Spring Break 2013

How can it already be time for Spring Break?  This year is truly flying by!  This year, we decided to add a couple more adventures to our regular TN trip.  On our way, we stopped off in Atlanta to go to Legoland which was so much fun!  There were a couple of rides where we got to "shoot" the evil Lego figures, a playplace to climb, lots of places to build your own lego sets, and an awesome 4D movie (which was everyone's favorite).  While we were in Nashville, Rick and I took Andrew & Aubrey to Dinoworld in Cave City, KY.  It was a pretty cool place, too!  There was a fun fossil dig, a movie to watch about an Alosaurus, and a long trail with life-sized dinosaurs.  They both loved it!  While we were there, Nana and Pa took Davis on his own adventure to the JDN Greenway where Davis and Nana walked 2 miles!  Aubrey's favorite part of the trip was spending a part of the day with Molly Cate at Nana's playground and then lunch. We also headed to Tullahoma to see Grandma & Grandpa for Grandma's annual Easter Egg Hunt.  It was a quick Spring Break and we look forward to going back and seeing everyone again this summer.

Legoland!

Aubrey found a friend!

"Painting" with legos!

Aubrey playing football.  It's the Atlanta stadium, players, fans- all made of Legos.

Aubrey & Andrew building.

There was also a Lego Friends section, which is for girls.

Getting ready to ride on a ride where the faster you pedal, the higher you go.  She couldn't quite reach the pedals.

Aubrey climbing way up high!

Andrew way up high!

Aubrey building a tall tower...

...it was taller than she was!

Aubrey singing karaoke.

Dancing in the mirror.

4D movie time!

Davis was determined to be in both pictures while Andrew wasn't interested.

Pirate Aubrey.

Worn out!

Davis was, too!

Welcome to Dinoworld!

Andrew was so excited to be there!!

I love my little dino expert!

He loved all the little dinos on the playground.

Andrew in the T-Rex's mouth.

Andrew playing the dinosaur trivia game- yes, he knew all the answers.

Time for the fossil dig!

Aubrey loved this part.

Daddy helping Andrew find his 3.  Everyone could keep 3 fossils.

Showing off their 3 fossils.  Andrew found shark teeth, which he was VERY excited about.

More of Andrew digging.

Aubrey was braver and climbed farther in the T-Rex's mouth.

On the trail.

They found another fossil site.

"Petting" the baby dinos.

Reading the info to us, we were REALLY impressed!  He didn't stumble over many words.

I don't think this is a T-Rex but it was big!  Andrew could probably tell me what it is but he's not here at the moment.

We loved the woolly mammoths!  Aubrey is "loving on the baby."

Standing at the base of the life-size T-Rex's tail.

He was HUGE!  Andrew and Aubrey are sitting on his toes, you can barely see them on the left.

Andrew in front of one of his favorite dinosaurs, the Brachiosaurus.

Davis on his adventure.

It was cold there, too!

On the 2 mile hike.

Beautiful views!

My favorite picture!  This cracks me up!  They are just alike!

One of our favorite places to eat, Pie in the Sky Pizza.  Andrew was cracking me up in his coat, playing his Nook, & eating his pizza all at the same time.

I can't remember whether Aubrey or Davis took this, but whoever did, did a very nice job.

Lunch with Molly Cate.

Aubrey teaching Molly Cate how to play Angry Birds on the Nook.

She tired out so Aubrey played while she watched.

Davis kept wanting to take pictures.

Molly Cate was fascinated with the boys.  We told Caron that Molly Cate needs 2 older brothers!  :)

Sweet girls!

Easter Egg Hunt at Grandma's.

It was a gorgeous day!

The boys counting their eggs.

Time to check and see what's inside.

Aubrey found skittles, her favorite.

Riding bikes with Grandma.

5th grade field trip

Today I went with Davis on his very last elementary school field trip (sniff, sniff) to the Isle of Palms, which is a Barrier Island near Charleston.  We left our house at 6:25 a.m. and didn't return to the school until nearly 6 p.m.  It was a very long, very cold, but very fun day.  We learned several amazing facts.  For instance, did you know the Palmetto Tree isn't a tree at all but actually grass?  It's still listed as South Carolina's state tree because they didn't figure that out until after all the stamps had been made and it was already in text books.  The weather was very cold but sunny so it wasn't all bad.  We took a boat trip that was very windy and cold but beautiful.  I enjoyed my day with Davis, it was very bittersweet.

