Summertime fun with friends

Alayna adores Alexander

Bradley & Alexander found this crab on the beach that kept them busy the whole time. Poor thing was traumatized I'm sure.

Hurry up and grow up Laura so we can play says Maddie

Steven & Bradley

Caitlynn & Laura

What fun friends....we're just missing Alexander, but he wasn't here that day.

Michele and Laura

And Bradley loves Maddie

Always looking out for one another

These 2 are a hoot!

It's wrestle time! This girl will tear you up HA!

Bear Creek Camping with the Hewitts

We had a great time camping with the Hewitt clan. They had never gone and had been wanting to give it a try so we set it up and off we went. It fun while it lasted, but cut a little short.......They were actually able leave before us and by the time we got there they had their whole sight set up like they had been doing it forever. We left on Thursday and got up there just in time to get set up. Had a great Friday...... Was very hot, but beautiful. The guys and boys did lots of fishing. Our sites were right on the water so we couldn't have asked for better spots. Grant impressed everyone with catching a huge bass so you can imagine the excitement that it created. We spent the next part of the day swimming in the lake. We got back to our site and had dinner and were starting to settle in for the evening and it started to rain a little and we thought oh oh....very quickly it went into a complete down pour and the biggest lightening show I've seen in a long time. Very scary! The Hewitts decided very quickly they weren't hangin around very long and didn't blame them one bit as I thought the same thing. I hopped in the truck with the kids while Craig helped them pack up. With 2 crying kids, Craig and I pulled out thoughts together real quick and decided the best thing to do with 3 little ones was take what we needed and leave the rest and find a hotel. Surely there'd be one in podunk Virginia somewhere right?! After driving 45 minutes we found one and by the time we got settled it was 11:30. Overall the kids did really well...the crying ceased and they fell asleep in the truck so we were able to transfer them once we got there. It just took a little team work, but we did it. They next day we drove back to camp to get our stuff and it was all completely soaked....bedding and all. Good thing we didn't try to tough it out. So we packed up all the wet stuff and headed back home. On the drive and through the experience we were able to have some great life talks on even going through something silly like that on a camping trip brings you closer together from working together to just trying to figure out what you are going to do as you go. Even though life and things are tough sometimes....I love it when you can look at each other and smile and say.....we did it anyway. Sounds like life to me:)

Elaina & Laura

Mommy, there's a snake in there...

The whole gang(Elaina, Alayna, Dillan, Grant, & Bradley

Grants Prize fish

So exciting for the boys

Bradleys cute little fishy

Me and my girl

Daddy and his Layna

So fun being filthy dirty

Summertime

Pool fun with daddy

Alayna loves feeding Laura

Can you tell the icecream truck just came?

Busch Gardens

We had the best time at Busch Gardens a few weeks ago! We met up with Dave, Sue and their kiddos and planned getting there right when the doors opened and both made there in perfect timing ready to roll. We planned on just taking it as it came with kids and if we made it all day that would be great and if not that was ok too. Craig got us tickets at work so there was nothing to loose either way. We ended up making it from 10 am until about 8pm and decided we better leave before the meltdown and we left just in time because it happened as we were getting to the car so it was perfect timing and once the car set in motion all 3 were out for the night and transfered right to bed which always makes it nice for mommy and daddy after a long day of fun! Don't want it spoiled right?

They have the new Sesame Street land open and Alayna was in her own little fairy tale land. They would come out on stage and dance and she was in awe. She's still at the age where I think she thinks they are real. At least it appears that way. When the character went off stage that area turned into a spray park which was a nice break from the heat.

It's been Sue's mission in life to get me on a rollar coaster and I have refused since day 1 and will never never give in however, Sesame Street has a Grover kiddie rollar coaster that I felt like I could handle and now needless to say the victory is all hers.....in her cute little head anyway. A few spots did make my stomach sink though.

Bradley rode his first big rollar coaster this year "The Big Bad Wolf" That's exactly why I didn't go on it. I'm a mother of 3 little ones and can't put my life on the line like that. Daddy got him to ride it because all day long he was back and forth whether he would or not. It's still the joke of the house about weather he REALLY did ride it or not and how he did and I didn't and so on. That's fine with me though.

It was a nice mix of friend time and breaking off into families for some family time. It was a successful day with our 3 little ones in tow once again.

Here we are on the big bad Grover

Me and my honey

The whole gang having dinner together. CRAZY? NAW!!!!!!! As you can see there's no one around us. They seen us comin and hightailed out of there. Smart people.....only kidding!

Daddy and his baby love

I'm not so sure about this!

Bradley's fav....churros

Don't take much to make her happy.....don't take much to make her mad either, but she was all smiles at lunch time watching the dancers in their pretty dresses. She still sings parts of the funny song they sung.

Sleepy girl....little sweetie just went with the flow

So cute! Bradley wasn't quite into taking pictures with the characters. Him and daddy were waiting for the family picture to get edited which they couldn't edit right so we never did get it after waiting forever.

Love this Oscar the grouch bush

Alayna looks so itty bitty.

Dancin away