Trip to Zootastic

There is a cool little petting zoo in nearby Troutman (about a 45 min drive) that friends have told me would be a great place to take Luke and Olivia. On Thursday we decided to go check it out. So much to see and do!

There were lots of school groups, so we just joined one of their tours around the place. We saw a tiger, baby tiger cub and lots of horses, camels and other animals to feed in the barn. Olivia jumped right in and started feeding the animals right away, while Luke was more cautious about sharing his food at first. He was content to just walk around and play in the hay. I love their different little personalities!

We walked around a lot and then jackpot-a HUGE corn sandbox for them to play in. Who knew corn kernals in a box could be such fun? They played for at least 30 minutes transferring corn from one bucket to another, kicking their feet and making "corn angels". So cute!!! Luke also decided to walk around with his hands in his pockets for much of the day. He looked like such a little guy! We then took a break to have a picnic lunch, and we happened to share a table with 7 year old identical twin girls who were there with a field trip. It's amazing to think Luke and Olivia will have their own school field trip and adventures all too soon.

After lunch it was back to the corn for a little more playtime before we headed for home. It was one of the most fun days we've had together, and I definitely look forward to going back with Dan and the kiddos one day.

Banana and Blueberry

Luke and Olivia are really into fish, so we thought it would be fun to get them a small 1.5 gallon tank for their playroom. We got a little blue and yellow fish, and named them after their favorite fruits-blueberries and bananas. They love to see the "fishies" swim around and smile when they go to the top to eat. Happy swimming!

Trip to Asheville

This past Saturday we decided to take advantage of our membership to the Biltmore House and spend the day in the beautiful mountain area of Asheville. We were worried the weather would be too cool, but it ended up being a perfectly gorgeous fall day and the trees were in peak color change. We decided to skip the tour of the house again and spend most of our time in the gardens and surrounding areas.

We spent lots of time in the rose garden area, which had been converted to row after row of stunning fall flowers. It was so much fun to see Luke and Olivia stop to smell the flowers-literally!-and run around with such joy. Other visitors enjoyed seeing them and talking with us as well. After a trip to the petting zoo, a walk around the garden gift shop, and an adventurous nature walk to a waterfall, we decided to have dinner at a local southern diner-a new favorite of Dan's.

Luke and Olivia did awesome during the day, especially considering they only had a short 45 min nap in the car the entire day. We got them changed into their pj's and headed for home around 8pm, where they transitioned straight to their beds and fell fast asleep.

We look forward to making another trip in December to see the holiday decorations and seeing the beauty of the house from warm indoors!

Projects, projects

It seems like we always have a project of some sort going on around here. Ah, the life of a homeowner.

Lately we have decided to tackle refinishing an old wine barrel. We have always wanted to have one in the dining room/eventual game room area and we found one this summer while we were camping. Dan pressure washed it, sanded it, and now it's ready to be stained and painted. I am going to put a big "b" on top along with a piece of glass so it can be used as a table.

Dan has also been spending lots of time getting the yard ready for the winter. When we moved in last March, the yard had been pretty neglected. We didn't really have time then to put much work into it. But this year he has spent hours aerating, seeding, putting hay down and watering. It looks awesome and there is already some grass starting to grow. Yay! All of his hard work is paying off.

I have been working on making Luke and Olivia's halloween costumes and putting together treat bags. I am also getting started on their 2nd birthday planning. I spend my "free time" working on my photography business, trying to design a logo and learn a new editing software (the book is 600 pages...I feel like I'm in school again!)

We have high hopes to get the dining room and Luke's bathroom painted along with finding a new table for our kitchen. That may have to wait until January!

Fun family weekend

What a perfect weekend! The weather was awesome, and we got to spend lots of time together as a family.

Saturday morning we decided to try out our new backpacks and take Luke and Olivia for a hike up Crowder's Mountain. As we were getting them situated in their new "ride", one of the parts of my backpack broke. But we didn't let that deter us. We took the ribbons out of Olivia's hair to use as ties and temporarily fixed the problem. The hike started out great; they ate their snacks while we strolled along the gravel trail. After about 20 minutes though, Olivia became restless (no surprise there!) and asked to get down. And then she asked again, and again. So we decided to let her walk for a bit and explore her surroundings. Needless to say, our hike slowed to a crawl/nature hunt. Luke was content to just chill in his backpack and take in the scenery. We made it nowhere near the top of the mountain, but we had a fun time nonetheless.

Around noon we headed for my sister's house to celebrate my nephew's 9th birthday. We thought we would have to leave around 1pm for their usual naptime, but they were having such a good time playing we didn't leave until after 2:30pm. They fell asleep in the car on the way home and didn't wake up until after 4:30pm. Guess they were tuckered out from all of the cake, ice cream, and fresh air! Happy Birthday, Blake. We love you!!!

Once Luke and Olivia woke up from their naps, we gave them a quick bath so we could head to Freedom Park for a bit before dinner. They had so much fun exploring the new area, although at several times we thought Olivia might go for a swim with the ducks. She just couldn't get close enough for her liking. Luke loved to pick up the acorns and walk across this cool bridge. Around 7pm, we headed for Rusan's (a favorite of ours from Atlanta) so Luke and Olivia could have their first sushi experience. Let's just say it's a good thing I had PB&J as a backup! They wanted nothing to do with their california roll, but loved playing with the chopsticks.

One of the funniest points of the evening came when we were changing them into their pajamas. We knew they would fall asleep on the way home, so we brought their clothes to change into. Dan was changing Luke on the front seat, and let's just say his diaper was REALLY dirty. I got them into their carseats while Dan was cleaning up from the changing. He all of a sudden yells "oh no, poop. I just touched poop. Gross! It's on my hand...sanitizer...quick." I laughed so hard I almost cried.

This morning it was time to go to the pumpkin patch. We met some good friends and their son as well. When we got to Hodges Farm, they ran straight for the pumpkins (Olivia calls them cupcakes for some reason-so cute!) Then it was off to the petting zoo to see some pigs, goats (they called them sheep), and horses. After some running around time and a quick jump in the bouncy house, it was time for the hayride. They loved looking at the corn fields and trying to find all of the "cupcakes" in the field.

It was getting close to lunchtime so we decided to stop at another of our favorites from Atlanta-Taco Mac. They had fun watching the football games, and Luke just kept saying "ball" over again. Adorable! Naptime again and then we took them to the park so Dan and I could stop by and see one of the cutest newborns ever, baby Milo. Congrats again Sabrina and Marc-he is just adorable! Hard to believe Luke and Olivia were that size just under 2 years ago. Wow!

It truly was a fantastic weekend and it makes me love my wonderful family even more.

Olivia's pigtails

Olivia's hair is finally long enough to put in pigtails, and it really makes her look like such a little girl. Our baby girl is certainly growing up.

Ah Fall!

Cooler weather is finally here and I'm so excited. This is by far my favorite time of year and I love that Luke, Olivia and I get to spend so much time outside. We have been spending lots of time at the playground and in our yard. Last night it was cool enough to put them in their footed pajamas, and they were so cute in them!

Unfortunately Luke and Olivia have had a cold for the past few days, but I think they are getting a little better. I think they may have inherited Dan's allergies, although they can't technically get diagnosed until they are 2. Thanks goodness for humidifiers.

Here's hoping the cool, but not cold, weather lasts for awhile!