Family Hikes!

Its that time of year where getting outside is hard and its getting colder. We did our best to get outside this fall to enjoy the weather before it gets too cold and we are forced to stay in. (Although I am a big fan of bundling up and just going out no matter what!) We took a few trips this October to check out the leaves, play (of course) and attempt to hike. Ironically throwing rocks in the water/stream was the girls favorite part.  The best part about our adventures was its something the whole family enjoyed!

We traveled to a few state parks and also visited some nearby trails. We even brought Grandmas with us too! The best tip I have for traveling with toddlers is bring food. Lots of food. Lots of snacks. We also learned our lesson and should have brought a picnic lunch for some of our adventures. Next year!

Carrying 27lbs of baby is a pretty good workout...especially up and down stairs!

We also like to pretend every log is a playground and a good spot for a snack :)

We are lucky enough to have a nature preserve by our house. So we tend to go there quite a bit and take mini trips :) I can't wait to walk through it in the snow with the girls. Its a nice reminder that some of your most memorable moments are just steps away! No need to go anywhere. Just get out and play!

I am a bit sad to see all these gorgeous leaves go but am thankful for our memories this year!

Happy November! Enjoy the rest of those leaves!

XO,

Holly

Summer Recap!

Wow! I can't believe its already Labor Day (well almost) and summer is officially over! Since time has FLOWN by I thought I would do a quick recap of the summer in pictures! (Because if you know me well, its what I do best!)

First up, our trip to Florida in June!

Celebrating the 4th of July!

Spending time with Heather! (Including those amazing senior pictures!) And some more college visits!

Working out with the girls!

 

Overall silliness!

Fall is our favorite time of year. So excited to see what the season brings!

Have a great weekend! And GO BUCKS!

Happy Independence Day!

I can't believe its already July, but since I can't really pass up the opportunity to decorate we embraced the holiday and had a fun celebration!

All of my ideas came from Pinterest, which I probably spend WAY too much time looking at!

https://www.pinterest.com/haynes06/4th-of-july/

The best discovery I had were these fun drinks!

Its the easiest thing to make! Start with a base of cranberry juice (I added a little bit of red food coloring to intensify the color). Then fill the glass with ice (all the way to the top). The middle layer is regular Ice Gatorade (not G2). The last layer is the blue Gatorade and is the G2 version. Poor each layer over the ice VERY slowly. Amazingly the liquid stays separated. The trick is the sugar levels in each of the juices. The heaviest is on the bottom. 

Every 4th has to have a flag themed tray. This is my healthy version! My grandma used to make one for us every year. 

I also added a few flags and banners for some festive flair around the house!  I like them so much I think they will be staying up for a few weeks.  

We also went to the parade and enjoyed the warm weather!

Its been raining for what feels like months so it truly felt like the kick-off to summer! :) These two never sit still but I think they had fun!

Hope everyone had a great holiday!

Day in the Life - Beach Style!

We just got back from an awesome vacation at the beach and had an amazing time with some amazing weather! Its soooooo hard to come back!

This year we went to Siesta Key, Florida and it was perfect. The sand wasn't hot, the water was super calm and clear and everyone was able to relax a bit! I thought it would be fun to do a day in the life, beach style!

5:00 am - Up (at least most days) to fit in a workout and enjoy the sunrise on the patio!

6:45am - The girls, at least 2 out of the 3 of them had breakfast out on the patio while Dad read the paper.

8:00 am - Beach Time! We got out early and the girls actually had quite a following. We made some nice friends from Cincinnati and aside from them we pretty much had the beach to ourselves. 

10:30am - Time for Snack and a break from the sun! (...and yes they actually kept their hats on the entire time. The love to accessorize!)

10:30 - 11:30 - Playtime and lunchtime for the girls and beach time for Heather and either Scott or I. We would take turns going out in the a.m. with Heather which was really nice since the beach was so close!

12:30 - 3:00 Little people naptime! Which meant patio time for us and sometimes a trip back to the beach (and maybe some paddleboarding...which is one of the best things I have EVER tried!) The water was so clear we saw manatees, sting rays and lots of fish!

3:30 - Back out to the beach with the girls! They are like little fish. And have LOTs of new words including "Swim", "Shells" and "Sand". Savannah swims in the bathtub every night now. Belly flop, kicks and all.

4:30pm  - Time for a break!

5:30 pm - Dinner time! Most nights we cooked but two nights we ventured out to a local seafood restaurant called Captain Curts. The have the best clam chowder around and lots of fresh fish!

7:30 - Bedtime (for the little people) and relaxation time for the rest of us. We are working our way through Sons of Anarchy on Netflix and sat on the patio and watched the sunset. A few nights we took the girls out on the beach later. To say they liked it is a bit of an understatement :) 

To say we had a great time doesn't even do the trip justice. It was such a great experience for all of us...plane flight and all (although I was very happy when that part was over!) We also had a chance to see our Florida friends and family which made it extra special. 

Thank goodness for headphones and movies!! Until next time. Siesta Key will always hold a special place in our hearts after this trip!