2nd Camping Trip - Front Royal, Va

Memorial Day weekend was our second camping trip with our new camper. Our destination was Front Royal, Va (Skyline Drive). We stayed at a campground that Nanny & Pappy had stayed at before. We went with Nanny, Pappy & Uncle Bubby this time with camp sites across the road from each other.

Our trip started on Saturday with the guys taking the campers down, along with Addi, and setting up because Nanny and I had to work that day. Once we were both finished with work we drove down together where the guys already had camp set up and dinner made, what a treat! We just relaxed around a fire that first night.

                                    

Sunday morning we woke up e-a-r-l-y. Addi got up around 5am so we decided to get an early start on our day. We were up, showered, dressed and eating breakfast before 7am. We took some small walks around the campground while we waited for everyone else to get up. Some neighboring campers told us about a coyote that was hanging out in the fields behind the campground so we tried looking for him but didn't have any luck.
While we were waiting to get moving, Addison made friends with some girls at a neighboring camp site. The girls were out collecting sticks for kindling for their camp fire they were going to have later that evening. Addi LOVES sticks, and kids, and so she was in all of her glory when we let her go to a big stick pile to play with the girls. They became instant friends and the girls were very good with her, protective even. They wouldn't let her get any big sticks for fear of her hurting herself. It was hard to break them apart so that we could go on with our day, but we assured them (and Addison) that they could play together again later that evening.

 Addi and her new friends: Alexis and Alyssa

We packed a picnic lunch and headed up to Skyline Drive for the day. There were several scenic overlooks and lots of traffic due to the holiday weekend. We had a good time enjoying the scenery. We stopped for lunch at a rest stop along the way to have a picnic. We only drove approximately 40 miles of the scenic drive, to the highest elevation point and then we turned around and headed back to camp.

 Once we got back to camp, as promised, the girls played together into the evening. They played miniature golf, shot each other (and Jason) with water guns, went to play at the park, and just had a good time playing together.

Sunday evening Addison had a hard time getting to bed. We tried everything we could think of to get her to sleep, but nothing was working. Finally, Jason took her for a drive to get her to sleep in the truck. I went to bed to get some sleep incase either of us needed to pull a 'night shift' with her. When they got back, Jason put her to bed without much problem and then he stayed up for a little bit longer. While he was up by himself at night (between 1am-2am) he had heard some loud banging sounds coming from the bathhouse which was maybe 100yards from our campsite. We found out the next morning that a bear had come through camp and that was the noises he had been hearing but didn't get to see it!

Monday morning we got up and had breakfast and then we got ready to go to the Skyline Caverns that were just a short drive up the main road from where we were staying. This was also the day that Addi's new friends were leaving to go home so it was sad to say goodbye, they definitely had a great weekend together. It was a great place to be on a hot day that's for sure. The tour was approximately an hour and afterwards we took a ride on a miniature train they had.
                                    

After we came back from the caverns we had lunch, and it was such a hot day that we ended up going to the pool for a little bit to cool off. Addi had fun learning to jump into the water from the sides of the pool.

It was a great weekend away, and of course was too short as all vacations are. We really enjoyed our time at Skyline and plan to go back in the future.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Whew! Time is flying by! Now that we have more family time with Jason's work schedule changing up a bit, we have been on the go!

We have done some projects around the house: front porch replacement, demolished the dog house/dog run area, and built a shed in it's place. It feels good to get things done on the house, especially the front porch. Ours was rotting and had been supported with jacks for a while, but now it looks great! It's our favorite place to sit and relax.

We went to 'Armed Forces Day' at City Island this year with Daddy, Pappy and Uncle Bubby. This was Addison and I's 3rd year attending the festivities. The actual event seemed slightly smaller than it had been in the past, but that didn't make any difference to Addi because she loved sitting in all of the helicopters! She just loves helicopters and airplanes and will point them out when she sees them.

Earlier this year we took Addison to the Zembo Shrine Circus. This was the circus that my parents took us to as kids and we always had a great time. I do remember that as the years went on it seemed to decline in the quality of the show and as we got older we just stopped going. It has declined even more so since then and I was disappointed that it didn't live up the memories I cherished of going as a kid. After a co-worker informed me of discount tickets to Ringling Brothers we decided to give it a try. This circus was what a 'circus' was to me, it was very similar to what I remember from Zembo all of those years ago. We had a great time, and surprisingly Addison did very well for staying up late past her bed time and being forced to sit still for hours.

