End of Summer

I feel like I should get a shirt made: I survived Summer 2015!  It was a long, busy, fun, frustrating summer.  Although we didn't do any big vacations, we spent lots of time at Kings Dominion.  We also went to Mount Vernon (three times), George Washington's birthplace, Fort Washington, baseball games, and many outings here in St. Mary's (library, pools, parks and museums).  My goal was to stay busy and I think we accomplished that.

As is our tradition (at least for the last two years), we let the kids choose their activities for the last week of break.  Anna wanted to go to Kings Dominion one more time, Jack asked for St. Mary's City and Kara wanted a trip to Dairy Queen.  For Anna's day, we had a babysitter come stay with Kara and Luke so we could do a "big ride day" at Kings Dominion.  Kara was thrilled with this arrangement, she loves our babysitter and was happy to have her (almost) all to herself.  Thomas and I joked that we have never seen a kid so happy to be left behind.  While we enjoyed our day at KD, she went to Ann Marie Gardens and had a hotdog/s'more cookout.  Meanwhile, at KD, the 4 of us rode all the rides that Kara and Luke can't (or won't) ride.  We raced on Rebel Yell, saw the Dinosaur Movie, rode the "scary" stuff in the waterpark and enjoyed riding everything together (i.e. no one waiting by the ride exit with Luke and Kara).  We had to pull the kids out at 8.  As we walked to the car, Anna said, "I wish it was the start of the day, when Jack left his flip-flops in the car and we had to run back to get them."  We were all sad to see the day come to a close.

On Friday, we went to Mount Vernon to try out the Spy Master app. We had a good time with the clues. They also had a 3-D picture display, which was interesting. It is a such a beautiful place to visit and we always have a good time. On the way home, Kara changed her mind from Dairy Queen to Cold Stone Creamery, so we checked off her request as well. Sunday, we will fulfill Jack's St Mary's City request.

By the ice house, getting our next spy master directions

Saturday, we went to Children's Day at St. Clements.  It was okay, but there was a long line for the boat (40 minutes).  There was only one boat running and we were worried about getting stuck on the island for an extended period of time waiting for the return. So, we skipped it. We'll have to go back when there are no special events. The kids were disappointed, but we still had a good time and it was a really pretty drive. To help alleviate their sadness over the island,we went out for lunch. Then, it was a trip to Dick's to get all their t-ball/soccer stuff for the season.  I am not looking forward to activities starting again. It has been really nice to have our evenings free all summer.

As mentioned, it has been a long summer. I have spent a lot of time feeling frustrated. I know it is common for kids to fight, but I feel like there has been way too much discord in our home. Particularly with the girls. They share a room and spend almost all their time together. I know it isn't easy, but so much is self-inflicted. I worry about what the teenage years will be like. They fight over ridiculous slights and are the best of friends and the worst of enemies. Thank goodness Jack is a boy, I can't imagine having 3 girls 16-months apart!

To conclude, a few random pictures from the summer:

Human foosball at a local playground

Calvert Marine Museum

Give the boy a button to push

Backyard fun

On one of our weekly library trips

Birthday Extravaganza and Lots of Surprises!

On Tuesday, I turned 38.  I feel old, particularly having a one-year-old.  Especially since my "cut-off age" for having children was 34.  But, there is nothing I can do to stop the passage of time, so I might as well embrace the fact that I am getting older. Fortunately, those around me are also inclined to embrace the aging process and my birthday week was pretty eventful. It started with a dessert get together with some friends on Monday night. I always enjoy quiet, uninterrupted conversation and it was so nice to have time to catch-up with these delightful ladies.

Tuesday, the kids were extra-special-nice-to-me. They actually made it through the whole day without fighting (which is what I always ask for whenever anyone asks what I want for a gift). It was AMAZING! I didn't raise my voice once the entire day. I had no idea how blissful a peaceful house could be. Unfortunately, it took a lot out of them and even though they also commented on how much they enjoyed the calmer atmosphere, the only commitment I could get for the future was from Kara and that was a weak "I'll try". Thomas had to work, but he had prompted the kids well and they were awesome. At one point, they tried to get me to go and take a nap while they "babysat" Luke for me. We went out to dinner and came home to a made-from-scratch strawberry cake that Thomas and the girls had made. It was one of my best birthdays ever!

Thomas' birthday is 2 days after mine, so we typically do something to celebrate on the day in between. This year, he tried to surprise me, but there was a miscommunication with the babysitter, so the element of surprise disappeared. But, that just meant I got to look forward to the day. Anyway, the plan was for a day at Kings Dominion with just the two of us. We go to KD all the time, in fact, we went three days in a row this week, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

So, Wednesday, just the two of us with a plan to ride all of the rides that we typically can't go on together because one of us has to wait behind with the kids. We got there early and did a a few rides before heading into the water park. I was having a great time, but unfortunately, Thomas got a terrible headache. He pushed through without complaint, but I could tell he wasn't having the best time. We did get to try some new things, including one of the big roller coasters. I even got Thomas to go on the giant swings--300 feet up in the air.  He hated it and his hands were cramped from the death grip he kept on the restraints, but at least he tried :)  We left the park shortly after dinner. I know it is cliche, but we really, really, enjoy being together and it was nice to just focus on each other.

Thursday, Thomas turned 40! Having just finished a book about Pope's Creek, he really wanted to go to George Washington's birthplace. We got there around 10 and enjoyed exploring. It was a beautiful day. There were some master gardeners out working and I loved hearing about the garden and the purposes of many of the plants grown in the 1700s. We had a nice picnic lunch and visited the family burial site. Luke fell and narrowly (like no more than an inch) missed hitting his head on one of the stone plots. The girls are convinced that an angel from the Washington family was looking out for him. I am not going to discount the possibility--the angle and the height he fell from would have resulted in major injury if he had hit the stone. I was actually a bit shaken. But, all was well and Luke wasn't even aware how close he was to disaster.

Even though it was Thomas' birthday, we decided to go to KD after GW birthplace. We were already halfway there. The kids had no idea. We had let them bring their Kindles in the car and that kept them so distracted, they didn't even realize we weren't driving home. Kara did at one point look up and wonder where we were, but we just told her it was an alternate route. We approached KD from the back and the kids were super-excited, Kara just kept saying, "can we go, can we go?" Jack and Anna immediately knew that we had planned the surprise, but I think Kara must have thought we were lost or something. It was very cute. And, it wasn't our only surprise of the day.

We had them put on their bathing suits and went straight to White Water Canyon. It's a raft ride (in the main park) that completely soaks you. Thomas and I had previewed it the day before and felt the kids would love it. They did. From there it was onto Soak City. It was around 2 and we thought we would just stay until the water park closed at 8.  The other times we've done the water park, we have felt more hurried, but since we knew we were going to be there for 6 hours, we were much more relaxed. There was no worrying about doing things quickly to try and accomplish both parts of the park. We had a great time. 

Feeling lazy on the lazy river

You may recognize this Luke position from our Nationals game blog. Luke's favorite form of protest.

We were going to leave at 8, but somehow ended up staying until the main park closed. Thomas decided to try the Drop Tower and Jack went with him! I was so nervous for them. But, Jack got off and pronounced it was awesome, so Anna decided to try as well. Kara and I watched nervously. The twins looked so small, I was a bit nervous that they would just fly right out of the restraint! Of course, they didn't and all three of them loved the ride. It was a super fun, very busy, day.

Thumbs up!

From there, we went to surprise #2--a hotel across the street. The kids were definitely confused by this one. They love hotels and were shocked that we were actually staying at one. They couldn't believe we had packed stuff without them noticing. We then told them about that surprise #3, which was they could choose an activity for Friday. The choices were the Richmond Zoo, a Children's Museum, or another day at KD. By a vote of 2-1, they chose the Children's Museum. Everyone went to sleep easily and happily (it was 11pm after all).

We were all awake by 7:30 the next morning (thanks to Luke) and anxious to start the day. We had our free hotel breakfast and checked-out. The museum was only 20 minutes away. It was pretty nice, but smaller than others we have been to. It would not be worth the 2-hour drive on its own. It also got really crowded with daycare groups, so we only stayed about 2-hours. We were really close to monument row, so we decided to drive down that street before lunch.

This was the girls' favorite area

Perhaps Jack is teaching Thomas the correct way to spell blue?

Stock photo of Monument Row, we did drive by this one.

When we got our annual passes to KD, we added a dining plan. It was pricey, but has been very nice and convenient. Since it was still early and on the way, we decided to go to KD for lunch and let each kid chose one ride. Kara had voted for KD because there was something she wanted to try. I think she felt left out because J&A had tried the drop tower and everyone was so proud of them. We did her ride, which was the Flying Aces, first. She liked it and felt brave. We had lunch and then Thomas, Jack and Anna did the Drop Tower. Then, we just kept adding more rides. We walked through the Dinosaur Area and somehow decided to stay.

One of the life-sized dinosaurs

That one was all Thomas. I was tired and so ready to go. But, everyone was having a good time and it just kind of happened. Kara wanted to try another new ride--Ricochet, which has a small roller coaster feel to it. Kara hates roller coasters and anything with "big hills".  I waited in line with her and Jack and Anna. But, Kara decided she had to go to the bathroom and left the line. She was upset and convinced me to try again with her. So, I did. She was nervous, but determined. I was not forcing, or even encouraging her. We got in the car, got buckled in and she freaked out. She just started crying, "I don't want to do it, I don't want to do it." The attendant came and let us out and we did a walk of shame down the ramp. She was upset with herself and still felt like she wanted to try the ride. I told her I was done. 

