..Three Peas In a Pod..: We're alive!!

I know, I know...you thought that the mover's packed us up...right!? Well, we survived our first baby filled PCS! I don't even know where to begin, so let's just say it was chaotic, chaotic, and...chaotic! Somehow, even when you don't pack a single box (thinking about doing that makes me want to vomit), is exhausting! We basically spent 2 solid weeks organizing..sorting..folding...Jack unorganzing..unsorting..and unfolding...therefore, we had to repeat the entire process. Good times! We had to be prepared to live out of suit cases for an entire months, so strategic packing was essential! We bought a bunch of tupperware bins and everyone got ONE bin (labeled with their name, of course ;)) and whatever we could fit..we could fit. It worked out perfect. So, we said goodbye to our first house in Bellefonte on May 4th. It was bittersweet, and I certainly cried walking out the front door. Just the thought of bringing Jack home through those doors made me sad to wave goodbye. However, I don't believe that four walls define/save memories....that is what pictures, and brains are for and luckily the camera and my head (which I almost lost at points during this move) are portable :) Jack and I drove my car, and Luke and the cat's drove in the truck. We were debating on who had it worse, as Jack is a whiny monster in the car, and the cat's meow the entire drive. We made it the 6.5 hours in one piece with only a few minor hiccups...i.e me forgetting to put the car in park at the gas station and Jack and I slowllllly rolled into guardrail pole..ugh, Tarin got so stressed out with the drive/move that he made himself sick and got kicked out of the boarding facility and sent to the vet, and we got stuck in about 2 hours of bumper to bumper traffic at the end of the trip w/ a non napping, whiny, overtired dude! The important part about all of this is that we survived..all in one piece and it is 90% over.

In between then and now we went on a 1 week vacation to the Outer Banks with Luke's parents, Nick, Jessica and the boys. Talk about "just what the doctor ordered" for our sanity. It took us about 2 days to de-stress, and from there on out it was heavenly! OBX is a beautiful, beautiful place, and being there, made it understandable why people drive from all over the country. It was perfect weather, around 70-75 degrees every day, a little windy at times, but perfect to have a baby at the beach. Jack was a riot in the sand...we loved watching him experience the beach/pool. He kept busy at the beach by filling a bucket with sand one handful at a time :) Dominick, Jack's older cousin, was LOTS of fun for him, too. We all made bets that he would start walking while there just so he could keep up with Dominick. I want to borrow Dom because he wore him out every day, and Jack slept like a dream. We celebrated Dominick's 3rd birthday there, and enjoyed our extended time with our little nephews. Anthony, who is now 4 months old, reminds me so much of Jack as a baby. He is so content, and smiley..he was a breath of fresh air! All in all, it was a fantastic vacation that was MUCH needed. Of course, I want to share some pictures of Jackson on the beach! Enjoy!!

Trying out the baby pool, which was filled with hot water...it was the most fun bath he's ever had!

"HEYYY, LADIES"

Having fun in the sun with Dom!

We lived about 2 miles from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, which is the oldest, working, brick lighthouse...it was about 300 stairs..straight up. We were def. winded by the top, and once we came down both Luke and I's legs were trembling. Luke got vertigo on the way down. It was very interesting to climb something so old and tall, and to think about the work that must have gone back into building something THAT sturdy (sturdy enough to survive the hurricanes) in 1870.