NC Bound!!!

We left for NC at 10:00pm Friday night.  I drove until 3:00 and then Eric drove the rest of the way.  There was some serious lightning going on the WHOLE time I drove.  It stormed once in Ann Arbor but that was it.  The kids did AMAZING.  B and J each woke up crying once.  Adelyn woke up when we switched drivers, B and J did not.  Then everybody woke up at 7.  We stopped at Tuder's Biscuit World in West Virginia.  Last time Josh came home he told me he was stopping there and he typed it Tooter's Biscuit World (or it auto corrected to that..)  I wanted to know where in the WORLD he was stopping.  After all it is in WV.  Enough said.  Then I googled it before we left and found out, it in fact, was a chain AND spelled Tuder's.  Ha.  After breakfast we continued on our way to Pilot Mountain just inside NC.  It's not exactly huge compared to some mountains but I thought it would be a great place to strap on our hiking boots and get out some energy.  It was.  We drove to the top and walked around a cement sidewalk.  We thought it was the trail we wanted to take but after we were done, and loudly proclaiming it was dumb that we just "hiked" on a sidewalk, we found the actual trail we wanted to take.

The kids at the top of the mountain.  I think Eric sprouted about 40 more gray hairs.  He was convinced I put a postage stamp on the kids bodies and delivered them to the base myself.  His words, not mine.

Eric and his typical stare off into nowhere expression.  I was bummed not to get more pictures of the top of the mountain.  But like I said,  E was freaking out.  You can kinda see the fence behind him and he was appalled they didn't have chicken wire across the slats.  I told him it would take away from the view.  He said he didn't care.

When we found the actual place we wanted to hike Eric's helicopter blades slightly decreased their whirring.  **At least he cares about his kids** Over and out.  But I can still poke fun ;)

The kids and daddy in front of one of the HUGE peaks.

 

 This adorable, REALLY bored, little old lady wanted to take our family picture.  We obliged and we are pretty cute, if I do say so myself.  She chatted our ear off for 20 minutes.  Not even joking.  And is the first person to EVER think that Adelyn was younger than what she is.  She thought she was 3.  HA.  She then made me feel like a good homeschooling mom because Adelyn promptly spelled her name for her and informed her she was from Zeeland, Michigan.  And also rattled off my phone number.  So the little old lady can steal my identity.  The lady thought Adelyn was SO smart and well mannered.

 We went hiking for 2 hours and then headed the rest of the way to Cherry Point.  It was exactly 4 hours.  I was hoping B and J would sleep for 2 of those 4.  Internally laughing at myself because they usually never sleep for more than an hour in the car.  They slept for 3 hours.  Count it *3*.  That was amazing.  And so did I...since I didn't sleep, at all, at night.  Eric was politely informed that next time he drives through the mountains at night he can take a slower rate of speed.

Our hotel.  We stayed at the TEQ last time.  It was a typical hotel room.  2 beds, 1 bathroom.  They just opened the TOQ up to the public.  It used to be for Officers only.  It has a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living room with pullout bed.  To give you an idea of how big our room was we have the 5 windows over the middle door.

The kids' bedroom.  Adelyn slept on the bed.  Brecken slept on an air mattress between the wall and the bed.  Joelle slept on an air mattress in the closet.  Don't poke fun.  We put a sound machine in there and everything.  She thought it was great.

The kitchen.  A fridge and a coffee pot.  And a microwave.  The essentials in life.

On our way back, the first night, the kids discovered the door covered in tree frogs.  They all thought they were pretty cool.

Treeeeee frogs.

 

 So thankful we got into the TOQ.  Much larger room and it made for a much easier bedtime.  And Eric and I weren't forced to sit in the dark.

Introducing Our Newest Sister...

...Becca.  
Alternately titled::My Poor Son.

Adelyn asked me earlier if we could paint our toes.  Given our nap time situation (or lack there of) I never got to do it with just her.  So she asked and when I pulled all the stuff out, Brecken asked to have his toes painted too.  At first I said no.  Then I said no again.  And again.  And again.  And he cried.  And he cried.  And he cried.  "Peas I have blue toes!"  "Peas paint my nails!" Poor boy.  I tried.  I really did.  At least he picked blue.  Eric was thoroughly pleased when he got home.

We are ALL, officially, ocean ready!

Hudsonville Fair::2013

Earlier this week Rachael had asked me to watch Keegan so they could go watch the dirt bikes at the fair.  I had said no because we were supposed to go to NC.  Then that got delayed a week.  My poor deprived children (said incredibly sarcastically) have not been to the fair at all this year.  I did not feel bad at all texting Rachael and asking if we could invite ourselves along;)  We headed to the Pizza Ranch for dinner beforehand and off to the fair after!

Rib-eye is looking good this year.  A couple hundred pounds and he would look most excellent in my brand new freezer.

No fair visit is complete without a stop at the tractors!

