Camping Again

Last weekend we went camping again at Douthat State Park. We loved it so much last time we went we wanted to go again if we could camp on the lake. After a ton of research of other campgrounds in the area, I happened to check Douthat's reservation list and there must have been a cancellation because there was one open site for the weekend we wanted to go. My college roommate, Kristen, came down from Baltimore to camp with us. We had such a great time.

Camping right on the lake was fun. It was a gorgeous view and a fun place for the girls to play. We set up on Thursday night and just relaxed. Friday morning Chuck and Leland did a little fishing from the side of the lake. (They fished the whole weekend, but had no success.) While making breakfast it started to rain. We borrowed some rope from some neighbors and strung up a tarp so we weren't trapped inside our tents. Chuck spent the next few hours perfecting the tarp cover and did a great job. We luckily had extra tarps. We had some in our car that we wanted to return, but they came to great use.

After the rain, Kristen, Leland and I went for a short hike around the side of the lake. It was so nice and peaceful.

Since there was so much rain in the morning. There were tons of puddles to splash around in. Leland had fun with some kids from the other campsites.

Chuck then rented a small fishing boat for us to go on the lake. It is a very small lake that allows small motor boats, kayaks, canoes, and paddle boats. We had a nice time floating around and trying to fish. The girls really enjoyed being on the boat.

The horrible mother that I am caused the need for the band-aid across Lucy's forehead that you see in all the pictures. The campsites are loose gravel. Lucy was shaking her foot like she had rocks in her shoe or something. So I bent over to lift up her foot to help her get the rocks out. Being that she is not very steady on her feet I knocked her completely off balance. She fell head first into the gravel. It was so quick she didn't even have time to get her hands up to help break the fall. Her head smacked on the gravel rocks and gashed it open and gave her nice goose egg. It wasn't too bad, but still made me feel horrible.

When Chuck went to return the boat that we rented. Leland went with him. They were going to cruise around the lake for a bit, then I was supposed to pick them at the dock. Chuck had been gone maybe 5 minutes and I hear him yelling "Come get us NOW!" I see him in the middle of the lake and not sure what is going on. I jump in the car to go pick him up on the other side of the lake.

A bee was flying around them in the boat. Leland went to hide her face and in the process caught the bee and trapped it in between her face and hands. The bee stung her just below her eye. It could have been a lot worse. Luckily, for my peace of mind, but not for Leland, she was stung a week ago on the foot while at the park. So we knew she wouldn't have any major reaction, just the pain and swelling. The poor girl's face got all puffy and red. It was very sad. That night she went to bed at 6pm and slept till 6:30am. She was worn out.

We enjoyed the campfire in the evenings. Leland loved roasting marshmallows. The whole weekend she would sneak marshmallows into her mouth. She never really ate an actual s'more, but loved all 3 elements on their own: marshmallows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers.

Saturday we spent the afternoon at the beach area. A local radio station was sponsoring Back to School Party so there were lots of fun activities going on: free hot dogs, bounce houses, and games. If you look at the picture to the right of Chuck and Leland on the obstacle course you will notice Chuck about to lose balance and tumble down the slide. I thought he was going to flip right off, but somehow managed to stay on and not smother his daughter on the way down.

The girls enjoyed playing in the sand and water. Kristen and I rented a canoe and paddled around the lake. It was peaceful as long as we stayed away from the beach area that was packed full of people and really loud. Leland went out on the canoe with us. We found her a cattail along the shoreline for her to use as a paddle. After a while I noticed that she was being pretty quiet. I look back and she was dead asleep in the bottom of the canoe. I really wish I had my camera with me.

We had such a fun weekend. It was a great end to our summer. Chuck started classes today, Leland starts pre-school Sept 4th. I hope this last year of law school flies by as quickly as our summer did.

2 hour nap

Today I babysat for a friend who has a 5 month old little girl. Abbie dropped off her little girl Ella during my girls nap time. When I heard Leland starting to wake up I went into our room where she was sleeping. I was holding Ella.

Leland sat up and looked at me with big eyes and asks, "Is that my baby brother?"
Me: "No sweetie. This is our friend Ella who is just here to play."
Leland bursts into tears and says "I really want a baby brother. Why can't that baby be my baby brother?"

Seriously my girl wants another baby so bad, and it better be a boy.

I sure wish that whenever our next baby does come, he/she would appear during a 2 hour nap. No 9 months of pregnancy, no labor, and no long wait. Wouldn't that be nice?

Hotel del McBride

After Chuck returned from NYC we visited his sister in Cary, NC. Her neighborhood was like a little resort. They have an awesome pool with a kids area that you usually see at a water park. I think Chuck had just as much if not more fun than the kids did. He is such a big kid at heart.

There were slides and lots of places to shoot and pour water on yourself and others.


Tara who has a broken leg was such a trooper. She floated around the pool wrapped in plastic, taped up, and with floaties on her leg. What a cutie.

My sister Suzanne and Emily met us for the morning to swim. Emily is such a doll and as my sister says is a total diva.

In the clubhouse area there was an activity center for kids. They had a few kitchens, lots of doll houses, and other toys. Just outside the activity center was the playground. My girls loved it.

One night Mitzi, Darcy (our niece from Vegas who was visiting), and I went to an exercise class. It was a step class and Pilate's. I realized that I hate step. Just as I start to follow the instructor, she switches to something different. The Pilate's was much more my thing, even though formal exercise really isn't my thing at all. I was so sore the next day. I really should exercise more.

We ended our stay with the McBrides visiting the Cary Fire Station. Conner, Leland's cousin is really into fire trucks, so they have come before. I think most fire stations will let you visit. It was fun. The kids all took turns sitting in the driver's seat. I guess we have taught our kids the importance of seat belts, because that was the first thing they all wanted to do was put on the seat belt.





Thanks for the fun time McBrides.

I Love to See the Temple

When we lived in San Diego we would drive by the San Diego Temple often. Leland loved driving past it in the car and singing "I Love to See the Temple". Since we have moved to Virginia on several occasions Leland asks to see the temple. I usually will show her the picture hanging in her room and she says "No I want to SEE the temple, like in the car." Since we are more than 3 hours from the closest temple (Washington, DC), seeing the temple from the car just doesn't happen.
I was so excited to take the girls to the temple grounds in Raleigh while we were on vacation. Leland was very excited.

I envisioned taking gorgeous pictures of them on the grounds and videoing Leland singing "I Love to see the Temple" with the temple in the background. Well they just weren't being very cooperative, but I managed to get a few pictures.

My favorite is the one on the bottom left. The top left picture for some reason makes Leland look so old to me. My baby girl is growing up.

Our little Actress

Next to the Children's Museum that we went to with my mom in Rocky Mount was an Arts Center that had a children's area. There was a little stage with a curtain and an assortment of dress up clothes. Leland loved putting on little shows for us. She made me join her stage. Which as a mother I've learned that I must do things out of my comfort zone. Even though it was only my sister and mom watching, I was still a bit uncomfortable.

We took turns being the prince and princess.

Little Red Riding hood and the Big Bad Wolf.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com