End of year - Ashlyn!

Ashlyn finished Kindergarten, and LOVED it!

 For the Kindergarten 'graduation' the children sang a few songs for us and looked very cute!

 Ashlyn and her wonderful teacher Mrs. Burnett

And her best friend in class-Emma!

It was a great year!

After being given the choice, Ashlyn too has decided to join our homeschool next year!

That puts us at 5 students (Hayden has chosen to stay in High School).

End of year - Morgan!

Morgan graduated from Elementary School!

Kind of crazy to me that half of my children are no longer in Elementary School!

They just keep growing.

Morgan really enjoyed her 5th grade year. She loved her teachers, loved the work, and had fun with her friends. It was a bitter sweet time saying goodbye to her Elementary days.

 The 5th grade teachers.

 Morgan receiving her graduation certificate from her teacher Ms. Goetz.

 Congratulations from the other teachers.

 Principle Martin congratulating Morgan.

On to the 6th grade!

Although she won't be going to the local middle school. After much back and forth and undecidedness, she's decided to try out homeschooling with the rest of the kids! I'm excited for this year!

End of year - Duncan!

Duncan finished the 3rd grade!

They had and end of year 'Grammy' celebration.

They walked in on the red carpet, with the paparazzi (parents armed with cameras) all around them!

Then joined in the party!

 Duncan & his best friend Xavier.

Duncan didn't care much for the dancing, but he did LOVE joining in the line snaking through the room!

Duncan and Mrs. Fleck

We loved her!

Me and my cute little man! 

Love him so.

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit...

Grandma & Grandpa Cernazanu came to visit this month.

We enjoyed having them, and did some fun things.

The sad part is....I took photos of the kids, but NOT them!

I have 1 photo of grandma, and none of grandpa!

How did that happen??

 Here's Morgan and Duncan at the Great Falls of the Potomac. There had been lots of rain recently, which always makes it more exciting.

We decided to spend a nice quiet Sunday afternoon by the creek.

Where the girls had way too much fun with the mud!

 The started out 'writing' on the tree (behind Morgan), which then turned to painting the tree...then painting themselves! I thought It was kind of funny that the 3 boys came home clean, and it was the girls who were covered in mud!

Duncan's shirt got a little wet, and he made this contraption to hang it up on and try and dry it...

 He's a pretty resourceful guy.

 He then moved on to making a 'shelter', which he covered in leafy tree branches.

 We do love this little spot!

Grandpa had to go to a conference on Monday, so we did some sight seeing with grandma. We took the kids out of school (except for Hayden-who had exams), and headed down to George Washington's Mt. Vernon.

Things didn't go quite as planned, and Brian & Ronan didn't join us on the house tour.

Ashlyn & Duncan

 Morgan & Grandma

 Duncan with the Potomac River behind him.

Washington had a lovely setting-no wonder he preferred Mt. Vernon to New York or Philadelphia (which is where the nations capital was during his 1st / 2nd terms).

Ashlyn is pointing out to Madelyn where George and Martha are buried on the estate at Mt. Vernon.

Memorial for Grandma

My grandmother passed away last month.

She was a very strong woman who has endure so much pain.

I am happy that she is no longer suffering, although we will miss her terribly. 

I flew to Colorado for the memorial.

(I was in the state all of 28 hours-my quickest trip ever)

It was good to get to see family while there.

Baker family

Amber, Tracy, JP, Laurie, & Kaylee

Jake & Heather

Sean & Stella

Grandma Morris & I

(My last living grandparent)

Sara  & Heather

I also got to meet my newest nephew, Liam!

Such a little cutie!

Drive through Safari Park

It was time for Ronan's 'Special Time' with dad.

He picked to go to Virginia Safari Park.  A fun drive through safari.

Ronan was very sweet, and knowing how much Morgan loves animals as well, invited her to join him on his 'special day'.

They had a fun time, and certainly got up-close and personal with the animals!

 They had buckets of feed that the animals would come to the window of the car to eat!

 Don't know if you can see it, but the joey is in his momma's pouch (legs hanging out).

They came home that night full of fun tales of the day. And ready and excited to take the rest of the family back to enjoy the fun as well!

Always Remember....

Duncan is such a good little Cub Scout.

 He loves doing his Duty for Memorial Day!

 And in 10-15 minutes the entire cemetery is done...

And and interesting headstone found. A WWI solider. Check out his last name.

Boys road trip!

Brian, Hayden and Brandon (Hayden's good friend) set out on a fun road trip last month!

Their intent was to go visit the USS Alabama.

With their bags packed and loaded in the car the night before, Brian picked them up from school on a Wednesday afternoon and they headed off!

I believe they made it to Tennessee that first night. Then up bright and early Thursday morning to head to Mobile Bay, AL!

While driving south, they noticed that a detour to New Orleans first was only 2 hours out of the way. Since they hadn't been to that lovely city yet, then decided to head straight there.

 Love the dazed look on these boys faces after being in the car for a day and a half!

They arrived at dinner time, and enjoyed a nice cajan meal.....

followed by some delicious beignets.

 And a quick stroll down Bourbon Street.

They then loaded back into the car and headed to Mobile Bay and crashed at the hotel.

Friday morning was spent at the USS Alabama, which was the reason this whole trip was organized to begin with!

 They all reported to of fully enjoyed their time there.

 Silly Boys!

More silliness.

Brian said it was a blast hanging out with these two!

Their next stop was to go check out Fort Gains on Dauphin Island.

It was not open, so they walked around it.

 Hayden squeezed through one of the small slats and made it in.

Little criminal.

 Saturday morning they set out for the journey home.

But were enticed by yet another something to see.

The National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, FL!

Here was where a bullet went through a propeller (above), and hit the windshield (below), and the pilot landed the plane! (WWII)

 Port hole from the USS Enterprise (CV-6)

Since the ship has been scrapped, and it is one they would of loved to see, they were excited to 'TOUCH' a piece of it!

They carried on their journey, stopping in North Carolina for the night on Sat., and made it bak home to us safe and sound Sunday night.

All reports from the trip were that it was a raging success, and they all had a blast! 

There were 2 jealous younger brothers here at home when they heard of their fun adventures! 

But everyone gets some alone time now and then.

Next trip is planned for Battleship Cove in Boston, and they will all get to join in on that one!