A bit later, Thomas took pity on her and back to the line they went (time #3 if you are counting). She got on the ride and started crying again, but this time she still wanted to ride. Thomas said the workers were giving him the evil eye and they kept asking her if she wanted to leave. But, she didn't want to leave. He explained that she was scared, but really wanted to try and finally they let the car go. She hated the drop, but enjoyed the rest of the ride. She isn't sure if she would ride it again, but we were glad she tried something new.

Is it waaaaa! or wheeee! ???  No one knows.

Inspired by Thomas and the kids, I tried the Drop Tower.  Never again!

Don't be fooled by my smile.  Hated it.

Even Luke enjoyed the rides. He rode more than he ever has and actually seemed to enjoy the rides. It was fun to see. 

The only bad part of the day is Anna got stung by a bee. She had her hand on a hand rail and must have touched it. I felt terrible for her. She has awful luck with bees and has been stung more than any of us, and always through no fault of her own. She was barely 2 for her first sting--she picked up what she thought was a dead bug and it turned out to be a hornet with a stinger. Another time, one flew up her dress and couldn't get out. Then, she was just standing on our deck and happened to be directly on top of a nest we didn't know existed. The poor kid is understandably terrified of bees now.

This is getting much longer than I like my blogs to be.  So one more highlight was when Anna and Kara sang "Let it Go" on stage at Kings Dominion.  They have a karaoke show and Kara and Anna were feeling brave and signed up for it.  They did a good job and it was really fun for them. Even though we only stopped off at KD to grab lunch, we ended up staying until closing so we could watch the fireworks. Thus, we didn't get home until midnight.  It was a whirlwind three days and I think everyone is pretty much exhausted.  We all slept in until 8:45 this morning (a record) and today we all plan on just relaxing, bringing to end the 2015 edition of the Kori and Thomas Birthday Weekend Extravaganza. 

Luke at 16 Months

Luke is 16 months old today (at least he was on the 17th, when I wrote this he was.  Now, it is the 19th and I am just getting around to pictures).  For me, one of the most amazing things to consider about this milestone is that it marks the age that Jack and Anna were when Kara entered the world.  They seemed so big and yet he seems so small.  It is hard to believe that at one point, we had 3 babies 16 months and younger. Still harder when I think of how I worked full-time and had a minuscule support system; it was just me and Thomas with our closest friends and family hundreds of miles away. It was not easy, but fortunately, we didn't know any better. 

Life with Luke is so much different. In some ways, it is almost like having an only child. During the school year, the kids are obviously gone for many hours. Even in summer, they have camps or activities that take them out of the home. It is nice to focus on one child and experience just one baby. I enjoy being home to witness the changes that occur on a seemingly daily basis. Of course, there are some difficulties. But, today isn't about those. Today is about focusing on our sweet Little Lukey! 

It is amazing to see the number of changes that have occurred in just a few months.  He is speaking more words and seems to understand just about everything we say (whether he chooses to comply/acknowledge is a separate issue).  He is also better at communicating his desires.  When he is hungry, he will simply go to the cabinet, pick something out and bring it to me.  If he wants to go outside he will go and get his shoes. He is more of a distinct person now, with clear likes and dislikes and the ability to communicate both effectively.

Likes include typing on the computer...

And, sweeping.

He says mama, dada, all done, Kara, Anna, hi, bye bye, no (and no, no, no with a finger wag), yay, book, ball, good (when you ask him how he's doing) and some other things.Like all of our kids, Luke is a pretty good sleeper.  He doesn't generally complain about going to bed at night or even taking naps. 

He loves to give high fives. But, his biggest like is probably balls. He throws with a good forward motion and loves to play catch. Of course, he can't actually catch anything, except a slowly falling balloon, but he loves to try. After watching Kara do countless cartwheels, he has also (sort of) accomplished a somersault. He will put his hands up in the air, like he is going to do something big, then he puts himself in a downward dog position. Sometimes, that's the end, but every now then he'll roll over and then stand up and put his hands in the air with an immense look of satisfaction.

Down dog Luke

Luke really likes being outside. He recently learned to open doors and has tried to escape more than once. He also hates if anyone tries to help him (he will tolerate Thomas or me holding his hand, but gets mad if the kids try and assist). He wants to do everything himself.  He still really enjoys being out and is great whenever we are someplace with lots to look at. When we are at Kings Dominion, he will routinely forgo his naps for the entire day to make sure he doesn't miss anything--and, he doesn't get cranky!  As long as there is lots to see, Luke is content. He (possibly) knows where his nose is, but will also point at his nose when you ask him all the other body parts.  Thomas was hoping for another lefty, but he shows a definite preference for his right hand.

