~A Visit from Grammy~

My Mom came out from Las Vegas to visit us for a week.  We loved having her here.  I have to admit I am a bit selfish with my Mom...I planned her visit when the kids were in school so we could shop and do all the fun things Mom's and daughters like to do!  We just made sure to be home in time for the kids to come home from school.  The weather was perfect and we spent a lot of time sitting on the front porch watching the kids, and the pup playing.



Of course living here in Virginia there is plenty of things to do and see.  One of our visits was to Colonial Williamsburg.  You just can't get enough of the history around here!



I love how there are people walking the streets in their period clothing.  I think this lady might of been a little peeved I was taking her picture???

The gardens this time of year where beautiful!



My Mom is an avid reader...in fact while she was here, she read something like 8 books.  Her kindle died and she forgot to bring the charger, so she had go buy a few more books.  I think her granddaughter might be just like her...

Maddie constantly has a book in her hand!

Me, on the other hand...I just read on my phone...


The last day Mom was here Langley AFB had an air show.  The weather changed that day and it was a bit chilly and rainy.  Thankfully, it cleared up enough that we didn't get soaked.




















We LOVED having Grammy here for the week...it went by way too fast!

And just so you know...

The WILLICUTIE Bed & Breakfast is taking reservations...so come see us!!!

Strawberry ~PICKIN'~

There's nothing quite like fresh strawberry's that scream's summer!!!

When we drove by this strawberry patch...we had to stop!!!

Maddie even found a new pet...ladybug!











Definitely a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon!!!

I've made the jam and the shortcake is in the oven...yum!

What we did for SPRING break ~part 2~

We had originally planned to go up to D.C. the beginning of April so we could see the peak of the cherry blossoms, but the weather forecast just didn't cooperate, so we decided to reschedule for spring break instead.  Dale took a few days off and we headed to Mt. Vernon first...

It was a beautiful day!  Perfect weather to wander the grounds where our first president George Washington lived.  It was a busy day there, I think a lot of other spring breakers had our same idea.



We enjoyed walking around the estate looking at the animals...Maddie thought the sheep were stinky...
Dale taught the kids how to whistle with a blade of grass...
We also spent a lot of time goofing off waiting for our turn to tour the mansion...

I loved the gardens...and I took full advantage of the photo-op!



This is the only tree left on the estate that dates back to the time when George and Martha Washington lived in the mansion.

These chairs are over a hundred years old...it was relaxing to just sit and look at the view of the Potomac River...we were still being goofy though!


Boy...what a difference a day makes!  We went from sunny blue skies and 70 degrees in Mt. Vernon to waking up Friday to grey skies and a brisk 45 degrees...not the kind of weather we wanted while exploring the National Mall.

The camera didn't come out as much, since it was raining off and on, (but mostly on).  We did manage to get a few shots in front of the National Archives, the Capital, Washington Monument, and the White House (it was pouring down rain while we at the White House, so we didn't stick around for a better picture).



We hit the Air and Space Museum,  Museum of Natural History, and American History.  Maddie was so disappointed that we didn't walk to see the Lincoln Memorial , but she spent most of the day on her Daddy's shoulders, and the rest of us were about walked out...we walked about 5 miles (and I'm not exaggerating either!)

We loved it even though it was cold and rainy.  We look forward to our next trip to finish what we started.  We also stopped by to see our good friends the Warnocks for a few hours...but we were anxious to get home to our favorite little pooch.  It was the first time we left her for so long.  I think she had a great time with her new friends...
This is what we came home too... (I know it's blurry, but it's the best I got!)

She was all decked out with her purple necklace and new bling on her dog tag!

She also was clean and smelled of puppy perfume!!!

What we did for SPRING break ~part one~

Maddie has been wanting to try riding her bike without training wheels...
So we have been practicing with her...



...and finally she has done it on her own! (she is still such a little chicken though!)


I met a new friend recently, that also just moved here.  We took our kids, that happen to be the same age :) to the beach for the afternoon.  We took them down to Virginia beach...it couldn't of been a more perfect day to sit on the beach and relax!  82 degrees with a slight breeze...heaven!  The water however was...FREEZING!  The kids could of cared less...they had so much fun jumping the waves and playing in the sand!

I was trying to get a picture of Taylor, and he saw me and started to run...I really don't get him?





I'm going to get a picture of him regardless...cRaZy kid!!!  (I think he secretly loves the attention!)



It was a perfect spring day!!!

Stay tuned for ~part two~

Taylor for PRESIDENT???

It might not be a bad idea...








Lots of money for everyone and pizza every Saturday!!!

So move over Obama...and forget it Trump...

TAYLOR FOR PRESIDENT!!!

Poor Phoebe...

Wants to go out and play too...

Doggie pile on Daddy...

Life is good...

It's all about TAYLOR today!

It's taking my "not so little boy" turning 9 today, to get me back to blogging again! Hopefully I can get back into the routine of keeping our friends and family updated on our lives here in Virginia! But today my  buddy turned 9, so here is a little bit of what he has been up to lately...

I love his blue eyes and his contagious laugh...as much as he makes us crazy around our house, life would not be the same without him!!!  We love you and are so blessed to be your parents!!!


We celebrated his birthday on Saturday with some of his new friends at the roller skating rink. They had so much fun...I remember the roller skating rink being pretty awesome when I was his age too!!!
Even Dale got out there on his skates!  We all got a kick out of the old guy in the yellow shirt and brown pants...he is an instructor there at the rink, but I think he is stuck in the 1970's...haha!  Check out the girlies...aren't they beautiful!!!

Taylor had a great time, he couldn't even wait to play with one of the gift's he got...they had to break open the Beyblade and battle!!!  It took him a couple tries to blow all his candles out, eventually he was able to blow them all out!

Taylor has also been keeping busy with cub scouts.  He loves scouts so much, and has wonderful leaders.  He will be moving onto the Bear Den this week.

A few weeks ago they had the Pinewood Derby...and he did pretty awesome!!!


Taylor's car is the "Red Destroyer"



and took 1st place!!!  (woot!woot!)

You can't find Taylor very often without his OU hat on...and of course he saw I had the camera out, so he had to hide under it...some things never change!

He took 2nd over all...not too shabby for his 1st Pinewood Derby!


Here's to another great year....HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAYLOR!!!