Three Bears Acres

Another beautiful day to share with you all!  Last Tuesday, Landon, Connor, Lindsay Jane, our friend Emelia and I headed to Creedmoor to spend the day with our dear friends, Stacey and Baylie at an outdoor fun place called, Three Bears Acres.  It was awesome!

The first thing we did was to bounce on this huge blob! Stacey and Lindsay Jane were getting used to it here.  As you can see, it was just as much fun for a grown up!

Now, here I am, trying to get my balance.  It was very interesting...haha!

Lindsay Jane was a fan for sure!

Watch out Bouncing Bulldogs (a jump roping league here in the triangle), Landon has some air!

Emelia mid bounce!

Baylie was figuring it out too...

Lindsay Jane and I getting our rhythm.  :)

Ring around the rosie with all the kids!  It truly is the simply things.  They all absolutely loved playing this old old childhood game on the blob.  Lots of giggles, lots of smiles, lots of quality time with kids I dearly love.

"We all fall down!"

Next stop was the painting wall. Lindsay Jane was thinking about it here.  I love how she takes things in.

Emelia had no fear.  She was ready!

I love this picture.  This painting wall was great.  They just got as yucky and messy as they wanted to and created their own little masterpieces without constraints of time, mess or direction.  It was really fun to watch.

Lindsay Jane first decided to paint herself...I did say, without direction...I let it fly.  It was all about fun!

Then, she decided to try the wall. :)  I love seeing her touch it with her precious little hand.

Connor, Lindsay Jane and Emelia were at the painting wall the longest.  This was no surprise to me, knowing these kids' personalities (especially Connor and Emelia).  It is so sweet how these little creative, focused, daydreaming little souls gravitated towards this type of activity.

Now this is what my Landon was doing...also right up HIS alley!  Forget the painting, I am going to go sling shooting!!

Emmie also joined in the fun and was very calculated with her aim.  :)

Waterslide fun!!!!!!!!  This part was totally awesome!  This was like a giant tarp with water being sprayed on it by sprinklers and a guy holding a hose.  The kids just flew down the hill...especially our little Lindsay Jane.  She was ALL IN.  She was sliding down, only in a swim diaper, trouncing through mud to get back up the hill and keeping up with all the older kids.  The older kids also kept asking why Lindsay was going faster than they were!!!  This little girl hath no fear!  What a delight to watch!!!!

Crazy crazy crew.  Including Stacey!

Sweet Baylie and Emelia swinging together on the double swing.

Landon climbing the rope ladder...which I found Lindsay all the way up with her brother Connor holding her little tush.  It was hilarious.  I cannot believe how little fear she has...it's a bit frightening, esp. with her crazy older brothers to help her along!

Landon pausing for a smile at dear old mom.

Landon getting his aggression out at a punching bag!  I think we need one of those at home!  But wait, that doesn't go along with the latest parenting book I read...haha!!  What a journey, eh?

Landon teaching Connor how to do the rings.  Connor looks a little perplexed.  I wish I knew what he was thinking. :)  Either, my brother is really cool and I am taking notes on how to do this....OR....my brother is about to fall and I want no part of that...

Connor going up the "safer" rope ladder to try it out before he pushed his little sister's tush up to help her also reach the very top!

Sledding in Summer?  You got it!  This kids loved this activity and ran up and down up and down riding the plastic sleds on what appeared to be white turf.  What a creative little park this was and totally all about kids just being kids and enjoying the outdoors.

Lindsay Jane was running away from Baylie here.  She had ridden down the slide with Baylie (who just adores Lindsay Jane) and she was running back towards Mommy.  Baylie had to leave her little sled behind to try to catch up with my determined mama's girl.  I love little Baylie for being so sweet to look after my precious Lindsay Jane.

And...that's a wrap, folks.  Our little sweetie was totally wiped out.  She fell asleep on the way to Stacey's house and I was able to transfer her to her pack and play without a hitch.

The older kids watched Air Buddies and Stacey and I caught up.  It was such a delightful day.  Sometimes it is so nice to sit back and reflect on wonderful days like this one...

I bet you would not believe that I also took all four children with me to an appointment at the Pediatrician's office at 3:45 because Landon's bee sting turned into a skin infection (which I noticed when I was buckling all 4 kids in the car to head to Creedmoor!)...on the way to swimming lessons that started at 4:35.

Whew.  A day in the life of a mom.  And those are just the highlights from ONE day.  Wouldn't have it any other way.

High Rock Lake 2014

For the past two summer, we have had the opportunity to visit High Rock Lake with the Abates.  We had a really great time with all the kids and really got a treat with Carol and Rick coming to take us all out for a boat ride.  Enjoy!