Sometimes, one cup just isn't enough.

He's not a reader yet. He will bring us a book, let us read a page or two, then flip to the end, clap and say yay, as if we just accomplished some major task.  He still adores his siblings. Today, when we picked the kids up from camp, he was so excited. We got Kara first and he just ran in and gave her a hug, then he found Anna and did the same. When we got Jack, he kept trying to "talk" to Jack, but Jack was trying to talk to me. Luke got louder and louder until Jack finally acknowledged him. He listens intently for the door to open and runs to great whoever has come in with a loud recitation of their name and a wave. He especially loves to greet Thomas.

Swinging with his buddy Kara.

Luke is loud. Very loud. He talks all the way through the grocery store (fresh on my mind, because we were there today) in a way that can only be described as yelling. It has gotten to the point where I don't even notice. The other day, we were getting the oil changed. I had brought a snack for Luke and we were there about 30 minutes. I thought he was really quiet, but before we left a woman came out to see him and comment on how she had enjoyed hearing his chatter...from her office in the back.

He also has a bit of a temper. The other day we were at the library and he went to pick up a baby's pacifier, I told him no and the baby's mom put it in her purse. Luke just looked at her with an angry expression and then hit her. It makes us think that hitting must be an innate reaction, because as far as we know, Luke has never seen anyone hit or be hit. The most he gets from us is a "no, no, Luke! with a finger wag (which he also likes to imitate). Fortunately, there is no force behind his aggression. His mood can go from happy to complete dejection in just minutes. He throws himself on the floor in complete hysteria when he doesn't get his way. It generally lasts just a few seconds. Of course, he is also very sweet and loves to give kisses and hugs. Overall, his temperament is fantastic and I consider him an easy child.

Who could resist this sweet face?

He consistently sleeps through the night and thanks to the kids' summer schedule, has been forced into a single nap routine.  The kids still adore him and let him walk all over them. The other day, he had Kara's hair in a death grip and she just laughed and said, "oh, Lukey, please let go." A few minutes later, Anna brushed by her and she howled in pain and demanded satisfaction for the injury. It's good to be the baby.

Fourth of July & Swim Lessons

To kick off the holiday weekend, we went to Fort Washington on Friday, July 3 (originally, we wanted to go on the 4th, but we weren't sure the weather was going to cooperate). We took a picnic and a frisbee and played on the enormous parade grounds for a while. Unfortunately, the grass was a little long and our kids are whiners, so we didn't get to run around as much as we hoped.  But, it was still fun.  After lunch, we parked in the lower lot by the small lighthouse and explored the lower part of the fort, something we hadn't done before.  I am amazed at the ingenuity and skill of the early settlers.  I really just can't imagine how they built such perfect walls without the tools we have available today.  Of course, the same could be said of medieval castles and pyramids and a host of other wonders.  I would love to go back in time and see the process.

The view looking up

Kara wanted her picture taken in front of the small lighthouse. 

On the Fourth of July, we went to the Sotterly Farmer's Market and bought some vegetables and meat, including corn, steak, and ground beef that we hoped to use in our barbecue.  They were offering free wagon rides around the property, which we took full advantage of.  Thomas had just finished reading a book about the history of the plantation, so he was particularly interested in seeing it through his new, knowledgeable eyes.  The wagon ride took about 20 minutes and we really enjoyed it.  

For dinner, we went to Sonic and then on a drive.  We drove through one of the neighborhoods we had considered buying a home in--thank goodness we didn't!  We were getting close to home when a serious downpour began.  Fortunately, it was gone in time for us to go see the fireworks.  Last year we discovered a spot close to our house that offers a good view and easy in/out access. Unfortunately, the fireworks didn't start until 9:45, which felt pretty late for the kids.  Luke stayed awake the whole time and seemed to enjoy the display.  

The kids have been wanting to eat these light-up lollypops for a while.  They were pretty fun (unfortunately, the flash washes out the light up part).

Sunday was a quiet day.  We finally had our barbecue and enjoyed the fresh food from the farmer's market.  It was a good weekend.

On Monday, the kids began their swimming lessons.  I signed Kara up for level 1, Anna for level 2, and Jack for level 3. Jack's lessons went well. He greatly improved his freestyle. Unfortunately, he has trouble floating on his back, which made the backstroke very difficult. The funniest thing was watching him try to dive. He has a mental block and steps off with his feet every time. He sets himself up, hands together, facing the water, with his head all tucked and ready and then he does an awkward little step with his feet. I wish I had taken a video. Poor kid tried so hard, but just never got it.  But, as I said, he greatly improved his freestyle and swims much better and faster now than he did when he first started.

