guns and fairs

 One weekend this past summer we went to a firing range while Claire was at camp.  This is one of those things that I enjoy but not sure why.  This was only my second time and I loved it.  I got a bulls eye my first shot!  Boys loved it too.  That same weekend we headed to a small county fair and enjoyed riding familiar rides and eating not so healthy food.

Funny story from the fair.  I really wanted to ride the swings with the kids, but I had flip flops on which weren't allowed.  So my kind husband let me wear his tennis shoes while I rode and he shoved his feet in my flip flops.  This mortified Carter.  Not me with huge men's tennis shoes on, but Allen with my flip flops.  He kept saying, "Dad, stop.  Oh my gosh dad, take those off!  I can't stay by you, this is so embarrassing."It was so funny!  We decided that this was the first time Carter has been embarrassed by one of his parents.  Which is funny that this is what he chooses to be embarrassed by.  He is our teenager who still hugs and kisses Allen and I in front of friends, who still tells me he loves me as I drop him off at high school along with two other boys, who doesn't mind me loving on him or Allen putting his arm around him.  All that is fine, but don't you dare wear women's flip flops!  He cracks me up.

taking a break and watching motorcycle tricks

She won a fish on her first try!  It was dead by morning.

court of honor

 Carter finally had his eagle scout court of honor this past summer.  He was waiting so he could have it with six other boys in his troop.  It was a great night and I was a proud mama.  Allen was the conducting the court of honor and also did a great job.  His mom said afterwards, "I am so proud of Carter, but I think I'm more proud of Allen tonight." She loves her boy.

my three scouts; Jared will be working on his eagle project soon

Carter showing Congressman Duncan his project

I was these four boys cub scout leader their first two years in scouts-love them all!

So proud of Carter and this accomplishment!

lake time

We didn't spend as much time on the lake as we usually do due to a cool and rainy spring and summer. Plus Carter had a torn hamstring for the first part of the summer.  We got a paddle board this year to add to our collection.  We can now have the whole family out with 3 in kayaks, one on the paddle board and Claire catching a ride with someone.  We all have really enjoyed the paddle board.

One day we paddled to some 10-12 foot cliffs near our house and talked Claire into jumping off.  After trying to talk her into actually jumping off the cliff she decided she wanted me to hold her hand and jump with her.  Bad idea.  I jumped. She didn't. So she landed on her side.  Lesson learned.

Boat wise, the boys really got good with the surfing this year.  Carter and Jared can stay in the wake/pocket and just get pushed by the wave for as long as they want.  They can ride up and down the wave like you see in the ocean.  Allen still struggles to stay in the pocket for more than a few seconds (he is blaming the board-too small for his height) and I just enjoy holding on to the rope.  Claire tried many times but has yet to really get it.

rv

We finally made up the trip to the Virginia Creeper that we had to cancel when we lost our dog Max last fall.  We tried something new, something our kids have wanted to do for a few years.  We traveled and stayed in a RV (rented an old one).  Our trip was 4 nights/5 days.  We spent a day/night at Warriors State Park and the rest in Damascus, VA. We loved it.  We all loved it.  It was such a fun, different vacation for us.  The traveling was the best.  We played games, I laid on my bed and read, the kids hung out in that cool space above the driver.  The driver, Allen, was the only one who didn't think this was the best way to travel.

Virginia was awesome.  The first day we hiked part of the Appalachian trail.  The next day we did what we have done before; we rode down the 17 miles from Whitetop to Damascus, which is mainly coasting the whole way.  This time we stopped a lot more and enjoyed what the trail has to offer-river with rocks, little caves, beautiful scenery, rocks to climb up.  The last day we did something new and rode the 17 miles from Damascus to Abingdon.  This is all flat and much more of a real bike ride.  We loved it.  Believe it or not I think its scenery is better than the first trip.  We went through beautiful farms, the kind that make you want to live on a farm.  One bridge was gone due to a tornado so we had to ride down and up a steep embankment.  Boys loved it, I thought I was going to die.

At night we would play games in our little RV.  Monopoly was the game of choice for this trip as we had a lot of time at night.  We also played cards and even watched the movie RV one night!  It was so fun.  I laughed so hard every night that I would cry and my cheeks would hurt.  Those times are what I loved about this trip.  Our little family in a small RV laughing until we cried.  It just doesn't get any better than that.  We made such wonderful memories and have some good inside jokes from this trip.

Here are just a few of the pics we took:

driving in style

Monopoly

bed time

skipping rocks

bride to Abingdon

The "Virginia Creeper" engine in Abingdon

nap time

 We've had a lot of good naps around here lately.

claire swims

I realized this year that Claire is a really good swimmer.  Not just in free style, but all of the strokes.  This was her third year on the swim team (her brothers did not swim this year-made me sad-also great swimmers).  This year she really figured out butterfly (I am still trying to figure it out) and does a beautiful and fast stroke.  I enjoyed watching her swim and I also enjoyed how she would meet people from the other team (as they waited to race).  "Jane said she is going to the beach next week," "who?" "oh, this girl I met from the other team."  I love Claire and her swimming and her friendliness. 

climbing kids

The boys have added another new feature to our work-out room.  First Allen, Carter and Jared built the peg board (on right); now they have added a climbing wall.  It's been a fun addition for everyone.  I love that this is something that Allen has been able to do with his boys.  They love to design and build things together.  And then play on them.