Summer wrap up...

It's been awhile, but we've been busy so please forgive me.  Here's what we've been up to...

 

Bryant turned 32.  We celebrated with a yummy Oreo cake and some fast racing.... followed with some crab legs.

 

 

Then we headed to Gettysburg, PA for the Strine family reunion in Dover.  The kids had fun playing a bobbing head game... against each other.  Eli on the other hand preferred splashing in the rain puddles.

 

 

 

We stayed with Grandma and Grandpa in their camper at Gettysburg.  And we enjoyed touring Gettysburg battlegrounds by bike.  We explored quite a bit of grounds and climbed and played on anything we were allowed to.

Then the two older kids headed to New York for a week with Grandma and Grandpa.  Eli and I drove up later for some canning, some playing, some visiting... and for the other two kids.

 



 

With summer almost thru... it was time to start thinking about going back to school  We started that with a Back to School Luau where we ate and played... Gracie also won a backpack!

 

And finally, our last hoorah of summer.  Yesterday, was Labor Day and we headed to the National Harbor.  We ate chili dogs, played at The Awakening (the giant man coming out of the sand), walked the pier, and played at The Launch Zone (a preview of the new National Children's Museum coming this winter).  It was a great ending to a great summer.

 

4th of July...

Over the 4th of July weekend/ week, we spent our time in New York.  We were all there for grandma's funeral and while the time was sad, we definitely still had plenty of joy.

Jenna conquered the monkey bars.  Fearless.  She's simply fearless.

The kids got buggy rides from grandpa.

And 4-wheeler rides from grandma.

Jonah bravely took the challenge of getting the frisbee off of the barn roof!  I jokingly said that the first person who gets the frisbee down gets 100 bucks.  Well, he was up and out of his seat faster than anyone else and shortly after he was asking me to pay up!  I think we scrounged up some money, it was just 100 bucks missing a couple of zeros.

Nathan and Jenna had fun playing in the sprinkler... until the dog ate the sprinkler.

Greg turned 29.  He's single ladies, and he's awesome!! (this picture does not do him any justice, sorry Greg)

Uncle Greg has 6 nieces and nephews that just adore him.  And they worked hard to prepare a dance routine for him as his birthday present... Party Rockers!

Greg's birthday is on July 3rd, and as tradition he always gets fireworks for his birthday present from his siblings.  The kids were so excited to set them off this year... however, the cows had other plans.  They decided to escape the pasture and wander around.  Apparently they assumed that the grown ups didn't need fireworks this year, they needed to chase cows instead!

Grandma Strine.

My dear grandmother went to be with the Lord this summer.  Her funeral was one of reflection and celebration of her life as her grandchildren sang for her one last time.  She was such a beautiful lady, both inside and out.  I joyfully look forward to the day when I get to walk with her again, and maybe she'll have some yummy cookies or pie waiting for me.  (And if there is camping in Heaven, then I'll be sure to look for grandma in her camper... maybe I'll even sleep on the table.)

"And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own; and the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known."

Luella May Strine

May 11, 1927- June 25, 2012

Disney... Part 5

Our last outing at Disney was to Hollywood Studios.

We watched the Indiana Jones Stunt show...

Watched the parade... Eli met Frozone from The Incredibles.

And Nathan attended Jedi Training...

Video of the day:

Disney... Part 4

The next 2 days, it rained. Hard.  Tropical Storm Debby came in and we did not venture into Disney at all those days. 

We did however, eat lunch at the World's Largest McDonald's.  And we went to the movies to watch Brave, souvenir shopped and went Dinosaur digging.  We really did try to make the most of it.

Disney... Part 3

Epcot.  It really is much more fun then what people say.  At least for us it is!

There are several different play areas.  We used these to escape the heat and it was a good place to wait with the small kids while the big kids were on a simulator ride.

We watched the Caption EO 3D movie from the 80's starring Michael Jackson.  It was nap time for Eli, so this was perfect (he fell asleep, mission accomplished).

We happened by another beautiful princess at Epcot.  Snow White told Gracie all about how Grumpy just loves gooseberry cookies!

At lunch a colonial band made an appearance at the restaurant we were eating at.  It was a very pleasant surprise.  With the exception of the drunk man in the dining room that was singing his own lyrics to Yankee Doodle... if we were only a couple of tables closer...

And my video of the day: