Warm days of fall

We spent the first weekend in November enjoying one of the last warm days of fall.  A hike at Humpback Rocks with good friends!  I think everyone else in the area had the same idea, but we still had a good time.  Cadence required quite a bit of carrying, but the big kids all ran ahead.  We enjoyed a snack and beautiful views at the top (along with everyone else in Central Virginia) and then made our way to Hard Rock Cidery and a new BBQ place for lunch.  An enjoyable time was had by all, even the Hennings as this was their first hike EVER since living here!  We are working on camping for next summer!  (Yes, Kelli, you heard me right!)

Laurel is working on her pouty look

 If only we could have gotten Cadence to grab on and scream like this girl!

Cadence and her daddy

The kids ventured out onto the rocks, much to the Moms' dismay!

July 4th, 2012

The Fourth of July was a wonderful celebration this year!  We started the morning at the beach with some yummy drinks and good company.  Since I have a sand aversion we rarely make it to the beach, so it was a special treat for the kids. They even opted to skip the pool games to stay and play at the beach!

We then had friends out to our house to swim since the only way to survive the weather was to be wet!  After that we all napped.  I was quite bummed to be scheduled to work, but it's been many years since I've had to work a July 4th night shift. My parents then joined us at the Hennings for dinner and on the way over I got the text that I was on-call for the night. Yayhoo!  We were able to have a leisurely dinner together then headed to an old friends' house to watch the lake fireworks.  Cadence needed her ears covered until she took her shirt off then randomly decided that she was okay with noise.  I know - I have no idea how that translated either!

Any holiday that let's us get together and celebrate with family and friends is a wonderful one to me!

Guess which cookie pizza Cadence decorated all by herself?!

Pool time!

Silly Maddie

 Our patriotic children... except Will.  Yes, he has the England flag on his shirt.  On the 4th of July.  You know, the day that we celebrate our independence from them?!  Yeah!  ;-)



Too loud!

I love sparklers!

Catching up...

I often want to blog something but think "It happened too long ago, it's silly to write about it now" or "I've posted too many pictures".  And then I remember, hey, it's my blog!  I can do whatever I want with it!  One of the things I've enjoyed most about blogging is looking back at my own personal online journal and photo album.  This summer was busy and crazy fast and there were a lot of fun memories that I didn't get to blog about but want to have them right here in this space... so I'm catching up.  While I keep warm by the fire I can look longingly at the pictures of my kiddos in bathing suits by the pool.  I'm sure this winter will fly by as fast as the summer and we'll be back there before we know it!

We enjoyed many cookouts and firepits with our good friends.  We tried to squeeze in a few extras before one of the moved away.  This particular day in early summer we celebrated out favorite triplets' birthdays.

Can you feel the enthusiasm?!

Maddie loves her some Cadence

Group hug!

Such a cute girl

And a handsome boy!

Crazy kids

The water balloons eventually came out... and give Macie an idea

How much do those diapers really hold?

Ooohhh... THAT much!

Enthusiasm, right?!

Compiling their stock of water balloons

Finally cake time!

Happy birthday Sophie, Maddie, and Will

Halloween 2011

Our first time trick-or-treating out "in the country"!  There is a neighborhood right across the street, but the homes are on large lots (2-5 acres).  Luckily, we have a great neighbor who takes all of the kids out on the back of his tractor!  The kids had a ball going house to house this "new" way and despite hitting fewer homes than at the Lake, they came home with quite the stash!

Zombies and a few cute ones!

Hay ride

Cadence got more candy than she could handle (I was nice enough to help her out!)

The Meade's sent a fun Halloween package!

Mustaches and fake eyeballs

Gee, can you guess which direction this will go?

She wasn't a fan, but she was a good sport!