Raleigh Temple Trip

Our family enjoyed taking a long overdue trip to the temple. Our branch organized a trip to the Raleigh, NC temple. We got there a little early and were able to walk around the temple as a family.

After we walked around and took a couple pictures, we ate a picnic lunch at the church (stake center) next door. The kids stayed and played at the nursery and in the gym there. The Ludgates and Yankees were there too. Pam Ludgate's mom and her mom's friend watched the kids for us while we went inside the temple. Danny and I enjoyed our time. It had been a while and was really nice to enjoy the spirit there. We really are so thankful to have been sealed in the temple (DC temple in 2000). We know that we are children of God, that He loves us, and He wants us to return to Him someday. We are thankful that our family can be together forever!

Melted Gummy Bears and Dramatic Daughter

When we got back into our car to drive back to Farmville, V found a fun surprise next to her booster seat. She learned that gummy bears have a melting point and that ziplocs containing liquids (or plasmas) are meant to be zipped. 

Fortunately, we also learned that they aren't too hard to pull off of automobile upholstery or hair.
 
I think V's dramatic faces are too funny!

Father's Day Fun!

What father wouldn't want to wake up to his kids bringing breakfast in bed?

Especially these kids.

And they brought him presents!

And he shared.

Happy morning.

Church was next. The speakers, the Henshaws gave good talks. The Primary kids sang, "Father, I Love You", and "I'm So Glad when Daddy Comes Home." They also gave all the dads Hershey Bars. Yum!

Man Vs. food must have been the theme this fathers day. The kids made breakfast, chocolate at church, we had homemade pizzas for lunch and bbq for dinner,and V and Christian helped me make this fun cake that we found on familyfun.com.

I think Man, a.k.a. Danny, enjoyed the food challenge. In fact, I think he won this time.

We hope you had a great Father's Day, Danny! You are a great one and we love you!

We hope our dads had good days too. We weren't able  to see them on Father's Day, (my mom and dad were at a convention and we were driving to Williamsburg the next day, so couldn't 3 times in one week) but we were glad to at least talk on the phone. Danny is going to go to a Flying Squirrels game with his dad soon. And.... I can't say what my dad is getting because that might ruin it for him.

We are thankful for dads who are hardworking, faithful, and loving! You make the world a better place!

Good game... Good season

 

Good game, good game, good game, good game!

 

Merk's had their last game of the season and got medals afterward for their good season.  Danny is on the right and Christian is 2nd from the right. 

Go Merks!!!! (Merk's Place is a restaurant in town that sponsored the team. They serve good ice cream!)

  Way to go, buddy!

 

Christian had a good time playing this year. He really liked being around boys his age on a regular basis. Plus, it was a good way for he and Danny to have some one on one time each week (to and from practice.) Next up for Danny and Christian- little league wrestling. Danny plans to start that up in the winter with all of his upcoming free time! (I am halfway serious- he will be home most nights! Yea!)  Danny has been wrestling with him and teaching him moves for quite a while now, so I think Christian will have a great time with it, but what he really cares about is, "Will my friends be there?" We love Christian!

Camping- Bear Creek Lake with the Flemings

We had a fun quick overnight camp out this weekend. We set up camp and played together as a family on Friday. Then, our friends, the Flemings, came and set up with us. We all enjoyed dinner, an evening stroll, the playground, smores, conversation, and rummy. Actually, all of the kids went to sleep after the smores. It was a really fun day. The next morning we all woke up bright and early, had pancakes, played around the campsite, and packed up camp. We had a great time catching up with Ned and Diane and getting to know their two sweet girls, Addison and Yvaine. We hope to do it again sometime!

I was succinct with my words, but not with the pictures. I love to take pictures when we are outside, so here are a few. Enjoy! Call us if you want to go camping with us sometime! We kind of love it!

V's horse camp

Victoria had a great time at horse camp this week! She can not wait until she can take lessons every week, but she has to wait until she's eight to ride there except for summer camps. The first day, she kept telling us, "I love horse camp, I just love horse camp!"

I wasn't there most of the time, of course, but I did stick around for a little bit on Friday morning to get a few pictures of Victoria, Anna(her teenaged helper), and the horse she rode, Dixie.

 

Going into the pasture with Anna to get Dixie

It was fun to groom and take care of Dixie. Before she rode, she brushed her and used a hoof pick on her feet. After riding they bathed the horses and gave them treats.

(Out of sequence, but V and Dixie)

V's favorite thing was trotting!

Victoria is so excited to do it again in August!

Thursday Night T-ball

During Christian's t-ball games Grant has fun watching the game for a little bit, but for the most part he scavenges for food. Normally he eats his friend Avery's food. (even if we just ate dinner and he had plenty).

Christian got a special prize for listening so well to his coaches the other night. No picture, but it made us very happy. He was excited about it too.

 

When the coaches say get ready or get in position, he does. He is starting to pay a bit more attention when he is on the field.

 

But, look how excited he is when it's his team's turn to bat! We are glad he is having fun!

Yard Sale/Lemonade Stand

The Livingstons, some of our favorite friend here are moving to Utah in a couple weeks. Liz wanted to have a yard sale before they left, but didn't think their house would be the best location, so we decided to do one together here. It wasn't too much work or preparation. We talked about it a couple weeks prior. We never put it in the newspaper or on craigslist or anything. We just made signs the night before around midnight- yes, Liz and I are similar that way. And hung them up around town around 1:00 am. We were so slap happy by that point. It was funny. Oh, and I just pulled stuff  to sell together the night before too. Danny was not very happy with me for this brilliant idea.

So, getting up was a challenge. However, I knew it wouldn't be fair for Danny and Shane to do all the work, so I forced myself out of bed and got myself and the kids ready to go outside. The posted start time was 7 and Danny and Shane weren't alone out there for too long. 

The kids had fun with it. Oh, I lied, we did prepare a little because I helped V make a sign for their lemonade stand earlier in the week. She did a good job with it. Christian thought it would be fun to keep a tally of how many customers they had. It was a cute idea. Dennis helped too, he just didn't want to be in the picture.

The men worked hard. Really- moving all the big stuff was probably the biggest pain. They got to sit a bit too. Victoria took all of these pictures and I think they are awesome. They are complete with a random, yet nice looking, yard sale shopper in the background. So fun.

Grant loved spending the morning outside, eating cookies, strolling through and touching the goods, and sitting on a sofa in the driveway. Different shirt due to throwing up on the first one- too much cookie in his mouth at a time.

And last, but not least, my partner in crime. Another picture courtesy of Victoria. I am going to miss Liz when they move! It has been so fun to have another spontaneous, last minute, late night friend around.