Loving Kaylee's hair!  And Kaleb's tongue;)

 Twinkies on a tractor

After we watched the dirt bike for over an hour we headed out.  Right before we left someone had fallen off and gotten hurt.  They had to be carried away by stretcher and I'm pretty sure that was the highlight of my children's evening.  Brecken asked to pray for him when I put him to bed.  Such a sweet boy.  "Boy fall off and got big huge owie!"

No fair visit is also complete without a stop on some dilapidated rides.

I think this picture is so cute of Adelyn and Kaylee off on their train ride.

                                                                                                 If I've seen this face from Eric once, I've
Pretty girls riding in the engine.                                              seen it a thousand times;)                    

As we walked past this ride, on our way to the train, I jokingly asked Adelyn if she wanted to ride on this one.  I thought it would be a repeat of the Alligator ride.  At first she said a resounding "No!" then she changed her mind and it was all she could talk about.  Eric F. took the big girls on this ride and Eric L. and I took the little kids on a car ride.  Eric said the girls loooooooved it.  Looking through the pictures I concur.  In every single one they are beaming:)

 

 It whips you around this corner and I thought for sure Adelyn would FREAK out.  Nope.  She's getting courageous in her old age.

 Adorable.

 I thought everyone would like to go on the Elephant ride.  Adelyn's been riding on that, at Michigan's Adventure, since she was 2.5.  Turns out, at the fair, you have to be 42 inches or with a parent.  Why?  Because the seat belts don't lock.  Oh.  OK.  So glad I put B and J on by themselves...

Rachael and Kaleb

 Had to include this one of Joelle:)

Pretty girls!

 Thanks for letting us invite ourselves along, Eric and Rachael!  We had a blast. We didn't get the kids down until 10:30..oh well, you only live once.  Adelyn came for a visit around 2 and I sent her right back to bed.  Brecken thought he could wake up at 6:00.  I sent him right back to bed.  Adelyn came down, again, at 7.  Brecken and Joelle are still sleeping.  Who wakes up at 7 after they have been to bed at 10:30?!  Oh well, I'm off to a baby shower and Eric can deal with attitudes today;)

Coopersville-Marne Railway

Earlier this summer I had bought a Groupon for the Coopersville-Marne train ride.  We have been so busy and the two Saturday's we wanted to go were not available.  Thinking we were leaving Friday (and it expires the end of August!) I knew I had to buck up and use it on a Wednesday...or give it to a friend.  We took the 1:30 train and I was a little nervous about missing naps.  Everyone fell asleep on the way out so at least they got a little snoozer.  We got there and everybody was soooo excited.  We were standing in line for tickets and Adelyn and Brecken were terrified the train would leave without them.  We boarded and found some seats.  When we had pulled up I saw all the windows open and almost cried because that meant no AC.  I WOULD pick the hottest day of the summer to ride a non-air-conditioned train.  It actually wasn't that bad..  

Waiting for the train to take off!  Everybody had an actual ticket for the train and they all tried to hand them to the conductor as we boarded.  He gave them a high five and told them he would come around on the train to punch their tickets.  So we sat down and Adelyn was so excited that he was going to come around and punch our tickets "Just like Dinosaur Train!"  She held her foot up and wiggled her toes and asked "Will he punch it with his claws like on Dinosaur Train?!"  I laughed out loud and so did the people next to us.  I told them clearly I should add something else to our DVR;)

As we chugged through some corn fields Joelle proudly announced to everyone "Smells like poop!"  On the way there and the way back.  

 Naturally, 5 minutes after the train took off from the station we HAD to use the bathroom.  So I had to parade over there with my three angels, use a teeny tiny closet of a bathroom.  Think porta-potty.  All while doing one child at a time, with the door propped open, so we didn't have any train jumpers.  And then there was no soap to wash our hands with.  And my hand sanitizer is still in the trailer.  Yum.  Brecken wouldn't go pee, at first, because the train was swaying.  Obviously.  So I had to hold his legs and tell him it was ok and he wasn't going to fall off.  The things I do.

I tried to get a picture of the three of them.  Joelle said "No."  So I didn't.  Adelyn kept asking if we were going to go through the time tunnel as well.  Again, Dinosaur Train.

On our way to Marne we were in the caboose.  When we stopped in Marne they switched the engine to the back so we were the first train!  The conductor came through and said we might want to plug our ears if they were sensitive because the whistle would be really loud now.  Every time the whistle blew Brecken would clap his hands over his ears sooo fast.  Joelle laughed.  Adelyn stuck her fingers in her ears.

I tried to get a picture of all three of them in front of the train.  Joelle walked away.  And wouldn't come back.  You don't press your luck with that girl when she hasn't had a nap.  So I got a couple shots.  A lady offered to take one of all of us, as she watched me struggle, and I just laughed and said maybe we can re-visit this in about 5 years and get a family picture.  She laughed;) 

The kids had so much fun and Brecken keeps asking when we can go back.

Peach Pickin’

We headed out to pick peaches today.  They started picking Saturday and they are estimating roughly 3 weeks picking time.  We are leaving Friday for NC for 11 days...so my time was now or never.  I was hoping the picking was plentiful because I didn't want to be out long.  It was!  The kids did great and it only took us about 30 minutes to pick 2.5 bushels.  I'll can most of them and give some to Eric's parents and my parents.  YUM.

