Renaissance Festival

Yesterday we tried something new.  We earned some money a few weeks ago at a yard sale and told the kids that we would use it for something as a family.  Given several suggestions, they picked the annual Renaissance Festival in Maryland.  We knew some friends that had gone before but we really didn't know what to expect, but we went with an open mind and determined to have a good time.  Everyone was in costume!  And by everyone I mean the people working there and the general public!  They even had places to rent a costume for the day.  There were a lot of big bosoms and um, tight pants on the men- yikes!  But I really felt like we had gone back in time.  There were tons of shows throughout the day on different stages, from shakespeare, to magic shows, to jugglers, to music and comedy.  They had sword fighting and jousting and all kinds of meat on a stick.  Both Gavin and Cameron were called up on stage to help with acts, and Mason had a pony ride.  Gavin tried climbing a rock wall to get the dragon, and the kids all went through a maze and down some really cool wooden slides.  They did a great job of making it enjoyable for kids and adults and today they were already asking when we we would go back!  I love when we do something different and it is a success!

Just a bit of random

 So I know I have been a horrible blogger.  And it isn't likely to get much better anytime soon.  With all the kids in school you would think I would have tons of time on my hands, and I did, at first and got our house all ship shape by going through closets and organizing like crazy.  But one thing that I have wanted to do when all the boys left (besides curl up in a ball and cry)  is substitute teach.  I started this past week at a local middle school in ESL and in second grade at the boys' school.  Teachers have tough jobs!  But it was fun and I like that it is different every time.  I am doing this on top of my vet tech job so it keeps me very busy, but with this I got to see the kids and have lunch with Gavin and we all came home together.  I was thankful for the freezer meals I stockpiled the week before and it all worked out.  Here are a couple of things we have been up to...

Baldwin has really enjoyed the extra attention he has been getting with the kids gone all day.  We have been going on long walks almost every morning and he is able to get the attention he deserves.  He is 10 months old now and we are already starting to think about letting him go.  The big question is whether we will do this again.  At this point we just don't know.  He has been such an amazing dog and we have all learned from him but I just don't know what goodbye will be like.  We are not looking forward to that one bit.

A couple weeks ago our family hiked Bull Run Mountain, a trail in our own backyard that we only discovered a couple of years ago but this is the first time the kids made it to the top!  We have tried with them a couple of times before but it is a long, steep hike and someone always had wanted to give up.  Not this time!  We were happy to be able to share the incredible view with them at the summit.  We are enjoying the fall weather here in Virginia!

We had a yard sale.  To be honest we did not have much to sell, but the boys (particularly Cameron) really wanted to sell donuts or something to the customers as we have done in years past.  So I made some home made cinnamon rolls and the boys worked hard to get them sold!  They made more than $50!  We even had one guy come back later to buy more to take home to his family he enjoyed them so much!  Mason held the sign and yelled to all the passing cars for the first couple of hours.  Gavin was not really interested in making money and Cameron was stalwart and stayed out all morning.  He didn't even stop to eat his breakfast and didn't eat any of the cinnamon rolls either because he would rather sell them!  What a disciplined guy.

New School Year 2013

It seems like every year the summer flies by a bit faster than the one before.  There were so many things that we wanted to do that we just didn't have time for and now it's back to school once more.  Yesterday we had a special fondue dinner with the kids and talked with them about the new year and the goals/expectations we have for them during this next year.  They all seemed to be excited and nervous about the next day.  This morning Cameron woke us all up at 7 am with his piano practice like we had discussed and the kids enjoyed a cinnamon roll breakfast.  Grandma came to see the kids off with us at the bus stop and I was fine until someone asked me if Mason was really old enough to go to school too.  When the bus came Mason didn't even look back or hug me goodbye, he was not afraid at all, and with two older brothers he doesn't need to be.  Now I'm just a little bit teary feeling sorry for myself being all alone.  Mason isn't one of those kids who will be crying missing their mommy, I was more worried about him being able to open everything in his lunch.  I can't wait for the report when they come home.  Now, it's cookie baking time!

BYU Football!

There is nothing like the thrill of rooting for your college team up in the stands with all the fans around you.  I remember like it was yesterday being a student at BYU and getting season passes to the football games, game day excitement was contagious!  Our boys have never been to a college football game, let alone a BYU game, so when we heard that BYU was coming to UVA there was no doubt that we would get tickets and shout for our cougars.  The tickets were actually a gift to Jeremy for Father's Day, and the game would be the book end to our glorious summer.  We set off yesterday to Charlottesville and attended Cougartown where we had lunch and rubbed elbows with some other fans and alumni.  I even won a hat in the raffle!  We headed to the stadium in the stifling heat and found out our tickets were in the direct sunlight, glad I got that hat!  The first quarter was hot and boring since nobody scored but then the clouds rolled in and they announced a thunderstorm warning was in effect and that we would all have to exit the stadium.  Crazy!  We, along with everyone else it seemed, went across the street to the gym and sat wall to wall people as the storm crashed outside.  The power went out twice and it was two hours before the game resumed.  We were anxious to get back to our seats and the game until the downpours started and once again we headed for cover.  We kept wondering if we should just leave but our car was parked a good 15 minutes away and we would all get drenched so we waited it out.  Once the rain stopped the game was in full swing anf the Cougars were ahead.  It was an INTENSE game and it gave me such pride to see my boys jumping up and down and yelling for BYU.  In the end, there were a lot of mistakes made by our team and UVA won by 3 points, but I tell you what, it was a FUN time, even with all of the kinks.  The kids will not forget this one.  So glad that my kids are getting old enough that we can all enjoy going to a game like this and that they can actually get into it.  Rumor has it they play VA Tech next year and we will totally be there!