Fun in the Water

In addition to kayaking, we enjoyed lots of other fun time in the water. Nathan had a blast riding around the lake in Big Bertha with Karl. Thanks to the Fahrners for taking Nathan out on their boat and tube.

Everyone also enjoyed lounging in the lake. The water was crisp and refreshing to most, but to me it was a little on the cool side. But I managed to get in..... even if only once.

On the flip side, the #1 waterbug award goes to Ms. Isabelle. Here she is showing off her superhero jump, which is really more like a belly flop. But she laughed every time!

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

The weather was beautiful during our vacation, so almost everyone enjoyed some time out in the kayaks.

Nathan was insistent upon paddling, because he "has such strong muscles." So I let him give it a whirl. It was a little scary at first, but he got the hang of it pretty quick.

Family Vacation at Deep Creek Lake

After about a month hiatus, I am back and ready to get this blog up to date. On Saturday, August 14th, we packed up the van for a week long vacation at Deep Creek Lake with all of Dan's family. Dan's parents newly constructed lake house is beautiful on the inside and out.Dan worked hard on Sunday with some finishing touches by hanging the draperies in two of the bedrooms.
But after Sunday, it was no work and all play. We brought our new moonbounce with us (thank goodness for the van) and Carter, Nathan and Isabelle enjoyed jumping and sliding a couple times during the week. Andrew enjoyed the swing, except for the one time he tried to climb out of it and landed on his head. Luckily the ground beneath was pretty soft mud, so he was mostly scared and dirty.
The kids also enjoyed reading with Grandad.

And of course, we spent lots of time eating. All dinners were delicious, but some were more enjoyable than others (I guess that's to be expected with five kids). Here are pictures of the better mealtime moments.

And let's not forget the newest Vaughan..... Ethan Alexander. He was adorable and when he wasn't sleeping or eating, he loved looking around at his new surroundings and attempting to roll-over on his playmat.

One evening, we had a special birthday dinner for all the adults with birthdays in the 2nd half of the year. The kids LOVED going to Candyland to pick out treats for the goody bags!

Stay tuned for more postings of week long adventure at Deep Creek Lake.

Happy Birthday to Me!

On Saturday night, Dan and I left the boys with my parents and aunt to go out to dinner to celebrate my birthday. We enjoyed a peaceful and relaxing dinner at Tavern on the Rail, one of the few (and I mean very few) restaurants near Lake Anna.

It is really a quaint restaurant right on the railroad tracks.

We even got to see a train go by as we were leaving.

A Beautiful Weekend at Lake Anna

It was an absolutely beautiful weekend at Lake Anna.... not too hot, a nice breeze and low humidity. We enjoyed lots of time down on the dock and in the water with my parents and aunt. Andrew, however, was happiest out of the water.

Lucy enjoyed chasing her ring and then soaking up the sun.

Nathan, on the other hand, couldn't get enough of the water. Here he is lounging on his back in the lake...

and having fun with the noodles.We also enjoyed a nice boat ride on Sunday morning. Here are the boys showing off the latest fashions in sunglasses and life vests.

Splashdown Waterpark

Last weekend while surfing the internet, I found information about a fun outing at Splashdown Waterpark in Manassas. On Friday mornings from 9 - 10:30, there is a playdate special for kids under 5 for $3.50 each (parents are free, yeah!). It sounded like fun, so I rescheduled my doctor's appointment and Nathan and I went to check it out.

Basically, the park only opens up the kiddie area, which has a small climbing wall, two curvy waterslides and 2 regular waterslides, as well as the pool area. Nathan had a blast! Hurry though, only two more Fridays this summer for this event! You may see us there again next week!

National Night Out

On Tuesday night, South Riding participated in the National Night Out program which is designed to:
(1) Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness;
(2) Generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs; and
(3) Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.

The boys enjoyed some popsicles and other treats given away by Target and Chick-Fil-A, as well as a demonstration by one of the local Martial Arts centers.

There were also two moonbounces, a real firetruck,

and a visit from the Chick-Fil-A cow.