February 19
We flew home for a visit! Our day began at 1:00am when Nick and I woke up to get the bags in the car. We woke the kids at 1:30am and had a friend drop us off at the Kitsap Airporter at 1:50am. Lydia slept for the 2 hour ride to the airport. Julius did not. He wasn't' fussy, just couldn't believe he was riding a bus and was looking forward to the "big zoom" he was going to ride on! He also loved riding the "train" to the terminal!
Finally on the plane...
Still awake but so ready to be asleep!
Our view of the Cascades!
Frosty fields!
Julius fell asleep before the plane took off from Seattle and was able to sleep for about 3 hours. It was nice to have three seats! Thank you to the Delta employee at the gate and getting to the airport 2 hours early so we were the first in line for our seat request!!
Lydia LOVED sitting in our laps! She played and slept pretty normal that day!
On the little plane to North Carolina! Yay! Almost home!
Our first order of business the next day! Julius has since asked us every time he see's a tractor, "Me ride Pop Pop's big tractor?"
He loves tractors, that's for sure!
Weeby needed to have a turn too :)
Pop Pop and the girls! He spoiled Julius that day but I don't think the girls were to upset with him. Julius loved being around all the kids!
Ed, the dog, could also be called dopey :) although he isn't very dwarfish. In a later picture you'll see what happens when we play with Ed like this!
Lydia and Great Grandma Linda!
Playtime at the Suggs' no longer means Madden on the Playstation! Julius and Jayden love cars so they hit it off from the start!
Jayden was a little jealous of his Papa holding Lydia :)
but he was ok as long as he got some Papa time too!
Julius and Anna had a great time every morning! They would eat breakfast together, drink their juice, watch cartoons and then the playing would commence! Which usually consisted of running laps from the bedroom to the kitchen, each carrying some sort of toy and making lots of noise! Not sure how Lydia slept through it all, but she did!
Lunch at the Riverview Cafe with Great Grandma Dorothy and Great Grandpa John was fun and delicious!
If you were still wondering why we don't play with Ed, the dog, the way Daddy was playing with him in the previous picture...take a close look at Julius's face :) and just to let you know this did not deter Julius from playing with him after we cleaned him up! He loves dogs!!
Anna Banana :)
Playing outside...avoiding the fire ants!
Making wishes...
Daddy wants this truck real bad! Showing Lydia how not to ride on a pick-up :)
We also got to spend time with Granny during the day! Anna is pointing out the fire ants!
Snack time!
Learning how to split wood with Pop Pop and Jason!
Mommy is glad Jason is there to run the wood splitter! It used to be her job! :)
Putting the wood in the wagon to take to the wood shed.
Catching a ride to the wood shed with Ella!
Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
What's the big idea Aunt Bell? Can't you hold two toddlers at the same time :)
The coat served two purposes: 1-warmth
Such a cutie pie!
Very still fish...thought it was fake at first!
Purpose 2- holding her head still while she slept :)
Julius found his Aunt Bell again!
Mr. Eel coming out to say hi!
The touch tank...horseshoe crabs are not the most inviting creatures...
Julius would have spent the whole day on this silly slide :) Aunt Bell was ready to join him if he needed her :)
Uncle Tyler took Julius to check out the rushing water...and to stop him from climbing over the wall :)
Wonder what they're looking at...
Pop Pop saying good morning before heading to work!
Lazy bums :) it's like 10 o'clock in the morning!
Ordering Chinese from our favorite take-out chinese restaurant, Golden China.
YUM!!!
Trying out Uncle Tyler's picnic tables and snapping pics of the cuteness!!
Yes Nana, bribing him with a peanut butter bar :)
Great Grandma knows just what I needed to put me to sleep, rocking and a Lifetime movie! :)
After church we enjoyed brunch, college basketball, and playing on Aunt Bell's bed!
Jayden and Julius were a great tag team getting into all of her stuff!
I think Jayden loves his Uncle Nick!
Uncle John's exact words were, "make sure you get the Patriots symbol," followed by lots of laughing! Lydia had a nice little pre bedtime snooze on Uncle Johnny!
Granny time!
Julia and Gabby watching the cars go by :) literally!
Uncle Johnny brought home a toy...a little robot with wheels...the most fun came from guessing which toddler (Anna, Shelby, Julius, Cavan, or Weeby?) would grab it and then break it first :) Luckily none of them did!
Had no idea how computer savvy these little girls are! Emma and Julia spent lots of time on Granny's computer! Gabby absolutely loved looking at the animal picture website they found!
Pop Pop made yummy chicken noodle soup for dinner on our last night...quite a few of us came down with the 24 hour sickness!
Lots of playing to do!
Ed :)
March 7
At the airport again!
Watching our plane...
...arrive.
Lots of carry-ons!
Yes, Lydia is looking at Pop Pop :)
However, I couldn't help but think I look a little like my Dad!
"Why do I have my coat on inside?"
Cavan enjoying the waiting in his own little way!
Off we go again!
Riding on the "big zoom" again!
We loved every day of our visit! We wish there could have been more! It seems as if the time went by in a flash! Julius loves looking at all of our pictures and when he recognizes someone from home he points and asks about them! We are so grateful for the opportunities we have had to visit and for all of the help from our families on this trip! It was a great break from the constant longing we feel to see all of our family back home! We are already looking forward to another trip and possibly a day when we can say the east coast is going to be our home again!
