Matthew's Birthday

We had Jared's graduation dinner last weekend. He is accepting his fellowship diploma (sorry, lighting was really bad and I was not very close which is why the pic is so dark). His last day of work is the 30th and we are very excited for the next move. I'm so proud of you Jared!!!

Matthew's Birthday

Matthew got to play soccer this spring. He had a great coach who cared for the team and made it fun to go to games and practice. His last game was on his birthday. Matthew is very proud of his trophy.
Matthew requested a moon cake this year. Complete with astronaut and alien!

He is very excited about his new bike. But a little apprehensive too. The bike is more than 2x's the size of his last one, but he will grow into it!
And an extra special surprise for his birthday was he lost his first tooth. It was an exciting day for sure!! Happy Birthday Big Guy!

Williamsburg, Virginia

We took a trip to Williamsburg, VA. It was lots of fun. We visited Colonial Williamsburg, the beach, and Busch Gardens. We had a fantastic time and would recommend a trip here to anyone. There is so much to see and do.

Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg is a fully restored town that is set back in the 1800's. Everything is like how it was back then (Except the bathrooms, those were modern). We got to see the cannon go off, and listen to the marching band go down the main street.
Of all the cool things there were to see there, the boys still had to stop at the drainage grates and put some rocks in.
Daddy and Ethan walking down the main street. Yes that is horse poop ahead of them. I said everything was like it was back then.
Here is the marching band. Even the people are dressed like the colonial times.

This is the capital building of Williamsburg. George Washington has been in this building. And they convicted some of Black Beard's pirates in their court and hung them out behind the jail. Very cool.
Amanda is demonstrating how a pirate might have been held in this jail.
The kids are at the blacksmith shop. They loved visiting this place most of all. They stood and watched the blacksmith make nails for 1/2 hour.
The magazine room. It held all of the powder and artillery for the army.
Above is the Governer's Mansion. We toured the inside, but the grounds were even better than the inside. My kids could have played in the gardens for hours.

Jared took this picture. It was cooked by the governers chefs. How would you go about carving a whole pigs head. I wouldn't want to see that on my table.
The hedge maze at the mansion.

VIRGINIA BEACH
Of course we couldn't pass up a day at the beach. Fabulous, soft sand, big waves, warm sun. Sounds like heaven to me.




Lauryn's first time in a swim suit. I love her chubby little legs.


Busch Gardens
Lauryn was very excited to be there. Too bad she is too small for any rides.
Ethan was a bit scared to go on anything bigger than this. But the others couldn't get enough.

Dad, Matthew, and Amanda on the boat ride. Ethan was big enough, but no brave enough to go on this one. Matthew was tall enough to go on a loop da loop roller coaster and wanted to do it again and again. They don't allow pictures on those rides. They want you to buy the pictures that they take.
Ethan go brave enough to go on DaVinci's airplanes. Look at them fly.

DC Temple
On the way home Jared suggested that we stop and see the DC temple. It was so cool to be on the freeway and it just appears above the trees. It looks as if it is sitting atop a canopy of trees. It was a good stop and not very far out of the way.