This Weekend.

The last week and a half has been a whirlwind as we gear up for the big "D." We've been doing all of our favorite summertime activities which has been a lot of fun. Last weekend we camped out in the backyard, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. We've been out for evening walks and bike rides (or scooter rides). We've had more campfire cookouts picnics, and spent time on the beach. The weather has been warm and summer-y, so that has added to the fun. Friday we spent the day at Busch Gardens, which was by far the best times we've had there since the children came around. Noleigh and Hiram were tall enough for most of the rides! We enjoyed riding the Big Bad Wolf and Escape from Pompeii. (I was too scared for some of the others.) It has been such a blessing to enjoy these activities as a family.

To Remind Us

While attending the TEA party in Newport News today, I ran across a sign that caught my attention. It is so similar to Alma 46:12 I believe it could not be an accident:



It was interesting to see such a diverse group of people come together to protest our government's enslavement of our and future generations. It has been startling to watch the events of the last 6 months and how those in power have used a crisis to push agendas, reward failure, and encourage irresponsibility and bad behavior, and spend money that is not in existence. It was encouraging to be with others who believe that the Federal Government has overstepped its boundaries and need to tighten their belts, as all of us average citizens are having to do.

Home Again

We spent the last two weeks in a whirlwind visit to family. We began our vacation by heading to Berkley, West Virginia. We went hiking and spent the night there. We had a great time, but it was really cold! We went the next morning to Salt Forks Park in Ohio. That was a very nice park as well. We enjoyed our hiking there as well. From there we went to Dover, Ohio in Holmes County. There we visited our favorite cheese factory: Heini's Cheese Chalet. We enjoy it there, as we can sample over 30 kinds of cheese and see how the cheese is made.

We visited with our family in Ohio, and that was a very busy fun time! Dan's dad, brother, sister-in-law, and niece were there, along with all the aunts and uncles, so we stayed very busy and spoiled! I think I gained 10 pounds while there, as the food was excellent as were all the treats! From there we headed to Michigan to visit my sister Bess and her family. We enjoyed our time with them and learned how to make grilled pizzas! We were also able to hand deliver birthday gifts (that were on time) to my niece and nephew. That night it snowed, making our trip the next day a little slushy. We drove to Chambersburg, PA in the hope that we could go hiking on the Appalachian Trail, but the snow and cold weather followed us, so we weren't able to do that. Abby's house was next, but we had a few hours before her family would be home, so we ate at a small deli called Dutch's and then took the UTZ Chip Trip. This was great fun and the kids were amazed to see how chips were made and packaged. The kids loved seeing all the huge machines and enjoyed the free chip samples after. Dan and I decided that from now on, we're going to look for factories to tour to see how things are made. Sometimes we take things for granted and don't appreciate the work or people that provide us with so much!

We spent the night with Abby and her family, and of course, the snow followed us. The next day was bright and beautiful. Abby shooed Dan and I off, so we could enjoy a day together before he leaves. We enjoyed our time, we walked through Gettysburg and enjoyed a nice quiet lunch at one of the small restaurants. After Abby's we headed to Sarah's, where we just relaxed and enjoyed meeting Finnlee, my new niece.

From Sarah's we headed to a day in DC. It was so fun. It turned out to be a beautiful warm day and we enjoyed our walk around the mall. Soon we were on the road home. It was so fun, because when we drove up, all of the irises we'd been waiting to see were in bloom, and they were beautiful.

All in all in was a fun and eventful trip. We loved seeing our family and are grateful for the time they took to spend with us.