These Little Moments...

Before we even left for the beach, I knew that I wanted to take the kids to Ripley's Aquarium. Gracie was just a little older than Ethan when we all went for the first time. Since she obviously doesn't remember that visit, I really wanted to go again. :) Both of my kids had a great time. Ethan was mesmerized by the tanks of fish. We stopped by the sting ray exhibit, where Gracie was able to touch those that passed by. She was fine with the small ones, but was more cautious of some of the larger sting rays. I can't say that I blame her. She kept asking if they were going to sting her. The employee nearby explained that these sting rays didn't have stingers, so she was perfectly safe. Gracie also had the opportunity to touch and observe a group of horseshoe crabs. The coolest exhibit of all was the aquarium tunnel. I didn't take any pictures, but we traveled on a moving path, winding through a tunnel that left us surrounded on all...

Last week, I was lounging on the beach with my family. It was our last family get-away of 2012. We were blessed with beautiful weather, perfect for days spent digging in the sand and splashing in the ocean. We went without a plan. Instead, we followed the cues of Gracie and Ethan. When they needed to nap, we let them nap. When they were rested and ready for more excitement, we took them places and stayed busy. It seemed to be the way to go. We often push our kids to their limits on vacation, which results in cranky moments and frustrated parents. I loved the relaxed vibe to this vacation; we just did what we wanted, when we wanted.  We were also vacationing with Sean's dad and step-mom. They seemed to enjoy chasing Ethan down the beach so Sean and I could sit and stare at the wonder that is the ocean. We even managed to fit in a date night at Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery while the kids hung out with their grandparents. One of the highlights for our family was visit...

We've been enjoying the beach this week! We couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather. Gracie has been loving everything about the beach. Ethan is still unsure of the waves, but has enjoyed digging in the sand and exploring. I'm looking forward to sharing more about our beach get-away once we're home again.

On Wednesday, I received a handmade invitation to today's Muffins for Mom event. The tables were decorated with special center pieces and placemats made by each child. During a poem about the few things mothers "can't" do, such as keep the toys picked up, the children took turns standing with related props. Gracie's teacher then had each child serve their mother/grandmother a muffin and juice. I really enjoyed spending this time in Gracie's classroom, and she seemed happy to have Ethan and I there! (Thankfully, Ethan was well-behaved; I was a little worried.) I love any opportunity to be involved with Gracie's class! Gracie and I this morning before leaving for school. Gracie chose chocolate muffins for us! She knows her mommy well!

As I mentioned in one of my posts about our weekend in Virginia, I was hoping to fit in another trip before the craziness of the holidays began. Well...  Sean and I randomly decided last week that we'd love to take advantage of our three day weekend, so we packed again and headed back to Virginia Friday evening. I kept saying that we were on a never-ending trip, because the drive there seemed to take forever, but we did eventually make it and enjoyed another few days with family. Michael, Jennifer (Sean's sister), Taylor, and baby Braelynn joined us at the condo; it was so much fun spending the weekend with them. We went with no agenda, just hopes for good weather and a boat ride. This was Braelynn's first boat ride. :) I seriously thought Gracie might fall asleep, too! Sean and Michael took the girls fishing from the dock. We were all crossing our fingers for at least one fish, while also wondering how it would go should only one of the gir...