School's Out!

School's Out! Sam & Grace celebrated and then we took off for our camping trip...

Where we saw our first bear after many trips to Shennandoah National Park (trust me, it's a bear. I didn't want to get closer for a better shot)

We met up with some cousins, some were on their maiden camping voyage.

Gary loves the view from A10-A. After years of booking the site and then having to cancel, we finally got to use it. Cell phone cameras don't do justice to the view off the campsite from the A.T. Hikers gather here to watch the sun set over the valley.

First ones up...

Breakfast - more s'mores?

Speaking of the A.T....

We took a hike to a double falls we like and the cousins went nuts.

This is the top falls and the swimming hole we climbed up to.

Rusty warned everyone to be careful not to fall and then...

Our family

The after-hike nap and the view from the tent window

Reading in the tent

I'm not sure whether our cousins would ever attempt another trip like this, but we had a great time. They went home after one night and we stayed another night. We got to enjoy the ranger's presentation on "Fun Fungi". Grace was mad about false advertising, as not a lot of fun was incorporated...

We also discovered another great use for the bear boxes at the campsite...

To cap off the spoiling...

Sam and Grace have been drooling...er...walking past the Build a Bear shop at our mall for years.  We've gone in many times and drooled up close, too.  Every time we go in and figure out what we would get and how many allowances would have to be saved to make it a reality, we trudge home empty handed.  (Answer:  many, many allowances)

So, after 2 1/2 years of asking if they could get a bear for their birthday, for Christmas, for Easter, for Flag Day...  we finally decided that would be their birthday gift from us this year.  Unbeknownst to them, Gary has been in a "let's buy everything" kind of mode.  It panned out big for them.  I talked them into the cheapest animals and clothes, but then Gary came along with accessories and it was all down hill (or uphill if you were Sam & Grace) from there.  

  Selecting an animal was tough for Grace, but not as hard as narrowing down her accessories. 

 The Before...
 Sam tried out the "air bath" and it also works on 7 year old boys!  
  Registering the pets 

We spent a long time in the store and they had a blast.  I know Gary and I have enjoyed the noise of the rollerskates on the wood floor at home, over and over again.  I also love the additional sound effects that we added.  The electronic "giggle" noise in Grace's bunny and Sam's puppy's "barking" sounds never get old.  Good times!   

 Grace and Fluff Ball (AKA Carrot) 
  Sam with Max in a slam dunk pose

Happy Birthday, Kiddos.