Memorial Day

We had a low key Memorial Day.  I taught BodyPump in the morning while TJ took Carol and Brena up to hike the Cascades.  They were successful this time - yay!  Then we went over to the Smithfield Plantation on the Virginia Tech Campus.  The kids have been to the plantation multiple times on school trips, but TJ and I have never gone.  Carol wanted to go to so we headed out.  It was a very cool place!  Learned a lot of history of the area I didn't know.  Bristol was a pain in the neck and TJ took her out not long after we had started the tour.  She just couldn't handle it.

 My cute girls!  And this is what Bristol does when you tell her to smile - haha!

One of my BodyPump class members told me this was her last day of BodyPump until September and wanted to get a picture together.  She hardly ever missed a class and she was always right on the front row smiling away at me.  I love teaching group fitness!  I love meeting new people and inspiring them to get fitter!  I will miss you Goral!

This is some yummy Indian chicken Goral brought to me a few weeks ago.  Another reason I love teaching group fitness - people bring me food :)

Tj's Graduation

Yay!  TJ finally got his master's!  I am so glad that's over.  Carol flew in for the graduation ceremony. I had a friend that was kind enough to watch Bristol while we went to the ceremony.  It would not have been easy with her there.  The ceremony was long, hot and boring.  They combined the doctoral students and the masters and there was a lot of graduates.  We all enjoyed laughing at the doctoral students in the Harry Potter like robes.

 TJ walking in.

Some of the Corps of Cadets doing the flag ceremony

 Lots of graduates!

TJ in line to finally go up on stage!

TJ up the stairs 

 Walking across to shake President Sands hand

 Pre-graduation selfie :)

Congrats honey!!  We are so proud of you!

Easter Weekend

We enjoyed watching General Conference this past weekend.  Sunday we decided to go walk around the Duck Pond between sessions.  It was a beautiful sunny day - I am SO happy that it's finally starting to warm up!  The trees are blooming, the grass is getting green and everything is so beautiful!  

 How did these kids get so big?

 Trying to keep Bristol out of the pond was a chore.

 The ducks were hungry.  I was surprised since there was so many people there feeding them!

The is the spot of the Draper's Meadow massacre.  More can be read here about that and Mary Draper Ingles and her amazing story.  I read a book (Follow the River) about her and the massacre about 15 years ago, who knew I'd live less than a mile from the location of the massacre!  

 Brena found this big tree to climb.  Of course Bristol thought she should climb it too.

Tyler thought he'd help by putting Bristol up there.  

 She's a tree hugger :)

Beautiful Easter Sunday! 

NAVY Ball

It's time for the NAVY ball!  This could possibly be our last one.  TJ only goes when he's forced to go and I'm not sure the next command will force him to!  We had a good dinner and good chats with our fellow dining partners.  I will miss not being here at Virginia Tech for this next year.

Chipotle and an evening walk

The kids' school frequently has eat n' earns around town.  This means you go eat at a designated restaurant and the proceeds go to the school.  I don't allow my kids to participate in any fundraising, so I feel like this is a good thing for us to do.  Tonight's eat n' earn was Chipotle.  I was all in for this one - Chipotle is one of my favorite places to eat!  We had a good dinner and then a nice walk around the campus.  It was such a beautiful night.  I have no idea why Brena is half dressed in winter clothing...

Commissioning Reception and Commissioning

Today was the big day - commissioning!  Tj has been so busy planning it since he was in charge of it this year.  I haven't gone to a commissioning ceremony since we've been here.  It just hasn't ever really worked out.  I got lucky and went this year.  It exciting to see all the graduates and their families.  You could feel the excitement in the air.  What a fun time of year!

This was at the reception during the day.

 Then at the joint commissioning with the Corps of Cadets that night.  This is all of the cadets...NAVY, ARMY, Air Force and Marines.

 Being sworn in by Rear Admiral Kevin Quinn

Unfortunately, I forgot the camera and just had my cell phone.  It didn't take very good pictures.  Next year I'll be better prepared!

This also took me back to December 2006, when Tj was commissioned back in San Diego.  It seems so long ago!

 It's times like this that I love the NAVY, feel that NAVY pride and enjoy this crazy life of ours!

Science Camp

Virginia Tech was hosting a science camp and I'm lucky I found out about it!  It was for two weeks from 9am-3pm and they would feed your kid lunch - and provide transportation!  The cost? FREE!  It was awesome.  I hoped it would help Tyler like science a little more.  I don't know if it did or not...  But, he says he had a good time, so I guess that's all that matters.  The last day the parents were invited to come see what the kids had been working on.  They all had a challenge from the beginning to build a house that would consume less energy/save energy.  Then they had to present their projects to a panel and answer questions.  The panel consisted of three professors from VT and another college, I would have been a little intimidated by them!  I mean it's like going and presenting a thesis!  But, they all did pretty good.  Tyler was a little shy as is his nature.

 Tyler presenting his house.  It used solar and wind power.