Sunday, September 8, 2013

700th Post!

Crazy that this is my 700th post! 

I guess the start of school threw off the order of my posts.  I looked at my blog to see what I had blogged about and realized I skipped a couple weeks in August!

The end of July, first part of August, we went to Lois' for a few days.  One day we went to a nature center.  Inside there was a "fake" nature area, pioneer playhouse, and an insect discovery room (or something like that).  Outside there were some animals and a butterfly garden.
Aug 1 2013 Blake Elden

Aug 1 2013 Elden

Aug 1 2013 Elden Blake Clark Shanna

Aug 1 2013 Elden Ruth Haley Blake

Aug 1 2013 Reed Cal

I was impressed that Shanna knew right away how to use the wash board. 
Aug 1 2013 Shanna

Aug 1 2013 Shanna Haley Clark

Aug 1 2013 snake

Our last day there we went to Cunningham Falls State Park.  We first took a little hike to the falls.
Aug 2 2013 Cunningham Fall State park

Aug 2 2013 Cunningham Fall State park (2)

Aug 2 2013 Cunningham Fall State park (3)

Then we had fun at the beach and lake area.  It would be fun to go camping here sometime soon!
Aug 2 2013 Cunningham Fall State park Blake Ruth

Aug 2 2013 Cunningham Fall State park Elden Shanna

Aug 2 2013 Cunningham Fall State park Elden Shanna (2)

Aug 2 2013 Cunningham Fall State park Elden Shanna Haley

Aug 2 2013 Cunningham Fall State park Haley

We had a great time at Lois'.  We left after lunch at Cunningham State Park and drove to Harrisonburg.  We did some school shopping as it was tax free weekend.  That night we camped with some friends at Stoney Creek Resort.
Aug 2 2013 Stoney Creek Campground

Aug 2 2013 Stoney Creek Campground (2)

Aug 2 2013 Stoney Creek Campground (3)

In the morning we headed to the lake for a little while.
Aug 3 2013 Stoney Creek Campground

Aug 3 2013 Stoney Creek Campground (3)

Aug 3 2013 Stoney Creek Campground (4)

Aug 3 2013 Stoney Creek Campground (6)

Aug 3 2013 Stoney Creek Campground (7)

Aug 3 2013 Stoney Creek Campground (8)

Aug 3 2013 Stoney Creek Campground (10)

Aug 3 2013 Stoney Creek Campground (11)

Aug 3 2013 Stoney Creek Campground (12)

Aug 3 2013 Stoney Creek Campground (14)

Aug 3 2013 Stoney Creek Campground (15)

Aug 3 2013 Stoney Creek Campground (16)

After camping Shanna and I did more school shopping.  We were gone for several hours and had fun shopping.

That Sunday night Jeff and Lois came down with their kids.  Lois stayed for the week at our house. We did lots of fun things.  We had a bunch of coupons from the summer reading program to use up.  One day my sister-in-law Ciera came and visited!  It was so great to see here.  I didn't get a picture of her and me together.  I need to get one from Lois!  The day she came we met up at Chick-fil-A and used our free kids' meals coupons, went swimming and then headed over to A&W for free rootbeer floats.  Later we had dinner and visited with Ciera and her sister.  We had a great time with them.  Thanks for coming Ciera!  Ciera is from a family that has 10 kids too...5 boys and 5 girls!
Aug 6 2013 A&W

Aug 6 2013 A&W (3)

Aug 6 2013 A&W (5)

There is Ciera behind Lois...she really did come!
Aug 6 2013 A&W (6)

One day I let Clark have the spray can to paint Elden's training wheels blue.  They were pink.  Elden still has pink handlebars (thankfully they're faded) and a princess seat.
Aug 9 2013 (4)

We also enjoyed free ice cream cones from Dairy Queen twice.  I think we had ice cream everyday that week!
Aug 9 2013 (5)

Aug 9 2013 (6)

Aug 9 2013 (7)

Friday night there was a ward activity at the park in Elkton, which was fun.  After that we headed up to Lois' and went to the temple the next day. 
Aug 9 2013 (8)

And on a side note, we are now a stroller-less family.  I put this baby in the garbage a few weeks ago.  It still worked, but was on the trashy side.  After our van was stolen and its contents emptied, one of Lee's classmates at optometry school gave us this stroller. We've used it for many years.
Aug 9 2013

Aug 9 2013 (2)

Aug 9 2013 (3)

I thought about keeping it, but then decided to just get rid of it.  It was kind of fun realizing that we don't need to use a stroller ever again!  Our family is moving into a different stage of life with no babies around. Now we're moving out of the toddler stage too.  It's so weird that Elden is going to kindergarten next year! I must say, it's been nice going places without the stroller. Overall our kids do great with walking.  Now we need to work with Elden to get those training wheels off.  He is riding his bike around, so that is great.  Lee took off the training wheels the other day and said Elden was riding without them.  But Elden fell over or got scared somehow and then wanted the training wheels back on.  He is amazingly good on a razor scooter, so I know balancing on a bike won't be a problem. 

2 comments:

BWei said...

700 posts!! Wow. And no stroller--a milestone too!

andyandsteph said...

Wow 700th post! That is amazing! Looks like you guys had a great time at Lois' place. It's fun that you live so close to each other. I'm sure Lois enjoyed going to your house too. I really really need to come out soon!