Hurricane Irene

We survived our first hurricane. We were very fortunate to have not had any damage to our home or property. We were preparing for the worst, but as the "rain came down and the floods came up", and as the wind made the trees sway to and fro, our little house was preserved. We didn't even have a power outage, which I thought for sure was just going to be a given with this storm. Our house is surrounded by very big trees, so naturally my biggest fear was that a big tree was going to fall on our house and kill us in our sleep. We all slept in the master bedroom Saturday night, praying that we'd wake up Sunday morning alive and well. Our prayers were answered, and Sunday morning we awoke to an absolutely beautiful day. Sunshine and peace. We went outside and assessed our house and our neighbor's houses. Leaves, branches, and twigs everywhere, but everyone was a-okay.

In the past few weeks we have had Earth, Wind, and Fire here in Virginia--the earthquake, the hurricane, and the big fire in the Great Dismal Swamp. There is one thing I truly love about times like this, and that is how it brings people together. I just had to smile as I saw all my neighbors out in their yards cleaning up, and how we all interacted with each other and laughed together and helped one another. Hurricanes and all, I still think Virginia rocks.

Backyard started flooding so Ry dug trenches to get water out


The kids had fun going out in the rain and jumping on the tramp...until the winds picked up and there was a tornado warning...then it wasn't so fun anymore and I ordered them inside pronto.



The morning after









Acorns galore!

it must be that age

Where lots of mirror shots are taken of oneself! So here's another for ya! Gwen had a big day Saturday. Not only was it her 14th birthday, it was also her very first stake dance. It was actually a bi-stake beach party/dance, how fun is that! I wish I could have gone and chaperoned with Ry...it has been ages since I have witnessed a stake dance. Gwen came home that night all giddy and excited. She had danced with 5 guys. Crazy. Those sweet little dimples that once graced chubby little cheeks now grace the face of a young woman, and those same dimples will perhaps one day be what wins the heart of my future son-in-law! Just the thought of that makes my heart hurt. Oh how things are changing.

A couple other things--Ry is back in the swing of things at school, and he got his first contact lenses, which he's not too fond of. And you are now looking at the new Kempsville Ward Organist! Yee haw. Well, it was fun being able to sit as a family in church while it lasted this past year...The kids are already calling dibs on who gets to sit up on the stand with me. We figured we could rotate, one child per week. (In case you were wondering, I still have my gospel doctrine calling)

In other news this weekend, we took the kids to see a movie, but not just any movie. Here in Virginia we do not have easy access to LDS movies in stores or in the theaters for that matter, so when one comes our way we have to take advantage of it. Us east coasters were privileged to get to see a movie before all those out west for once! A charming little theater in downtown Norfolk was playing a movie for one night only called "Joseph Smith-Volume 1, Plates of Gold."  And guess what? The actor who played Joseph (the same guy who played him in The Restoration DVD) was there and we got to meet him! I thought this would be fun for the kids, and it totally was. He was very gracious and great to see in person. We had a question and answer session with him after the movie was over, and he bore the most powerful testimony of Joseph Smith that I think I have ever heard. Following the movie we went down the street to Skinny Dip Frozen Yogurt, one of our most favorite places to go. We were all on a spiritual/sugar high on the drive home and found ourselves with the windows down, music turned up, bass cranked as far as it would go, and singing at the top of our lungs to "Staying Alive". What a memorable night!

(And yes, we are still here--the earthquake was definitely felt, but it was a "fun" earthquake in my book. I was sitting at my desk working away when it happened. The kids were in the other room watching a movie and babysitting, so when I came in to tell them we were having an earthquake they thought I was high or something, because they didn't even feel it. Gwen just said that I needed to sit down and eat something, that maybe I was a little lightheaded or dizzy. I finally had to prove to her that there indeed was an earthquake a few minutes later when the news of it popped up on the internet. Good times. Now we just need Hurricane Irene to come to town, then we'd really have some excitement around here! Hurricane party anyone? (Non-alcoholic, of course)  Ü

hurricane party: A hurricane party is a social event held by people in the coastal United States who live in hurricane valley between Maine and Texas. The event is held during a hurricane just as any other party would. However the guests are typically allowed to stay with the host for 3–5 days (weather permitting) and guests, in return, bring hurricane supplies such as radios, food, etc. (namely large amounts of alcohol!)

