On Sunday I received a new calling. Yes I will be the new Seminary Teacher for next school year. I am very excited about this new adventure. I love teenagers but not so sure about six in the morning teenagers. I guess we will all learn how to get along as I am not such a morning person myself. Brian is thrilled that he will no longer have to get Baxter up. Baxter's idea is that I should spend all summer preparing lessons so I won't have to do it during the school year. I think I will do it throughout the year. If anyone has any sage advise it will be greatly welcomed!

Typical Bennett

This is Bennett's PreKindergarten picture. The morning of picture day I asked him to show me how he was going to smile and he made the face above. I kept telling him all morning that he needs to smile handsome. Thinking that I had gotten through I sent him to school. Needless to say this is what came back on picture day!!!! Ya just gotta love Ben!!!

More Virginia Pictures!

These are the three boys Baxter 15, Bennett 13, and Drew 6.

Here are the ever so lovely girls. Mary almost 16, Kate 12, Mari 10, Sarah 10, and Cassie 7. Aren't they just the cutest!!

Here we are at our annual "Red Robin" dinner. Chris, Alan, Kate, Sarah, Mari, Baxter, Mary, Drew, Bennett, Brian, and Cassie!!! This was of course followed by ice cream at Friendly's. We all gained about 10 pounds that night. Every year both Brian and Alan suggest going to the local grocery store and just buying a gallon of ice cream but they never win!!!

Here we are at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Baxter looks a little wet because it was pouring outside and he had to go feed the meter!

Here is Ben with all of the necessary items to blow things up. He had to give Drew a few lessons. Drew only has sisters so he had a lot to learn from Ben and Ben was more than willing to teach!!!

Thanks Chris and Alan we had a great time and are counting down the days till next spring break. Unless we make a summer visit again!!!!

Virginia pictures finally!!!

I have finally developed all of my pictures so I can share our fun vacation with you all!!!

After getting lost we finally found Ft. McHenry.

Ft. McHenry is where the Star Spangled Banner was written. There is a cool story behind it. I will try my best to remember. When the British were attacking Baltimore this is the Fort that was protecting the city. Francis Key was captured on one of the British ships out in the Harbor. When the bombing finally stopped and he was on a boat back home, he wrote the Star Spangled Banner about what he was seeing. They have a movie here that you watch that tell the story and when they are at the end they start playing the Star Spangled Banner and they open a curtain to the scene above. It is very moving!

Brian, Bennett, Baxter, Mari, Drew, and Cassie. Drew is the Riker's little boy. He stayed home from school to come on our adventure with us. Really what little or big boys don't like forts???

These are all of the cannons that are around the outside of the Fort.

We really couldn't go to Baltimore without finding Charm City Cakes. They do not have tours and will not let you inside. So we just got pictures. I have to say it was in a very scary neighborhood!