Vamos a la Playa!

Griffin turned 11 months last Monday and we decided to make it a party and pack up and head off to the beach early Tuesday morning with some friends. We went down to Nagshead (outerbanks) and stayed with our friends Bonnie and Joel and Kate! It was a blast! I was worried a little about the 2 kids alone, but they were great little travelers, happy the entire 4.5 hours of driving, and then were SOOOO happy to be at the beach. The entire way Cash kept saying - "are we almost to the beeeeech! I am SO excited for the Beeech!" It is really cute how he says it and his excitement never stopped. He wanted to spend every waking moment there - which happened to be a LOT of time as he didn't take naps any of the days and also woke up at 5:45 each morning! So there was a LOT of beach time!

It was so great to just kick back and relax in the sand. We had a great time with the kiddos, catching up, eating yummy food, lounging by the pool, playing games, laughing, and sleeping a little too! It is so easy to see why you lose track of time by the ocean. It is just calming and makes it seem like nothing should matter! Griffin also enjoyed it and was super happy to just be around everyone. He never stopped smiling and is at a really fun stage. He waves, points, claps, laughs a TON, smiles at everyone, is always happy, sleeps like a champ, is a HUGE daddys boy (so fun since Cash wasn't), and is the cutest little 11 month old around! You can't help but smile as you watch him do his little scoot across the floor and see his infectious smile. He babbles a lot, altho doesn't say any real words yet....altho I swear he sometimes says thank you! But he is great and it was a fun celebration of his little time here with us so far!

So happy to be out at the BEEEECHH!

Griffin enjoyed the intertube!

Love his cute toes!

Smiling as usual!

hi mom!

Here's a toy for you!

Just kidding!

How can I get out of here now?

My favorite pic of all - this happy face is my little Griffin's happy demeanor 99% of the day!

Cash and Kate, playing in the ocean!

Joel was the kids favorite adult because he helped build the cool sand castles and trenches and tunnel!

Hard at work!

Cash and Levi doing their part!

Look at me boys!

Griff also enjoyed the boogie board! A little unsure at first of the ride!

Ok I can do it!

Hey mom this really is fun!

Cute Kate and Cash digging a pit! She is such a doll and when Cash first arrived he told her she has pretty hair like Rapunzel and she is a girl!

The kiddos in action!

Cute little chocolate and Vanilla!

Griff and Levi join the pic!

Cash hard at work - Griff hard at play....and smiling! :)

One of my favorite pics as well - Joel was so great helping these 2 learn to build sand castles!

Using the water to pack the dirt in!

Now time to play in the water!

Kate taught Cash to not be afraid of the water - thanks Kate!

Running from the water!

Thanks Bonnie and Joel for a fabulous few days of hanging out with some of the coolest people I know. It was fun meeting their friends too who joined us, and the kiddos were so cute together!

On Thursday we left early in the morning to go up to Fort Lee where Uncle Alex was graduating and to celebrate his 23rd birthday with him. We were all soooo excited to see him and spend some time with him. Cash had told Bonnie Alex was his favorite uncle and when we got there my boys jumped to him as if they see him everyday. He looked awesome, seems so happy, and we all love him so much! It was fun to get to celebrate his special day with him!

He had gotten Cash an entire army outfit and Cash loved putting it on. My favorite moment came when he gave Cash his dog tags. He showed Cash what he wears and told Cash he had got some for him. The first dog tag says his name and what company he is with. Cash said "but my name is not Alex." Alex told him that is why his own tag says Cash Brown. Then, Alex said that the other tag is one he wears all the time too. It says "I am a Mormon!" Cash said, "we like Mormons!" It was a cute moment, and one that made me almost burst into tears of joy! To hear my brother talk about how he wears something that says he is a member of the LDS church and talk about it so proudly made my heart almost burst. It was a very touching moment and one I won't ever forget. He hasn't always felt so strongly it was important to go to church or even wanted to be affiliated with it so to wear something that defines his as such and that he is proud to have just is so awesome! He really seemed THE HAPPIEST that I have ever seen him and you could just feel the spirit about him! It was really cool to see how he has changed. He also looks awesome, so different with his really short hair, but great all the same. He is one handsome, tall, lean, and now very ripped young man! Definitely a catch for the ladies! We love you Alex......so glad we got to spend your birthday with you!

My boys with Uncle Alex

What a handsome crew!

Alex and Griffin - he was clapping he was so excited!

Smiling so big - we LOVE uncle Alex!

We met up with Aunt Suzie and Uncle Greg at a great Chinese place for lunch and it was so much fun. Perfect too for us because it had items that everyone liked, and the kiddos ate free!

Aunt Suzie printed off a sign for my mom and got a pic with Alex!

Cash enjoyed the pizza, jouza, his soda, and sampling the desserts!

Griffin ate a ton of chicken nuggets, jaouza (potstickers), pizza, and anything else anyone would give him, and enjoyed playing with Uncle Greg!

After lunch we went and hung out with Alex at the mall for awhile before taking him back. We wished he could come stay with us for the next week before he heads to flight school in Georgia, but the rules were such that he couldn't leave base. Bummer! So we took a few pics of ourselves before saying goodbye! (I only have 2 because the better ones were on Alex's camera!)

My favorite army brother Alex! We love you and are so proud of you!

It was hard to drive away, not knowing when we will see him next. Hopefully in August, but who knows! We are grateful for the few hours tho we had. What a great day!