Camping with our North Carolina Family

What a treat! For Memorial Day weekend we went camping with, what we consider, our North Carolina Family - The Abbotts, Fowlers and Wheatleys to Linville Falls.

Alex and his buddy, Josh Abbott, kicking back. Josh and Alex are only 10 days apart and they feel the need to prove to each other dominance and toughness. They're usually found wrestling or pushing each other around. Very rough and tumble boys!

Dad and Maycie building the fire.


Snuggle buddies.

In the background you can see the Wheatley's "BMW or Big Mormon Wagon".

Caleb, Zack and Maycie getting cozy in the tent.

Best Buddies, Luke and Addie. You couldn't find a pair that get along better!

Mindy Wheatley, Sandy Abbott, Adria & Leah Fowler

Fastest walkers east of the Mississippi! Mindy keeps us moving. Even joggers would have a hard time keeping up with us!

Sandy helping Alex. Hey batter, batter!

SWING BATTER!

Katie and Alex scarfing down the 'mallows.

S'mores, please!

The Barth/Robbins can appreciate this. This was the North Carolina camping "OH NO!!!!" incident. There goes the beautiful cherry cobbler.

Quick! Rescue it!

Mmmmm!

That didn't stop anyone from enjoying it. It's just dirt, right? Just don't dig too deep.

Nate Wheatly felt the need to redeem himself with the cobbler, so the next week the whole camping crew were invited to a Family Home Evening cobbler cookout in the Wheatley's back yard. We won't say no to a 2nd attempt. Yum!

Zack, Emily, Tanner, Addie & Caleb. Tree trunks make the best balance beams ever!

Hiking to Linville Falls. Boy that water feels good after a hike.

Yeah! Alex and Dad finally make it. Alex would not let anyone pick him up to help. Although it was only one mile in, it was a pretty strenuous hike and he did it all by himself.

Way to go, Bubba! (and dad)

Kids Being Kids

Addie found a new love for photography. She spent several days taking candid shots of herself and the family. In order to protect our camera we took that privilege away. However, she has requested her own camera for her birthday so I'm sure we'll see more soon.

Check out those lips. "Whose yo' mama?"

I took this one. I remember doing this with my younger brother and sister when we were little. What is it about wearing panties on your head that is so fun?

Hula Maycie.

A family favorite. Dancing to the Nutcracker. Even Alex can't resist putting on the pink tutu - much to dad's dismay.

Precious Preschool Moments

It was a great year at Trinity United Methodist Church Playschool. Maycie never really got over her mommy attachment and cried most days when I dropped her off, but it only took a couple of mintues before she was as happy as can be.

Maycie singing songs with her class and Miss Kim.

Addie and Miss Debbie.
Miss Debbie had only great things to say about Addie, especially about her drawing.

Preschool Graduation. There goes my baby. Sniff, sniff!

Addie was so proud of her roses.

Mom and Dad were so proud of Addie!

Three graduates.

Addie, Ryan Summerhays & Caleb Abbott.

Here is the future of our nation! Good luck in Kindergarten.

Chicago and Baby Christopher

How lucky was I to be able to take two trips in a month. Thanks again to great friends and a great husband who took all the kids I got to visit my sister, Liesl, and her new baby, Christopher, in Chicago. It was so much fun to visit and play with Whitney and Ty. They were great older siblings and were so excited about their new baby brother. Christopher was an angel and so sweet.

Christopher Bicknell Shurtliff

April 27, 2009

In keeping with tradition, we took on a major project. New baby or not, when family is around it means work. My sister trusted me to pick out fabric and we whipped out these curtains in a couple days. Throw in a batch of cookie dough and a couple of chick flicks and you've got the perfect week. Scott was very supportive of the project and girly stuff, although he didn't like the fact that I rearranged their furniture while he was away. I'm sure he put it back after I left. Sorry Scott.


Though they looked a little mangy on the outside when I returned, the kids had a great time.

Addie and the Bike

Addie is a determined little soul. Once she puts her mind to something she usually accomplishes it. So it was with riding her bike without training wheels. Finally on Memorial Day she was going on her own. My baby girl is growing up.

Maycie was content to just look on safe and sound on her training wheels.

Good Neighbors

It's hard to say good-bye to such good neighbors like the Browns. You would never know that their girls are 6 years older than my girls. They play like they're best friends. We're going to miss the fun, inventive rolling contraptions they come up with to entertain the girls and the spontaneous block parties that Kerri and Jack hosted in their driveway.

Jessica

Kasey

Dancing Queen. Only 17!

I received a great honor the first weekend in May, when Samantha, one of my voice students, asked me to do her hair for prom. She looked gorgeous.

Farewell Zuster Robbins!

I was so lucky to be able to fly to Utah and see my little sister, Caitlin, before she left on her mission to Belgium Brussels/Netherlands. Thanks to great friends and a great husband for watching the girls. I did take Alex with me and consistent with past trips it was an event getting there. My flight out of Charlotte got delayed. I landed in Denver 10 minutes before my connecting flight left. I sprinted like my life depended on it while pushing Alex in a stroller and backpack on my back to a completely different terminal. Thank goodness I've been running 4-5 miles in the morning, but my lungs did not like the altitude change. Of course, the plane was still sitting there, but the gate was closed. Now what? Alex and I got to stay the night in a very nice hotel at the expense of the airline. I still would have rather made the flight. Not to mention that my soon-to-be missionary sister, who was suppose to pick me up that night in Vegas, had to stay in a Las Vegas hotel (same room) with her investigor "friend" (a boy, by the way) until they could pick me up in the morning. Hey, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas - right?

The Robbins. Dad, Caitlin & Patrick.

Grandma Bunting. (She'll be upset if I don't mention that she was a famous singer back in her day. She sang for President Eisenhower and some king. Also, she was drop dead gorgeous. As she said, "Adria, I had those boys going out the back door as I was letting them in the front.")

Grandma Rabiger and Caitlin.

Grandma Rabiger is a hoot. She's 93 and still going strong. I guess she's not used to my blond hair yet, because during Caitlin's farewell I sang in quartet with Caitlin, Marisa and a couple friends. My grandma turned to my uncle and said, "Who's that blond girl singing up there with Caitlin." The funny thing was, I had just given her a great big hello hug about 15 minutes before.

Adria, Caitlin, Grandma Rabiger, Mom, Marisa.

Patrick, Caitlin, Dad, Adria.