Fun Four Day Weekend

On Saturday we went to the Marine Corps Museum.  I was really impressed.  There were some great exhibits and some cool hands on exhibits.  My kids enjoyed learning about the making of a Marine.  They even trie doing a few pull ups.  It was very informative and eye opening.  Garrett can't wait to go back and learn more about war, his new found interest.

"Hey mom, get a picture of me in front of this huge gun." 

That's a salute not the sun in his eyes ;-)

Evolution of the uniform.

Can you believe the hight of this kid?  I must be shrinking!

On Monday we celebrated Paige's 10 Birthday a day early.  We headed out to Leesylvania State Park with the Bishops.  We walked along the beach and the kids collected shells.  As we were walking we thought it was great there were so many shells.  The kids gathered up a few hundred.  It didn't take long to figure out why the shells were so unpopular.  They were river snail shells and they literally smell like poop.  After our adventures at Leesylvania Sate Park we had dinner and a cupcake war challenge between Miriam and Paige.  It was really fun and both the girls made some yummy cupcakes.

Of course he couldn't stay out of the water.

Cousins

Cupcake Wars

Miriam Left: Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting and Halloween Sprinkles
Paige Right:  Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Frosting toped with Wiped Cream and a Strawberry Slice

Their Loot of poop shells after they painstakingly sorted them for over an hour!

Where these stinky shells are now...remains a mystery.

Historic Kenmore

Today I took Emery and Reece to Fredericksburg, VA. We visited the Kenmore Mansion. Home of George Washington's sister, Betty Washington Lewis. The home was build in the 1770's to show off their wealth. It sat on a 500 acre plantation just off the Rappahannock River. Across the river is Ferry Farm, George Washington's childhood home. It's interesting that George and Betty Washington were considered gentry but they were not as wealthy as the Lewis family.  Fielding Lewis was a patriot he gave a considerable amount of money in support of American independence.  The home was beautiful. The plaster ceilings were amazing. Unfortunately, no photography was permitted inside the home. 

I love this picture.  Emery is such a fun kid, always up for anything.  We are going to have a lot of fun exploring together.

 Reece had a good time wondering around outside in the garden area.  He was pretty good during the house tour but he really wanted to get down. Unfortunately, they don't like babies walking around in 1770's homes.  Go figure?

The Laundry

 A view from the back of the house.  We got to see a cooking demonstration in the little building (on right).  That was the kitchen.  Apparently having a separate kitchen from your home was a sign of social status back then.  Kitchens often burt down, and so only the most wealthy could afford to build a separate building for their kitchen.  The building (on left) was the laundry.  They have converted that into office space for todays purposes.

It was popular to "slack-rope" walk back then.  It seems more dificult than tight rope walking,  Apparently women were more skilled at this then men because of their center of gravity.  Emery thought it was cool.

Emery is lawn bowling while Reece enjoys some fruit snacks.  Behind them is the kitchen building.

 Inside the museum they had some really cool displays and some more kid friendly activities.

Just down the block is the Fredericksburg Confederate cemetery.  It was massive and this picture doesn't do it justice.  Notice all the tiny head stones those when on to the left and right for acres.  I still can't believe how many people lost their lives during the Civil War.  Luckily the Kenmore house survived the war it saw two battles and was struck by cannon balls.  It was used as a field hospital in 1864.

Good-Bye Summer

I’m so glad to be approaching the end of canning season!  We were very blessed this year to get peaches on both of our trees.  I was able to can 50 quarts of peaches, make two batches of jam, dehydrate (which was not worth the time), eat and give away a bunch of peaches.  I am getting started on my salsa and finishing my tomato soup this week.  I really love having a garden and fruit trees/bushes.  I am hoping that we get more berries next year.  Our strawberries and black berries did amazing but our raspberries were really sparse.  Our kids are picky eaters but they enjoy going out to find things in the garden and help with the harvest.  Emery and Garrett eat all of the fruit and are always ready to help.  It’s been an enjoyable summer, now on to fall!  I love this time of year...

Family Traditions

Paige and I stayed home from church today because she has been sick.  She decided to spend the morning watching old family videos.  I was fun to hear and see some highlights of our life over the past twelve years.  It got me thinking about all of our family traditions and when they started.  I thought I would type up a list of them for my journal…

Family Traditions

New Years:

Established 2012

FHE Goal Setting Night 

The kids each select a personal goal and a family goal.  We write them up on a little poster and display them in a prominent place where everyone can see them and review them often through out the year.

