Goodbye Playhouse

My dad built this playhouse when Garrett was 3 years old.  It had stairs in it for an upstairs loft.  Garrett painted the inside walls.  Toys have come into this house to provide many hours of fun.  

Seth began playing in the playhouse.  Up and Down the steps giving us heart attacks.  Be careful came out of our mouths very often.  Hanging over the rails provided fun for little boys. 

 This playhouse has been a fort, a great hiding place, a command center, a pretend house, mission control, a tent with sleeping bags, a back stop for baseballs, a kitchen, and many other adventures.  

We have been using the playhouse for extra storage for many years.  Ella wasn't very fond of the playhouse because it may have a bug or two in it.  (Girls, girls, girls)  So it was time to say goodbye to the playhouse and pass it along to another family with little ones.

We had to take pictures.  We talked a great deal about getting rid of the playhouse.  Ella decided that would be a great idea for another little boy or girl to have it UNTIL the day came for the playhouse to leave.  

TEARS, TEARS, TEARS

I let her take pictures.  This made her happy.  She let me know that this would help her remember the playhouse. 

This makes me realize that we no longer have little ones at our house but moving into the true Big Kid phase.  Let the new adventures begin.

Church Camp for the Boys

After being home one day after vacation, Garrett headed off to Camp Paradise.  Camp Paradise is our church camp for middle and high schoolers.  He was super excited to go. 

He left home early to meet the buses. 

Nine buses were out front ready to take over 400 campers and leaders.

 This is a pictures from the website.  Garrett loved every minute of camp. 

 

 The final day with everyone.  Garrett is over to the right side, white sunglasses.

Garrett came home for one day before Seth and I left for Student Life for Kids Camp.  He was excited to head out as well.  Seth invited a friend to come along with us.  

                                     
           

 Our church having worship time.

 I was assigned third grade girls.  These young ladies were busy all week.

Water Rec was enjoyed by all. 

We had great fun worshipping, playing, eating, swimming and learning new friends.  Summer camp memories will last a lifetime. 

Williamsburg Pt. 3 & Pt. 4

 Our last day at Williamsburg we join the RevQuest.  This is a mystery of sorts where you text for clues to your next location.  To let others know you were participating you were asked to wear the bandana. 

 After the first stop, the boys went ahead to the next while Ella painted and play stick and hoop on the green

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 After another wait for the RevQuest, Ella was able to write her name with a quill pen.  She enjoyed this.

 We had to meet a greyhound that gave us more clues to finding out the conspirator.  She made us laugh.  She was the first person to point out that your heads were out of your pockets.  Look at Garrett.  He was called out twice this day for hands in his pockets.

 Reading the last clue in the prison.  Seth is trying out the facilities in the prison.   A hole in the wall "really".

 Will was the end to the celebration that we had accomplished our task.

 The Weddines receiving their prize on stage.

 A little Williamsburg lacross

 The last day we had saved for driving to Virginia Beach.  We had to drive about 1 hour and a half to get there.  The highlight of the trip was the tunnel under water.  AHHHH!  I was a little anxious.  We were able to do it twice - going to VA beach and driving home from VA beach.  The bridge-tunnel was 3 miles long.

 The traffic to and fro was bumper to bumper.  What is up with that I have no idea but we moved at a speed of 35 to 45 mph. 

This was a fun, relaxing vacation.  Slow pace, not rushed and really felt like a break.  Any vacation with the Weddine crew is fun and exciting.  Love building memories.

Williamsburg Vacation Pt. 2

 It makes me smile when I see this - I love when they are watching the same thing and to hear their conversation about what they are seeing.  Warms my heart.  

 Making in the kitchen with some hands on work.  Ella made it over to help set the table from what the boys were cooking.

 Off to games in the courtyard.  I love how Williamsburg has plenty set out for you to do but do not make you do it.  That way you enjoy some family time, conversation, and fun together.

 This can't be a bad thing right??

 We watched plenty of reenactments during our time.  This is one of the many we saw.

 Rifles

and cannons.  The boys loved this.

Our second day was much slower than the first.  We tried to catch the reenactments and pool and fun at the resort.

Williamsburg Vacation 2012

 DAY 1

We decided back in March that we would be heading to Williamsburg, VA for vacation.  These are the events for the first day of touring.

Games on the Green were the first touch of what we were in for at this place.  Garrett is playing Trap Ball.  All the kids loved this game.

 We decided to take a Kids Orientation Tour to kinda help familiarize ourselves with how Williamsburg worked.  This kids are playing on things of old while we wait.

 On our travels, we met Will.  This guy was to fun. 

 Another thing we signed up for was The Apprentice.  This took the kids through three different trades of old.  It was really hands on.  They visited the Silversmith.  They were able to make silver spoons.

 Next was the printing press.  Ella and Seth were able to print on a paper and bring it home.

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 The last stop of The Apprentice was the Milliner shop.  Ella enjoyed this but Seth loves to sew buttons. 

 After touring three shops, we headed to the brickyard.  We were able to "mush" in clay to help the brickyard.  I really was in the "mush" as well.  Oh my!  this took a lot of encouraging for me to do.  YUCK.

 This is how you washed your feet when you finished.  Let me tell you.  I had socks and tennis shoes to put back on after mushing and washing in the lovely pool of water.  No towel, no tissues, nothing to dry my foot. 

 We had a few snack breaks

 Anytime they decide the other one is getting on their nerves, I am going to show them this picture. 

 After a full day at Williamsburg, we came back to the resort to swim and play mini golf.  As we were playing, we saw the deer right in the field behind us.  Too cool.  Ella wanted to be sure Jeff had his gun.

 The sunset as we played mini golf.

 We parked at the visitors center each day and rode the bus into the plantation.  Ella loved not having a car seat or seat belt.  It's the little things in life that make us smile.