September & October 2010...

It's been a while since I've blogged!! I will post a few pictures from each month. Our first field trip of the homeschool year was at the Norfolk Zoo. We joined our friends Ashley and her three boys Benjamin, Jacob and Jonathan. We didn't take many good shots of the animals this year, but we had a lot of fun!!

Jacob, Josh & Jonathan

Jonathan, Josh, Caleb, Benjamin & Jacob.

Had to post this random picture... Caleb found this HUGE caterpillar out back and we kept it for a few days. It was way bigger than the picture even shows.

Another random picture of Lauren & Toby.

Shaun and I got some much needed time away, thanks to Mimi watching the kids for a few days. The picture above was taken on our car drive. I couldn't stop taking pictures of the gorgeous fall colors. The views were breathtaking! We were very high up in the Virginia's mountains. We stayed outside of Charlottesville.

This was our cottage and the road was crazy narrow and steep. I thought we were going to die driving there, plus it didn't help that we were driving during the dark. Once we got the stars were amazing from our cottage. It looked like the sky was so close to us.

It looks bigger from the outside, but the inside was cozy. A one bedroom/bath very cute and clean cottage. They had awesome property very secluded on the side of the mountain and we got to hike a really cool trail.

We visited the Monticello in Charlottesville, where Thomas Jefferson lived. It was so cool to see this beautiful home he designed, while writing the Declaration of Independence, soon becoming the Vice President and then President. WOW!! He accomplished so much in his lifetime. He also read almost 7,000 books as well.

The back of the Monticello.

This was under his house, where he stored his food, had an out-house, stored ice, had a wash/room, where his kitchen & smokehouse were. Where his stables and animals lived. It was amazing to see!!



This is the underground kitchen a few bedrooms his cooks lived in.


The cooks room, it was very tiny.

More beautiful scenery.

Thomas Jefferson was big into gardening. This was his garden and his slaves lived right near the gardens.

Monticello gardens.

On our way up to the tipee top of the Mountain right near our cottage. It was crazy how high up we went. The road was so narrow, steep w/ no guard rails, there were times I couldn't even look. We were going up to the Stonehouse Vineyard.

This is what we saw once we got up the mountain and out of the car. It was breathtaking!! Well worth the almost heart attack I had.

Another picture of Stonehouse, this is the vineyard.

This was Lauren's first year trick or treating. We usually do fall festivals, but it was a busy weekend and I only had energy to walk down our street. She had so much fun. The boys waited until it got dark and went out with Dad and some neighborhood friends. They got way too much candy.



Caleb & Josh my Spidermen!!

Lauren's First Day of Pre-School

Lauren is an offical preschooler! She really didn't want to go, but I bribed her with candy!! As you can see the teacher was holding her close because she didn't want me to go!

It looks like she was doing better, but I was quick to leave so she wouldn't keep crying. She asked if I was going to come back to pick her up, I guess she thought I was dropping her off never to return again. It was so hard to leave her, but she couldn't stop talking about it all day long.

You can tell she is anxiously awaiting my return!!

She gave me the biggest smile when she spotted me!! The second day was worse, she didn't want to go and cried all the way to school. She asked why I couldn't be her teacher and I replied maybe one day I will. I had to pry her off of me to get her to even walk to her class and she cried a ton, but today before her nap time, she said Mom thanks for bringing me to school I loved it!! Wow, she's getting so big!!

Water Country and other Randomness

It was a fun day at Water Country USA!! We were blessed with tickets from a sweet couple in our church!! The kids had a blast, but I didn't get to take too many pictures.

They all loved Hubba-Hubba Highway.

Hubba, Hubba Highway, is a lazy river without tubes. It's rushing water that pushes you all the way around and that's why Josh is having a hard time trying to get out of the current.

Shaun and the boys rode many rides, while Lauren and I stayed in the kiddy area and pool.

The Biggest Fort to Date...

This is what the boys have been doing since Josh was still in recovery mode. This was the last day or so of recovery so you can tell he is getting back to himself. The boys made these MASSIVE forts that completely covered my entire game room. Then they had a sleepover in them with their friends Jesse and Logan. They used every blanket and almost every towel in my house.

They loved cleaning all of this up!! Just kidding!!

Lauren playing dress up with Savannah, a neighbor friend.

Another new thing the boys have started. Making a slide out of our stairs. I know Gigi, you are probably thinking what is she doing. They have a blast and no one gets hurt. They are sliding down on our "old" blankets.

Fun with friends.

Our Two Week Family Adventure...

Our two week vacation started off in this amazing home!! I am bummed I didn't get a front picture of this home or any of the inside, but I did video tape a ton. Thanks to friends of my parents who graciously let us stay in this gorgeous home on Lake James in NC. I felt as if I were in "homes of the rich & famous". As you can see there was a porch/balcony off of the entire back side of the home on each level. It was just breathtaking to look out over the Lake.

This was the huge fire pit that overlooked the lake. We ended up making smores ones night.

Our first day at the Lake. The kids loved jumping in the lake from the dock for hours.

Cousin Eli & Josh.

They also had fun riding and tubing on the boat. Some of the adults tried skiing as well.

Cousin Lilly.

Cousin Abby, she was so brave and has no fear!!

Sarah & Abby.

The boys had such a blast in the water!

We all did!!

This was the view going down the side of the mountain to the lake.

Cousin Zack.

Me with Zack & Abby.

Mimi & Lilly, and Nate at the bottom.

One of the days we were out swimming, this was floating towards us. It was a pretty big fish. I was always wondering what we were swimming with and what I couldn't see underneath us. I came to find out that Muskeet live in these waters and they love human toes. YUCK!!

The second part of our trip we headed to Ocean City, NJ with Shaun's family. I am waiting on my sister-in-laws for their pictures since they have much better cameras then I do. The second week we headed to Knoxville, PA to stay with my sister Sarah and her hubby Josh. We had so much fun!! Josh even wanted to move there and have a home built on their property. This was the BMX bike place Sarah took us to and the boys had a blast! Even though it was very far away.

Will had to watch the "big" boys first, he would always call Caleb & Josh.

And Will did great, he got the hang of it!

This is the awesome creek behind Sarah's house. Lauren and Will were catching minnows.

The boys enjoyed the water.

Shaun & Lauren.

Shaun got Lauren to try tubing down the creek, well...

It didn't go so well.

This was the Lake the boys fished on with Shaun & Uncle Josh. The younger kids got to swim and play in the sand.

Lauren & Abby.

Nate, this sweet boy loves to eat dirt. Thanks Sarah & Josh for putting up with us for a week!! Love and miss you all!! The video right under what I am writing I took of the first day with my family at Lake James. It was Shaun & Caleb trying to convince Eli & Josh to jump off of the very top of the dock. It was great!!