This past weekend Andrew had plans to be away so I knew I'd be alone with the kids for four days. So, when my good friend Aimee asked me and another friend to visit their new house in Charlottesville, VA since her husband would be working much of the weekend, it seemed like the perfect time to make the trip. Even at 36 weeks pregnant, the journey was well worth the 7 hour car ride with 5 children (under 5 years old!) since we had such a nice time with our friends and I had some help with the kids while Andrew was away.
Did I mention that we drove 7 hours each way with 5 young children? :) In all reality, the trip both there and back was much better than it could have been and we really only had to stop for lunch and for a bathroom break each time. It was a tiring experience for me, being in the third trimester of pregnancy, but I am really glad that we went when we did since we probably would have had to wait until the spring or summer to go otherwise, with the new baby on the way, and it would have been more difficult to fit another child in the minivan as well.
And despite the long drive to VA, we got to have three fantastic days with our good friends. The kids had so much fun playing together and we mommies had a great time catching up at night for some much-needed girl time. We loved seeing Chad and Aimee's new home and being shown around Charlottesville.
Our first night in town, we all went out to dinner and then visited a famous cupcake bakery, where the kids all got fancy cupcakes to sample. Ben got a Lego cupcake, which had edible Legos on top of it!
He is enjoyng his treat!
Apparently, Jonathan also is enjoying his! Jon is about 3 weeks older than Nate so he was one of the "young ones" of the 7 children.
So, call us crazy, but we decided to let the "big" kids have their very first sleepover while on the trip. Elaina and Tyler are nearly 5 and Ben and Samantha are both 3. Everyone was SOO excited to camp out in the family room and out of the three nights, Ben was the only one who opted to sleep with me for one of the nights because he got afraid of something he had seen on one of the movies they had watched. That was the second night and both the first and third nights everyone did great. We let them all watch a movie before lights out time and then we waited (and waited) until they all fell asleep. On average it was around 9PM when everyone was finally sleeping so that wasn't so bad at all!
So excited for the big slumber party!
Ben brought his firetruck sleeping bag and his truck pillow case (and of course his blankie and Mr. Bear - awww!). It was so sweet that everyone had their own little Lovey with them :).
Being silly!
Elaina is so excited to have her friends stay in her family room with her!
Tyler too!
FINALLY! Ben gives me a real smile, he is so excited to be actually using his sleeping bag on the ground (he has used it in his bed before) and to be having a sleepover party.
Yum! Nate is enjoying his cereal...
On Sunday we visited Carter Mountain for a fall festival. We bought some cider donuts to eat, went on a hayride and learned all about apples. Here are the 7 kids after their donuts on the side of the mountain. What a view!
Next up was the hayride. The big kids had a great time looking at the apple orchard as we rode through.
Ben spots something in the distance...
Aimee and Jon with me and Nate.
Amy and Brianna, Nate's little girlfriend. The whole weekend they kept saying "Naaaate" and "Bri-anna" to each other. So sweet!
...and, of course, with 7 children under one roof, we had a few hectic moments as well!
Finally, on our way home in the minivan after three very fun and tiring days, the 5 little visitors take a nap or some quiet time!
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2 comments:
Jon looks so much like young Ben!!
Looks like the kids had a great time. What fun to have a sleepover with all of your best friends. Such genuine smiles!
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