The County Fair

 This year at the fair, Grace baked some cookies to enter in the competition for best baking for her age.  She did all of the work (all except for putting them in the oven and running the mixer).  She was very proud to find that when we got to the fair to visit, she learned that she won first prize for drop cookies for her age!  She even won 2 dollars for that prize!

 We had a great time walking around the fair, and seeing the sights.

Matt, Glen, and Grace did ride one ride.  It was the first time that the kids got to ride the farris wheel.  I believe that they loved it.

It was a good end to the summer.   I am excited to see what Grace and Glen can enter in the fair next year.

Sandbridge Beach 2016 Part 2

 Lacy was a fun addition to our vacation and I was able to capture a sweet moment of Glen playing with both baby kitty and Lacy.

 One evening we drove into Virginia Beach.  We ate at a very good seafood restaurant, then we rented bikes to go up and down the boardwalk on.

 Each of us had a turn to pedal, even Grace!

 Eamon was able to get a very cute selfie with Grace one day.

 Carol rented a paddle board so each of us had a chance to try it out.  Here is Matt on the paddle board.  I went out on it and was surrounded by 6 dolphins.  I was so close to them that I could hear them blow water out of their air holes.  I could even see that one dolphin had a rip in it's fin.  It was a very fun thing to do!

 Grace lost her first upper tooth while at the beach.  This is actually her third tooth lost, but her first upper front.

 The boys playing their games.  Glen got to be part of the "big boys" during this time.

Glen loved swimming if he had his float vest on.  He was so proud of himself.
Grace was timid at the start, but suddenly one day she went under and kicked and pushed off...she swam!  She did not swim far, but she swam under the water on her own!
Grace had so much fun at the beach that on our last night there Grace said "mommy, I want to leave the beach the tomorrow after tomorrow."

Sandbridge Vacation 2016 Part 1

 This year the Kiser family took a vacation to Sandbridge beach.  Mom, Dad, Carol, Craig, Eamon, Shannon, Amy, Mike, Adam, Austin, Matt, Grace, Glen, I and even Lacy got a beach house and spent a week together with the sun, sand and fellowship.

 Sandbridge is about 10 miles south of Virginia Beach.  It was a nice, more private beach.

 Glen loved the sand.  He also loved the water as long as it stayed about knee depth or lower.

 Grace loved running into the waves and running out.  Mainly Grace loved running.

 Mom and Dad enjoyed the beach on the sand the first day.

 Matt and I found a playground that the kids could play on.  But since the temperatures at the beach hovered right around 100 degrees each day we spent most of our time at the beach, in the ocean, or in the pool that was at our house (the pool was the BEST).

 Matt, Grace, Glen and I went on a short hike that led to some canoe outlets.

 Back on the beach, Glen and I were trying to make sand castles.  While Grace made an octopus.

 It was a really cool octopus!

 On the second day, mom got in the ocean and so did Grace.  That suddenly became a favorite place for both of them, floating on the waves of the ocean.

 Glen still liked the shore.

 The three sisters and Grace.

 Grace and mom floating.

 A cute picture of my two.

 Grace being dwarfed by Eamon and Shannon.

First couple of days done.  More pictures and stories to come...

Ladybug Party

 When we moved into our house there were no other young families on our street.  We were surrounded by many loving grandparent types, but no friends for our kids.  That all changed last summer when Mia, Gia, and Jace moved in one house away from our house.  So we have two boys that love playing with each other, and three girls who love to play, squeal, and laugh...and one house in between all of this.  That house is owned by a wonderful couple Dick and Dede.  They have grandchildren who have all graduated from high school or are old enough to soon graduate from high school.

 The kids love Dick, Dede and their dog.  They have helped with plastic egg decorating during Easter, we have gone to their house to see the Christmas electric train set.  And this summer they set up a ladybug party for our families.  They invited Matt, Grace, Glen and I, Tim, Carissa, Mia, Gia, Jace, and Elliana, and even mom and dad.

 They had wonderful food that was all provided by them.  Then she gave each girl an apron.  Each child got a ladybug box with some toys in it.

 We also had a ladybug pinata, in which we collected the candy in the ladybug baskets.

 It was a fun evening for all.  I feel very blessed to have such wonderful neighbors.

One extra special thing that we did at their house is that on the day of the party the kids painted flower pots.

The next day we got together with Dede to make little fairy gardens.  Dick and Dede provided all of the plants and cute decorations.  The kids had so much fun picking out what they wanted in each of their gardens and trying to decorate them the best way.

Thank you for such a wonderful evening and event!

Grand Caverns

 The summer reading program provided tickets of free entry for Grace and Glen to Grand Caverns.  So one Saturday we decided to go on an adventure.  We forgot coats so we were glad that the caverns had some extra that we could borrow in order to go into the chilly caverns.

 Grace loved looking around, but what she loved even more is that she became the tour guide's helper.  She helped turn off and on lights as the tour progressed.  She was right by his side the entire way and very excited to hear what he had to say.

 Among some of the really interesting facts is that this was one of the stops for those fighting in the Civil war.  Yes, it was even a tourist attraction even then.  The generals and leaders signed their name on the wall of the caves.  It is really neat to be in a place so historical and so preserved.  Grace still talks about the dark walk that we took in the cave.

 There was also a hike right outside of the cave entrance.  We did not make it to the top, but it was fun to follow the trail.