The girls also showed a lot of improvement, on the first day they moved Kara (and several other kids) up to level 2, which I wasn't thrilled with--I feel like she and Anna do better when they aren't together.  Also, she was kind of scared of any pool containing water over her head.  But, she did great.  During the first week, the instructor had to pull her kickboard along, she was so slow compared to the other kids. By the last days, she was fighting for the lead. Both she and Anna have gained a lot of confidence.  On the first day, Anna needed to the instructor to catch her when she jumped off the diving board (and Kara refused to even jump off the side of the 12 foot pool).  Now, Anna does it repeatedly on her own, complete with a good freestyle to the ladder, and Kara is promising that today (the last day) she is going to jump off unassisted--she did it with her coach catching her yesterday.  In fact, they have gained a bit too much confidence for my liking.  It is getting hard to keep an eye on 3 kids, all of whom think they swim a bit better than they really do, particularly when I am toting poor Luke, who has his own ideas about where he wants to go, along. 

Speaking of Luke, we had a terrifying moment at the pool on Tuesday.  I was watching Luke and another little girl, while her mom watched my other 3 and 2 of hers jump off the diving board. Luke was walking around in ankle deep water when the little girl wandered out of the pool (she wanted to go to a different area).  Instead of taking Luke with me (which is what any reasonably intelligent person would know to do), I reasoned he would be okay for the time it took me to retrieve her, after all, there were plenty of people around.  I kept on eye on him while I walked over to get her, but then he walked out of my line of sight.  I am not sure how long it took me to get her, maybe 20 more seconds, but when I ran back to Luke, he was floating on his stomach, kicking his little feet in obvious distress.

Ugh, it makes me sick just thinking about it.  I pulled him out and he immediately started crying and clinging to me.  There was a woman not 4 feet from him and a lifeguard supposedly supervising the pool.  Again, I know this is my fault, I am not blaming them, just pointing out that you absolutely can't rely on other people.  In fact, the week before I walked by a little girl who was going under the water in the manner you see on all those "what drowning really looks like" videos on Facebook.  Her mother was not even 2 feet from her, but had her back to her.  There was a lifeguard, but the little girl was facing away.  They were in a shallow part of the pool (3 feet), but it was over the girls head.  I alerted the mom, who immediately grabbed her and all was well.  My point is that that water is scary, you can't rely on lifeguards and I will be so relieved when Luke learns to swim!  After Luke's incident, I was terrified of delayed drowning and wouldn't let the poor kid take a nap.  Thankfully, he is fine, but it was utterly awful! 

Tomorrow will be another King's Dominion day.  The kids want to go to the waterpark, which I am nervous about.  I think everyone will be wearing a lifejacket (which they hate and will protest).  I think the worrying is what I dislike most about being a parent.  Those panicky moments when all is not well--like Jack wandering off at Kings Dominion and Luke in the water. Sometimes I think I should be more of a helicopter parent, but it's just not my nature (yes, I know the pool was just bad parenting, period).  I hope I am not doing my kids a disservice. Frankly, it's like the parents who leave kids in hot cars. People judge and say it could never be them. And, it never is them. Until the one day it is. I hate knowing that everything can change in an instant.

Hmm, this blog is taking a dark turn.  So, I will end with a cute picture of my healthy, happy Luke.

End of School & The Start of Summer

As usual, I am behind on my blogging.  I think at this point, I can probably stop opening with that--it can just be assumed.

The kids wrapped up the school year.  We had the first grade picnic and the Kindergarten graduation. They received their final report cards and we excitedly started summer break.

The first grade picnic was fun, we got to meet some of the kids' friends and their parents.  Phone numbers were exchanged, promoting the possibility of summer playdates. It was a rough ending for Jack. He thrives on routine and genuinely enjoys school. It is particularly difficult because the majority of his close friends will be going to the new school next year. His best friend is a little girl who was also in his Kindergarten class. They played together at recess, sat next to each other on the carpet, and talked about each other often. In fact, I was mildly relieved to hear from her father that this was not a one-sided affection and that she considers Jack as good a friend as he considers her. As the end of the year got closer and closer, Jack would often comment about how much he was going to miss his friends. It has been a rough year with far too many friends moving away and this school rezoning is only exacerbating the problem. Regardless, the picnic was fun. Unfortunately, it was on an excruciatingly hot day. As we walked up, families were quickly throwing their blankets in the shady yard perimeter. We decided to set up in the large gazebo, which was nice. The kids played and we all ate pizza and snacks. We even pulled Kara out so she could be a part of it.