This cutie was quite helpful.  She picked a couple bucketfuls...and thoroughly enjoyed walking around with her bucketful.

 My biggest helper monkey.  She picked tons.

Brecken picked one bucketful.  Maybe.  He was having too much fun stepping on all the peaches on the ground and mashing them.  Booooooys.  He LOVED the tractor ride out to the orchard.  Then the tractor left us there.  He only asked me 492921 times when the tractor was coming back.  Then when it did come through, which was about every 5 minutes to pick people up/drop them off, he thought he got to go for a ride again.

I decided to let them snack on some peaches while I loaded them up.  It kept them quiet.

My little man munching on his peach.  He polished off two.

Adelyn helped herself to two as well.

Now textures weird Joelle out.  I didn't think she would eat them because of the skin.  She did.  She ate one half of two peaches.  Then she didn't want to hold the pit to eat the other half.  Seriously.

These two.  Could eat fruit alllllll day long.  Doesn't matter what kind....or if it has skin on it. ;)

Now to can our millions of peaches...lucky me.

Michigan’s Adventure

We headed to Eric's work party at Michigan's Adventure today.  I know, I know.  Adelyn has had a 104 fever since Wednesday.  She went to bed with it Friday night and woke up Saturday...fever free!  I figured it would come back while at the park and we would just have to leave but it never did!  Hooray.  I know we weren't outside of our 24 hour window that you are supposed to be fever free but, like Eric said, you KNOW there were tons of kids there with fevers/other ailments.  Brecken and Joelle headed to Papa and Nana's for some good quality time with them.  When we asked Brecken what he did he said "Went to splash puddle. Took a napper."  Joelle "Ate chicken. Went down slide with Papa."  Haha.  You know where their priorities lie;)

This is the only water slide Adelyn will go down.  Don't even be thinking about asking her to do differently.

I had to get a picture of Eric in the swan by himself.  And he, per usual, had to look off into the distance.

Photo bomb!  Eric's pretty proud of his "family photo."

We did the Thunder Bolt right before this and it's one Adelyn hasn't ridden yet.  It is a more advanced ride but definitely nothing crazy.  We got in line and after she watched a couple rounds she started chickening out.  They started slow and then after a couple times around the announcer came on and said "are you ready to go faster?!" Then it went really fast. She started saying that she didn't want to go on it.  She said it went to fast.  Then she started kinda freaking out "I'm too short!  This ride isn't for 4-year-olds!"  And she ran away.  Luckily Eric was off getting drinks so he was nowhere around, otherwise I never would have gotten her to go.  But she did go.  She told the operator to "go slow."  He laughed.  She did end up loving it;)

She, surprisingly, wanted to go on this one again.  She is her father's daughter..  This picture cracks me up..

Slightly less blurry..

And this one just makes me giggle.  She climbed on and was waiting.  Then this adorable little fellow climbed up next to her.  She chatted his ear off.  This is totally a picture I'll see again someday..

We had such a great time.  I'm so glad we just chanced it and went.  She would have been soooooo sad if she hadn't been able to go.  She looks forward to this all year.  We told her this past week that we would be going and last year, at the Hudsonville fair, she rode some alligator mini-roller-coaster ride.  She HATED it.  It didn't even do anything other than go around in a circle.  But typical fair ride, it was really bumpy and jerky.  She prayed every.single.night that the alligator ride wouldn't be at Michigan's Adventure and that she wouldn't have to go on it.  The things they remember..

Rainy Monday

Adelyn woke up at 7 and Brecken woke up at 7:45.  For whatever reason he stayed in bed and whined until I went to get him.  (They only had the child lock on their door for a couple weeks-coming out incessantly has never been an issue for them)  He left Joelle alone, for once, and she never woke when I went to get him.  I made a yummy breakfast of french toast zuchinni banana craisin walnut bread and spinach strawberry blueberry smoothies.  When finished Adelyn asked if they could go play in the rain.  At first I said no because it hasn't been all that warm.  Then she asked again and I said let me check the weather.  It's 65 out.  Plenty warm for a jaunt in the rain.  I got their suits out and their umbrellas and off they went.  I had to snap some pictures of these cuties playing.  Joelle was still sleeping..

Dancing and singing in the rain.  "Jesus loves me and I love him! Jesus loves the rain! Jesus loves me and I love him!"

Again with the singing.  Joelle is still sleeping...

I asked Adelyn to give Brecken a kiss.  She leaned in for a sweet hug..

and then gave him a sweet kiss:)

While they were outside I edited pictures for 11, count it 11, blog posts.  Adelyn and Brecken came in at 10:30 to dry off and play downstairs.  I just started hearing Joelle make noises upstairs.  I went to get her..and snap a picture.  This is her "Shucks I missed breakfast!" face.  I brought her downstairs for her very belated breakfast.

Then Brecken pooped in his underwear.  After he already pooped on the toilet earlier this morning.  
Dear Lord, please give me a once a day pooper the next time.  Amen.