Philpott Lake~ Fairy Stone State Park ~

What a fabulous weekend!!! The weather was beautiful and we had loads of fun. Philpott Lake wasn't our first choice to camp, but when you decide to go the Tuesday before Memorial Day, your options are limited :0). Although our campground Salthouse Branch wasn't the best, Fairy Stone Park which was on the other side of the lake was awesome! We spent the day there on Saturday. Look...the screens are open!!! It's the first time we've camped with the girls where the temps didn't dip below 40 at night!

Mmmm...smores with giant marshmallows (compliments of Gramma & Coach). They made the most delicious smores ever! Sadie organized all of the ingredients on the bench right after dinner :0).

Swimming in the lake was a bit cold at first, but the kids didn't mind. I was thankful not to feel one fish nibbling at my leg!

After spending the morning at the lake, we decided to go for a canoe ride. Here are the girls ready to row!

I'm surprised to see Anabelle rowing here. I think she did a total of 3 minutes rowing for the entire hour & 15 minutes we were on the lake. That's okay...at least I could burn off a few bites of last night's smores!

I think the highlight of the trip was our hunt for fairy stones. Fairy Stone park is known for these little stones that are only found in that region. Click here for the legend http://www.virginiaoutdoors.com/article/more/1068. Amazingly, each of the girls found one all along the same path...magical right :0)? Did I mention they had a gift shop at the entrance? I was a little baffled when they said they wanted to take them to school to show the class. Hmmm....I guess we'll just let them go with it.

We were so glad we took the time to explore another part of Virginia. I would definitely recommend Fairy Stone Park for your family. We'll probably go back again & explore some of the hikes they have to offer. Stuart Knob looks good for kids. It's is short and offers great views of the Blue Ridge. My kids are all about short hikes with big payoffs :0).

This picture gives you an idea of how much fun they had~

Mmmmmmm...homemade granola

Have you noticed how awful TV is lately? The other night we were watching some mind numbing show when I said, "If we're going to sit here, we should start watching the Food Network." So...Danny flipped over to On Demand & turned on Mexican Made Easy. It loved it! The other night I got this great recipe for Homemade Granola & made a double batch. After two days, only 2 cups are left. It wasn't hard to do & I'm thrilled the kids are excited to eat oats, almonds, raisins, and dried cranberries :0).

If you want a yummy snack that's easy enough for the kids to help with, try this one! Next time I make it though, I might try to sneak in some quinoa or flax seed. One thing...adjust the baking time. I only cooked it for half the time & it turned out perfect. The reviews said that 20 minutes was way too long.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/moms-homemade-granola-recipe/index.html

Pups!!

Here are the three pups to choose from. It's going to be a hard decision!!! We still haven't decided on a name either. I'm hoping we'll just know when we see him :0). We can't wait to meet our newest member of the family!

Movie Help

It's always been Danny's thing to take the kids to the movies. He loves the theatre experience where, I on the other hand, could think of lots of other things to do with my two hours :0). I just have a hard time sitting still for that long!

Anyway...we've had a hard time in the past deciding whether or not a particular movie will be appropriate for the girls. There have been times when Danny's taken them to something that seemed perfectly innocent and rated G, but has really intense scary parts that we thought would keep the kids from going to bed for a week.

If you're like us want to get a better understanding about a movie before taking your little ones, check out Common Sense Media. It's so helpful! http://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews

I just finished reading the first Harry Potter book to Anabaelle & Elise and wanted to see if the film would be too intense for them. So, I looked it up and read a very descriptive review about what to expect from the film. I think I'll let them watch it this weekend!! Sadie on the other hand, might have to watch A Barbie Fairytale with Dad :0).

Off & Pumping!

On Sunday, we took Sadie's training wheels off and had her practice in the grass a few times. She wobbled a bit, but did well! By the next morning, she moved onto the driveway and then within minutes the cul-de-sac. She was off and pumping without any hesitation. As she rode away to the end of the street for the first time there was a moment where my eyes teared up. What a metaphor for this time in my life when my youngest is leaving the preschool years behind her. As she rode away, she was singing a little song to herself feeling so happy with her newest accomplishment. As I fervently try soak up this last month being home with her, I need to try to let the sadness go and keep that joyful song in my heart. I've been so blessed to spend every day with her and watch her grow. So, while a few tears may trickle, I'll remember to sing :0).

We're expecting...

...a new addition to the family in June!

It's a boy and he'll have lots of brown hair! I'd announce his name, but we're not sure about that yet. Our long list ranges from Brown Brick to Zane...literally! We have narrowed it down a bit though.

We decided a few weeks ago to add a new chocolate lab to the family. I wasn't so sure I was ready. I still tear up when I think about Buxton. I miss him so much. I felt like I'd be replacing him & couldn't bare the thought of doing that. A friend of mine said, "You could never replace such a wonderful pet. Just look at it as a tribute to him. You loved him so much that you want that joy for your family again. He'll be an addition...never a replacement." Those words made me feel so much better about it & I do miss the joy an animal can bring into a family. On the flip side to that...I started worrying about the mess, the expense, the destruction, & the work!! In the end, I felt like joy & love out weighed those things. So...I said yes. Our little pup was born on Easter & we'll be bringing him home on June 10th. The girls are so excited! This will be their first experience with a puppy and we'll have the whole summer to train him :0).

Here are some pictures~

Here's the mama with her pups. Isn't she beautiful?

Here are the boys we'll have to choose from. Right now they are two weeks old & haven't opened their eyes yet. So sweet!

Father Daughter Dance

On Friday night, Anabelle had her Girl Scout Father Daughter Dance. It was so sweet to see her leave with her Daddy. They had a fancy dinner and boogied until 10:00! Yes...Danny danced! He even did the Macarena!

Anabelle is looking more grown up every day. I can't believe she'll be in 4th grade next year.