Happy Halloween!

We are so far behind on our blog posts!  If I waited until I had time to catch up, I don't think I'd ever post again...so I'm just skipping ahead to today.  HAPPY HALLOWEEN!  

Sam has been so excited about Halloween that you'd think it was Christmas.  He has been counting down the days and just couldn't wait to wear his Pirate Captain costume to school today.  Caroline doesn't yet understand the Halloween concept, but she definitely loved being Little Red Riding Hood all day!

I went to school for their Halloween party, and they had the cutest little trick-or-treating parade around the school.  Sam was SO PROUD of his costume the whole time, and he is thrilled about all the treats he collected!

After school, we gathered with the Haleys for some trick-or-treating!  

Sam and Liza led the charge all over the neighborhood, and Caroline was a step behind them the whole way.  We trick or treated early last year, but this year we stayed out a little later, and it was so much fun to see the streets full of adorable little kids in their costumes. 

 After dinner and a few more treats than I probably should have let them have (What can I say?  I was having too much fun enjoying Halloween with them to ration the candy too severely), they both fell fast asleep.

After watching them soak up the excitement and joy of Halloween, I am so excited to head into the holiday season.  Everything -- especially holidays - are so much more fun through the eyes of these happy kiddos. 

Vacations!

The last month has been fun and travel-filled for the Touseys!  

In August, Clay and I took our FIRST TRIP TOGETHER without our kiddos since Sam was born (other than one-night trips for weddings).  Sam and Caroline spent an amazingly-fun few days with Nana and Papa while we took a five-day trip to Ocracoke Island, in the Outer Banks.  

This was one of my favorite places on earth as a kid, but I hadn't been back in years, and it was Clay's first visit.  It was the perfect trip - plenty to do, but nothing at all we HAD to do.  We rode bikes all over the island, ate tons of seafood, went to the beach, rode on a schooner, and drank a few beers and listened to music while we watched the fishermen return with their catch at the end of each day.  

We enjoyed sleeping late and not carrying a diaper bag everywhere we went, but we were very, very happy to return to our kiddos when the trip was over.  Sam and Caroline (and Nana and Papa!) were totally delighted and completely worn out after their week of playing.  They had so much fun, and so did we.  Ocracoke was the home of Blackbeard the pirate, so we more than made up for our time away when we presented pirate souvenirs  to the kiddos (particularly Sam, who is absolutely, positively, completely and overwhelmingly obsessed with pirates this summer).

Pretty view from our hotel balcony looking out over Silver Lake, which is the harbor...

 Cute Ocracoke lighthouse and lightkeeper's home...

One of our few pictures of the two of us...on the ferry on our way back home!

Back at home, I brought out the camera one weekend morning while we were just playing in our yard in our PJs.  I can't tell if Caroline is going to be a tomboy (she's as tough as nails and wants to do everything her big brother does) or a girly-girl (she loves changing her shoes frequently and likes wearing a bow, even with her PJs).  Either way, we think she's perfect!

Sam, preparing his awesome rocket launcher!

On Labor Day weekend, we took off for Camden, Maine.  Clay's Aunt Marion and Uncle Jimmy live there during the summer and were so sweet to invite us all up for a weekend.  It was SUCH a fun trip!  The weather was spectacular (lows in the 50s won't reach Florida until December!), and Jimmy and Marion were such sweet hosts.  From the plane flights to the rocky beaches to the boats, the kids were in absolute heaven the whole time.  

Sweet Sam, collecting rocks on the beach our first morning at the National Park right across the street from Marion and Jim's house...  He would have done this for hours and hours if we'd let him! 

 Caroline checking out the beach with Dadda...

Pretty Penobscot Bay...

Sam's favorite part of Maine was the rocks.  The rocks on the beach were okay, but these BIG rocks - rocky peninsulas jutting out into the water - were the real highlight of the trip!  Pemaquid Point was his favorite.  He may be a Maine boy at heart!

Back on the beach the next morning...a great way to start the day!

Caroline chatting with the duckies...

We had to stop for a visit at the Children's Chapel, where Ashley and Ben got married!

And then went to visit another one of these big rocks!  This one had snails living all over it!

And back at home this weekend, we took a quick morning trip to Fort Caroline, where we haven't been since I was pregnant with Miss C.  The kids had fun making the "nature walk" through the maritime forest to get there and pretending to fire the cannon!

And, finally, I'll share a recent picture of Sam from Dress-Like-A-Pirate Day at school.  This was the highlight of his summer.  I had to share!

Lots of love to all!  We miss and love you!

Back in Time

I promised to catch up, and that's what we're doing!  We started yesterday with Sam's birthday celebration(s), and now we're going back to May and June.  In late May, Caroline and I took a trip up to NC for Allyn's baby shower and Memorial Day with the Greenville crew at the River.  Baby Gibson (who is due any day now!) was celebrated in style at the new Rubright river house, which is stunning.  My only regret -- no belly pictures of Allyn!  We started with a visit with Nana and Papa...

Checking out the beginnings of Papa's grapevines...

...and Nana's garden...

...and playing in the baby pool...

...and with Rusty and Gracie!

Back at home, we snuggled and got ready to go to the BEACH!

 Every Summer, we spend a week at the beach with my extended family, the Swarming Stricklands!  The kids were in Heaven all week playing with their cousins.  Here are a few great shots from the week....

The kids having some post-dinner ice cream...

...and playing on the BEACH!

 ...gathering lots of shells...

 ...goofing around with Daddy...

 ...and with Nana and Papa...

 ...and making a break for the OCEAN!

 One afternoon, Uncle Alan was out on his kayak and a pod of dolphins came to swim alongside him!  All the kiddos left their lunch to come watch...

Playing indoors...There was a lot of play doh time...

 ...playing with Papa's hat...

 ...and reading...

...and when Sam fell asleep on the couch, Caroline and Papa put all his toy bugs on top of him!

...and then Caroline tried (unsuccessfully) to wake him up!

Aunt Tricia brought beads for the kids to make ankle bracelets.

Caroline, checking out the ankle bracelet her big brother made for her :)

One morning, all the older kids went to the water park while Nana and Papa played with Caroline.  Sam wasn't interested in the big slides, but he had a blast in the play pool.

So tired from swimming, he LITERALLY fell asleep standing up before we could get home for lunch and nap time.

Getting some love from both of my kiddos...

COUSINS!

Every night after dinner, the kids went back down to the beach to run and play until they exhausted themselves.  This is what I remember most about these vacations as a kid, and I just love that Sam and Caroline will have these memories too...

A successful vacation!