It was dark and early but we were excited.

I took this for Andrew, it's the skull of an Atlantic Bottle-nosed Dolphin.

The saltwater side.

This looks like tracks a snake would have made but it's actually from a sea otter going from the freshwater side to the saltwater side.

Listening to our guide.  Davis is the last one on the left.

The freshwater side.

The beach with leftover hurricane damage.

It was tough to navigate through it at times.

Davis on the beach.

On the beach with my favorite fifth grader.

The horseshoe crab skeleton he found.

Getting ready to learn about crabs.

The Blue Crab.

A Crab Catcher, like the one they use on Deadliest Catch.

Busy Saturday

Yes, I know it's been almost a month since I've posted anything on here but we haven't really done much besides trying to stay well, keep up with school work, and start preparing for NEXT school year. yes, I said next.  I registered my baby for Kindergarten (sad) and my oldest for middle school (even sadder).  Next year will be tough on this mommy!  Both of them, however, are more than ready and excited for their new adventures.  Andrew, on the other hand, would be perfectly content to stay home with me for the rest of his life.  Sweet boy!

We planned several months ago to take our children to the Circus.  Davis has only been one time and that was right after Andrew was born and the other two have never been.  On the same day as the circus, I discovered there was a reptile expo going on so we ventured out to both.  The day began with Davis going to karate from 10-11 then the reptile expo, lunch, and finally, the circus at 3.  We were all wiped out by the time we got home at nearly 7.  Needless to say, this was the first spring forward our children have ever slept semi-late (we were bad parents & didn't set their clocks).  It  was a great day!  All three loved the reptile expo!  Aubrey was a brave girl and held a huge, $3,000 snake!  Andrew wouldn't touch anything at first but then got brave at the end.  Davis touched everything.  It's a miracle we made it out of there without some sort of creature!

The circus was amazing and all three were absolutely mesmerized (Rick and I were, too).  Aubrey loved the acrobats & the elephants, Andrew loved the dogs and the motorcycles, and Davis enjoyed taking tons of pictures and videos with his DS.  It was a great day!

Oh the excitement of all these reptiles!  He could hardly stand it!

"I want this snake."

Aubrey holding the $3,000 snake.

Andrew wanted ALL the snakes!

Davis got into it, too.

Petting a crocodile, and yes, it belongs to that little boy.  Ick!

That Albino Reticulated Python weighs 80 pounds!

Andrew finally got brave enough to touch something.

Davis and Aubrey checking out the turtles.

This dragon was Aubrey's favorite.

Circus time!
Me with my silly clowns (Aubrey's nose kept falling off so she had to just hold it on).

After 3 kids and nearly 17 years of marriage, we still love to be silly & have fun!

The chaos before the Circus started.  You could walk down front and dance with the clowns.

Patiently waiting for things to get started.  I don't know why she looks sad, she certainly wasn't.

She cracked us up in this hat that came with her cotton candy!

Mystery Reader

Andrew's class has a mystery reader every Friday.  Most of the time it's a parent but Davis asked Andrew's teacher, Mrs. Cook, if he could do it.  Every Friday, Andrew is convinced it's going to be Davis and today it was.  Davis was so nervous but he did a great job and the look on Andrew's face when he saw his brother was priceless.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to capture that moment, but his face was just beaming the entire time Davis read.  So sweet!!!  I do love my boys!

Click on the picture to see Andrew's excited face.

I LOVE the look on his face!

Davis really did a wonderful job.  He loved every second of it, too!

Sweet brothers.

Jump Rope for Heart

Today was Jump Rope for Heart for the boys at their school.  Davis was excited and Andrew was nervous. Both did great!  5th grade did a couple of dances while Kindergarten did a "Friday chant."  It  was tons of fun and the school raised a lot of money.  Aubrey was even able to come watch Andrew.

Andrew ready to jump.

There he goes!

Listening to instruction.

He had a blast!

Dancing?  Not sure.

Hula Hoop with Navi the Navigator.

Watching with my sweet girl.

Her sticker reads, "Future Navigator," which makes Mommy sad.

Davis' turn!

Catching air!

He did a great job!

Doing the "Thriller" dance.

More dancing.  Totally impressed he did it!