Kara had her Kindergarten graduation the following week.  She was chosen to read some sentences. They only chose one kid from each class, so I was excited for her.  We practiced her lines and speaking with emphasis and she was fantastic.  She had them memorized and was so cute in her delivery.  Her lines were, "Hollywood is a great place to learn about nature.  This year we learned about many different creatures. Here is a song about some of our favorite ones."  She was the only kid that received applause and I even heard a couple of random comments behind me talking about how well she did. It was so cute! I was actually nervous for her.  Her class went last and I was just holding my breath the whole time. I didn't even know I was a stage mom!

Our little performer

Their report cards were all solid. Everyone is on track and performing well. Their teachers had nice things to say and behavior was overall good. I have been uniformly impressed with their teachers. We have had excellent communication and felt that the teachers genuinely cared about our children. As a result, we tried to get nice end of the year gifts. The kids filled out a teacher's about me sheet (my favorite response was on Jack's, where he responded with "get a kid' when asked what he thought his teacher was going to do this summer); a Target gift card, and a note pad that said "from the desk of" with their name on it. We also wrote detailed thank you notes. The kids were so excited to bring in the gifts and I am happy any time we can get them in the giving mood.

Our cuties on the last day of school (Kara chose to wear the same outfit that she wore on the first day)

We went to Brusters with our some of our bus stop friends right after school

Our summer is off to a good start. The kids spent the week at Vacation Bible School singing the world's catchiest tunes.  I seriously have been singing "We all fall short; we all fall down, God's love is turning our hearts around," about 16 hours out of each day.  They had a great time and it really is a huge gift to the community.  I can't imagine the effort that went into entertaining all those kids for 3 hours a day.  And, it was free!

After their "concert" Friday, we went straight to Kings Dominion. My friend Jennifer's mom came up to celebrate her grandson's first birthday. She is staying with us, because we have more room, and she came with us.  That was awesome because she kept the kids while Thomas and I finally got to ride Volcano (scary!). We tried to ride Flight of Fear, which we have attempted to ride 3 times. As has happened in the past, the ride down right as we got to the front of the line. I am starting to think someone is trying to tell us something. Fortunately, the lines were short. We stayed until closing and finally got to see the fireworks. It was a perfect day to be there, the weather was great and we walked on just about every ride. I asked one of the workers if the crowd was typical of a Friday and she said not at all, but that it was similar to a Wednesday. So, we have decided Thomas needs to take some random Wednesday off this summer so we can try to repeat the experience.

Luke loved the fireworks.  Here he is wide awake at 10pm.  He went all day on a 1-hour nap.  We tried laying him back and he would just pull himself right back up. He didn't want to miss out on any of the fun.  Fortunately, he stayed in a really good mood and caught up on his sleep the next day.

The kids have swim lessons for the next two weeks, then a week at St John's Summer Camp. Then, I think we have a couple of weeks with no plans followed by one more week at St. John's. We are hoping for a busy, fun summer.  Although, I don't want the kids to feel like they have to be entertained. There is plenty of free time where I expect them to play and find something to do without me having to structure some activity.

3 Paintings with Wine and Design (aka:To Hell and Back)

I heard about a place several months ago where you could go and paint a fool-proof picture in a couple of hours.  I was immediately intrigued and really excited about trying it out.  There were several fun Christmas designs that I was interested in, but the timing never worked out.  Finally, in late March, Thomas and I decided to attend one of their date nights.  For the date night, you paint complementary pictures that you can hang up side-by-side.  We went to the Front Porch for dinner and walked around a bit before it was time for our session to start.  We chose a dandelion design, which was our favorite of the date nights offered in March.  It was a very simple design and we had a good time.  It was relaxing to be there with Thomas and nice to do something a bit different together.  We both really liked it and hope to go back. The next morning, when we showed the kids, the girls were very excited. They wistfully remarked how they wish they were big enough to go to the painting place.  So, I signed us all up for one of the Mommy and Me sessions in May.

I never told them what we were doing.  When the day came, I simply told them I had a surprise for them and that we were going to do something special.  When we got to the studio, they were VERY excited.  Unfortunately, the excitement quickly waned, at least for Kara. She was very frustrated that her owl was not coming out like the instructor's owl.  She also didn't like them telling her what colors to use.  It was way too formulaic for her artistic tendencies. Kara is not one to keep her feelings to herself, so she protested, rather loudly at times. If it had been just her and me, I would have left. But, I had Anna with me (we'll get to her in a minute).  At one point, Kara loudly proclaimed that this was the worst surprise ever.  She hated it and wanted to know "why did you bring me here?" Every stroke of the brush brought a groan, sign or cry. It. Was. AWFUL! That seriously went on for about 40 minutes. It was in a very small place and there wasn't much I could do. I did manage to make her quiet down so it was really just me that got the brunt of her frustrations. The instructor even tried to talk to her a couple of times and Kara just (literally) turned her nose up at her. Finally, she heard me when I said to just paint the owl any darn way she wanted in whatever dang colors she liked.  I had told her from the start that the finished product didn't really matter, to just have fun and enjoy herself. Although she is sweet and loving, she is also obstinate and stubborn and it took a while before she would just accept that the painting was not going to look exactly how she wanted it to look.

