Weekend in Review

This weekend was jam-packed busy! Friday evening after dinner we decided to go to Sweet Frog's for some icecream. We hadn't been in awhile. And I even had a card filled up for one free! Then we went over to Target to pick up a few things, and let the kids look around in the toy aisles. When the kids went to bed that night I started up season 2 of Orange is the New Black! They just released season 2 on Netflix, all at once, and I had been waiting forever! It is definitely not the sort of thing I could have imagined myself watching.. especially with all the bad language and stuff... but I really like the story lines and find it very interesting. Arnold watched the first episode with me, but usually he goes to play guitar while I am watching it! (along with most of my shows! ;)

Saturday morning Brooke and I had to get up reaaaaaaly early, at 5:30 am, to get ready. We were going on a trip to the Biltmore House with her AHG group. At first Rachel heard us up and started complaining.. "hey, what's all the noise.. be quiet!" But then she walked out of her room saying "oh well, now that I'm up I might as well go watch Dora!" HA! Caleb woke up too.. so poor Arnold ended up getting up early even though he hadn't planned on it! Anyway, Brooke and I got dressed, packed our lunches.. and my friend Chasity and her daughter came and picked us up. We also took along another girl in the group, who is good friends with Brooke. We went down to the church where they have meetings, and met up with everyone.. then go on the road. The girls all must have not gotten enough sleep the night before, because they were grumpy and whiny from the very get-go! 

We got up there around 9 am, and got our tickets, and went inside. It was "Girl Scout and American Heritage Girl" day there, so there were girls EVERYWHERE. They had special activities and games set up for the girls to do. We walked around learning about stuff and taking pictures. The girls got to make some neat crafts and play some trivia games and won some candy. There was also a petting zoo for them to walk through, and they got to see chickens, goats, horses, etc. There were two really tiny baby goats that were PRECIOUS! Everyone seemed to hang around them the most :) The girls started complaining they were hungry around 10am, even though they had had TWO breakfasts! Thank goodness the leaders let us go to lunch early.. since we originally weren't going til 12! We had a picnic on a grassy hill. We had brought our lunches with us from home. After lunch the girls played on the playground for a little while, and the mamas got to rest in the shade! It was nice! Then we drove over to the place where we got on a shuttle and it took us to the Biltmore House. There were LOTS of people touring the house that day, so we were squished in the lines and I was feeling pretty clausterphobic! And it was very hot in there too.. so didn't make for a good combination! Even though I had already been before, it was neat seeing everything again. Brooke had never been.. she loved the bedrooms and said she wished she had a "big, fancy bedroom!" She said when she grows up that I would be the queen, she would be the princess, and we would live there! Fine with me... I'd be down with that library they have there, for sure! ;) As long as we could hire people to clean the place for us! ;) 

Anyway, after awhile the girls were really complaining that they were tired and their feet hurt. They had been chewing gum, and somehow gum ended up in Emma's hair.. and on my pants!!!! It was a mess. We finally got out of there into some fresh air again.. and it had started to rain. We decided to stop by the giftshops before we left. I got Brooke a tube of candy with an animal on top.. it's what she picked out.. and I bought two more to take home for Rachel and Caleb.. because I am smart like that ;) We finally left the place around 3:30pm. The ride home wasn't too bad, we sang and laughed most of the way! Car trips are way more fun with good friends! We stopped on the way home to eat dinner at Fatz Cafe. Even though the girls had already had SUCH a long day and so many treats, we got them dessert after dinner. I am surprised Brooke wasn't BOUNCING off the walls!

It just so happens that my brother, who lives in Florida, surprised us all and drove up to NC for a weekend visit! It was last minute and probably not perfect timing, but I couldn't pass up a chance to see him (it's been since Christmas!) so when we got back from the Biltmore, we all went over to Mom and Dad's for dinner and to see him. Well, Brooke and I didn't eat, but the rest of them had steaks! It was sooooo great getting to see Alex and spend time outside on the deck with the whole family, just talking and having a good time. The kids ran around as it was starting to get dark, trying to catch lightning bugs. Brooke climbed a tree and wanted to show off to her Uncle Alex that she had skills now ;) We FINALLY got home around 10pm, and put the kids straight to sleep, and Arnold and I feel asleep soon after that! We were exhausted! Arnold had had a long day too.. while we were gone, he took the little kids to a birthday party, and swimming at his cousin's house.

Sunday morning we went to early service at church.. it was my Sunday to work in the baby class! We had six little guys and gals under 3 this week, and it went pretty well I'd say! At one point I had two little girls in my lap, reading books to them, so I was in my element! After church we went to Walmart to pick up a cake for Rachel. We had her a little graduation lunch party to celebrate her Prek graduation coming up on Tuesday. We did the same thing with the older kids, and it was a lot of fun. Her grandparents and aunts and uncles all came to meet us at Applebee's, and we had lunch. The waitress we had was really awesome and nice, and kept talking to Rachel by name, and making a big deal over her :) The cake we had after lunch was yummy! Rachel ends up getting cake two weekends in a row because she is so special! (this coming weekend is her big birthday bash!) When we got home, we gave her some presents we had gotten her. It was actually stuff I already had stored away that I never gave her back at Christmas or Easter (I tend to overbuy when I find good deals!) So we gave her "Skating Dora and Boots," a new Lalaloopsy, and two new Pinkalicious books. She loved it all, and was thrilled watching Dora and Boots skate around the kitchen floor :)

I hope everyone has a good week ahead... we have a busy one but I am excited for lots of fun things going on! And we are on countdown-- 5 days until the big Lalaloopsy bash we've been planning!! :) 

Chasity and the girls 

The cutest little goat we saw. He was just chilling! ;)

She made a pencil pinwheel!

She also made some solar art! It was neat to watch!

All of the group in front of the house

Rachel in her new Pjs! It came with a matching pair for a doll that she put on her Leopard!

Eating strawberries at Grandma's! My camera was set on some weird effect mode, and I didn't even know it! But I love how this turned out! Even though she isn't smiling.. she is beautiful!

Brooke at church on Sunday, in her new dress!

Working in the baby class, with Claire Bear! We like to take selfies! ;)

Rachel with her graduation cake! They added grad picks and sparkles just for her :)

Rachel with her Grandparents, and GREAT grandpa. I love this pic! Even though they all complain about taking pictures usually... I will treasure this! 

The kids with their Uncle Alex! Soooo glad he got to join us for the fun!

Rachel getting ready to open her gifts!