1st Camping Trip - Gettysburg, PA

Our 1st camping trip was a success! Well of course we had a few hitches but overall a success and we are excited for the many adventures that lay ahead!
We went on our 1st trip to Gettysburg, Pa. It was a short trip, just a 3 day/2 night stay, but it was a great time.
Nanny & Pappy went with us and we were able to have side by side camp sites which was a lot of fun!

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Sleeping in her 'bed' at camp took a little adjusting but she is getting better. Mommy only had to sleep with her the 1st night. 

 Addi made a little 'camp boyfriend' from the campsite next to us. Of course her overprotective father was supervising their every move!

 Nanny wanted to take us to a covered bridge that she really likes, it was very pretty!

 At the base of the look-out tower on the battlefield. Daddy & Pappy climbed all the way to the top!

 Addison did so well, she hiked to the top of Big Round Top all by herself without needing to be carried, etc.

We are so excited for our next adventure! We are going over Memorial Day weekend to Sky Line Drive with Nanny, Pappy and Uncle Bubby this time!

Hippity Hoppity

What a great Easter we had this year! Last year, we didn't really have a 'fun' Easter because Addison was recovering from her febrile seizure and double ear infection. This year however, was quite different!
We painted eggs together for the first time! What a fun experience this was! Although Mommy was anxious and just waiting for a big mess to occur, we didn't do too bad!

We went to see the Easter Bunny this year, we missed him last year too! Although the entire time we were in line waiting to see him, she insisted she wanted to sit on his lap, when her time came she was a bit apprehensive.

The day before Easter we participated in an Easter egg hunt. Addison did very well! We really enjoyed watching her and the other little ones scattering about trying to find eggs.

How lucky we were to run into the Easter bunny again at the grocery store this time!

Easter day was pretty busy as well. The day started out with going through her baskets that the Easter bunny left for her at our house.

 After rummaging through the baskets and eating a bit of breakfast, we headed outside to see if the Easter bunny left any eggs, and wouldn't you know it, he sure did!

 We went to Maw-Maw & Pop-Pop's for Easter dinner where we got to play with our cousins and have another egg-hunt!

 Then we headed to Nanny & Pappy's to see what the Easter bunny left there, and wouldn't you know it, more eggs to find!

A Camping We Will Go!

Two and a half, going on 25. Addison is really coming into her own little personality. She amazes those around her daily with her level of comprehension. We're able to ask her questions and she can answer us, for the most part. Of course she isn't holding full blown conversations (in English anyway) just quite yet, but soon. She really loves to do things on her own, and everything is 'mine', 'that's mine'. Temper tantrums have really grown into full blown fits, and she even bit me hard enough to break the skin once! She was serious about not wanting to leave the park!
Jay's work schedule has changed, allowing us more much needed family time. Things haven't been so easy for the last 2 years, he and I have practically been on opposite shifts. We have felt as though we have been single parenting rather than co-parenting. It's been great these last few weeks with more time together. We even bought a camping trailer, and hope that this is going to build great lasting memories for Addison.I have wonderful memories of going camping with my grandparents to their campsite when I was younger. It's going to be a good bonding experience for us as a family. We are so excited about spending time together and doing something new!

We have spent the last two months almost, getting in touch with contractors to get estimates to have the front porch of our house replaced. We are going to start that soon. We would like to be able to list our house within the next year or so. Once the front porch is replaced, there will only be some minor interior cosmetic finishing touches to be made.

We took Addi on her first trip to see the circus last month. We went to the Zembo Shrine, which is the same circus that my parents took my brother and I to when we were younger. It is not as big as it used to be, but we had a good time. Next year, when she will sit a little bit better, we are going to take her to Barnum and Bailey.

This past weekend we went to see the Easter bunny, tonight we colored Easter eggs. We are getting ready for Easter this coming weekend. On Saturday we are going to an egg hunt, and then on Sunday we will see if the Easter Bunny brings anything for Addi and then off to MawMaw and PopPops for early dinner.