Memorial quick get-a way

We decided Thursday afternoon that we were going to be going down to the beach.  Brandon got the day off and we asked the boys if they were going to be very upset if we took them out of school to go to the beach.  We went to Wrightsville Beach and had a blast.  We didn't even have a room reserved before we left and thank goodness we had to stay in a hotel for almost 2 months.  We got to use our points and this hotel was free for the night.  Sweet!  We would have rather stayed over a few more nights but duties called us at church so we had to head back Saturday afternoon.

View from the hotel

Water was a little cold at first, but the boys got used to it.

Happy for getting to skip school.

This is how Isaiah spent most of his day!

Riding the waves

Racing brothers.  No, the outdoor pool and the beach weren't enough for these two boys they still needed more water time.

USS North Carolina

Manning the guns

Excited to be able to think about shooting something.

These were big enough that each boy could have been shot out of it like a projectile.

Isaiah's side moved the guns up and down.

Braxton's moved left to right.  So they both had to work together as a team to get these guns moving.  And If it would have been loaded the airplane flying past would have been shot down.  They both had it in their scopes.

That is one huge anchor!

Sick I know!  He was up before I knew what was going on, but he got to experience sleeping on a bunk on a ship of sailor.  They are 4 high and about 6-8 of these in each of the little sections of the ship.

Over all we had a nice relaxing time and needed it so much as our life still hasn't slowed down.  We are so ready for our lives to be...

Happy Lady

We are getting there with moving into our house.  Brandon has been hard at work outside and has finished his big project.  It looks great and I couldn't be happier.  He has been working on a retaining wall/planter borders for the front yard. 

Brandon will be helping our neighbor build his retaining wall as well.  The neighbor's wife told her husband that our side looks better than theirs, so the middle section between our two houses will eventually match.

Grass is going to have to be babied for a while.  Our renters didn't take the best care of it.

 

My car now fits into the garage.  I have a feeling that by this weekend Brandon's will too.

Isaiah has never had  a really cool room and so this time, we decided to make it happen.  He loves music and so I decided to make him a rock and roll room.  It has turned out pretty cute and he is super happy with it.  I still have a few posters to get and hand but for the most part it is completed.  I am pleased with how it turned out.  Braxton's is going to have to wait until next month when I get his quilt made, but I think that he is going to be happy with his too.



We really love our yard as it is a total boy paradise.  A few weeks ago I was startled because I thought that our hose was broken.  We had this massive thing crawling in our yard.

I think that this is a rat snake.  He was about 5 feet long, and as big around as a hose. 

When we moved back into our house we had two visitors who made themselves at home on our little porch.  They stayed sitting on the ledge for about a month until finally the mom was left sitting on this little mud nest.  they are some pretty smart birds because the place that they picked is safe from all of the elements and most of the time the birds are left alone unless I am doing what was done in the picture below).

This is what is happening now.  They should be hatching any day. 


So we are just about settled and have a feeling of accomplishment.  Now we are ready to have a great summer.

A lot late..... But We're 8

 

Isaiah turned 8 years old last month about a week after we moved back to the United States. He made the decision of being baptized and we couldn't be more proud of him.  He is such a special guy with so many talents.  He brings so much happiness and humor to our lives, we don't know what we would do without him.   He is such a loveable little person and we thank our Heavenly father daily for bringing him to us.  We were still living in a hotel during this time had a few guests.  Grandpa and Grandma Denning, and Grandpa Jenkins and Grandma Cheryl all stayed in the hotel with us.  We hadn't seen grandparents for almost three years and had so much fun! Isaiah was baptized by his dad and confirmed by his Grandpa Denning.   

 

 

The sun was in our eyes. 

Grandpa and Grandma Denning

Grandpa Jenkins and Grandma Cheryl




 

 After Isaiah's baptism we went out to eat at Noble meats then headed home to change our clothes because we had never been to a Civil War reenactment and there was one happening very close in Fayetteville and it was only happening that weekend. 

 

More cannons

 

 

smoke ring



Civil War Camp

One of the many Civil War Flags

 

 

Handsome boy admiring the cannons.



I didn't take many pictures of the time the Grandparent's visit, but we had a great time playing in the yard collecting bugs with Grandpa Denning.  Going out for ice cream, and keeping Grandpa Jenkins from testing our food for poison.

 

 

 

Hula Grannie

 

 

"Grampy" trying to keep up but failing

 

Slam dunk!

 

 We are so glad that we were able to spend time with our grandparents and can't wait to see them again.