To Hershey

A last minute decision and a surprise for the boys to go to Hershey Park.  Brayden at home with help.

A gorgeous Memorial weekend and we attempted the park on a 70 degree Saturday.  It was a great day at the park.  Within the first few hours, we rode multiple roller coasters (even getting off and then right back on, no wait).

Carter and Jeremy (you can see them in the front car of the orange roller coaster) loved the Fahrenheit.  Luke and I loved the Great Bear.

After lunch we headed to the Animal Park then to the Chocolate Factory.

A 4D movie, factory tour and buying candy.  Could not have been any better.

How much wood?

We use a wood burning fire place during the winter months.  And the past several years we have had some brutal winter months for living in NoVA, which means we having been burning a lot of wood.

But come spring/summer, Jeremy orders the wood so it will dry out in time for winter.  They deliver, who knows how many cords and we stack it.  The boys worked on it for a few hours the first night, then Jeremy and I finished it up the next day.

It would say that is enough wood.

Check out those Eyes

I realize one thing about having boy...there is a lot of repetition and clarifying.  Case in point:  I ask Carter how he is doing with his contacts and I ask him often.  His response is:  Fine.

What I should ask:  Can you see clearly at school?  How many contacts do you have left?

Because all of a sudden one morning, he comes down holding an empty box of contacts and tells me he does not see as clearly as he did the beginning of the school year.  So we make a quick appointment to get his eyes checked and order more contacts.

Yes, his eyes did change slightly and yes, I ordered a big quantity of contacts.

Breaking Records

Luke is determined to break records in PE.  It was time for the pacer test.  He set the record for 3rd grade last year (which was a new school record that Carter broke the next day).  This year he set a new record for 4th grade, 101.  He plans to set a new record for 5th grade next year.

A little water and A lot of damage

A pipe broke in the house.  Kitchen torn up a bit and the basement.

Why not have fun with the blowers that are actually there to help dry?!

Smelly Marker Challenge

Fourth grade science project time.  I have always tired to steer the boys towards doing a "fun" easy project.  This time Luke came up with the project all on his own.

Challenge his friends to guess the scent of smelly markers.  His class is obsessed with scented markers...many of them come home with swipes of markers on their nose.  Luke knew this was the project for him.

So he invited all the 4th graders in our neighborhood to our house.  An afternoon of smelling markers, eating snacks and playing...could there be any better science project?

Flag Football

Carter and Luke's first time playing in a flag football league (the boys have played tackle for several years).  Carter is the quarterback, throwing lots of touchdowns and Luke is one of the leading flag-pullers (and Luke is playing up with 6th and 7th graders).

It is truly fun...not nearly as stressful as tackle football.

Old Waterford School

Fourth grade at Waterford Elementary means the students spend a day back in time at the Old Waterford School.

Dress like it was 1880 and even pack your lunch like it was 1880.  Have school like it was 1880, books, writing and all.

White House Easter Egg Roll

Luke's 4th grade class had the opportunity to attend the White House Easter Egg Roll.

The White House lawn was packed.  It took a very long time to get through the lines, tents and gate (thankfully all of the kids did great waiting).  We finally made it on to the South Lawn.  Groups divided up and headed to different activities.

Rachel Ray with the First Lady

Boys fascinated with the security on top of the White House and some surrounding buildings...

My group of 3 boys headed to watch Bobby Flay make wonuts - a waffle donut.  Of course the wonuts had to be healthy...the whole theme for the Easter Egg Roll was health and fitness (the FLOTUS big initiative).  And I am waiting for the year when the theme is Easter Candy but I digress.  The boys talked a bit with Bobby Flay and asked to try his wonut.  One of the boys was selected to go on stage.  He tried the wonut.  Bobby Flay asked him if he liked it.  To which he replies, "It is not so good."  Bobby Flay responds, "With that honesty, don't go in to politics".  Then he passed a plate to the boys to try more.

Then we head to an obstacle course, filled with athletes.  Players from DC United, college football players, NFL players and more.  I asked some of the players to high five my crew (the hashtag for the White House Easter Egg Roll was #gimmiefive) and we ended up with a photo op.  Even ended up the a little bit of news from Maryland, Maryland Pride.

We headed toward the bottom of the hill and watched a bit of a concert while we waited in line to leave the lawn.  Then made a run to catch our bus...it took a long time to get out of the White House.

So excited for the class to have this opportunity.  The weather was beautiful and the kids were great.