Williamsburg

After Zac got home and after the kids were finished with school we took a much needed family vacation. We flew into Richmond, VA and our first stop was Busch Gardens...didn't take my camera in so sadly no pictures. The last time we had been there was Anne was just little. This time since I was prego Zac had to take Anne on all the crazy rides. He did pretty good...not too much sickness. 

Our next stop was Colonial Williamsburg. When we had last been here it was pouring rain so we ended up not going in at all. This time the weather was with us...it was actually really hot but we had so much fun exploring the different houses, buildings and the farms. 

 All the building in Williamsburg are built like they were back in the day and they were in the process of cutting the beams for some new buildings. They let the kids help cut. 

Anne loved this numbers game. I could have stayed here longer...they had fans.

Part of the really amazing gardens at the Governor's Mansion. 

This might have been our favorite part about Williamsburg. After we came out of the Tavern after lunch there was a man playing random instruments right there. We probably stood there for a good 45 minutes listening. The kids loved it especially Jackson.

Anne loved these jail cells. At one time they held Black Beard's and his crew and Anne had just read a book about Black Beard so she was strangely fascinated with these cells and even had us shut her in just to see what it was like.

After a visit to the jail Andrew started feeling really sick and it started raining so we headed back to the hotel. Someday I will go back when I am not pregnant and when it is not so hot. 

So Glad that Daddy is Home

I am so happy to have Zac home and to have Light Sabers flying around once again.

Battle of the Books - 4th Grade Style

Anne worked so hard this year reading all 18 books on the Battle of the Books book list. She was actually the first in the 4th grade to do so. She said next year she hopes to take the year off of reading so many books...I think she just means that she doesn't want to read so many books not of her choice because I know she loves reading. Her team did really well...3rd place out of 7 classes. I was amazed that they can remember so much information. 

Happy 10th Birthday Anne

I was so bad at taking pictures for Anne's Birthday this year. We actually had a lot of fun. She wanted to go downtown to ride the Riverwalk Boat and since my sister Sierra was here it was the perfect thing to do. I didn't take my camera...so no pictures. Then we came back and Anne's friend called to wish her a Happy Birthday...turns out Anne loves talking on the phone. Let's put it this way. Sierra, Andrew and I were able to make and bake her birthday cupcakes while she chatted the day away. The girl likes to talk.

She had requested Olive Garden for her birthday dinner so by the time we got home from that and took Saturday night showers we almost forgot to eat the cupcakes. Anne was thrilled with her presents. Lot of books which was good because she managed to fall off her scooter a few days before and broke her left arm again. Lots of reading in her future. I still can't believe my little girl is 10. She is so amazing. With another boy on the way I am so grateful for her and the girliness she brings to our house. She has been such an amazing help to me these past months with Zac being gone. I like to call her my mini nanny. She just takes Jackson up to her room and they play so well forever. I love my Anne girl.

Anne's Choir Concert

Anne's Spring Choir concert had a King Arthur theme. Anne loved it. She was one of the Royal Ladies. "Lady Sings A Lot" was her official name. If anyone knows Anne well then you know this was the perfect part for her to play. She is always always singing something. We had so much fun watching this performance. Even Jackson loved it, although Anne said she could hear him singing along from the stage (he had learned all the songs while Anne practiced them at home). We are so proud of Anne's bravery in getting up in front of a lot of people and singing her heart out. 

Anne and her good friend Kaitlyn. They are so similar and get along so well. 

Strawberry Picking

 I was determined to pick strawberries this year (we missed last year because we were moving). Everything grows here a few months earlier then the rest of the country (we are used to picking our strawberries the beginning of June). The kids and I asked around and found Marburger Orchard, about a hour north of us. It was totally worth the trip too. The day was slightly chilly (65-70) which meant no sweating and hardly anyone was there which we always love. Unfortunately the season was coming to a end to the strawberries were slightly small but they were perfect to freeze for smoothies. LOVE!

The flowers were gorgeous. I couldn't stop myself from taking way too many pictures of just flowers.

 Jackson would have stayed there all day running up and down the rows. He was a sweaty mess by the time we finally left just from running back and forth. The two older kids were really good sports to keep racing him back and forth.

Easter Sunday

One of my favorite things about Texas so far are the wild flowers that bloom in the spring. I have never lived somewhere where they are so plentiful and beautiful. Thank you Lady Bird Johnson. A few days before Easter we had a play group up at a park a bit north of here. The flowers were amazing so I decided that we had to go back on Sunday to take pictures. In retrospect, taking pictures right at noon wasn't the best but I knew if we waited we would never come back...Sunday naps and all. The kids loved walking through the flowers and I loved the little bouquet they picked for me to take home. 

This was Andrew trying to pose like his sister...what a stinker he is.

Easter Eggs

Around here I like to do Easter festivities on Saturday so we can concentrate on the true meaning of Easter on Sunday. This year we did sand buckets and a few treats...I really hate that every holiday seems to revolve around candy candy candy. The kids also dyed their eggs. I was pretty proud of myself. I don't usually like to do eggs because of the fear of dye spilling everywhere but since Zac was gone I decided to do it anyway. The kids did really well, even Jackson. They were all really careful while using each color.

We did a small Easter Egg hunt in the back yard. After they finished the kids said I hid them too easy and they went ahead and hid them again and again then had Jackson find them. They probably did this three or four times till they got too warm. Yes, it is already warm here in Texas.