Fall Family Fun in Virginia

It's taken me too long to post on this...warning: it's a long one. Three weeks ago we traveled up to Virginia to visit with Granddaddy and Vivian. The weather was gorgeous and there was never a dull moment - Granddaddy had planned 3 days packed full of activities.

Our first adventure was a trip to what can only be described as a pumpkin patch on steroids.

There were slides of every size. M&E were in heaven.

There was also a hayride, which went great... until we stopped in front of a building on top of which stood a scary old man in an orange wig. M&E were not fans and made it very clear that they did NOT want to ride the hayride again.

And, there were farm animals.

(I know exactly how you feel, Ms. Piggy.)

We must have lost Brandon at some point, but don't worry, we found him munching on a bag of kettle corn.

We barely made it out of the parking lot before M&E passed out.

The next day we trekked up to Baltimore to tour the National Aquarium.

M&E were starting to fade on us here, but wait...

this'll wake them up.

The dolphins were my favorite.

Once outside of the aquarium, we took a poll on what to see next. The submarine was cool, but Eli had his eye on something else.

So, we ventured across the harbor to the U.S.S. Constellation.

Um, is this safe?

One of the lower decks was set up perfectly to accommodate nap time.

Next, we drove over to Cobb Island to see a boat that is still in action - Granddaddy's sailboat.

On our last full day, we went to what was one of my favorite places to go growing up - Graves Mountain Lodge.

They were having an apple festival. Oh, Virginia apples - YUM.

We made the long drive back south the next morning. As M&E say, "Granddaddy lives really too far." Nothing like a few fall days to make me miss Virginia! We had a great visit with Granddaddy and Vivian and look forward to the next one.

So Long, Summer!

The past couple of days have been absolutely gorgeous. Temperatures in the 60s and 70s have moved in and we are so grateful! However, last week it was still close to 100 most days, which meant...

ICE CREAM!

And of course we have to follow up ice cream with some horseplay in the yard.

(Have you noticed that Eli wears his superhero t-shirt almost EVERY DAY??)

She Runs

I ran in my first 5K race last weekend. I can't believe I've never done one before but I guess I can check that off my list now!

Here is my cheer squad... "Where is Mommy? Mommy's taking too long!"

Here I come! Do I look hot and tired, or what?

I won't tell you my time, but let's just say I came in shortly after this guy.

Workin' in the Dirt

Eli has a new-found passion (obsession, really) with working (not playing) in the dirt. He'll tell me, "Mommy, I need to go work in the dirt to make money." Where did that come from?? At least we see a good work ethic in him early on. Lately, both Eli and Madeline have to go straight into the shower when they come inside at night because they are absolutely filthy. Guess that's what washing machines (and occasionally Clorox2) are for.

Eli, what's that tool for??

30 Years Young

Happy Birthday, Brandon! We love you. Thank you for being such a wonderful father and husband and for always putting your family first. Here's to many more happy birthdays!

Back to School, Back to School

This is M&E's third week back to school. Once again, they happily headed to their classroom without so much as a "Bye, Mommy". This year they are no longer in Mother's Day Out. That's right, my big kiddos are in Preschool now. Preschool or "Big School," as M&E refer to it, means the addition of carpool line, Spanish, music and chapel. I wondered how they would take to carpool since I don't need to walk them in anymore... Eli just giggled and said, "This is funny, Mommy," as we worked our way up the line. The first few days have been a hit and I anticipate that they will all turn out that way.

To say that I'm ready for the summer to end is an understatement. While we normally love the lazy days of summer, the past couple of months have been anything but lazy. Unfortunate events this summer included but were not limited to a 4+ week-long horrible allergic reaction to a wasp sting for me and the death of my Granddaddy. Nevertheless we continue to praise God through the good times and the bad and find comfort in the fact that He is in control - no doubt about it! We're looking forward to Fall and all that comes with it.

Fun in the Sprinkler

First of all, I realize that I skipped the whole month of June on this blog. Here is why: my children spent the entire month (with the exception of eating and sleeping) in the pool. Therefore, I also spent the entire month in the pool. My camera, however, did not. I plan to try to capture my little swimmers with my lens at some point in time but I am usually in the pool with them. I have to say though that I am extremely impressed with their progress this summer... they can swim! Jumping in, retrieving dive sticks off the bottom, doing flips in the water - very impressive.

The many sunny days spent at the pool have also meant very little rain. As a result, we decided to set up the sprinkler after dinner a few nights ago. Watering the grass included an added bonus for M&E - play time.

Madeline made sure to inform me that, "Mommy, it's okay to get my panties wet in the 'pinkler."