Summer Vacation Week 7 - late again

Monday - In the morning the kids did their jobs, which makes Mommy very happy because she has a clean house and she does not have to clean it all by herself. Sean and I also moved Lucy's crib into Emma's room. Emma has wanted Lucy in the room with her since she was born but since we have an extra room we wanted to wait until Lucy was sleeping through the night. Emma was so excited about having Lucy in her room that when Lucy went to bed at 7pm, Emma wanted to go also. It is going well having them in the same room. In the afternoon we went to a dairy farm that is about 30 minutes from us. If you are there at 4pm you can help feed the calves. We were able to do that. Seth was not too excited about the cows. Lucy loved the calves and one was trying to eat her hand. After feeding the cows we had ice cream at the little store and bought a half gallon of the best chocolate milk I have ever tasted.

Tuesday - We will call Tuesday movie day. The local movie theater has free movies on Tuesday and Wednesdays. Sean took Jacob, Emma and Seth to see "Star Wars - The Clone Wars". I got to stay home with Lucy who took a nap for part of the time. I always think about all the things I would get done if my kids were out of the house for just a couple hours. Well I had that and what do you think I got done?!?!?! NOTHING, I took a nap. :-) That night Sean and Jacob went to see "Harry Potter". Jacob liked it but was just a little scared of, I think, the death eaters. He came in our bed and said, "I think I should have watched that movie during the day". Sean loves the movies and me not so much. So, he usually either goes to a matinee by himself or takes Jacob. I am glad that Jacob shares Sean's love for the movies so that I do not have to go.

Wednesday & Thursday - We just hung out at home and played and cleaned and got ready for the weekend.

Friday & Saturday - We headed to Kirtland, OH to see some church historic sites. We met Sean's brother Adam and his family there. We camped on Friday and went to Kirtland on Saturday. It was fun. Our kids always enjoy seeing their cousins. There was a playground right by our site so the kids spent the majority of their time there. We made smores in the evening and the kids were all up late. Our kids love sleeping in a tent. It was Lucy's first time in a tent. I was a little nervous but she did well. Saturday was a full day. We did not get home until 11:30pm but it was well worth it.




It was another fun week of the summer. All to soon Jacob will be in 1st grade, Emma will be in preschool and Seth will be doing Joy School and life will get very busy. We are going to fully enjoy the last month of our summer vacation.

Summer Vacation Week 6

Wow, the summer is half way over. This week we were able to spend some time with family.

Monday - We went to a small water, more like spray, park not too far from our house. There is one big water slide. Jacob loved it. Emma was tall enough to go on it but once she climbed the stairs and looked at it she changed her mind, so she made the trip back down the stairs. There was a small duck slide where Seth spent most of his time. It was a good time.

Tuesday - In school last year Jacob was able to see Bill Wellington, who is a folk singer. He really liked him and we even bought a couple of his CD's. Well, he was at the Library on Tuesday so we decided to go. He is great, the kids had a wonderful time listening to and singing with him. We came home with two more of his CD's. I was glad because I get tired of listening to the same thing every time we get in the van. After the show we headed over to our friends pool. There were not very many people there so there was a lot of room for swimming. Jacob is becoming quite the swimmer. Emma is much more confident in the water. And Seth, he is too confident.

Wednesday - In the morning the kids and I loaded into the van to head to Hollywood, MD, in southern Maryland, to visit my oldest sister Jennifer and her family. She had a baby in April. The kids played in the sprinkler. My kids loved following around their older cousins, Jocey and Nate, and Emma could not get enough of baby Lily. It was cute to lay Lucy and Lily and see the difference in them. My sister and her husband also took some great pictures of my kids. I am having a hard time deciding which ones I want to print.

Thursday - We headed back home around lunchtime. We just had a quiet evening at home.

Friday - It was rainy on Friday so we spent most of the day inside playing games and watching movies.

Saturday - Jacob headed to Baltimore with his friend and his friends family. It was strange having him gone all day. They went to the aquarium and walked around the inner Harbour. He had wonderful day. Emma, Seth, Lucy and I headed to Fairfax, VA to my sister Gretchen's house. My mom and Al were there with their new puppy. The kids were able to go swimming for several hours. After we went back to their house and had a cookout. I love a good grilled cheeseburger, YUM!! The kids were all tired and fell asleep on the way home, that is always fun.

Sunday - We continue to go to church from 3-6pm. It is hard time for the kids. We are praying that we are able to get back in our building here in Harpers Ferry very soon.

We have having a fun summer. I love having Jacob home with us all day.

Brown Kids

We went to visit my sister Jennifer and her family in Southern Maryland on Wednesday and Thursday. She and her husband are wonderful photographers. They took a ton of pictures of my kids. They turned out so good I am having a hard time deciding which ones are the best. Here is just a sample of a couple.

Summer Vacation Week 5

Seth has a teacher who spends a lot of time on things to send home with the kids each Sunday. These are his "Scripture Specs". Last Sunday as we were leaving church I turned around and this is what I saw. I had to take a picture, too cute. I love that kid.

Well, this week has been the week of swimming and sickness. Jacob and Emma had swim lessons this week. On Monday I took both of them up together. Emma was first, then there was a class between and Jacob was next. So, I had this GREAT plan all devised. I would get Emma ready and while she was in her class I would help Jacob do schoolwork (yes, we are mean parents and having our kids do a little work each day). Between their classes they would have a snack. Then while Jacob was in the pool Emma and I would do her schoolwork. Well, don't you know kids do not allow plans to go off as they should. Emma would not get in the pool at all on Monday. Not only would she not get in she screamed and cried for the entire 1 hour and 30 minutes we were at the INDOOR pool. I am not sure what was wrong with her. She has been swimming this summer and gotten in the pool. The rest of the week went a little better but not until Friday did she do everything that her teachers asked her to do. Therefore, plans were changed and Emma and either Sean or I would head to the pool first so that we could leave if need be and the other would bring up the rear with Jacob and the other two. We would meet in the middle and trade kids, cars or whatever we needed. Jacob did really well in his class.

Wednesday I gave the boys haircuts. Jacob prefers his shaved, which is fine with me because it is much easier and quicker, so I did him first. Then came Seth. He told me that he wanted hair like Jacob. I was not sure that I wanted to shave his head but he is so wiggly when I try to cut his hair that I decided to do it. It looks cute and he loves it.

Loves his new hair.

Ready to get all the hair off of him.

Thursday we packed a lunch and on the way home from swim lessons we stopped at the park, had lunch and played. It is a playground that we have only been to one time so it was fun for the kids. Thursday was also a day of rest. Jacob and Emma were both invited over to friends houses to play. Seth and Lucy both took good long afternoon naps so mommy also got a much needed nap.

As for sickness this week, Sean was sick on Sunday - Tuesday. Wednesday morning Seth, Lucy and I all woke up sick. Seth and I are still coughing a little and tired but feeling better. Lucy is feeling better as far as the sickness goes but is teething and not enjoying it. Thank goodness for medicine. Jacob woke up Friday morning not wanting to eat, which is very unusual for him, so we figured something was up. Yes, he is now sick. He missed his last day of swim lessons and pretty much laid on the couch. He is still feeling sick today but not as bad as yesterday. Emma woke up today with a nasty nose. Tonight is going to be early bedtimes and medicine. :-) We are staying home from church tomorrow so that we do not share our sickness with anyone. Well, Sean is going because he is feeling better and he has to teach.

Braddock Attack

We are watching my younger sister, Lindsie's dog. He is great with the kids. He loves to lick them. They will lay on the floor and call him over so that he will kiss them. It is really funny. Lucy is not so sure about it when he likes her but is tolerant of it.

Summer Vacation Week 4 - a little behind

Lucy in a big swing (first time), ignore Seth picking his nose.
Emma enjoying the swing with Lucy.

Feeding the duck and a lot geese.

Crazy Brown kids.

Last Monday Sean took Jacob, Emma and Seth to a Fredrick Keys game. It was Seth's first baseball game. They all had a great time. The game went into extra innings. Sean was ready to come home at the end of the ninth but the kids wanted to stay so that they could run the bases. Lucky for Sean it only went to the tenth inning. The kids got to run the bases and really enjoyed it.

Tuesday was more swimming for everyone. Jacob is a great swimmer now. He jumps off the diving board. Seth is brave, which is a little scary. Emma is gaining more confidence in the pool.

Thursday the kids and I headed to Fredericksburg for a funeral of a friend. I am grateful for an old friend that watched my kids so that I could attend. Before the funeral, we headed to our old stomping ground, Locust Shade Park. We were able to feed the duck (there was only one) and many geese. The kids loved it. We also played on two playgrounds then headed home.

Saturday was the 4th of July. We went to a pancake breakfast at our bishop's house. We came home, Sean went to work and the kids and I rested for the afternoon. After dinner we headed to a friends house. The kids played then we watched the fireworks. It is the first time my kids have stayed awake for the fireworks. Everyone was asleep by the time we got home.

Sunday we got some not so good news about our church building. There is a problem with the occupancy permit so it will be at least another 6-8 weeks before we can meet in it again. So, we get to remain going to Winchester from 3-6pm. The drive does not bother me as much as the time. It is hard on the kids.

Where is Seth?

This morning I was the first one up and came downstairs to feed the dogs. Jacob came down shortly after I did. While we were down here I heard a noise upstairs, so like any good mommy, I went to investigate and check on the other kids. Emma was asleep in her bed, Lucy was asleep in her crib but Seth was not in his bed. It is not uncommon for our kids to crawl in bed with us in the morning so I checked our room and only Sean was in our bed. I did the rounds again, this time moving blankets and pillows to see if he was under any of them, still no Seth. I came downstairs to make sure that he did not come down while I was not looking, he did not. I asked Jacob if Seth was in his bed when he came downstairs and he said that he did not see him. I looked outside, in the garage, in the basement, still no Seth. By this time I was starting to panic. I did another check of the rooms then ran into our room and informed Sean that I could not find Seth. Sean immediately jumped out of bed. I ran downstairs yelling, "Seth, are you here, SETH!!" He calmly answered, "Mommy, I am right here." "Where is her?", I asked. "I am under my bed." That is probably the one place I did not look.

And again this afternoon we got to play again. The kids were having quiet time (or mommy sanity time, whatever you want to call it). The timer rang and I called upstairs to tell Emma and Seth they could come down. Emma heard me and went into Seth's room to get him but she could not find him. She said I even looked under the bed. I ran upstairs to find him asleep on Jacob's bed, the top bunk.