Lost

Jackson looked just like this a mere two and a half weeks ago... a mouth full of teeth. The top two were loose, and his mouth seemed to have grown a bit, so that there were two decent sized gaps -- one on either side of the two front teeth. However, shortly before this picture was taken, he tried to open a water bottle with his teeth, pulling one of them almost all the way out... it was hanging by a thread! That evening, while camping on Capers, he bit into his sandwich, and out came the tooth! Thank goodness the tooth fairy knew where we were!!
That brought us to the above look, exactly one week later... we called it the Snaggletooth. Because his mouth had changed leaving those extra gaps, the single front tooth looked like it was just about in the middle of his mouth. On this day, he was biting on a pen and pulled the Snaggletooth so that it was hanging by a thread. Not an hour later, he came running up from down below, holding his tooth and yelling "The Snaggletooth! It's the Snaggletooth!". When I asked how he had gotten it out, he said that he and Harris were wrestling, and Harris pulled it out. Figures.
So, now my sweet boy looks like this when he smiles... soooo big, but sooo cute!

Kanuga

Our church has an annual parish weekend at Kanuga, an Episcopal camp and conference center near Hendersonville, NC. We have talked about going for years, but it has never worked out. This year, however, was our year. It was the peak of fall there, and the leaves were incredible. I know there a million pictures, but indulge me. I know that I could never capture the beauty of what I saw this weekend, but it was worth a try.
We went and stayed with the Eglestons... it couldn't have worked more perfectly. There were five little ones: Jackson (7), DuBose (6), Harris (5), Mills (4), and Ellie (1 1/2). The boys played together and entertained each other so well. It seemed to make everything easier and more enjoyable!
On Saturday morning, the adults had a program, while the kids had their own adventure. We heard an unforgettable speaker... very humble, humorous, comforting, and encouraging. Laughs and tears in the same session.
After lunch, we hiked to Eagle Rock. The boys were all troopers (as was sweet Ellie, who slept in a pack on DuBose's back!). They were all about sticks. The sticks were their fishing poles, and the leaves tied to the sticks were fish... such imaginations we saw.

There was a trail that lead down and under Eagle Rock, and DuBose and Jackson tackled it twice... they loved the rock climbing and exploring what was around each corner.
I'm noticing that there are lots of Jackson pictures... that is not usually the case, but he was so cooperative that I took advantage of every chance to get him on camera. Love the super-model pose above!
Saturday after dinner, there was an ice cream/wine & cheese party and sing-along that ended the evening. We truly wore those boys out, and they all slept soundly!The next morning, we had a worship service at the pavilion by the lake. What an amazing experience to worship with friends in such an incredible place.
Afterward, we took another hike, this time around the lake, working off some boy-energy before eating lunch and jumping back in the car to head back to the coast. It was another beautiful morning, perfect for a hike.

Great friends and hiking companions!

RJ the raccoon in his natural habitat.

Jason and I loved our time with our sweet goddaughter, Ellie... she was full of smiles and such a trooper to keep up with all of those big boys.
I had such a great time with my sweet family and great friends. Thanks, Eglestons, for sharing this with us! We are looking forward to making this a tradition and exploring more of Kanuga with you next year.

Fall 2010 Boat Trip

The boys and I met Papa in Norfolk a couple of weeks ago for our leg of Papa's migration southward on Progress. It was a looooooong drive to Norfolk from Charleston (no thanks to an overturned tractor trailer at 10:30pm!), but it was well worth the haul. The weather was perfect, the boys loved the adventure, and I relished the time away from work, school pick-up lines, and homework.
We left Norfolk on Saturday morning... sun shining, a chill in the air, and adventure in front of us. Our first stop was the "famous" Coinjock. It is very well-known among boaters cruising the Atlantic coastline, but honestly, it's out in the middle of nowhere. It is pretty much the only place to stop between Norfolk and the Outer Banks, so nearly all of the big boats stop there on their trips north or south. There is a marina with a restaurant "famous" for its prime rib, but that seems like about all.
Every evening, this stretch of dock is full, lined with large boats. Each morning, usually before sunrise, this dock clears out as the boats move on to their next harbor. I had been looking forward to running Coinjock so I could see what else was there, but there was nothing... I ran 2 miles one way along a straight country road to nowhere, then turned around a ran 2 miles back. Nothing to report.
The next morning, we took an easy ride into Manteo on the Outer Banks. We got in early enough for lunch and a full afternoon of exploring.
My two Richards at Poor Richards.
After lunch, we walked to Roanoke Island Festival Park. It was a great interpretive park that had an Indian Village and Colonists' Settlement Site to explore, and the kids loved it. They got to see how the Indians and English military lived hundreds of years ago.

Jackson danced in the Sacred Indian Dance Site, and
Harris explored the Elizabeth II.
We got to dig out a canoe with oyster shells

and try on English military armor.

There was also an interpretive museum, where they got to crawl into, out of, over, and under all kinds of boats and displays,

and try on lots of period costumes.

Of course, Harris had to try on both sides...

The Elizabeth II from Progress.

We had an amazing dinner at 1587 Restaurant in the Tranquil House Inn, and the boys were treated to some of the best desserts!
Sunday morning, our goal was to leave before sunrise... we just made it. These were our views as we pulled away from the marina in Manteo.

Sunrise over Kitty Hawk.

It was another incredibly beautiful day, although it was a littler rougher in the morning. Both boys were happy to sit up with us and listen to stories and music on the iPods!
We got to Beaufort, NC early Monday afternoon. We were able to take some time to explore, run and play on a beautiful day in Beaufort. Papa was even sweet enough to give me some time to explore on my own. It was much appreciated quiet time, definitely a rarity lately.
Sadly, we had to pack up and drive home on Tuesday morning. It was another unforgettable trip. The boys had a great time seeing and exploring new places. Hopefully, we are instilling in them a sense of adventure and a love of travel that will take them through life. What an incredible blessing we have been given to be able to do this. Thanks, Papa, for another perfect trip... as always, looking forward to the next adventure!