Summer Activities

Just a few things we've been doing this summer. We took a family bike ride to the Great Dismal Swamp Canal Trail (minus Pierce who was still at scout camp). It's a gorgeous trail just perfect for us novice riders. Thanks to Dr. Blackwood (the doc Ry shadows) for giving us bikes so we all have one!


I needed a helmet so I wore Ry's leaving him to wear Pierce's, a little small, but luckily his head isn't very big (inside joke)


My very own bike! Haven't had one since I was young.








Moving the flagpole so you can see it better from the road without the plum tree covering the flag up.

Our once lush garden that is now dwindling in total unbelief! So sad. Weird stuff has been going on with bugs, etc. This growing season was definitely a learning experience for us.

Adding on to the deck.


I am in love with all my herbs. They are simply beautiful, fragrant, and so fun to use.

Tilling up the back "lawn". We plan to plant new grass in the fall.

We are enjoying having a baby around this summer! There's nothing like the smell of a baby. Pure therapy! The girls are earning money for school clothes by babysitting two precious little girls from our ward. The boys like to help too!

Cupcake Wars!

We are not big TV watchers, but one thing we very happily discovered this summer while flipping through the channels--we get Food Network! We don't get cable, but for some odd reason we get Food Network. YES! Our entire family loves watching it together and we actually get so excited about it. It has helped open up my children's minds past Top Ramen and Macaroni and Cheese. It has created a hunger in all of us to try new things.

Anyway, in an effort to ease some of that summertime boredom my kids were experiencing in June, I let them have their very own cupcake war. Pierce was at Scout Camp so he didn't get to participate, but the other three kids had a blast. The kitchen was a complete disaster by the time they were through, but the fun they had throughout the whole process was so worth it!

(The theme was "Your Favorite Movie/s". They each got 5 cupcakes and decorated them accordingly. They had fun coming up with ideas and trying to execute them. I highly recommend it.)

Kneading the fondant


Christian's cupcakes: Top left: Despicable Me. Top right: Nacho Libre (bowl of soup with chips on top). Middle: Star Wars. Bottom left: Return of the Jedi, Ewok. Bottom middle: Harry Potter (wand). Bottom right: Cheaper By the Dozen 1&2 ("Lorraine's face" according to Christian, not his favorite character as you can tell).

Gwen's cupcakes: Top left: Deb's sleeves (prom dress) from Napoleon Dynamite. Top Right: Fruit Cake from Pee Wee's Christmas Special. Bottom left: Pterry from Pee Wee's Christmas Special. Bottom right: A Tot from Napoleon Dynamite.

Gretel's cupcakes: Top three: High School Musical 2--beach ball, "S" for Sharpay, purple sparkles. Nanny McPhee--Black Medicine (there WAS a spoon made of fondant on it), and "Beehive" (English way of saying behave), Nanny McPhee also.

Sorting through my pictures...

Back to June:
I have found that people here are medal-happy or just award-happy in general, at least with the schools. Not a bad thing. Kind of cool actually because these are high-quality medals and trophies we're talking about here with names engraved on them and everything! And the effect they have on my kids has been wonderful for their self-esteem. Pierce in particular just digs getting any kind of award so this June he got his fair share. For wrestling he got an Academic letter and a pin. For band he got a trophy for "Best Brass" in the 6th grade (trumpet). And then he received two medals at the Sixth Grade Award Ceremony in PE and English, being best male out of his core team in those two subjects, not necessarily grade-wise (although he got A's) but citizenship-wise. So these awards were major confidence boosters for him (he takes after his mama and lacks a little in that area). Gwen also won one medal which was for the Presidential Award, for getting a 4.0 for her whole middle school career. So see? Majorly award happy here! A certificate alone will not suffice...gotta give 'em medals too!

