17th Anniversary!

We celebrated our anniversary a week late. So fun that we're a few years away from 20!  Random photos first. Lee made a bottle rocket launcher for me for cub scouts a few years ago and the kids pulled it out.  It still works!

Fall dance!!!  We like to hit up Cook-Out afterwards per tradition. 

Lee surprised me with some pretty flowers for our anniversary.

We also went to an art exhibit where Shanna's dancer was on display at the central office.  So fun!

Lee voluntarily took on Cub Scouts.  He has been busy being on the High Council, Cub Scouts and Ward Choir director.  Plus Mr. Awesome Dad as I'm busy with Relief Society.

We think it was National Prayer day. Lee saw these kids out praying in front of the high school.  Very awesome!

In the month of October the kids had many activities surrounding a mission.  It was really neat.  They each received a mission call to a foreign mission.  The first week they met their companion and the host family who told them about their mission.  The second week they had a pday and did activities with cooking, laundry, physical activities.  Week three they met with their companion and learned how to teach a lesson using the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet.  Then the last week they went to their host family's home for an authentic dinner (Lee hosted for Nicaragua) and for the companionship to teach their prepared lesson.  It was great!  Next year we are going to do stateside missions I guess. Here are a couple of them with their mission calls.

Now to the anniversary.  We did a little outing right before two big family outings.  One of the family outings was to bike the Virginia Creeper Trail.  I set out some snacks for the kids to pack up their own waterpack.

Lee and I hiked to Hawksbill Peak, the highest peak in Shenandoah for our anniversary date.  I wanted to hike Old Rag, but the entrance is about an hour away and we had to get back to head to Raleigh.

We ate outside at the Gathering Grounds after.  Super yummy.  And the cake was oh so good!

We arrived home about 1:30 and got ready for the drive to Raleigh.  We purchased a roof top bike rack.  This will come in handy as someday I want to go to Acadia National Park and bring our bikes. Love seeing our Suburban loaded down with bikes!!!

We made it to Raleigh for the temple open house!!! I wish we could have been on a talking tour.  We were with a huge group and we were just rushed through. But the group behind us had a talking tour and took more time.  Ugh.  Oh well. After we went to Daniel and Amy's to spend the night.  We enjoyed chatting with them before we went to bed.  Daniel and Amy asked us if we noticed different things in the temple and basically our answer was always no.  It was rush, rush the whole time.

 

After the open house we browsed the cultural hall for a little while. It was awesome, the guy who was taking our family picture in front of the Christus was moving around like we were on a photo shoot.

Back at Daniel's.  They found Ely on the map! Thanks Daniel and Amy!  We enjoyed the visit and the place to sleep.  I wish we could have stayed longer!

Ha ha, the names of the roads around here! Too funny.