Luray Caverns

Rachel had asked several times since we moved to the mountains 5 years ago when we might be able to go to Luray Caverns (usually she asked when we had to drive up I-81 North past all the giant Luray Caverns billboards). Earlier this fall, I received information that the Home Educators Association of Virginia was part of a Homeschool week there in November. It was a great opportunity for us to be able to finally see Luray Caverns with the girls. Brent surprised me with a trip there for our first wedding anniversary, but it was the first time he and I had been back in 11 years too!

We did see the car and carriage museum too, but definitely not until after we saw the caverns first!

This was headed into the caverns. It is a wonder I have any pictures from this trip. They were so excited that they could hardly stand to stop for a picture!

Here are Rachel and Bekah as we entered the caverns.

I did get all 3 standing mostly still enough to get one picture.

 This little one got a little tired of walking and was ready for a ride on her Daddy's shoulders.

 This is my very favorite picture. The big girls had rounded a corner just ahead of us and I stopped to take a picture of Brent and Bethany and realized the big girls where looking right through at me also!

So glad we all were finally able to go to Luray Caverns together and we surely had fun learning about all those stalagmites and stalactites too!

Itty Bitty: 20 Weeks!!

 We got to see this beautiful girl today for her 20 week ultrasound today! I drank some lemonade before we went so she was definitely wiggly.

 She looks a lot like all of her sisters already. She is measuring at exactly 21 weeks, which I should be Wednesday, so she is growing right on track! That was a huge relief for this mommy since I have been so sick with her! The nausea is still there, but she is doing great and that is what matters! She is also weighing in at 14 ounces, which is just right also.

 She is walking straight into our hearts with those cute little feet...we love her so already! Yes, those are her tiny little feet in the picture above.

 She also loves to have her hands up by her head. She even had her knee to her nose for a little while in the pictures! Maybe another ballerina or a gymnast to come!

 We couldn't take pictures during the ultrasound but here are her Daddy and her sisters looking at all her beautiful pictures after the ultrasound.

20 weeks! Halfway there and so good to see our Itty Bitty today!

Sleeping Beauty and Where the Page Meets the Stage

Over the summer, Rachel did a creative writing workshop at The Studio, where she takes dance lessons. The workshop was called "Where the Page Meets the Stage." A fun part of this workshop is that the short stories written by each of the groups gets performed by the Rockbridge Ballet at one of their company performances. So finally this weekend, we got a chance to see the short story by Rachel's group performed as a ballet.

First, we got to enjoy the performance of Sleeping Beauty. This little ballerina was totally enthralled. We were seated right down front so she could see really well and she would watch a few minutes then lean over and grab my arm and point at the stage and grin.

The big girls were glad to see Miss Emma, who was back visiting from college.

The girls all loved watching Sleeping Beauty and then it was time for the stories from "Where the Page Meets the Stage." There was a slideshow from the workshop over the summer telling a little more about all the stories. If you look closely, this was Rachel's group on the screen.

Her group wrote a story called the "Four Princesses." It was a tale of 4 princess sisters who didn't listen to their mom, the Queen, and went picking berries where they were not supposed to and got themselves in trouble. Here are the Rockbridge Ballet dancers performing the story. The groups even got to help pick out costumes and music for their stories.

All ended well. Here the 4 princesses are back home safely with the Queen.

There were several other short ballets from the workshop as well. Of course, our favorite was the story written by Rachel's group. All of the dancers did a great job putting the stories to dance. Our family's other favorite was the "Chaos in the Kitchen", which was an very fun dance about...Pizza!

Here are all our ballerinas with Ms. Jessica.

Here was our little author showing us her group's story. She was so excited to see her group's story and picture in the program. Rachel, we are proud of you! We are so glad you enjoy writing and dance and we loved seeing your group's story set to dance!

October 31st!

These 3 little Princess Belles were excited to be out and about in downtown Lexington this afternoon getting a little (or maybe A LOT) of candy.

Little Pumpkin had fun with them too!

We got to see several friends while we were there. The girls were so excited to see Mrs. Debbie! They were so glad to see Mrs. Sarah, Brylen and Brody too.

They also liked to see the Rockbridge Crew from their dance studio dancing downtown today too! The Crew did a great job with their dance today!

They were thrilled to see Mrs. Jessica, Mrs. Audrey and Mr. Devin, some of their teachers from The Studio, downtown today too!

These girls loved being Princess Belle this year. Belle is currently their favorite princess. Their Mimi bought them each a Belle dress this year. Thanks, Mimi!

We haven't gotten to do as many fun fall things yet this fall since I have been so sick with Little Itty Bitty but these little ladies sure did have a fun afternoon today and we will definitely not be running out of candy any time soon! On a fun note, we are walking back to the car and a Ghostbuster comes up and asks the girls if they got a toothbrush to go with their candy. We gladly added new toothbrushes to go with their candy stockpile of the day!

Happy Birthday, Brent!

Itty Bitty Update: Second Trimester!

I just wanted to give a quick update on Little Itty Bitty. We got to see this sweet little bundle at 11 weeks on ultrasound because she was hiding at first when they tried to check for her heartrate. She wiggled and kicked the entire time. The girls were so excited to see her on the ultrasound and it really was the clearest ultrasound we have had with any of the girls. Bethany will see the pictures still and say "See Bitty" or "Bitty jumps"

          We were able to find out a little earlier with Bitty if he or she is coming this time. Right at 14 weeks, we found out that Little Itty Bitty will be a beautiful ballerina too! All the girls are excited for a little Little Sister. We are already hearing discussions between them about who gets to be "Bitty's Buddy." Bethany says "Bitty Best Friend" and Rachel says since she is the firstborn she will be Bitty's Buddy. Then Bekah chimes in too. Soon we had to remind them that everyone gets to be Bitty's Buddy!!
          With the second trimester, we have finally gotten the Bitty Baby bump too! The nausea is still bad unfortunately and the motion sickness too, but we continue to hope those will get better each week. I have still been doing IV fluids up through 14 weeks. This picture was last week at 14 weeks. I will reach 16 weeks next week and will be halfway there at 20 weeks in just 4 more weeks after that!
We are so thankful to reach the second trimester and continue to pray this little Itty Bitty lady will grow healthy and strong!

Second Trimester: 14 weeks!

For You formed my inward parts;You wove me in my mother’s womb.
 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them

Psalm 139:13-16