Oh, What Do You Do in the Summertime?

We have had great summer so far. I have no excuse for not blogging except laziness. We try to stay busy with something each day. The things we generally rotate through are the park, the library, the pool, and grocery shopping. My children especially love the last one. Just kidding. We have started to make some friends here, which is helpful for the kids (and me too).

Our biggest news is that Derek passed his Thesis Defense!!! A big thank you to my sister, Rachel, for watching our children so that I could attend his defense. He had to make one revision, but now his thesis is done, and has been officially turned in for binding. I am so glad we are done with that. The only school related thing he has left is a conference submission, which is due on Wednesday. (In Computer Science conference submissions are equal to journal submissions in other fields, in terms of difficulty being accepted). After Wednesday, all school related things are over. Crazy. It was a good experience. Derek is really happy with his job, and he wouldn't have it, if he hadn't gone back to school. The next UVA commencement isn't until May, but I think there is a good chance we will go back for it. Derek would like the kids to see him graduate. (I would like to see him too). :)

We still haven't sold our house. We have only had one showing, and it was to someone who couldn't afford it. Bummer. I keep praying and hoping that it will sell. The market is in pretty sad shape following the end of the tax credit. Hopefully it will start to pick up again before the year is out. Only time will tell.

Since I am so far behind in blogging, I figure the best way to recap the summer so far is with pictures. Just to warn you, there are a lot of them. Enjoy!

Nana's Wedding and D.C.:

In June, Derek's mom got married to a wonderful man, Gordon, in the D.C. Temple. We were able to attend the wedding. We are so excited for her. We had a great time hanging out with Derek's family. They are awesome!

Jenna and Amanda waiting for our pedicures to dry (morning of the wedding)


Jenna's pedicure (I think that hers was the best of all of us that went)


The D.C. Temple. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the bride and groom.


Kevin at the wedding


Jared at the wedding


Derek and Jenna at the wedding


The day after the wedding we all hit up D.C. I LOVE D.C. It is my favorite city. I hadn't been there since high school, so I was excited to go back. We joined Derek's siblings and mom and new hubby. It was great. My brother and sister-in-law happened to be up there at the same time, so I was able to meet up with my SIL and nieces and nephews too. The kids had a blast with their cousins. Weather wise it was a perfect day.

Nana and Jenna in D.C.


Kevin, Jared, and Jenna on the rocks at the FDR memorial (this one was new since I had been there last)




Jared had a great time petting FDR's dog. :)


Amanda and Kevin sitting across the Potomac (I think) from the Washington Monument


Nana and new hubby, Gordon, across the Potomac from the Jefferson Memorial (see Texas, the rest of the country still believes Jefferson existed)


Kevin, Jenna, and Jared hanging out with George Mason


The best shot I got of the Davis cousins. The cute little boy in the back is Tanner, Derek's sister's son.


Jenna at the end of the reflecting pond with the Lincoln Memorial in the background


Jared at the end of the reflecting pond with the Lincoln Memorial in the background


Kevin at the end of the reflecting pond with the Lincoln Memorial in the background


* We actually had a hard time initially finding our way to the Lincoln Memorial. I accidentally thought the Jefferson Memorial was the Lincoln Memorial. On our way there, Kevin kept saying, "That's not the Lincoln Memorial. The Lincoln Memorial has a flat top." Being the good mother that I am, I assumed he didn't know what he was talking about. I was wrong. He was right. The Jefferson Memorial has a rounded top, typical Jeffersonian fashion. The Lincoln Memorial has a flat top. Way to go Kevin!

The fam with Lincoln


Jenna and Jared from the top of the Lincoln Memorial looking out over the reflection pond to the Washington Monument


Jenna with Amanda's sunglasses on. This was on the way back to the hotel after a long, but great, day in D.C.


July 4th:

We did most of our celebrating on July 3rd. It was pretty low key. The firework show we attended was pretty lame. Next year we are going to try to go to the one here in Cary that has a live orchestra and awesome fireworks.

We hit up a small festival before the fireworks. Chick-fil-A had a little booth there. This is their cow.

Kevin and Jared


Jenna


Waiting for the fireworks:

Kevin


Jared


Jared and Mom


Jenna and Derek


We stayed home of the 4th of July, listening to patriotic music, making flags, eating flag cake, and hanging out.

Jenna in her patriotic dress


Jenna with her flag


Jared with his flag (I didn't get a picture of Kevin's with his flag - he wasn't in a picture taking mood)


The "Oh, so Yummy" flag cake. Chocolate cake, buttercream frosting, and berries. Mmm...!!! FYI, there are thirteen stripes and 50 stars on that cake. :)


Other Summer happenings:

I finally got my hair cut. I tend to go at least six months in between hair cuts. Which is too long, but such is life.

Amanda with new hair cut


The kids were really into making forts for a couple of days. Here they are watching a movie from under one of their forts.


Last week after being gone for a few hours we came home to a leak. I sent Jared to throw something away, and he came back and said the laundry room floor was wet. I had set some laundry to go before we left, so this was not good news. We live on the second floor of a three floor apartment building. I ran into the laundry room to check it out. Thankfully, my washer wasn't leaking. The leak was actually coming from the apartment above us, and dripping through the ceiling. Thankfully nothing was ruined. That was the best place to have a leak, if there was going to be one.

I put this trash can out to catch the water while I waited for the maintenance guy to come stop the leak. I collected over an inch of water in less than an hour.


The leaky ceiling


We have a huge state park (Umstead Park) with hiking trails, camping, boating, picnicking and such about 10 minutes from our apartment. We took the kids over for a picnic lunch a little bit of hiking on Saturday.

Kevin and Jared both making funny faces at the map for the head of the trail


Jenna and Derek at the start of the hike


Kevin with a head start. Shortly after this, the trail moved from being paved to being a typical dirt trail through woods. It was beautiful.


Jenna and Jared checking out the stream we found on the hike


Kevin, Jenna, and Derek trying to get a little closer to the stream. There were too many thorny plants in the way, so that is as close as they got.


Finally, we have done a lot of reading this summer. We have gone to the library at least once a week. Kevin is in love with "The Boxcar Children" series right now. Jenna is turning into quite the little reader. She can read most picture and beginning reader books. Jared loves to be read to. Jenna is a good sport, and often reads to him. They all love listening to audio books as well.

Amanda reading with Jared and froggy cuddled up on her lap. These are some of mom's favorite moments.