Trip to the Outer Banks, North Carolina

We had an awesome vacation to Corolla in the outer banks. A large group from Jen's family came down to North Carolina from Michigan and Ohio. We spent the week in a house one block from the ocean. The house had a pool and a hot tub. Everyone had an excellent time.

This is Nicole relaxing with a book by the pool.

Nicole, Jen and Emily enjoying the pool on the last day. 

On the last day we finally got Aunt Barb into the hot tub!

One night we went down to the beach and were playing in the sand.  It was a beautiful night.

Our first night of ghost crabbing.

Claire loved walking on the beach at night.

Aidan, Nicole, and Emily ready to hunt for some crab!

Emily and Aidan.  Aidan is holding the crab he caught in his hands!

Emily, Aidan, Bob, Jeremy, Doug and Uncle Stan went fishing on the ocean.  They didn't catch anything big but they saw a lot of dolphins.

Emily riding the waves.

Emily and Jen climbed to the top of the Currituck Lighthouse.

We went on a sailing trip and all the kids were able to drive the boat.

Claire and Aunt Barb enjoying a book after breakfast!

Group picture after the sailing trip.

We bought some blue crabs and some fresh shrimp for our father's day dinner!

Claire is all ready to ride the waves!

Now it is time to sit in the beach chair and relax!

Emily dressed up  like a pirate at Festival Park.

Daddy and Claire taking pictures.  I love this one, Claire's eyes are so blue!

Mommy and Claire

We wanted a family picture but unfortunately Emily's eyes were a wreck!  They were so red underneath from rubbing the sunscreen off.  It looked like she had two black eyes!

Family picture at the restaurant the last night of vacation!

Washington DC Camping Trip

My Home away from home!  Isn't it cozy?

I love eating outdoors and I love daddy's blueberry pancakes!

I have taken over Emily's camp chair.  Look how I have to cross my legs.  


We spent Saturday afternoon in D.C.  We went to the Air and Space Museum and real quick through the Natural History Museum.

We liked the fountain in the sculpture garden. 

Emily loved riding the Metro.

One day Emily and I went kayaking on the Potomac River.

The campground had a swimming pool and small water park.  Emily loved the diving board and Claire loved the slide. 

Pictures of the past few months....

This is Claire on her first birthday!

Claire, enjoying her new slide.

Emily was in Camp Rock 2 for Musical Theater.  This is her and her friend before the performance.

We took Grammy and Aunt Barb to Wilmington for Mother's Day.  This was when we were walking the riverwalk after dinner.  Claire had so much fun walking around! 

I said I would be better....

I said earlier this year that I would be better at posting.  Obviously that is NOT the case!  I wish I had more time.  Today I sat down and uploaded pictures from as far back as January!  Now that I am caught up on that front hopefully I can be a it more on top of this, not sure anyone reads it anymore but maybe if I updated it more people would!  Here's to hoping!  We have had a busy two months...Claire turned a year old on May 4th.  We had a party for her that weekend and she had so much fun.  My mom broke her ribs in the middle of May so Claire and I took a quick trip to Michigan.  We brought grammy back with us.  She stayed until the middle June, went back for a doctors appointment and then flew back down with Aunt Barb.  We moved the first weekend in June, a very unexpected, but good move to an awesome neighborhood very close to school.  Emily and I can walk to school!  Emily ended first grade on June 10th and starts second grade on July 11th!  Gotta love year round.  I have been off school since the 13th but I have to go back on the fifth of July.  Jeremy's brother Jared and his family cam down for a week on the 11th.  We went to the beach, downtown Raleigh and to a Durham Bulls game when they were here. Then we took a extended Hainer family vacation to the Outer Banks this past week.  We rented a house with a pool and a hot tub that was about one block from the beach.  Can you say relaxing?  We had an awesome time!  We hope to make it a bi-annual (is that a word?) trip.  Now that I have given a quick up date I will post some pictures of the past few months...This is Claire on her first birthday!

Th