Just a few of my favorites from the trip!

Coastal Living

We LOVED the beach house at Emerald Isle! Jack calls it "our other house," and he "likes it the best." It has an outdoor shower that Jack still talks about on a daily. It was pretty awesome! Adam has another break in July and we are planning on going back for a week. The drive to the island wasn't bad-three hours door to door. Crossing the bridge that takes you to the island-I felt my body immediately relax. With the Sound to the west and the Atlantic to the east, just driving down the narrow island road was an experience of it's own. The beach was a three minute walk to the ocean-perfect for a vacation with kids. I think I would have worried a bit if we were right on the beach-Jack can be a bit on an escape artist... I am already counting down the days to return.

Happy Earth Day!

Easter

Easter. Already. Didn't we JUST celebrate Christmas? Now on to those taxes...

Welcome Spring

Nothing can lift my spirits quicker than the change from winter to spring. I just love everything (except the bugs) that comes with warmer weather-the flowers (Adam would beg to differ), visits to the park, ice cream, dining outside and the array of events that begin once the season turns-like farmer's markets, street music the Durham Bulls baseball games and BBQ-ing with friends. We were so excited by the arrival of spring, in fact, that we crammed everything I've listed above into this last weekend (not to mention one major holiday to celebrate). It's Monday and I am EXHAUSTED-Lord help me...

A year at a glance-part2

1 Minute Old



1 Month



2 Months



3 Months



4 Months



5 Months



6 Months



7 Months



8 Months



9 Months



10 Months




11 Months



Diva 1 Year Old!


A year ALREADY?! We did this with Jack so we decided to keep with the tradition. I love having record of how much the kids change during the first year (even though it makes me a bit sad by how fast they grow up). What I love the most is seeing how much Isla looked like her big brother in the early months-can I help it that I just think they are the cutest kids ever?!

Mr Man & Little Miss-A year older...

The first annual dual birthday was a blast! We hosted a BBQ at our house and had a great time! It was a lot of fun putting together our "Mr Man and Little Miss" party. I found a mustache chocolate mold and thought it would be PERFECT for a party at our house (remember this post). Jack looked handsome in his new Mr Man tie and Isla was a perfect Little Miss in her new birthday dress!

Luck of the Irish

We LOVE St. Patrick's Day in this house. Of course, it's because we are Irish Catholic-but also-two years ago today we received the call that would change our lives forever-UNC had a spot in their dental school for Adam! Flash forward to today and we are loving life in North Carolina with not one-but two March babies! Luckily, spring has FINALLY arrived and last weekend we planted our garden with a bit of time to establish before the kids' birthday party (and as luck would have it, a Saturday this year). I know I was a bit sad by the fact that they would be sharing a birthday-but in prepping for this year's celebration I am excited by all the possibilities for party ideas. I also secretly hope that the kids will want to spend their birthday together long into adulthood (and preferably during college so that Isla will have an older brother looking out for her on those "milestone" birthdays-she's a wild one-that girl). Jack has learned the words to "Happy Birthday to you" and even says, "Jack & Isla"-while Isla twirls around the room-
I hope you are all having as wonderful a day as we are and...

May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks.
May your heart be as light as a song.
May each day bring you bright happy hours,
That stay with you all year long

Get in where you fit in

Before



After





2 Adults + 2 Kids + 1 wild and crazy dog = The need to take advantage of every square inch in our 1000 square foot townhouse. Most things have to serve a duel purpose and some things just have to be reinvented COMPLETELY. Our downstairs coat closet was a DISASTER-and why do two people from California have 10 coats a piece anyway?! We recently upgraded our flooring downstairs from carpet to laminate wood (pics to come)so the vacuum migrated upstairs and all those coats were sifted through (we each kept three)and donated. Since my old work space now houses a crib and I FINALLY got tired of working from the sofa/dining area/kitchen/etc -I decided to turn this "misused" space into something actually pretty nice. All my paperwork/supplies that have been stuffed randomly throughout the house fit nicely in boxes I already had, I found a mistint paint at Lowe's for $2.50 that I just LOVE and overstock carried a knock off Parsons Desk that fit perfectly in the tight space (though it had to be built IN the closet to fit). I borrow a chair from the dining table a foot away and have my very own cubicle! Most importantly-the door closes so I no longer find myself chasing a baby with a half chewed expense report :)