Valentines Day:

Established 2009

Valentines Dinner

As a family we plan a Valentines Dinner that consists of red and pink foods, heart shapes, and fun place settings.

St. Patrick’s Day:

Established 2011

Leprechaun Visitor

While the kids are sleeping a silly Leprechaun comes to visit and leaves a mess.  He often colors the milk green and leaves lucky charms.  There is a trail of shoes that leads to a treasure.

Easter:

Established 2007

Easter Eve

We color eggs as a family.  We have a FHE lesson on the Easter Story and the importance of the atonement. 

Established 2003

Easter Morning

The kids leave out their Easter eggs for the Easter Bunny to fill and in the morning they open their eggs and we have cinnamon rolls for breakfast.  Before we leave for church we talk a family picture. 

Established 2005

Easter Egg Hunt

We have an Easter Egg Hunt every year with family.  Everyone has his or her own color egg to hunt for.  Then the kids hide their died eggs and make up their own hunts.

June 16:

Established 2001

Date Night

We take turns planning a date night to celebrate our anniversary.  Sometimes we go away for a quick trip.

4^th of July:

Established 2002

Forth of July Meal and Fireworks

BBQ Dinner with family, usually always ribs.  We always have some sort of firework celebration. 

Kids Birthdays:

Established 2010

Boondocks with Dad

The kids go to Boondocks with Dad and celebrate their special day mini golfing, bowling, playing laser tag, and riding bumper boats and cars. 

Established 2003

Birthday Cake

The kids pick out their own birthday cake and we have a family party (sometimes a birthday party with friends) centered on that theme.

Halloween:

Established 2001

Pumpkin Carving/Painting

We pick out our pumpkins (some times from our garden) then for FHE we carve or paint them before Halloween night.

Established 2012

Halloween Dinner

We have pizza for dinner and witches brew (a drink served with dry ice) before we go out trick or treating. 

Thanksgiving:

Established 2012

Thankful Jar

We have slips of paper for everyone to write something they are thankful for every day from November 1^st to Thanksgiving Day.  The slips of paper go onto our thankful jar.  Then after breakfast or Thanksgiving dinner we take turns reading our thankful notes.

Established 2013

Thanksgiving Pineapple

We serve a pineapple with our thanksgiving dinner as a symbol of respect and gratitude for the guests at our table.  When Trevor and I visited Virginia in 2012 we learned it was a tradition in 1800’s to serve pineapple to distinguished guests and that the pineapple was always present in a Thanksgiving Feast. 

Established 2004

Decorating for Christmas

Every year we get out the Christmas decorations the Friday after Thanksgiving and decorate.  We usually decorate the Christmas Tree on the following Monday night for FHE.

Christmas:

Established 2004

Christmas Movie

Each year we make a Christmas movie for our family.  It is our version of a Christmas card that has our year in review.  The kids enjoy helping to create this production by helping me select photos, music, and edit.  We watch our movie together as a family on Christmas Eve. 

Established 2005

Christmas Books

Early on we read a Christmas book on Christmas Eve.  After our collection grew we started reading a Christmas book every night from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve.  We take turns picking the story and reading.

Established 2010

Filling the Manger

Every year starting the first Sunday night in December we draw names for our “Secret Person” then all week we do small acts of kindness for them. When we complete an act of kindness for our “Secret Person” or another person we put a straw in a little wooden manger.  Our goal is to fill the manger with straw for a soft bed for the Savior on Christmas Eve.  When we redraw names each Sunday night we try to guess who had our name that week. 

Established 2009

Lights on Temple Square

Every year since we moved to Utah we go to Temple Square and see the Christmas lights.  The past two years we have taken the tracks down.

Established 2005

Secret Santa

Each year we find a family or an organization that we can purchase gifts for.  We take our kids shopping to help select gifts for their special person.  Sometimes we wrap the gifts up and leave them on their doorstep and sometimes we deliver them to an organization or our ward.  

Established 2001

Sibling Gift Exchange

We draw names and exchange Christmas gifts with that sibling on Christmas Eve.

Established 2007

Christmas FHE

Through out the month of December we have different FHE lessons that help teach our children about the importance of Christmas.  We do crafts and make Christmas ornaments and other fun activities that help us celebrate the season and keep Christ at the center.   On Christmas Eve we share the Christmas store, this has been done differently each year, but the power of the message always has the same effect in preparing us for a new year of love and dedication to our Savior. 

Established 2005

Christmas Moring Breakfast

Buttons and Bowknots