Maryland State Fair

Sunday was Volunteer Day at the Maryland State Fair.  We got to go and hit all the rides!  Gwyn was at a birthday party, but Celee and Lyla got to go.  We also didn't have a ton of time because we had to pick Gwyn up, but they got to do every ride they wanted (except for the one that Lyla wasn't tall enough for) and then do a few twice before we left.  As a bonus, I found twenty dollars on the ground and the people at the info desk told me there really was no where to leave it, so I could have it.  I did feel bad, but we did look for someone who looked like they were looking for something where we found it.  In the end, we tossed it up as good fortune for us.

Just chillin

This summer is rapidly coming to an end.  And it has been a whirlwind of a summer.  I feel like we haven't caught our breath for long before we're off at something else.  But we are cherishing these last fleeting days.  Board games and hanging at the neighbor's pool are always favorites around here.

Pickin Corn

     We got the opportunity to pick corn for First Fruits Farm on Saturday.  We picked pumpkins with them last year and this year we got in earlier to do corn.  First Fruits grows food crops to deliver to food banks in Maryland, Pennsylvannia, and Delaware.  They rely on donated land, money, and volunteer labor to do this.  And each load is prayed over after you pick it.  I love that we get to be a part of it!  The girls did a great job too.  Picking corn gets tiring after a while, but my girls did me proud.  They picked and hauled for three hours until we had cleared the rows we were assigned.  And then we got to glean and take home some yummy corn as a reward!  Bonus!

Celee is officially a Cadette!

The Bridging Ceremony did happen!  Celee got to go bridge with the other girls in her troop across the rainbow bridge.  They also were awarded their Bronze Awards for the garden they planted earlier in the summer.  It was a perfect day for it too.  :)

Tubing the Shenandoah

The Youth from Wesley had a tubing trip to the Shenandoah.  We were all super excited!  We knew the trip was supposed to take between 1 hr and 1 1/2 hr.  But we didn't realize that that is only because the water is so very slow.  For most of the float, I was paddling trying to catch up with the kids because I didn't want them to get too far ahead.  Then when we all made it to the ramp, we realized the float was only like .5 miles and we sped through the whole thing.  They do give you the option to do it as many times as you like, but most of the kids were ready to go.  I think a little faster water would have been exciting.  But it was very beautiful and I enjoyed being out in the sun.  The kids had a good time too, during the float and playing around at the end.

I'm so glad my girls get to be a part of this awesome group!

Firaxis Picnic

     The Firaxis Family Picnic was Friday.  It's usually a pretty fun event.  There's lots of good food, and usually some prizes given away.  There was a bouncy house thing for the kids.  Our girls don't know any of the other kids really, and they haven't as of yet made friends with any of them.  So they mostly play with each other and run back and forth to Jason and I.
     This time Gwyn and Celee did get to participate in a board game test.  Firaxis is doing an exhibit along with the Baltimore Museum of Industry and they were looking for kids to run some things by for the exhibit.  Gwyn doesn't look very enthused does she?  It was interesting to see the dynamic of a table full of girls with one boy who dominates the conversation.  Gwyn and Celee told me later that they just didn't care much about the game so they let him go at it.  Still it bothers me to see girls who are smart and who possess leadership skills let a younger boy dominate the choices of the group.  I guess we pick our battles.  I would hope that in a situation where they did care about what was going on, they would not passively let someone else make group decisions, just because that person was a little pushier.  Hmmm.  Things to ponder.

Anyway, we did have fun on the courts playing basketball and tennis.  I don't know if it will stick, but Lyla showed interest in tennis.  Maybe I'll have a tennis partner some day.  :)

Happy Birthday Jason!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful man!  We're the same age for a few months again.  The girls love to get presents for their Daddy.  And it's always interesting to see some of the things that they get him.  Sometimes I'm even surprised.  We all tried to make Jason's day all about his favorites.  That included a Vanilla Strawberry Poke cake. Yummy!  We love you Jason!

Happy Birthday Lyla!

 Happy Birthday to my little bundle of energy!  

     Lyla is a spunky, fun, creative, and smart little girl.   It seems like she should still be toddling around behind the other two, but here is she holding her own!  The last 8 years have been a doozy, but a good doozy because of her!

     The girls have gotten used to the tradition of having their doors covered or taped up on the night before their birthday.  Then they have to bust through in the morning!

      But the next thing is presents!

      And later of course you get to blow out your candles!

      Lyla is pretty serious about her birthday wishes.

     
     Lyla had a loosely-themed Lilo & Stitch birthday party.  We had water games.  We pushed coconuts with brooms.  We flung flip-flops threw hoola hoops.  And we had a silly string fight.  There was giggling and laughing and screeching.  It was a lot of fun!

 

   

 

 

 

 

We can't wait to see how you grow in the next year my littlest Toodlie-Bop!