We're heading to the beach for a week and leaving the stress and worries behind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Almost three years ago, we took a vacation to DelRay Beach, FL. , it is close to Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. We had an amazing trip, it was Jacob's first time to the ocean and Jordan's second. We are heading out soon for our 3rd major vacation and everyone is super excited! Right now, I am up to my elbows in packing but I am making some major progress. The kids have been good at entertaining themselves the last few days and that has helped tremendously. They are still counting down the days with their beach calendar I made them. We need this vacation, so secretly I'm counting down the days too!
Today has been a lazy day around the Fuller house! Jacob had a baseball game at 9:00 this morning and once it was over, we stayed at the field and Brad practiced batting and fielding with both boys. We headed to Newburgh for me to tan and for the boys to pick out video games and movies with Jordan's report card "A" coupon. We've been home since noon and have done nothing but piddle around the house. The kids have played video games all day (which is rare around here) and they rented a few movies for later. I am starting to pack for vacation, so that means catching up on the laundry and Brad has been getting our info and finances in order for vacation. I have started packing mostly the kids clothes because they have tons of clothes and packing most of them will sadly not make a dent in their wardrobe. Other than that, we are planning on grilling shrimp for dinner and I am going to make home made cheddar biscuits for a side along with veggies. Of course with a supper like that, we had to have a dessert. I cheated and pulled cookie dough out of the fridge and my little helper in the kitchen arrived just in time to assist me! Now we have dessert and it was easy as 1, 2, 3!
We spent Memorial Day and Jacob's birthday at Holiday World! We began our day at the park at 10:30 and finally left around 6:00, which made for a long but fun day! My sister, nephew, my friend and her family all joined us and we had a great time. We started the day in the wave pool, then some rode on various water slides, then Jacob (his first time), Brad, my sister and nephew rode the new water coaster, the Wildbeest. They loved it! Jacob came off hooting and hollering and jumping up and down. I guess turning 5 made him brave because last year he wanted nothing to do with any water slide there!!!! He rode 3 big ones this year!!! We then headed to Kima Bay and the kids played there for a while and then we headed back to the wave pool (my kids would stay there all day if you'd let them). Splashin' Safari closed and then we headed to the regular park and drove the Old Cars and rode the Scrambler and Brad and Jordan shared a funnel cake! The kids took some of their "own" money and played a few games! It was a beautiful day to celebrate Jacob's birthday and he's looking forward to his pool party once we get back from vacation. I am so thankful for the men and women who are serving or have served and those who have lost their lives fighting for the freedom we enjoy today. Because of their sacrifice, I had a wonderful day with my family!
Yesterday, we headed to Ft Branch for Zack and Zane's 10th birthday party. I have been friends with Laurie since I was 2 years old and our husbands and kids automatically became friends. We usually have a blast when we're together and yesterday was no different. The kids played outside on the slip and slide, played baseball, jumped on the trampoline, had cake, and ate cheeseburgers and hot dogs. Laurie's boys wanted my boys to spend the night (and my boys begged to stay too), so we let them. They were so excited to stay since they don't get to very often. (Laurie took some pictures of the sleepover, so I copied her pics). I can't wait to hear how much fun they had last night and what time they finally fell asleep! I am really surprised we didn't get a call from Laurie last night asking us to come and get Jacob. He is still uneasy about spending the night with people but his big brother was there, so I'm guessing he did alright!
Last Friday, July 10, we went to Scales Lake with Nic and her girls and Stacey and her girls. My boys and I have never been to Scales to swim. We live right down the road but memories from swimming in Lincoln Lake as a kid have never left me, so we've never gone!!! There are many reasons I don't like swimming in lakes but I put that aside because my friends said it was a clean lake.
They were right, you could see the bottom!!! The kids had SO much fun swimming and playing in the sand! 
Kaylen and Jordan
The kids were making sandcastles and moats and at one time, we had four or five other kids playing with ours. 
Autumn
Anna, Jessica and Jacob
On the 4th, we spent the evening at our friends the Meleski's for our church picnic. They live off of Hunter Road and their house sits back in the woods, so you can imagine the creatures that live there! If you know of my boys obsession with frogs, they were in frog heaven there. They love going out to Autumn and Summer's house! Above is Autumn and Camryn with a few of the many, many, many frogs the kids found that night!
Jordan holding a tiny frog!
Nicole, me, Nikki and Stacey...I love these girls!!!
Jacob and Anna, two peas in a pod!
