Summer

In spite of the unexpected start to the summer we still found things to do, both outside and inside.  We frequented the $2 summer movie each week and there are some pictures below of some other things that we did.

At the creek with Aela (before 5/27)

Aquatic Center Summer Bash (before 5/27)

The Friday after we got home from the hospital Gabriel's violin teacher did an outdoor performance.  It was the perfect, calm thing to do outside.  And they got to push Dad on a big swing.

Camping trip with Dad where they saw wild horses

Corban went to swim camp and brought a friend from school, Jordan, to fill Gabriel's spot.  They had fun each day swimming, having swimming lessons, playing outside, doing group activities, and watching a movie at the end of the day.

This year brought the return of Summer Bible Camp at church.  Taylor did the teaching and I did the snacks.  Lot of other people volunteered to make it a fun few days for all the kids.

The week of July 4th Taylor was out of town at a youth camp.  He dropped the boys off at his parents before he left and they had a good time with Pop Pop, Gammer, Aunt Tracy, and Drew.  I drove down on July 4th after I had worked the day prior and we went to a festival and parade in downtown Braselton.  Honestly, I think their favorite part of the outing was finding a store called "Art of the Nerd" full of Pokemon cards and action figures.

We spent a day at a science museum with the Spears and then had fun the next day playing at their house after we spent the night with Grandma Cheryl

The week after we came home the boys went to a 3 day free camp at VT run by the chemistry department.  The grad students include the kids in learning about their research and doing experiments both outside and in the lab on campus.  Both boys got to go this year and had a really good time

Duck Pond

Minor League Red Sox game with friends from church

Chilling in the backyard with their drinks on boogie boards

Corban swinging wrapped up in his towel

Bowling with friends.  Corban was so excited to win!

At Chilis for Daddy's birthday (they finally opened one in Roanoke). 
The boys thought the staff singing to Taylor was hilarious.

One Saturday I drove the boys out to the Green Valley Book Fair.  It's quite a drive, but Corban's class had gone there on a field trip and had talked it up to Gabriel.  I have a hard time saying "no" to discount books and there is a very yummy ice cream place down the street.

Pulaski River Turtles Baseball courtesy of Carilion

We went to the beach the first week in August.  The boys loved playing in the sand and drifting over waves (actually Corban liked diving into them).  It was nice to just have a week of no set time to get up (we let the boys watch cartoons on the TV in their room in the morning, which they thought was great), simple meals, introducing them to tacky beach gift shops, and playing mini golf.

This kid was fearless and all about the waves

We let them pick out one thing in the giftshop.  They both went with pirate
weapons and masks (we had recently watched Pirates of the Caribbean )

Gabriel spent a long time collecting these little sand creatures.  He had them in a bucket with some water and sand.  As he found each one he added it to the bucket and watched in burrow itself down into the sand.  He even named a couple of them.  He was so gentle with them and when we were done for the day he placed them each back in a wet and sandy place and watched them burrow down to safety

We went to Touch a Truck at the mall.  We've gone to this every year that it has happened since they were little.  The boys don't want to wait in the long times to climb on most of the trucks, but they like walking by the vendors (getting free candy) and looking at things.  They especially loved the SWAT truck and asked the officers there all kinds of good questions.

Lunch at Panda after Touch a Truck.  I guess it's kind of a tradition
because they remember doing it and want to do it again each time. 
Gabriel is reading a book to Corban on the Kindle.

 And before we knew it, it was time for school to start and Corban's 8th birthday. . .