Soccer Season

We finished our Fall soccer season last Saturday. Andy and I were the coaches this year and it was a lot of fun. I don't have many pictures because we were always on the field, but Leah took a few for me of the first game. We didn't make it to the first coaches meeting, so we had purple jerseys. The girls and I were happy, but Andy would take off his coaches shirt as soon as the games were over! We were the Spartans which was the name of Andy's fist team. Carly and Joiner had really grown since last season and I think they had a lot of fun.

Chilling with Mom before the game. Hanging with Daddy. We hadn't been given our coaches shirts, yet.

Some pre-game stretching

We are hearing the rules about how to play fair. This guy is Joel, the YMCA sports director and the kids love him.

Carly on a blitz

Going for the ball.

At this age, you run around the field with them to help them find the ball. More games than not, I was holding someone's hand and running. On the games where Andy was absent, it was rough:)

The Nutcracker

For Carly and Joiner's 4th birthday, we are not having a party this year. Instead we are having a special day where everything is about them. The highlight of the day will be to go see the Nutcracker Ballet. They love ballerinas and dancing and we think they are old enough this year. Tickets went on sale a few weeks ago and if you went on the day the box office opened you got $5 off a ticket. This was a big savings when you consider our entire families will be there! Anyway, we went right after our soccer game to buy the tickets. The girls were so excited.

Part of the opening of the ticket sales was a special visit from some of the ballerinas and the Mouse King. You can't see him in the picture because I asked him if he could walk away (sorry) but the Mouse King is obviously close enough that both girls are terrified.

Here is the 2nd picture and you can see that Carly has slowly moved behind me and Joiner is not even looking. What a fun family memory. I have to admit that the Mouse King was a little intimidating.

So we got outside with our tickets and the free hot chocolate the girls were given. I think the hot chocolate canceled the Mouse King.

The Beach- Ice Cream and Nap Time

This will be the last day of beach posts. I have a ton more pictures, but I am sure it is getting old. When Grumpa didn't come to the beach, he sent noted to Carly and Joiner. In each note was $20 to get a souvenir!!! After I decided not to take it and give them a $1, they went to work thinking about what they wanted to spend it on. Well, sweet girls and sweet-loving girls that they are, they took us all to ice cream. This made Grumpa very happy as his favorite food is ice cream! They spent the rest of their money on a kitty in a carrier for Carly and a puppy in a carrier for Joiner. Thanks Grumpa!

Carly with her Cookies N'Cream

Joiner with her cookies n'cream- Grumpa's favorite!

The Whole Gang

Gigi and Caga got in very late on Tuesday and we were all up again early on Wednesday so almost everyone took a nap. I am not a napper, so I read, but it was relaxing.

Gigi and Carly snuggling after Carly woke up

Meanwhile...Joiner was out in the bed next to them

Caga passed out on the sofa

Daddy creatively finding a resting spot. I should add that Caga and Daddy were passed out before we put the girls down for their nap. Thanks for the help, guys!

The Beach- Gigi & Caga

Gigi and Caga came on Tuesday night about 11pm. My dad wasn't able to come because work is so terrible. That was a shame, because very few people love the beach like Grumpa. The girls were on a countdown to when they were coming.

Three generations of toes

On a walk with Gigi

Carly and Gigi

Breakfast on the deck. Andy and Jarett (Caga) were inside making about 5 eggs between them so they are not in this picture that I am sure Gigi is glad I posted.

Caga and Daddy in the water with Carly

Carly and Gigi reading

Caga chillin'

The Beach- Emma & Banana Splits

On our first day at the beach, we discovered that another family was next door and they had two little girls. Well, C&J played together and the neighbors played separately for about two days. Then on Tuesday, they started to play closer together and then they just ran up to each other and decided they will all be friends. Andy and I joked that it was like watching dogs circle each other. The little neighbor's name was Emma and she is 5. She had a little sister Madeline who was 18 months old.

The funniest thing was that our decks were very close to each other, so all 3 girls would stand on their respective deck and wait for the other and then yell across. I would hear them asking when they were going to the beach and what they were having for breakfast. It was very sweet. Even though Carly and Joiner love to play together, it was really nice to have someone else in the mix. Emma's family was very nice as well. It turns out they are from Burlington, only 40 minutes from W-S. They were their with their grandparents as well and were BIG fishers. I mean they were out each morning at 7am and didn't stop until dark or dinner. It was really fun to watch and we learned a lot.

Emerald Isle is a big fishing place all year, but especially in the Fall. There were tons of fish in the surf jumping around. All week long this family and others around us kept catching this huge fish. It would break their line every time. On our last morning, they caught this fish twice, and each time it broke the line. Then, we realize that it was a shark! And not a little shark, but a big 5-6 foot sand shark. It was actually really cool. He/she was right on the shore looking for all these blue fish that were around. You could see his whole body and fin. We obviously stayed out of the water, but it was fun!

Before the shark surfaced, a poor pelican got caught in one of Emma's lines. Her granddad had to pull him to shore and then he and others got him free, but not before we got to get up close to him. We could even see the uneaten fish in his mouth that he spit out indignantly when we was set free. So cool. It was an exciting last day!

Playing soccer with Emma
Carly, Madeline, & Emma while her dad fishes

Playing in Emma's "neck of the woods"


Carly and Emma
Andy and I are training for a 1/2 marathon and he has developed a tape worm with all the extra activity. He needs 4-5 meals a day including a ridiculous amount of ice cream. Of course, the girls are thrilled to be a part. Because it was vacation, Andy thought it was time to introduce them to his favorite treat.

Carly and her banana split treat

Joiner and her banana split treat

The Beach- Shackleford Banks

We took the ferry from Beaufort to the Shackleford Banks on Monday. It was just a short ferry ride, but the girls loved it. The island is unihabited and there are amazing shells and beaches. We found a huge, perfect Conch shell and several little ones. I was hoping to find a sand dollar for my dad, but I only found pieces. We only spent two hours, but it was enough to have a really wonderful time.

We saw two dolphins as we were heading back to shore. I was able to catch this one and you can see one behind him under water. At one point they were very close to our boat. It was very cool!

Holding our shell bags. They were looking for one for each person in their class and they definitely found enough. We gave them out last week and everyone seemed excited.

Staring after the ship as it leaves us behind

This island has 6 couples of wild horses. Right after we got off the ferry we saw this little one. You can see how close you could get. When we got back to the ferry pick-up the mama had joined him and they were eating together. The Captain said that remarkably these horse have a similar lifespan to kept horses even with how hard their lives must be.

Mama

Carly and the horse. Carly rushed over to him and he didn't move, but I didn't let her get any closer. I didn't think we needed to be trampled or kicked by a horse on our vacation.

Sitting down in the sand bar. I didn't think to put them in bathing suits, but I did bring extra clothes. Good thing! Joiner is showing us her "bunnsies" as she calls them.

Shell hunting

We changed our clothes and were eating a granola bar while we waited for the ferry to come get us. This process concerned the girls. The idea that the ferry just left us on the island. Both we very excited that it came back:)

The Beach- part 1

I have so many great pictures of our beach trip that I will put it in multiple posts. I don't want to sit at the computer for hours to wait for all the photos to load at once and I still don't understand what Carla is saying about adding a bunch at once. Anyhoo... We went to Emerald Isle last week and had the most amazing time. We stayed in a house right on the beach and it was wonderful. We could hear the ocean 24/7. The weather was wonderful and the fresh seafood we cooked every night was even better.

Family Self-portrait on Shackleford Banks

The amazing view from our deck. I am not kidding; this was the most wonderful location.

Joiner in front of our house

Bathing beauty Carly

Daddy and Carly in the water...it was a bit chilly, but Carly would have stayed out all day!

Joiner watching the surf

Carly on the dunes