Anna, on the other hand, was pleased to be there.  She tried her best to follow the instructions, but went with the flow if things didn't go exactly as planned.  However, she was her typical energetic self. She got paint everywhere.  On her clothes. On my clothes. On her body. On my body. In her hair. She went to the bathroom at least 3 times. With Kara on one side and Anna on the other, I was in my own private hell. But, at least Anna was cheerful and happy, for which I was very grateful.

Somehow, we managed to make it through the 2 hour session. When all was said and done, both girls said they loooovvved it and wanted to know when we could go back?!?!?!  I told Kara in about 10 years. They also wanted me to take them for ice cream. And, perceptive Anna piped up from the backseat, "Mommy, you aren't acting like you had a good time."  My little Sherlock. Ahhh, the joys of motherhood. The pictures now hang proudly in their bedroom and I chuckle frequently at the memory of my misery

You would never know the anguish these guys caused...

My final foray with Wine and Design (there has never been any wine involved with me, not much design really either) took place on Friday. One of my neighbors decided to host a party at her house. She is moving soon and wanted to have one last celebration with her friends. She chose a Solomon's bridge design, which was my most complicated yet (still relatively fool proof). She had 6 friends from the neighborhood there and 6 from outside the neighborhood. There was tons of fantastic food and I had a great time.  When they go to someone's house, the pace is much more relaxed. I think it ended up taking about 3 hours before we finished.  It was fun to be with a group where we basically all knew each other, lots of joking and commentary, as opposed to being in the studio with strangers. We took silly pictures, made fun of each other's work, complimented each other's skill, took lots of food and drink breaks, and just generally had a good time. It was a very nice way to spend an evening. I just wish we weren't getting together because one of us is leaving.

For each design, they start you with an outline.  

At the neighborhood table

It was going so well, until my bridge got wider and wider. 

Highlighting our friend Isabelle who is leaving us for more mountainous pastures.

When Thomas and I left active-duty, we were so excited about establishing roots.  We pictured the kids making friends and growing up with those friends. Now, it seems as if the people we like keep leaving. Three of our favorite neighborhood families have left with another going soon. It is awful! The perils of living in a military town, I suppose. I have decided not to befriend anyone who is on active-duty, a contractor or unable to commit to 5 or more years here.  :)

Fort Necessity and the Flight 93 Memorial

As Kori has indicated in previous entries, our family enjoys American history.  One of the benefits of living in southern Maryland is the close proximity we have to so many historical places.  One such place is Fort Necessity.  I have wanted to visit for a while so I was very excited to finally get out there. The drive out took about four hours and the kids all did very well.   It still amazes me how good of a traveler Luke is.  When they were Luke’s age, the other kids (Kara especially) did not like being in the car for an extended period of time.  And for Kara, an extended period of time was anything longer than five minutes.  We are very fortunate that Luke (so far) has taken to traveling so well.  Anyway, getting back to the trip, we arrived at the Fort Necessity National Battlefield Visitors' Center at 1:19pm. Thanks to Kara's detailed record keeping, we know when we arrived and departed from all of our stops. Kara has been reading the Magic Tree House books, and so she decided to keep a journal during our trip, just like the characters in those books.  That was very cool. 

The first thing we did at the visitor’s center was watch a short (about 15 minutes) movie on the French and Indian War.  Everyone agreed that it was really good and were excited to get out and explore.  Following a quick tour through a small display area, we headed outside.  They had a play area for the kids, complete with a small “Fort Necessity” to play in.  Although I was eager to head out to Great Meadows (the site of the actual battle) the kids needed to work off some energy after the long car ride, so we let them play for a little while.   The weather was perfect and spirits were high.  Little did we know of the chaos and tragedy that would soon hit our family.

Just kidding-nothing bad happened.  It just seemed like the blog needed some drama.   So, once the kids had enough of the play area (or should I say, once the parents had enough of it), we headed down the trail to the reconstructed fort.  We were walking through a heavily wooded area that suddenly opened up into a very large and lush clearing.  In fact, one might describe it as a great meadow.   

Jack and Luke in the play area.

