would leap all over fishing. There were TONS of them!
Matilda was NOT scared of the sharks.
Still having fun at the aquarium.
We also visited the settlement at Roanoke.
They enjoyed trekking through the woods finding all the Indian stuff and then the settlement as a surprise at the end of the trail.
They met Henry. The friendliest Scottish mercenary you could ever hope to meet!
Matilda played dress up.
Evelyn played dress up (the sword really suited her viking nature)
Daddy played dress up.
In the museum at the Roanoke Festival Park the kids loved exploring all the hands-on exhibits. Matilda spent a good portion of her time playing pirate.
Adelaide was the first to crawl up into the dug-out canoe. The big girls remembered seeing the canoe being made in the woods by burning the log and chipping away the burnt wood with shells.
Adelaide played dress up. A Civil War Soldier. And a very cute one.
And they played tag outside. They were good and tired that night, too!
Santa came.
He left a thank you note and ate the cookies!
And he brought presents.
He really CAME!!!
The kids tore through the gifts with wild abandon. Matilda and Evelyn really seemed to enjoy handing out the gifts for the first time.
After Christmas, Grandma and Grandpa came to visit. Matilda started playing "Hair doctor" and set up a salon for Grandma.
Evelyn really helped her relax, too.
Did I mention that we got a REAL tree and we all worked together to make the decorations? It was days and days of fun getting it ready!
There was a hot tub on the 3rd story deck over-looking the beach
Evelyn did NOT like to hot-tub, but she did love flying her kite off the deck!
And we all watched the moon come up over the waves. It was beautiful!
Stay tuned for more pictures from NC and VA!
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