Summer 2018

First I will start by saying sorry for how long it has been since I have posted.  Truth be told for the first few months I was adjusting to Paige not being with us and not in our photos.  Then life got busy and I ended up down for a while starting the end of August with a pinched nerve and am just now getting the help I need for it.  But enough excuses!!  I will play catch up in a few posts starting with June, July, and August!  Summer 2018

JUNE

Tim advanced to Master Chief (E9).  We are so proud of him and this is such a huge accomplishment.  Thankfully we as a family got to pin him on and celebrate the big day.

Paige and Simon pinned on his new anchors with 2 stars!

I took off his old hat with just the 1 star.

Nixon put on his new hat with 2 stars.

Packing Paige up and getting her moved to her new place before the movers came to pack us up for the move to Virginia.

Dad helping her set up her new room.

New room and ready for college!  She is living with a good friend of the family that offered her spare room rent free which is a huge blessing!

On the road for 13-hour drive to our new home in Stafford VA. Nixon rode with me and the cats in one car and Tim and Simon drove the other car.

This kitty does not do good at all in the car.  We had to drug her 3 times along the way.  I call this the "drunk kitty" picture LOL She threw up just a little and then passed out with her face smashed against the dashboard and her paw was pushing on the map button so I couldn't use the GPS.  Poor thing has motion sickness.  Who knew?  I guess it common in cats.

Welcome to our new home with a bear cub in the backyard!  This was our second day here.

Mariners were in Baltimore!!  We wouldn't miss that!  Tim was happy because we also got to eat at Gus' Fried Chicken.  He was already missing it from TN.

Simon's expression in the background is hilarious!

We have found the BEST pizza place!  It's in Fredericksburg, just south of where we live.  They have the hugest slices and pizzas we have ever seen.

We all agree it is honestly the best pizza we have ever had anywhere.

July

Out and about in D.C.

This was sitting outside one of the Smithsonians and a squirrel ran up to Nixon's leg and scratched him and then took off.  It was kinda crazy!

We found a state park not too far away from here where you can rent kayaks on a lake.

Tim's brother and fam came for a visit 3 weeks after we got here.  It was so nice and fun to get to spend time with family.  Have to admit it was a bummer Paige wasn't with us.  Loved getting to spend time with them and hang out with our niece and nephew.  Crazy how fast all the kids are growing up!

Kings Dominion Theme park is not too far from us so we headed down for a day to check it out.

A tradition of theirs, they always go on the water ride just them at all the parks we have ever been too.

This is the Air Force Memorial and is near the Pentagon.

A friend we were stationed with in Seattle is stationed in Baltimore and invited us out on his boat on Chesapeake Bay for the day.

Simon driving the boat.

Simon tubing.

Nixon tubing.

Tim got 2 cakes for his birthday this year!  Simon found a recipe for a giant cinnamon roll cake so we made it together.  Of course I still made the lemon cake!

Then we celebrated at a Washington Nationals game.

August

We celebrated the Coast Guards 224th birthday at their annual picnic in Alexandria.

Six Flags America is another theme park not too far away.  They held a military appreciation day so we enjoyed the fun!

We ran into Bugs!

On the water ride!

This is what it looks like if you order a whole pizza from our favorite place!

It's so crazy big it took up the whole back of my car!

Marching Band Season!  This was the end of band camp and their first performance of the show.

Another day out and about in D.C.

I love this picture.  This is Simon's favorite memorial.  WWII

Korean War

Vietnam War

We found another place that sells pizzas just as big as the other one.  We had to try it to compare.  I have to say the first one is still our favorite!

Okay, that takes us to the end of summer!  I will post more soon!