I have seen many pictures of it but seeing the fort in person I was struck by how small it was.  I had always envisioned a fort large enough to accommodate the 400 men George Washington had under his command but I can’t imagine getting more than 100 in there.  I guess the fort wasn’t made to accommodate the soldiers, but rather the supplies, ammunition, and livestock. It seemed rather strange since the fort was in the middle of this large meadow, surrounded by forest.  One would think the fort would be used to help defend the soldiers since they were otherwise sitting targets to any approaching enemy.  The French and their Native American allies agreed—they soon surrounded the fort from the protection of the forest and opened fire with Washington’s surrender soon following. 

We spent a little bit of time in the fort (not too long because, again, it was really small) and surveyed the area.  Jack manned the cannon and picked off a few imaginary French soldiers who dared to leave the protection of their trees.

At the entrance to the fort.

In 1754 George Washington stood here and thought--"wow, that wide open field would be a great place to make a defensive stand."  Fortunately for all future Americans, Washington learned from his mistakes.

We then followed the trail up to the Mount Washington Tavern.  It was a bit of a hike up a really steep hill, but everyone agreed it was worth the extra effort.  It was an original building from 1839.  How did we know it was built in 1839?  Well, because the sign and the brochure all said it.  But that’s not the cool part.  During a recent renovation, wallpaper was removed and underneath it was the original walls with “graffiti” (their signatures and the date-July 1839) left by the men who built the structure.  It was really awesome to see those signatures and imagine the men writing them. What would they say if they knew that people would be standing in their building, reading their handwriting 176 years after they left it?

The rest of the building was also interesting.  It had served as a tavern along the national road.  People traveling out west to the Ohio valley would stop off and have a meal or if they could afford it they’d actually stay the night, although most people apparently just continued on their journey, sleeping under the stars.  A couple of facts the kids found interesting—although it was a “restaurant” there was not menu from which to choose the food.  Patrons just sat at the table and the host brought out whatever meal they were making in the kitchen that day.  Talk about a bad business model!  The other thing the kids were fascinated by were the sleeping arrangements.  Men and women were not allowed to sleep in the same room, even if they were married.  So all the men would sleep together in one room and all the women in another.   They also shared the same bed.  So if you stayed the night, you most likely found yourself sharing a bed with total strangers. It’s not hard to see why these types of “accommodations” went the way of the dodo bird. 

From there we headed back to the car and drove to Braddock’s grave.  General Edward Braddock was Commander-in-Chief of military forces in America in 1755 and led the expedition to take Fort Duquesne. Unfortunately for poor General Braddock, they were ambushed by the French and Native Americans.  Routed by their enemy, with General Braddock mortally wounded, young George Washington took over and led the British on an organized retreat thereby saving the day for the British army.  Once again, in defeat, Washington’s legacy grew.  He was recognized throughout the colonies and mother England as the man who saved the day during the Battle of the Monongahela.

Following our brief stop at the grave, we drove the 8 miles to Jumonville Glen, finishing the Fort Necessity National Park trifecta.  Jumonville Glen was the site of the skirmish that actually started the French and Indian war and was George Washington’s first exposure to warfare. The amazing thing about Jumonville Glen was how preserved the entire area is.  We all talked about how if George Washington were somehow transported there in present day, he would find that it looked nearly identical to how it was that fateful morning in 1754. I don’t imagine there are many places you can say that about.  It was very cool.

When finally checked into our cabin at Jellystone, Kori was looking through the book at local attractions and noticed that the Flight 93 memorial was fairly close by.  We decided to head out there on our way home on Sunday.  I’m glad we did, because it was an amazing experience.  The memorial is seemingly in the middle of nowhere so it’s generally not something that one will simply stumble upon, so it made us feel good to see so many cars in the parking lot.  Clearly the impact of the 9/11 attacks still resonates with people.

 

Parts of the memorial were still under construction, with the main visitors’ center and the walking trail are scheduled to be finished by the end of the year.  Even without those areas being open yet, the memorial was really nice.  There’s no doubt it’s a sad place to visit.  It was so horrific to read all of the accounts of the hijacking and the subsequent crash (along with everything that occurred between those events).  But I also found it very inspiring.  These were people who refused to accept their fate.  They fought back and very nearly overcame the odds.  And although they were not successful in taking back the plane, their efforts unquestionably saved the lives of hundreds of other (would-be) innocent victims.  They refused to give up, and kept fighting until the very end.  Their actions were truly inspiring.  I know that I will think of those brave souls the next time I am faced with seemingly impossible odds.  When the easy road would be to simply give in, I’m going to stand up, look that challenge directly in the face and say, “let’s roll!”  

Jack and Anna reading the names on the memorial wall.  The dark ground they are walking on represents the flight pattern the plane took.  It crashed on the other side of the gate. 

Another view of the memorial wall.