Gwen and Pierce had a little end of school gathering with a few of their friends who also happen to ride their bus, so this is their little bus posse pictured below. They all walked to Gloria's Bakery after the last day of school and picked up some Lumpia (Phillipino egg roll-type thingys) that are all the rage here and brought them back to our house for a picnic in the backyard which I accompanied with fruit, frosted orange cookies, peanut butter cup cookies, and pink lemonade slushies.

I just have to say, I absolutely love the formality and politeness that most of the kids express here. Call me crazy, but I love being called Mrs. Adams! And that goes for Sister Adams too...not much of that going on where we came from in Utah. I love the respect that I'm given here, and I want my kids to give that same respect. Call me old-fashioned, yes, I admit it that I tend to be very old-fashioned and traditional, and I'm proud of it, thank you very much!

Pierce's big day

Well, Pierce made it through primary, phew! By looking at him today one would probably never imagine all the stress he caused while in primary, including a broken window and making his teachers cry. I must admit, those incidents happened in his younger years and he has evolved immensely as the years have passed by.

Pierce was ordained Sunday to the office of a Deacon. He also earned his Faith in God Award. I smile when I think of who he's becoming. He seems to have grown leaps and bounds mentally and spiritually just in this past year. His sensitivity warms my heart. Pierce is very eager to pass the sacrament this coming Sunday. He is also very excited to go to the temple for the first time and will have the opportunity to do so next month. He loves being with the older guys, and I really don't think he is going to miss primary one bit. We love our Piercie-boy!

Lake Gaston 2011

This weekend we took off for one last summer fling before Ry had to head back to school (which he did today-yahoo for year #2!). Apparently Lake Gaston (pronounced Gastin) is THE lake around here, so we rented a little cabin for 2 nights and camped there. Now let me tell you about Lake Gaston. It is a huge lake spreading out all over the place smack dab on the North Carolina border. We were on the northern shore so we were still in VA. But this is a place where the southern accents run thick, where confederate flags fly freely, and where you get some serious redneck exposure with people cranking up the country music at their campsites while sitting drinking their sweet tea all the whilst flinging horseshoes or "corn hole". We found ourselves, me included, talking to each other in southern accents too just to get in the spirit of things. We got some good laughs to say the least.

This was the first time we have camped as a family, just us. Lake Gaston is beautiful. Our cabin was small, but it had AC which made camping in hot, humid weather much more enjoyable. We really had a blast, and I seriously could have stayed there so much longer. We celebrated Pierce's 12th birthday there which made our vacation extra special. We mostly swam at the pool, but also rode bikes, played miniature golf, and dabbled in some fishing. Christian caught his first "big fish!" He was thrilled. He was the only one who caught anything, and a "biggun" it was! He didn't want to let it go, so we fried that catfish up with our dinner that night.

As we left, we all pledged we'd be back next summer, without hesitation. Camping just doesn't get any better than this!

Lots of beautiful homes on the lake. The second day we were there we woke up to smokey skies. There's been a large forest fire at the Great dismal swamp that has been burning.

Our cozy little cabin

Mountain Man Breakfast ala Pierce







Pierce was the talk of the pool. Other kids started to try to do this.



No fish that morning, but lots of turtles swimming around!





Christian totally digs fishing.


I love the look on C's face in this picture-this is when he was trying to reel in his big fish!

Here it comes!

Those slimy, disgustingly bloody chicken livers did the trick!
 
That smile is priceless.


What's camping without tin foil dinners? The boys were all over the whole cooking thing, so I gladly let them take over.


S'more time


S'more party in your tummy! (what movie?)

When I was a little girl we always played Bingo when we camped. I had to pass along the tradition.



The constant loud buzzing of the cicada's in the trees was a new addition to our camping experience.

Yes, those are Airheads in his hand. Taking after his Uncle Kevin!

Flapjack Man

Happy, happy birthday Piercie dear!