Circadian Rhythms, June 2016

Soapbox racing

Friends

Practicing xylophone for the church service

Summer reading stack

Stopped at Belle Isle on the way to Williamsburg

Family selfie on the bridge

Telling me about the water slides at Great Wolf Lodge

Hannah and I preferred reading to water

A Sophie photo bomb at William & Mary

Silly faces under the pergola

HUGE PIZZA!!!

Baby Kayla swimming in Kelly's old swimsuit

Little girls dressed up little boys

Sophie and a sleeping Kayla

Hannah, same caption

The five cousins together

Decorating his Father's Day ice cream cake

Fixing a delicious Thai dinner while sipping on wine

Captured on a morning run

Our new youth pastor's commissioning

Resuming the quilt project

No words needed

Trip to Great Wolf Lodge and Colonial Williamsburg

Great Wolf Lodge

On Thursday and Friday morning (the 9-10 of May) my family went to Great Wolf Lodge. As soon as we got there (after a 3 hour trip) we got out of the car and brought our stuff to the inside foyer. My dad gave my mom, my sister Hannah and me, wristbands that my dad said allowed us to go to the waterpark and apparently were the keys to our hotel room! After that we went up to our room and my mom showed me how the key works. Then we went inside, claimed beds and put on our swimsuits. 

Next we went down to the waterpark. Hannah and I went to the wave pool. Mom went to a table to read, and Dad went to the store. A little later we dragged Mom down to the hot tub. After the hot tub we took her to the wave pool, and that's when Dad came back! We didn't do much after that. We went back to our room after about an hour and changed so we could go to dinner.

That night we drove to an Italian place, and all of the waitresses came to the table when they saw Hannah reading instead of playing games on electronics. (I was playing Minecraft.) Next we went back to the hotel. When we got back, we explored a little. Then Mom went back to the room, and Dad took us to the arcade. I beat Hannah at Connect 4 twice and the second time I gave her my tickets and she gave me hers. Hannah kept beating me at Shuffleboard. After about an hour, we went back. I got a Squeezie tube thingy and a smiley face cushion thingy. Hannah got a green smiley face cushion thingy and a hacky sack and a bouncy ball. When we got back I was so tired I fell asleep almost immediately.

The next day we had breakfast at a buffet in the hotel. It was really good. Afterwards we put on our swimsuits and went down to the water park for the last time. We went in the lazy river and my partner was Dad. On the second time through I steered us so we would go faster. When we got to a giant faucet I swung Dad underneath it so he would get wet but I would not. After a little while Mom and Dad went on the water slides and when they were done they came with me where I wanted to go. And Mom made us choose little slide or big slide. I chose big and Hannah chose little. Hannah went first and raced Mom. Then Dad and I went together on the yellow slide three times and blue one two times. It was really fun. Next me and Dad went on the lazy river once more before Mom and Hannah got back. (They had already left.) When we were going to the wave pool they showed up. After one round of waves we went to water basketball. We played CAT, then HORSE then the letter L. Then we went to get some food and dried off. Then we left for. . . . . . . .

Williamsburg

Palace Green and Governor's Mansion

As soon as we got there we went to our hotel room and got ready to go to Colonial Williamsburg. We walked to Colonial Williamsburg from the Visitor Center, and on the way there we stopped by Great Hope Plantation, then continued the rest of the way. When we got there I directed us to the courthouse with my map. We watched a court session. We spent the rest of the day in the Historic City. So we walked back to the visitor center to go to the car and my feet REALLY  hurt afterwards. Once we got back we rested a little while then went to eat at a restaurant. It “was the best one yet” said Mom and Dad.  After that we walked back to the Hotel. We played Minecraft a little while we waited for our showers, then we went to bed.

Great Hope Plantation cabin

Navigating the streets of colonial Williamsburg

The next day we ate breakfast in the hotel. I liked EVERYTHING.  Then we drove to the visitor center, picked up some new maps, and walked there in good time. First we went to the Indian camp. After that (it was closed) we walked around a little more then went to an ice cream shop called Lokal and I got a piggy back ride on the way back because my leg hurt. Then we went back to the visitor center. We went out to eat again that night. Once we got back to the hotel we relaxed.

Courthouse

Mom's one of the judges! (Look on the left)

Plaques on the walkway between the visitor's center and CW walk you backward and forward through time

Next day we ate at the hotel again for breakfast. We brought hot chocolate and bananas back to our room. That day we drove to the visitor center, walked to the Historic City and explored for the last time. We visited the public Gaol (the jail), the governor's palace,  and lots of other cool things. Then, on our way back through the visitor center, we stopped at the gift shop. I bought a 17th century dress, apron, bonnet and pocket for my American Girl doll. Hannah got that too, and she gave me her pocket. She also got a maple fife. We secretly bought Daddy a cannon pencil sharpener, because he collects those things. Mom and Dad bought cards and ninepins.

In jail

Of course we had to play mini golf

The next day we spent packing and driving home. We had a great time.

Mixing clay for bricks

Basket weavers

Blacksmith

Washing wigs

Our musical entertainment at lunch

By Sophie (with a little help from Hannah)

Brunk Work Weekend at the Mountain

We had been looking forward to this weekend for almost a month. It was the first time we got to see our new little cousin, Kayla. Grandma took Sophie and me to the cabin right after school ended. We got there around 4:00. 20 minutes later it started drizzling. We went down to the Shelter to clean up, but by the time we got there, it was pouring. It rained that hard for nearly an hour. When it quit, Grandpa checked the rain gauge. 1 inch. A few minutes later, Mom and Dad came, and my aunt Kelly had told Mom that they would be arriving at about 7:30. About 10 minutes before they came, Dad, Grandpa and I went across the river to meet them. 

The river was up higher than I had ever seen it. Grandpa said that water reaches it’s peak 12 hours after the storm stops. This was 2 hours after. A few minutes before they arrived, Grandpa went back. He brought everyone else across. We went back to Grandma and Grandpa’s.

We stayed that night at our house. Next morning we left at about eight to go and clean the Shelter. Some people stayed the night there in campers, so they were cooking their breakfast when we got there. Kelly, Jon and their kids left Grandma’s at about ten. Grandma and Grandpa came with us.

Shortly before Kelly and Jon arrived, Dad took Sophie and me on a ride to see the creeks, the lake and check the roads. When we drove by the lake it was up so far the dock, which was a 15 step stairwell below the road, only had four steps in the air. The rest was underwater. The dock, the stairs, lots of trees, all underwater. As we drove on, we noticed a large bird. The eagle had just flown over the car! When we got to the creek, I was surprised. Considering how much the lake had gone up, the stream looked about the same, if a little lower, as the night before. On our way back, we saw another bird, either a hawk or an immature bald eagle. Past the dam, we saw a turkey.

When we got back, Kelly and Jon were almost there. We spent the rest of that day cleaning the shelter. That night we went back to the Cabin, and we were going to stay there the rest of the weekend. The rest of the weekend was normal. We played, board games, played with the boys, played outside, repaired our fort, warned Henry over and over not to touch the stove, and cuddled with Kayla.

Robert and Grandpa playing Kub

Sophie and Henry made up a routine;
Sleep, eat breakfast, play drums, repeat

We had built the fort before, on another trip, but after many big storms, it needed a good repair. We spent a good hour cleaning it up. We rebuilt the roof, ‘paved’ the floor with rocks, planted a tree, and made a new door hole.

We had a lot of fun on this trip, even though we were flooded out. I can’t wait to see them again.

by Hannah

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Photos of the work on the shelter: