Wow, it's so busy around here! But I wanted to get caught up on some pictures so that tomorrow I can post about Kate's birthday.
We had such a low-key couple of days last weekend. It rained a lot so we stuck at home and played together as a family. On Saturday morning, though, it was clear for a couple of hours so that we could go to Touch-a-Truck. It was held in Salem at one of our parks, and it was...FREE! Every kind of truck and vehicle you can imagine was on display and available for kids to get in and test out.

At the firetrucks, they passed out hats and lollipops.

They also had an massive area of just bubbles. Bubbles everywhere. Kids were going crazy for the bubbles...getting lost in them. Vivian was cautious.

But she did want to play with them.

Of course we had to stop by the tractor. Vivian loves tractors. Papa has one, and our neighbor has one that we see him using almost everyday in his garden.

Daddy helps her up in the truck's cab and shows her the ropes.

We didn't want to wait in line for her to sit in the front of the helicopter, but she was able to sit in the back of it just for a picture.The helicopter landing was a huge hit with all the kids!

Kate and I watching it land. (we were waiting for Vivian to get there...she had gone to breakfast and the duck pond with Papa that morning)

Hmmm...our girls might have a tomboy side to them when they get older.

Touch-a-Truck was awesome!! What a great idea for a family day. Aaron was in heaven..I could tell he was trying hard not to show his boyish excitement about all the big trucks and equipment, so you can imagine how thrilling it probably was for all the little boys there!

Today we had a very gracious visit from Granddaddy and Grandma Carolyn. They drove from Pinehurst, NC to come eat lunch with us! They came a little early to see mom and dad's newly renovated house, check out our house (they had only seen the outside before we moved in), and then we headed to lunch in Roanoke. We had a crowd...Joey, Sierra, and Stephen were there, too.

The waitress asked how old Kate was, and I told her that her 1st birthday is TOMORROW!!! So she very kindly brought her some ice cream and we sang to her. She enjoyed the ice cream until she got a brain freeze (we think) and Aaron had to take her outside to calm her down.

Saying goodbye and giving hugs and kisses!

Thank you for making the drive to visit! We loved it!

Vivian has been saying a lot of cute things lately. Here are some of my favorites:

-"Be riiiight back"
-"One time" (when she wants to do something again...I say "only one more time" a lot so she's trying to use my language to get what she wants)
-"I wanna praise God" (when she wants to watch the Hillsong Kids Praise DVD)
-"I love you Daddy/Mommy"
-"Ooooo look at dat!"
-"How bout...?" (like, when we're talking about what to eat for breakfast, she'll say "how bout oatmeal?")
-"Look at me, Mommy!" (when she says this, I'm usually holding her, and she'll put her hands on my cheeks and turn my face to her so that I'm looking at her)
-Sometimes randomly she will remember her pacifier and say, "I'm tired, I wanna take nap" because she knows that she can only have it during naptime or bedtime.
-Two nights ago she was splashing and kicking her feet in the tub. She said, "Feet's happy!"


V: "put cereal riiiight here, Mommy" (tapping her placemat exactly where she wants the cereal)
Me: "can you say please?"
V: "Peas, Mommy"
Me: "Okay, here you go"
V: "Good job, Mommy!"

Kate got two eye teeth last week, took her first steps (2 or 3, then falls), and started clapping today. She wants to get a whole lot of growing in before her big day next week!

The ladies at the GirlTalk blog are posting a quote each day while they are on vacation. Here's one that I really like...maybe it will encourage you, too:

"Our natural reason looks at marriage and turns up its nose and says, 'Alas! Must I rock the baby? wash its diapers? make its bed? smell its stench? stay at nights with it? take care of it when it cries? heal its rashes and sores? and on top of that care for my spouse, provide labor at my trade, take care of this and take care of that? do this and do that? and endure this and endure that? Why should I make such a prisoner of myself?'

What then does Christian faith say to this? It opens its eyes, looks upon all these insignificant, distasteful and despised duties in the spirit, and is aware that they are all adorned with divine approval as with the costliest gold and jewels.
Its says, 'O God, I confess I am not worthy to rock that little babe or wash its diapers, or to be entrusted with the care of a child and its mother. How is it that I without any merit have come to this distinction of being certain that I am serving thy creature and thy most precious will? Oh, how gladly will I do so. Though the duty should be even more insignificant and despised, neither frost nor heat, neither drudgery nor labor will distress me for I am certain that it is thus pleasing in thy sight.'"
--Martin Luther qtd. in The Shaping of a Christian Family by Elisabeth Elliot, p. 87

We have some ferns hanging on our front porch (although they are in bad shape now because I haven't been watering them). Recently a bird made a nest in one of them and the other day we discovered the baby birds are here! It is an amazing thing to witness. And I love hearing them cheep in such a tiny way when we walk past.
The only thing I don't like about this bird nest is that every time we go out or come in, the bird flies out and I'm always afraid it's going to hit me.

On Saturday morning we met up with the Smith family (John, Dawn, and kids Hayden, Grayson, and Loren) to go hiking at the Cascades about an hour away. It was a great day trip, a little long because naps got pretty messed up but it was worth it! It was SO difficult to carry our kids up to the waterfall. A couple of times I had to make everyone stop for a break because I thought my back was going to give out...unfortunately the fact that I don't exercise was very evident on the hike. The girls really enjoyed it. Vivian talked about waterfalls and butterflies the whole time, and Kate was so excited she fell asleep for the entire walk down the trail to the car. Enjoy the pictures we took!

Yesterday afternoon I helped with a bridal shower for Megan. Megan and I became close friends in middle school at West Salem. She and Todd are getting married in October in Charleston, SC!

She and Todd got lots of great stuff!

After the shower, she came over to play with the girls for a while and we talked about all the wedding details...fun!!

(Thank you for the pretty new dress, Mama Dot!) This was Megan and Vivian last year around this same time.

On Saturday afternoon, Aaron and I drove to Greensboro to go out with Jonathan and Joy that night. It was an awesome double date opportunity and we wouldn't have missed it! It was Jonathan's birthday and we went to eat at the O'Henry Hotel's restaurant for dinner, then to Ganache in downtown for dessert. Before we went out for dinner, we dropped Seth (their 2 year old) off at her sister's house for the night. Her sister has 3 boys, and Joy is having another boy (Joel) in October...lots of boys around! And this is what they do...wrestle and climb :)

We got to sit under the party tent outside for dinner. I thought it was romantic, and Aaron was glad that the waiter brought a fan to blow air directly on him.

Inside the hotel

You can't even see Joy's baby belly! She's so small...you can only see it if she turns sideways :)

We walked around downtown for a few minutes after dessert. It was very crowded...lots of people out having a good time.

Aaron and Jonathan have been best friends since childhood and we love how we are growing together as families now.

(Seth's car seat was in the back, so that's why they are so smooshed together)

Happy birthday, Jonathan! Thanks for inviting us out, and thanks to Papa and Gramme for letting the girls spend the night!

Today we went over to Avery's house to play. These girls met at preschool and they both have sisters the same age (Kate and Rachel). Avery is a very animated little girl and we always have fun with her!

Vivian is doing pretty well with the alphabet. She recognizes almost all of the letters. She can sing the ABCs clearly except for the "LMNO" part...it all kind of runs together for her :)
Here is a video of her playing with a puzzle. You might have to watch it a couple of times to get what she's saying (I'm sure only the grandparents will be that interested). I tried to repeat the things she said for clarity.