The National Zoo

We enjoyed a fun visit with Aunt Missy, Uncle Mitch and Cousin Lina at the zoo. We also added 2 new gorillas to the family, a mama and her baby!!

Mama


Baby

Cambria, Carter, Campbell and Lina in the background.

Old Lady #36

Another year older and grayer.

First Day of School

2009-2010 School Year

Our school year started late this year, not until September 8th. Cambria and Carter are at the same school and Caitlin continues in the Spanish Immersion program at another school. They were all excited for the first day and so was their mother!!

Cambria 5th grade

Caitlin 2nd grade

Carter Kindergarten

Labor Day Weekend

We wanted to go camping over Labor Day weekend, we decided to stay local and go camping at Burke Lake Park, about 10 minutes from our house. John stayed with the older kids, while I brought Campbell home, because he was sick. We had fun roasting hot dogs and marshmallows with the Serote Family on Friday night.

On Saturday we took the kids on the train at the park. Campbell thought it was great fun!

We took lunch and went to the Manassas Battlefield. The first and second Battles of Bull Run took place here.

It was a hot day and the kids were troopers as we walked across the battlefield and looked around.

The actual farmhouse that was there during the battle.

Bowling with the Cousins

For some summer fun we went bowling with the Corry's.

Thank goodness for gutter guards!!

I just thought he was too cute in these mini-sized bowling shoes wearing his big sister's socks

What concentration Rach!

August Adventures

Campbell was so tired that the girls snuggled with him and he fell asleep. So sweet!!

Carter turned 5yrs old

Carter wanted to go to CiCi's pizza for his birthday, so we went and pigged out.

He wanted 2 round cakes that had Star Wars on them.

Aside from the Star Wars stuff, his sisters gave him some ketchup for his birthday. The boy eats ketchup on everything, and I mean everything!!

Campbell decided he wanted to sneak to school with the kids this year!

West Coast Visitors

In July Aunt Arlene and Uncle Stan, who were here in the East sightseeing, stopped in for a visit. It has been several years since we have seen them and it was nice to catch up!

4th of July

4th of July at Lake Accotink

Our Ward usually has a July 4th party at one of the local parks, with games and fun. There is always a dessert contest, so this year I thought we would do something that was All American- Hamburgers and Hotdogs on cupcakes. They were a family effort and a big hit at the party. We won a gift certificate to an ice-cream shop!

Patriotic Family


We were so tired from the concert the night before that we stayed home and enjoyed our own fireworks show!

July 3rd Concert at the Capitol

A Capitol Fourth.

This year we decided to take the Metro downtown to DC to watch the rehearsal for the July 4th Concert at the Capitol: A Capitol Fourth. It is held on the West lawn and steps of the Capitol, overlooking the mall and other Monuments. We were up kind of high but we could see the stage and watch on the Giant screens they had. Jimmy Smits was the host and we saw performers Barry Manilow, Natasha Bedingfield, Aretha Franklin, The Muppets, the cast of Jersey Boys, Michael Feinsten and many other performers that night.

The kids on the Metro

The Boys dancing- Carter provided a lot of entertainment to the people around us with his dancing. We got a lot of comments about what a good little dancer he is- he ate it up!

We took lots of snacks and we were distracting the girl next to us with our Starbursts and Donuts-or so said her text message to a friend that Cambria got a glimpse of!!

My brown-eyed girl

Who doesn't love the Muppets??

Campbell turns 2yrs old!

The Birthday Boy!

B-day boy, Little Einstein cake (Pat-pat cake) and cousin Maddie sneaking some frosting

The cake bakers!

Cambria, Caitlin and Cousin Rachel



Don't blow yet!

At least Mom is happy we made it through the first 2 years!!

Youth Conference in Kirtland, Ohio

We had opportunity to go to Kirtland, Ohio, for Youth Conference, with the Youth from our Stake. Thanks for Auntie Deb for taking our sick kids so that we could attend. John and I were the Group Leaders of our group, Newel K. Whitney...... We had a fun group of kids, there were only a few who managed to sneak out after hours!


One of our favorite experiences there was the Sacrament Meeting held in the Kirtland Temple. Our group had permission from(I think we actually had to pay) the Community of Christ Church to hold a Friday night meeting in the temple. We consider this to be a once in a lifetime opportunity to be in that temple for a sacrament meeting. There was hardly a dry eye as we sang, "The Spirit of God", with the youth and partook of the Sacrament there. It really impacted the youth and we feel blessed that we were able to be there too. Unforgettable!!


We visited most of the Church's historical sites:

The Morley Farm

Historic Kirtland: Whitney store, Whitney home, John Johnson Inn, the sawmill, ashery and visitor's center
the stone quarry, where they cut the stones for the temple
The Kirtland Temple
The John Johnson Farm

Here are some of the pictures!

The Kirtland Temple

Presentation at the Historic Kirtland Visitor's Center

The Whitney Home

Whitney Store

River where early Saints were baptized

The John Johnson Home

Steps where Joseph Smith preached after he was dragged from the house, tarred and feathered and left for dead.
Joseph and Emma's bedroom

Pictures from the stone quarry: Look carefully at the stone and you can still see tool marks

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)