Busch Gardens - 2012

Cherry and I have been feeling as though we needed a vacation.  Too much work and such and so last Wednesday we packed up the car and headed to Williamsburg, Virginia for a few days of fun in the sun.  The weather was wonderful - sunny and just the right temp.  We took along our bikes for a little recreation and some golf clubs - just in case the opportunity presented itself.

We stayed at our favorite Courtyard Hotel close to Busch Gardens.  Going there has been on our bucket list for some time - we had never been there before in all the years we have lived back here.
Unfortunately, at this time of year, it is only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Since we got here on Wednesday, we immediately went for a bike ride over in the restored area.  It was great, we saw some of the re-enactors going through their activities and just generally enjoyed the beautiful day.  Thursday was just as beautiful and so I forced myself to go play a round at KingsMill resort - that is where they had a LPGA tournament the week before.  The course was great and I enjoyed it.  Afterwards, Cherry and I went out for some shopping at the discount stores and then had dinner.

Friday, we headed for Busch Gardens - we got there when they opened at ten and hit the ground running.

Checking in to Busch Gardens

I was just too short for this punishment!

From the Sky Ride that goes over the park.

This is the first drop on the Griffon ride.

They had their Halloween decorations up.

Some of the lines were brutal.

Cherry hanging on the first drop of the Griffon.  Pink Shirt - second from right, front row.

The thrill of anticipation!

ANything to get a rest.

Riding on the Merry-Go-Round.

One of the Budweiser horses.  They are really beautiful animals.

The Rhine River cruise.  Beautiful!

This train circles the park.

Another roller-coaster.

Clowns are really scary!

 On Sunday after a couple more days enjoying Williamsburg, we decided to go see what Virginia Beach looks like these days.  When we first moved to Virginia, we went there a couple of summers while I was in summer camp at Fort Eustis.  It has changed a great deal, but still was a lot of fun.

Our hotel on the beach.

We did stop on the way to see what Bass Pro Shop had to offer and I was able to save Cherry from this bear.

First Day of School September 2012

 

 

The School year has started once again.  Sophie and Hannah started in August and Michael and Jax started after Labor Day.  The kids all love their schools and teachers. Note in the pictures the small backpacks that the kids get to use.  They are almost bigger than they are.  Hannah is lucky, she get to use something a lot smaller.

 

 

 

 

 

Sophie is now a FIRST grader.

Hannah is a sophomore in High School and loves it.  She is so grown up.

Nicole and the kids make a school bus cake each year.

Jax is so pleased to be in Kindergarten.  Michael is a first grader.

Jax gets to ride the bus.

The Beach - 2012

On July 19th, Lynn and Robin arrived at National Airport to join us on our yearly trip to the beach.  We spent Friday and Saturday getting ready and packing our trailer for the trip and then we set off Sunday morning about 10:00 for Southern Shores, North Carolina.  We had a good trip down and arrived at Cap't Frank's for lunch about 1:30.  We just can't start a beach vacation without a  stop there for a great hot dog and fries. 

We moved to a new house this year.  We needed one with a bit more room for all of us.  We stayed at Grammy's Getaway.  It is a large house with 7 bedrooms and 7 and 1/2 baths.  For the first time, the kids all had their own bedrooms - that is two in each of two bedrooms with twin beds for them.  It also gave us room for a bedroom for Katie and Kalani who got married in April of this year.  It was great to have everyone back with us again..




Grammy's Getaway - 115 Beach Highway - just across the street from the ocean.

Everyone enjoyed the pool and we used it everyday.  Great place to clean off the sand from the beach.

The back of the house had a lot of balconies for everyone.

Nicole ahd Hannah enjoy a moment together.

Grandma and the kids snuggling.

Jared and Heather and the girls with their beach buggy.

Evenings were for eating ice cream and such.

Two mermaids at the beach.

Jonathan's family enjoyed a little miniture golf.

Doing some crafts together.

These two got along great and became best buds.

Jax at the beach

Michael and Jonathan enjoying the large waves we had.

Boogie boarding.

Jax strikes a pose.

Jax loved the water this year.

Hannah had her own bed and room with Sophie.

 Jared and Heather suggeseted going on a dolphin tour this year and so most of the group went and saw hundreds of dolphins and had a great learning experience.  The people that do the tour are experts and told a lot about how the dolphins live and how they identify them and follow them each year.

On the dolphin watching cruise.

Heather and Sophie.

 The beach was great this year.  The water was a good temperature and there were some good size waves so everyone enjoyed spending time there.  It was hot, but the water was cool and refreshing so we were there every day.

Jared and Sophie in the waves.

Hannah at the beach.

Katie.

Sophie.

In the pool.

On Wednesday before we went to eat at Jimmy's we got everyone together and took pictures.  What a good looking group this is.   

The shole gang.

The cutest kids in the world.

Katie and Kalani

Robin and Lynn

Heather, Jared, Hannah and Sophie

Nicole, Jonathan, Michael and Jax

Cherry and Mel

Robin and Lynn head out for a bike ride.

Heather and Jared go biking as well.

 Jared brought his wave runners again this year and we all had great fun running them around the sound.  The kids always enjoy that and we are grateful that he is able to have them for us to enjoy.

Jared

Kalani

Michael and Jonathan

Cherry

Nicole and Jax

It was a wonderful trip.  Everyone had a great time.  We ate good food and really had a good rest from the cares of daily life.  We had each family cook a meal one night and each was terrific.  We went to Jimmy's for the sea food buffet and gorged on crab, shrimp and such.  It was just great.  We are looking forward to doing it again next year.