Trips, Trips, Trips!

I guess I should never be surprised that life is so busy and hasn't slowed down.  Gone are the days of playdates, library storytime and naps.  So simple when the kids were young!  But life is good and going well....for the most part.   This fall we've been here and there and almost everywhere.

A quick one....Cal submitted a design for a Klondike Derby patch.  Here is his drawing. The theme is the Relief of Mafeking, with Colonel Baden-Powell.


Lee, Haley and Shanna hit the road the day after Halloween on a big field trip to Virginia Beach. They had quite the rough start.  First a bus wasn't working properly (they left about 2 hours late) and then the bus's rear mirror was swiped off on the freeway.  So crazy!  But they finally made it and then left an hour late to make sure they got enough time in.


They had a great time at the Virginia Aquarium.


























They also took a little trip to the beach.  I guess some kids haven't seen the ocean so it was fun they did this.




Finally on the way home!


Lee ordered these.  Have you ever seen them?  They are melodicas.  Clark found out about them somehow, no clue how though!  I guess they are more popular in Asia.  They are like a recorder, though the tone is probably worse, haha.  Lee and Clark might do a duet for the Christmas program (if there is a program).


It's been rainy and cold here.  So much for a warm fall.  Ugh.  But one day when it was raining hard and probably not that cold, Cal and Elden enjoyed getting soaking wet.


Practicing!


Our next trip was up to Maryland.  The kids had two days off of school so we went up to Lois' again.  The other kids had fun playing with cousins and meeting baby Luke.  Shanna and Haley also participated in a brain study.  It's a 10 year study on their brain development, how they act and their environment.  The first part we had to go through a lengthy permission form.  They ordered us lunch as well.  The girls loved picking out their food.  Then the girls did different brain assessments and a 90 minute MRI.  I answered a ton of questions about our family, the girls' behavior and their environment.  The girls were so excited because they got paid $100 each (in gift cards) and won cash from playing a game.  Shanna won $25 and Haley $21.  I got paid $200 for the first kid, and $100 for the 2nd kid...also in gift cards.  I tried to have Elden get in on the study but they don't accept kids who were born prematurely.  I also had Shanna and Haley pay me some gas money to help them learn that they have to take part of the expense going there.....you have to buy your own gas to go to work or pay for a bus ride or whatever. 


For FHE that night Lois did a gratitude lesson.  Love that she saved this cute turkey Jeff drew.  So fun!  We wrote on the feathers things we are thankful for.








The next day we hung out in the morning.  Love that the kids were playing games together! Elden forgot to pack ANY clothes.  He is on day three with this outfit.  I had him take his shirt off so I could wash it.


Baby Luke and sweet boys!




We all went to IKEA before heading home so I could buy something for Lee's office.  He is renovating the optical!  So fun!  It's a small space...about 10x12 so we're hoping it won't be too difficult.  We are saving for a new office building.  Check back in about 12 years.  That night when we arrived home Lee and I watched the Smart Money event via live stream.  I've never been to one of these Dave Ramsey events so I wanted to see it.


One day I was out running errands and the kids beat me home from school.  Elden rushed outside when I pulled up and asked how he could help me.  So sweet.  And then I saw this note and flower from Cal.  Such thoughtful boys!


Not so much of a trip, but yet another outing: literacy night at the middle school.  Cal REALLY wanted to go last year but it didn't work.  This year it did.  He was so excited we could go.  I think he wanted to go to win the awesome prizes.  He did win a fun World Record book.  And funny story, his friend told Cal that if he won an iPad, I think it was, and a $10 gift card that Cal would get the gift card.  Well, they read a couple of names but they had already left and couldn't win the prize.  The boy eventually left thinking that it was over. Would you know, his name was called next!  But he was already gone so he didn't get the prize either! The kids had fun doing crafts, using the 3D pens and picking out a free book at the library.  We also heard an author speak at the beginning of the night and had a baked potato, chili dinner.














Another little outing...shopping at Walmart at 6:00am. Elden was being grumpy one night because I wouldn't take him to Harrisonburg to go shopping.  I mentioned that I could take him the next morning while Clark was in seminary.  All the kids heard about it and wanted to join in.  Wow, they got out of the house quick that morning!  We woke up at 5:20 and were out the door by 5:30, family prayer and all. We used Lee's private entrance. 


Later that morning I headed over to the school for Elden's Veteran's Day program.  They did a nice job!






That afternoon we did take a trip to Verona.  We had all the food collected from the scouting for food at our house.  We dropped it off at the food bank that afternoon.  We forgot a container of syrup.  Ugh.








Lastly we had a little trip to the waterpark. Shanna won a waterpark ticket from the summer reading program.  She planned on going with Lee for a little date. Well, I saw a friend at soccer one night and I mentioned it to the librarian (because I met her at the library and I know our librarian knows her).  It was funny what happened because then the librarian said that this friend's kids won two waterpark tickets but didn't want them and left them at the library.  She asked if I wanted them.  YES!  So we paid for four others to go and made it our family night.  So fun!  And the lines were amazing because we basically didn't have to wait in line. I think the only real line was for the FloRider wave thing.... We all took a turn!












I was the worst out of everybody, haha.




A fun FHE.  Not sure if I want to ever go to the waterpark at any other time!  It was during school on a random day well before a holiday.  Perfect!  We are getting excited about Thanksgiving next week!!!!