Colonial Williamsburg

This past weekend we drove to Colonial Williamsburg to meet Sarah, Dustin and the kids for a day of exploring some of our nation's history. It's so amazing that we live less than an hour from things like this! We bought an annual pass, knowing that we will definitely be going back many times. Williamsburg is not something you can do in 1 day (especially not with 3 little ones and 2 pregnant women!) And, of course Grandma's in town, so it was a fun time for her to spend with 3 of her grandchildren.

We got to take a guided tour of the Governor's Palace as part of our paid ticket. They have recreated many of the buildings to be exactly like they were during Revolutionary Times, including this one.

Cooper, in front of the County Courthouse, one of the many original buildings in the Revolutionary City.

The Fife and Drum parade. It was really neat to see all of the actors and workers walking around in period garb.

Grandma with 3 of the grandkids. What a happy group!!

We can't wait to go back and explore some more. We are also looking forward to taking visitors to see it, too. (Hint, hint!)

Over 100 years of flight

We have enjoyed getting to know our new home including some of the surrounding areas. A few weeks ago, we traveled to Kitty Hawk, the Birthplace of Flight, so that we could see the first place that man flew. It was really neat to see where it all began, and especially amazing to think that their first successful flights were only a little over 100 years ago. Think of all that has happened in that short amount of time!

In front of an exact replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer.

Looking out to Big Kill Devil Hill. This field of grass used to be sand and the hill used to be 450 feet closer!

The boulder marks the start of each of the first successful flights made in 1903. You can see the markers showing the distance of each of the flights.

The memorial to the Wright Brothers on top of Kill Devil Hill.

Today we went to the NAS Oceana Air Show in Virginia Beach and had a great time watching the accomplishments of modern day flight.  Again, it's amazing to think of how far we have come in 100 years! On a side note, we were extremely proud of our girl, who not only lasted for several hours, but actually enjoyed the air show. She wasn't even concerned with the loud sounds of jets going by. She was only bothered by our hands covering her ears!

Leah and Daddy checking out one of the planes on the ground. Can you see the parachute in the background?

Leah on the wing, you can kind of tell how windy it was today.

The Black Diamond Jet Team coming in over the Blue Angels. (Notice the mullet in the foreground...classy!)

The Black Diamond Jet Team is a civilian team made up of 4 L-39s and 2 Mig-17s.

The 4 L-39s doing a loop in formation.

The Air Force Heritage Flight, made up of an F-4 and an F-16. They were both very loud and very fast!

Leah's Art Project

Leah came home with an art project she made at school. See below:

In school, they are learning about the color yellow, the letter B, and singing the song, "The Wheels on the Bus". Hence the yellow school bus project. It is exactly the kind of project you would expect from the second week of preschool. So what makes this project so special that I am making a post about it? It's not the content of the project, but the materials and methods that make this one different. Leah's teacher wants to really include Leah in the classroom and has come up with unique ways to do it. While the rest of the class was ripping yellow paper to glue to the outline of a bus, Leah's teacher attached the thick dark cut out of a bus to a transparency that she put on Leah's lightbox. She also used tissue paper for her bus, so that Leah could see the final product of her art work. Finally, a piece of art work that Leah can appreciate! We hung Leah's bus in the window so that she can look at it everyday. We are so thankful that Leah is in a classroom where she is accepted, valued, and truly wanted.

24 Weeks

Well, I am officially 24 weeks along in this second pregnancy and according to babycenter.com the baby is about the length of an ear of corn and weighs about a pound. I had my first doctor's appointment with my new doctor, here in Norfolk. Stephen came to this appointment with me so that we could both meet her and we both really liked her a lot. She seemed very friendly and we heard from a friend whose son was delivered by this doctor that she was a good coach during delivery. The baby's heart beat was strong and steady, and all of my vitals were good. I have officially gained enough weight to be heavier now than I was pre-pregnant (I'm one pound heavier than before)! I am starting to feel big and a little uncomfortable and I don't remember feeling this way, at this point, with Leah. It was a few years ago, so maybe I have just forgotten... or maybe this is going to be a big baby. Leah has been the smallest of all of the Burgin grandchildren at 8 lbs 2 oz, maybe this next one wants to take the title! I hope not, though. May Anna Kate ever reign as the record holder in that area (She was over 10 lbs!)! I would be content with another petite 8 lbs baby! Only time will tell... In the meantime, here is a picture of me at 24 weeks:

This was the best picture of me, that I could find, from around 24 weeks with Leah. I look about as big, so maybe I just don't remember feeling big at this point!

First Day of School!

Today Leah started her first day of preschool here in Norfolk. Now, Leah has been in daycare/preschool since she was 4 months old, so this is technically her 3rd time starting a new school year. Every other year Stephen has taken her to school. In fact, the only times I have ever taken Leah to school has been on days when Stephen is either sick or out of town and it's never been at the beginning of the school year. So, this was just as much my first day of school as it was Leah's. Surprisingly enough, I was a little emotional. I didn't cry or anything, but it was hard for me to leave her school. I did, though, and when I got back after school, she was there, just as happy as when I dropped her off.

I'm ready for school!!

My new teacher, Ms. Alicia