Today we took Mallory to Civil War Camp at the Latta Plantation, and then June, Mason, Clara, & I stayed and spent the day at the park, until time to pick her up.  I had never been to the nature preserve before, and it was so nice.  There was a great little children’s area, and the kids LOVED performing for each other on the stage at the little amphitheater there 🙂

After checking out that area, we headed over to the Raptor Center. I had been there, but it had been years and years ago, so it really was like being somewhere brand new to me. Here are the kids by the eagle that marks the entrance as we were heading in. Alas, the sun was so bright I couldn’t see what I was taking a picture of, so missed getting the whole bird.  It was a fun day.

Yesterday at church I took this quick picture of June.  It was her last day to be an eight-year-old!  Happy birthday to our Bug-a-boo 🙂

Last night we had supper here at the house, and celebrated Andrew’s birthday a little late, and had June’s family gathering.  It was fun being together.  Here are the celebrants just as the party was breaking up.

Yesterday while Clara was at day camp at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, June and Mason & I headed over to play at Freedom Park.  It was hot-hot-hot, but the kids seemed like they had a ball.  That’s where the Play 60 Panthers area is – a section of the playground that’s sort of set up like a Panthers training camp.  There’s even a section where you can get a football card made of yourselves 🙂

There’s a great playground that the kids took full advantage of, and also a restored train engine from one of the railroads that used to served the town of Charlotte back in the day. It really was a fun morning.

Wednesday afternoon, when Charlotte’s grandsons were in town, she invited us over to swim for a couple of hours.  It was so hot that I wished I had worn my suit!  The kids, as always, had a ball.

We had a great day yesterday.  After we dropped Clara off at the Mint Museum for day camp, Mallory, June, Mason, & I went to spend a couple of hours at the Nature Museum.  Such a nice place – I’d never been before.  Took some great pictures, but alas, between then and now I have managed to lose my camera.  I think I may have left it on the bench at the playground where we were playing while Mallory was in dance yesterday.  Sigh.  Last night, though, was Bible school at church, and it really is getting bigger and better every night.  Here is Mallory and her group getting ready for the video.

After Bible school was over, June and Mason were coming home to spend the night with us. We ran by Pelicans for a shaved ice, and what a beautiful rainbow there was when we got out of the car! We’d been watching it since we got out of church, and it just got brighter and brighter. Mason noticed that it was actually a double rainbow, but the second one – to the left of the other one – is so faint you may not be able to see it in this picture. Even with a lost camera, it was a good day.

We had to head out early to get back in time to visit with Amy and Liz.  It was just such a fun weekend.

Saturday turned out to be an absolutely gorgeous day.  We spent a good part of the afternoon hiking the Rhododendron Trail.  The absolute highlight was seeing the wild ponies.  They were in the middle of foaling season, so there were maybe seven or eight babies – some still even on shaky legs.  It was just priceless.

The views were absolutely gorgeous. That is one gorgeous place.

This past weekend Addie, Lee, the six grand ones & I all headed up to Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia to camp for the weekend.  Despite torrential rain and gale force winds, it ended up being an absolutely wonderful weekend.  We made a quick stop at an overview on the Blue Ridge Parkway for the kids to take it all in.  Just breathtaking.