Raleigh days

Well I'm only 12 days behind - ha!  But I'll start at the beginning and I've got lots of photos to post!

We landed at 6pm.  I love landing during daylight hours, it seems to make the transition so much smoother.

Bags. check.  Only a few years till these guys can really haul luggage - in the meantime they aspire to have their dads strength and luggage cart loading skills.

We got to Mom and Dad's and the girls helped get dinner ready

 while the boys went for a ride in Granddaddy's convertible (there were tears from John Paul in the airport parking garage when he thought he had missed a ride in Granddaddy's convertible.... whew, he didn't really miss anything!)

[yep, one of our boosters is pink.  we are trying to downplay this distinction and just enjoy our borrowed *free* boosters! ha!]

The next morning we woke to a pancake breakfast (yes! we woke in the morning! not the middle of the night!  well... mostly.  That first night Luke came in once and got in bed with us and fell back asleep.  A few hours later John Paul came in and Matt left to go get in bed with him and they both fell back asleep.  We gave each of the big kids a device with audio book, a set of headphones, and instructions to not come get us until after 7am!)

Every minute is an appropriate minute to start a game, right?

Uncle Eric and Aunt Barbara delivered our van (fresh off the road from ND) and Uncle Eric taught the boys to throw balls on the garage roof.  [see our 'new' white van in the background?]

Handsome boy waiting to go to church Sunday morning!

And after church? time to mow the lawn in prep for our almost two week trip to the beach.

Everyone gets a turn.  You would not believe how long they waited and how desperately they each wanted to mow.

Good thing we had more mowing opportunities in the backyard :)

then Monday morning we loaded the van and hit the highway, Oak Island bound!

oh, and one last picture of the boys in their Eastern European athletic gear (purchased by mom and dad on their spring trip)!