Here is Carol sitting so sweetly with my Lindsay Jane.  Lindsay sure knows a grandma when she sees one and was happy to have the extra snuggles from Carol.

Meanwhile, Allison and I were trying to wrestle these three rattlesnakes into their life jackets!

Sweet picture of the four older kiddos waiting to get on the boat.  Little stair steps for sure...wish Lindsay Jane would have added the 5th step, but she was overdue for a nap and was not very cooperative...

Look at those precious little faces!

Finally on the boat with Mimi and Pop!  Those are some happy smiles!

Here is a close up so you can actually see Nicholas. :)

See...Lindsay Jane was not quite as happy as she was last year.  She was very ready for a nap and I thought she might take one on the boat. Not so much.

Pop gave Landon a chance to steer the boat!  He actually really enjoyed it and did quite well.  It sure was nice for Rick to let all the kids steer.  :)

Allison and her baby...she was hoping little Nicholas might take a rest too.  He was with Lindsay Jane...no go.

Looking out over the boat's edge with Mimi. :)

Connor's turn to steer.  He was not as interested.  He was too busy looking at every thing else.  He is my daydreamer!

I just love moments like these.  I love watching my kids with Allison's kids and parents. It is a special type of relationship and I am so very thankful that our kids get along the way they do.  I am also very grateful to have special people like Carol and Rick in my life, who take the time to get to know my kids too.  They certainly were my adoptive parents in college, so no surprise they are like second grandparents to my kids!

We got back to the lake house and the kids were all ready to swim!

"Nicharoni" even went down the slide like a big boy!!!

Connor's turn!

And...Landon refused to go...until his daddy went with him...and bribed him...a lot!

Little rascal! But...this was the first step in getting him to put his head under water.  It was a really huge accomplishment for him.  He went off the dock about 15 times on Saturday and was geared and ready to go off on Sunday.  He went off several times Sunday as well!  We were sure that he would go off the diving board at the pool...he was saying how ready he was.  We will finish the rest of that story another time.  The point is, that this was the first step in getting him to his goal...he DID eventually go off the diving board and we are so so very proud of him!

The littlest of our crew.  So so sweet.  :)

And the crazy big kids...

I absolutely adore this picture.  One of my all time favorites.  It is so hard to believe that Allison's and I's friendship started back in 1996...now, lots of "old boyfriends", 2 husbands and 5 kids later (that took a lot of work to get here...), we are still the best of friends and can share in special times with these little munchkins.  Life has certainly handed us some twists and turns, but looking at that picture, makes it all seem worth it and certainly confident in God's perfect plan in it all.

Now!  On to golf!  We went to Dan Nicholas Park and had a blast.  They boys really enjoyed a game of Put Put with their daddy.

Lindsay Jane had a little mama, Caroline, helping her out around the play ground.  Little girls just gravitate towards my Lindsay Jane and it is so so sweet.  She absolutely loves it!

Here we are.  What a treasure this girl is to me.  We have been through life together and I feel so honored and blessed that she is in my life.  We are more like sisters in a lot of ways...and I can't imagine my life without her.  I thank God that he put her in my life 18 years ago!!  We met in the middle of a hurricane (Fran).  Guess that should have been telling for what we would go through in our special friendship over the years! Ha!

Sweet Lindsay Jane enjoying the swings with her daddy. :)  Love.

Landon and Caroline.

Lindsay Jane posing with her sweet daddy.

Web climbing time!  The kids were awesome at this!  It is amazing what difference a year can make!

Sweet mommy and son shot...

Sweet daddy and daughter shot.

The highlight of the trip to the park for me...Lindsay Jane absolutely loved the carousel.  Neither of the boys really liked the carousel at this age.  I just soaked up every minute of watching her little face.  She was absolutely elated to wave at her daddy...which is why he got so many pictures similar to the ones above.  I treasure this little memory.

Gem mining!

Lindsay Jane's turn in the lake!

Stan brought his kayak and pulled Caroline and Connor around a bit.  Caroline and Connor were literally in the lake for no less than 3 hours straight on Saturday!  To say they were worn out by the end of the day is an understatement!!

Stan got to practice his rolls in the lake.  Makes me nervous, but really does Stan's heart good!

Mike and Allison had some down time...

Our little fish!

Sweet smiles to end a cold  morning swim on Sunday.  Who would have thought it would have been chilly in July?

And...goodbye until next year!  We had such a blast with our dear friends and look forward to many fun adventures ahead.  What a gift God has given us in special friendships like these.