VA to AL: Huntsville

We travelled a crooked interstate path thru TN & AL to Huntsville.

Our destination was the US Space and Rocket Center.

http://www.rocketcenter.com/admission

(I was so excited that we got in free due to our partner membership at SMV!)

We stayed the whole day, 9:30-5pm.

Then dinner at IHOP, almost equally as exciting! 

VA to AL: Atlanta

We took the kids out of school for a week and took a road trip through Georgia and Alabama.

It feels monumental to pack it all up.  I usually have the urge to organize my whole house when I am packing.  But then its done and all the worries leave when we are in the car and on the road, forced to sit and be still. 

 Naps for the younger two but Peter is thrilled to have a whole day of nothing but reading!

First stop was Uncle Will and Aunt Emmy's house.

We went to church with them, Em & I went shopping, then had a pizza dinner at the pool.
Ben called Will "Uncle!" and Julia called Ben "Boy!" :)

 Both boys loved the time with Uncle Will.  Lily was so happy to see the girls! :)

Reading time with Sissy.  They have a Sissy too. :)

 E & P are both so sweet!

We also walked to the lake.

 The good bye hugs were the sweetest ever! 

 S'more making before we left.

Such a fun time to see & be on their turf and have cousin time together.  And a super comfy bed! :)

Ben's 3rd Birthday

Ben's birthday weekend was packed, in the best of ways.  

We had our neighborhood picnic on Saturday, which my neighbor and I plan and had on our cul de sac.  We ate BBQ and listened to the neighborhood kids sing "God's Not Dead".  A month or two ago, they found Mike's drum set under the house and have been faithfully practicing since then to make a neighborhood picnic debut. 

So Sunday afternoon, we gathered the grandparents, our friends, our neighbor friends, and celebrated our big three year old!

~The Spread~

 ~Guests~

 ~Drink Table~

 ~Joy & me ~

(I think we have an unofficial kid's bday pic tradition)

 ~lighting the candle~

I love that all of the kids are seen & packed in this pics.  He is so loved among our neighborhood kids. :)

 ~Post-Party help with gifts~

 

On his actual birthday, we took CFA to school to have lunch with Bubba & Sissy.

Getting birthday mail :)

And birthday cake on this bday eve.  

~Being celebrated at preschool~

He is such a joy to us.

Happy Birthday to our big boy! 

Love you so much, BenBen!