Williamsburg

Training in the "Awkward Squad"-- once he can load and fire his musket four times in a minute, he'll graduate out.

the courtroom

Seth LOVED playing hoops.

Ryan liked hoops too, but she loved making her very first throw over the post.  Daddy never did make one.

The kids delivering letters to the printer.

watering the garden with the Master Gardener

on the bus, resting our feet

Revolutionary City

General Lafayette

on the way to the Palace maze

waiting for our last bus ride of the night

I almost didn't put this picture in because my camera on my belt makes me look like I have a huge roll, so I am clearly stating "It is not a roll, it is a camera!"

We went to Colonial Williamsburg over Veteran's Day weekend.  We had a fabulous time.  It was so much fun.  We went down to the hotel Sunday night.  We brought microwave meals with us so we didn't have to eat out, but our hotel didn't have a microwave, so we had to use the hotel next door.  The kids, of course, did lots of jumping across the beds.  The next day we dressed the kids up in colonial garb and they got letters that sent them on errands (Ryan was helping a friend with a sick sister and Seth was training for the militia).  She learned etiquette and Seth trained with his musket.  They both learned their courtesies (a curtsy for Ryan with a "Goodday, ma'am/sir" and a bow for Seth with his leg turned out to show off his calf and a flourish of his hat) and did them to anyone else in costume.  The interpreters were very impressed!  They helped out in the garden and picked up letters at the post office and delivered them to the printmaker.  We also saw the wigmaker, the silversmith, the castle maze, the horses and buggy... the list goes on.  But all in all, we had a great time!  Before we left, we stopped at Yankee Candle which was huge.  The kids dipped candles, danced in the bubble snow, looked at the Christmas houses and Adam bought everyone chocolate caramel corn.  I love being with my family!

Some gorgeous pics Dad took on his sailing trip

Maybe next time he'll let us go with him.  But, then again, the last time we were on the sailboat at 4th of july, I dropped my flip flop in the water stepping on, so maybe not!

Daddy comes to Helping Day!

Friday Night Fun

The kids decided to make a house for their little creatures from a big cardboard box.  There are couches, chairs, beds (single and bunks), a tent (that was Seth's) and a TV, playing Spongebob, of course (that is Ryan's creation).  Seth took most of the pics with all his creatures staged for the photo.

My bed was made...

My bed was made so they had to play on Ryan's bed and this is their pillow fort.  Lately they have been making a lot of pillow and blanket forts using every pillow and blanket in the house.  If they're not for a fort, then they are piled beside our bed so when Adam pushes them off they don't get hurt.  Gotta love playing with Daddy.  I was just the monster in this game.

Seth's Robot Pic

Seth drew this yesterday at school during free time.  It is so detailed and creative.  All the robots, ships and creatures are labeled "good" and "bad".  The robot's hair opens up so missiles can shoot out.  The green tank has guns everywhere.  The spaceship is attacking some poor guy saying "ahhhhh"!

No Karate for Ryan

At pizza night dinner on the floor, Adam announced that Seth wanted to start Karate.  I told Ryan that she could do it too.  It would help her balance and use her body (for dance, because I can't get her into tap yet).  She finally said, "Do you know why I will never do karate because they will kick me ... (pause) ... probably in my stomach."  That's our ballerina for ya!

Classic Halloween

A mummy, a witch, a wampire, and a werewolf... and then a Hawaiian guy and a pirate showed up!  What a night!  Ryan loved handing out candy with Grandma before and after trick-or-treating, but Seth was all about the candy.  We went around three different times to different streets.  Before it got dark, we all (Grandma and Grandpa too) helped The Brothers hide some of the cricket and frog noise makers around the haunted forest.  After dark, Grandma stayed to hand out candy while the rest of us walked through the forest.  There was a pirate show, an alien shuttle that crash landed on earth, a computer screen that if you said your name into the cauldron next to it would say "K.C. died in 2009 from...", lasers on the side of the house and a ton of different characters (R2D2, Darth Maul, Yoda...).  Seth's favorite was an RC space car.  Seth and Ryan even got to fight with the light sabers in front of the haunted forest.  It was crazy!  So after getting a ton of candy and handing out even more, having a great time with Grandma and Grandpa and overall, having a great Halloween, our little princess witch and mummy fell into bed.

What a great Halloween! 

I've been "Boo-ed"!

We got Boo-ed yesterday (a paper ghost and a bag of candy on our doorstep) so we went out tonight to Boo three neighbors. In our pjs, headlamps and slippers (it was already past bedtime, but our pizza night went a little late after dance and soccer), we jumped in the back of the pickup to "sneak" around the neighborhood. Well, after the first house where we unknowingly walked right past Mr. Jeff working on his haunted house in the tree and while sneakily placing the bag on his doorstep, squealed, laughed and went running right back past him back to the truck when he asked "What are you guys doing here?". The second house she opened the door right as I was knocking and the third, Seth made it almost to the bed before they opened the door. So we were not quite successful on the "sneaky" side, but we had lots of laughs and fun. I told Adam it was like going TPing, only... as parents... with our 5 and 7 year old children... and getting caught. Good times!