Monday, August 26, 2013

Who are these kids?


A couple of jokesters!


Charlie, Cam, Banks and Hughes at Abby's birthday party.

Growing Up!



The boys washed my car last week for the first time.  I was out there instructing and going behind them wiping everything they missed.  They had the most fun with the water hose.




Even Collins got in on the action.

Another day, we went bowling.  We have not been in forever.  We met some friends and every other daycare facility in the Alexandria area and got our bowl on.


Everybody appreciates the gutter guards.





Out of the 10 people bowling, Collins was high score.  He was also the only one using the ramp.


Our crew of misfits



A sign of growing up - David taught Hughes how to cut the grass.  He's not ready to do it by himself yet but it's a start.



Monday, August 19, 2013

Golf Outing


We took the boys to the golf range for the first time last weekend.  David found this course in DC right on the water.  It is equivalent to the Muny in Charleston.  Banks got a set of left-handed clubs for Christmas so he was ready to go.  We're going to need to get Hughes some right-handed clubs now that he enjoyed it.


David giving Banks some pointers.





Hughes was using David's clubs.



Collins was the ball boy.


After hitting two buckets of range balls, we hit the puttputt course.





It was a great golf day.  No score was kept on the puttputt course but I daresay the adult's scores were in the nose-bleed section.  There weren't any dinosaurs or volcanoes a la Myrtle Beach, but the lack of obstacles proved to be our downfall.  I guess we play our best when we're focused on our ball not getting swiped by the windmill or kicked by the t-rex.


National Air and Space Museum


Last weekend, we visited the National Air and Space Museum.  It is comprised of two hangars filled to the brim with awesome planes from different wars and the space shuttle, Discovery.


Hughes and Banks in front of the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird.  It was a long range, reconnaissance aircraft.  It basically outflew land-to-air missiles and none of the 32 built were ever lost to enemy action.







The Discovery up close looked like it was paper mached with all of the different sized white squares making up the outer shell.  Eric Carle would be proud :)


It was an incredible sight to behold and truly ginormous.


Banks chilling.






Hughes took hold of the camera.  Proof that I was there.




The pictures don't do it justice but it was spectacular.


Banks trying on a moon boot.


This was a airplane that the nazis would send off from their submarines.  It's purpose was to look for other enemy submarines in the vicinity.  The aircraft was tethered to the sub by a long rope of some sort.  They didn't like to use this aircraft because it gave away their location as they had to come up to the surface to launch it.  Sounds like a total fail in my book.




It was a good family adventure.

Camp Greenville - Mom & Me Camp


It's Banks' turn.  Finally, Banks is old enough for Mom & Me Camp.  He has been so excited about this and I'm happy to say that he had a really great time.  This was my 3rd year so I was able to compare it to years' past.  We had to ask for a few activities that we had done in the past but once everything got worked out, we had a great time.  It took a while for our counselor (16 or 17 year old homeschool girl who was afraid of her shadow) to realize that the moms did not want to be in charge.  By the second day, it was smooth sailing.


It was a small group this year.  We had three boy campers and three girl campers.


Banks really enjoyed playing Ga-Ga ball.  I have no idea if this is just a Camp Greenville game or not, but Banks is ready to build a court in the backyard.



Banks enjoyed the climbing.  It was early.  There were some tears because I didn't hold him up and let him finish the course.  In my defense, it was early and I hadn't had any caffeine yet.


Hike to Pretty Place.  Amazing as always.
Anna Parker and Banks.



Playing some
basketball.



There was a lot of big talking going on between the campers about taking the swim test.  After feeling the absolute freezing water, we had no takers.


 "Be a Great Boy, Be a Great Girl"
Camp Greenville's motto is a "Don't wait to be a great man - be a great boy"  unknown





Banks and his buddy, William.



Banks and Anna Parker having a snack break.


Ready to canoe.






Hike to Showerbath Falls.  It was roaring as we had had a big rain storm the night before.






Banks loved the animal center.



Archery time
Banks had a little difficulty with keeping the arrow in the bow.



 
Banks took control of the camera.


Now, it was time to shoot bee bee guns.


This is a little frightening.


I nailed the target every time.  I think I'm going to start hunting the squirrels in my yard.  Not for killing but just as a deterrent to stay out of my yard.


Banks is ready to shoot.



Banks hit the target 4/6 times.  He did pretty awesome.



Dancing at the flagpole during roll call.


Banks and his horse.  He had a great time riding her.  Our time was cut a little short because there was a storm rolling in.  Towards the end, we were literally in a cloud.



You can see it getting foggier and foggier in the pictures.  In years past, we have had a gorgeous mountain background but not this year.



In the horse barn with his fellow campers.

We had a great time at camp but it was time to make the journey back to Virginia.  Hughes and Collins spent time at Dawa and G-daddy's house while we were at camp.  We swung by York to get them and then hit the road back to Va.

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