Atlanta Trip

After Christmas we made a quick trip to Atlanta. The kids have wanted to see the aquarium there for a long time. I think it is is funny that I didn't take a single picture there! They have this HUGE tank with whale sharks and a ton of other things. It was lots colder then usual for the South, we are cold wimps now too though.

Atlanta zoo has pandas! We only got to see this guys. The others were not out. A lot of the animals were inside because of the cold. Even things like the sun bears  - we were surprised and I really wanted to see one. We did get to see the naked mole rats though - Sophie was thrilled, she had been looking forward to it.

 
 So we had no idea that downtown Atlanta was a huge tourist destination. It was crazy! I tried to show a pic of the line to get in to the Coke museum - we had expedited passes because I bought them online luckily. People were waiting and hour and half to get it! We were confused at how big of a deal it was? And then it turns out that this is not really a museum at all. It is a huge long commercial for Coke. I felt a little like I was in a sci fi movie getting brainwashed...the funnest part was trying over 100 kinds of soda from around the world. We had fun - but it was weird. Like a temple to Coke. Jason and I looked up all the info about Coke that we wanted to learn back at the hotel on Wikipedia.

 

Our hotel was across the street from the College Football Hall of Fame. We are not into college football enough for it to be super awesome, but it was still fun. The boys loved this interactive field where you could kick and throw. I loved the ChickFiLa that was delicious and cheap. Atlanta is now checked off the bucket list. Way to crowed to really enjoy if I am honest, but we did have fun and it was nice to get away as a family.

Happy 11th Birthday!

I still can't believe these boys are 11! It just doesn't seem that long ago that they were my little babies. Noah came up with the idea for a raspberry and cream pie - it turned out amazing! Luke requested raspberry chocolate cake. The boys and I went to a movie this afternoon while Sophie and Jason were at the temple. When they got home we had the boys party and cake and pie for dinner ;)

Christmas 2018

Christmas Eve

Luke carved me a bird for my collection, Noah illustrated a scripture & Grace made me a Christmas crown :)

We changed one tradition this year and had the kids open their sibling gifts on Christmas morning. It was the first thing they wanted to do when they got downstairs. Seeing all 4 kids so excited about giving while Santa gifts were all right there wrapped and waiting was really cool. Luke could hardly wait for me to open my bird. He worked on it for a long time. 

Snow!!!!

This is the view from my front door right now. I love it. I miss the snow living here and am always so excited when we get some. All 4 kids are outside playing right now with friends. I love that too. The house is quiet and warm from out wood stove and peaceful.  Now if I can get something done today instead of snuggling up with a book ;)

 So Grace may not be quite ready for motherhood, which is totally fine. She has years to wait. This girl put her heath class robot baby in the washing machine at 11:30pm because she couldn't get it to stop fussing. We are all still laughing about it. She had tried wrapping it up in a blanket and putting it in the closet but could still here it crying, so she brought it downstairs and put in the washer.

Sophie, Grace, Abby Waters, Caiden Arny

The girls had their Winter Orchestra concert this week. They all played great. It is hard to believe these girls are all so grown up! 

Happy Thanksgiving

The Pikes and Sam and Allie came for Thanksgiving. It was super fun to meet Allie - she is wonderful! I worry that it was too wild and crazy for her, our house is pretty small for 12 people, including 4 loud boys. We (Pikes, Sam, Luke & I) ran the Greensboro Gobbler on Thanksgiving morning. It was soo fun. I think it needs to be a tradition. All around us were families celebrating together. The run raises money for First Harvest Food Bank. Luke got super festive and ordered a turkey hat weeks ago to run in.

It was all of the boys first 5K. I was so proud of all of them! Seeing these 2 cousins running together was so sweet. Tal actually threw up twice before we left for the race, but he was determined to run. Luke beat me by about 10 seconds - he had a kick left at the end and I so did not. I was happy with my  10 minutes miles ;)

After delicious turkey dinner we played the annual Hardy Bowl. It was so fun, super warm temps, Molly barking up a storm. Em is seriously amazing and got this selfie of us all on the trampoline. Luke being Luke front and center...

Day after we kept our newish tradition of getting outside to enjoy nature. We hiked in Haw River State park - super close, mostly just a pretty walk in the woods, but lots of fun. Ben and Sam pulled this tree down and the kids took turns bouncing/hanging on it. Ben is the master of always creating fun - seriously!


I am grateful to have family that is so loving. I feel blessed that our family is full of incredible people I love to spend time with.

Halloween 2017

 Super Girl, Weird Dad, Lucy Carlyle, Antony Lockwood, George Cubbins - characters from Lockwood & Co book series. Grace made business cards to hand to people when they asked who she was...we had fun making the costumes. Rapiers, salt bombs, chains are for fighting ghosts.

 Grace's pumpkin is SMOAK - a name and symbol from one the shows she adores, Luke did Harry Potter w/wand, Sophie's pumpkin is obvious, Noah did 3 cute faces, you could turn his pumpkin around and get a different face. This one was the cutest.

Not sure what Noah is doing here....

We met our neighbors, the Dogetts, this summer and asked if the kids could fish in their pond/lake.  Jacob Arny has caught the biggest fish so far, 6 lb bass. Luke has had so much fun fishing there! 

Luke & Noah's soccer team

WWII traveling airplane exhibit. I let Noah get out of school a few hours early and he and I went. I can't remember what the planes are, Noah could tell you. They all still fly which is super cool. Noah was in heaven. It was fun to see him so excited. When we first got to the air field a WWII bomber was doing a fly by. I wish I could have gotten a picture of Noah - it almost brought tears to my eyes. 

Puppies at the Farmer's Market. Sophie and Grace tried REALLY hard to bring one home. They were super sweet, but would get huge and take sooooo much work to teach and train. The puppy Grace is holding was named Greg and she LOVED him. Puppies this young just let you hold and love them.