Connecticut State Capitol

Ah... Hartford, Connecticut.  Very impressively large Capitol Building.  With an underground walkway system leading to more offices. 

And proudly displaying their replica of the Liberty Bell.  Each Capitol was given one cast from the same mold as the original.  Most have cleverly PAINTED on the crack that is only in the original (you know, in Pennsylvania.  You saw National Treasure, right?)

The "new" part of the capitol...

Back in the original building, The Genius of Connecticut protects the rotunda.

A tree trunk that has been preserved and put on display as it sports a cannon ball from the Civil War.

The Hall of Flags

Click on the picture below so you can read about Layfayette's very cool bed...

Inside the massive House of Representatives.  We loved all the beautiful stained glass windows and light fixtures. 

Interior of the Dome...

Look closely at the white portion and you can see the spiral staircase leading to the outside.  My boys REALLY wanted to climb up there... not allowed.  Rats.

The Senate

The Charter Oak Chair... also known as the Wishing Chair...

... and not just because Little McGregor's made wishes there...

... they weren't the only Wishers this day!  I'm pretty certain Ben was Wishing the tour would be over soon!

Back in the "New Part"... we loved the floor!!!

Optical Illusion!

You know how we are about the historical details! 

Beautiful flowers and grounds...

Amazingly beautiful building!

Notice the statues...

... and the empty spaces.  For Future Famous People.

... or according to Carly, "A statue of Carly!"

The view from the side...

...and back

... and Ben so appropriately rolling down the back lawn of the Capitol Building.  I'd say we can't take these kids anywhere, but I'm pretty sure I told him he could!

... and the newest McGregor obsession.  Being Statues.  All you need is an empty slab of concrete... You will be seeing this again.  Note Ben's Sonic pose.  Nice.

There was a small museum in the Supreme Court building (behind the statues)... and I felt pretty old when I realized that I used to have that curling iron (although, it was brown, not yellow!), the hair dryer, makeup mirror, and can opener.  Grrrrrr.

North Carolina Capitol

It wouldn't be a McGregor Vacation without a trip to capitol buildings... Yes, we planned out our trip to hit as many as possible!  Our first stop was Raleigh, NC.  The first thing we noticed about this building was how WONDERFULLY symmetrical it is!  I love order.

As we are finding, most Capitol Buildings have BEAUTIFUL grounds... this time Ben and Carly discovered many cannons and guns, which they thought were pretty cool.

This was a REALLY moving statue... I actually caught my breath when I looked up and saw it for the first time...  A Vietnam War Memorial.

                                    

We were visiting right after Father's Day, and someone had put these cards in the gun.

And a flag that was in the grass at the base of the statue.

Inside.  When we first went in, a receptionist was standing behind this desk explaining the "Self Guided Tour" to us... she went over a brief history of the State House (NC's is now a just a museum).  She brought up that the first one was made out of wood, and burned to the ground (a common issue with MANY of the State Capitols) so "they built this one to be FIREPROOF".  And probably no one will find this NEARLY as entertaining as we did, but please, appreciate the fire alarm pull station which we were staring at while she was telling us this.  Ok, we are admittedly easy to entertain.

The Library... it has been refurbished to how it looked in 1859.  Loved it.

The House of Representatives.  Ryan got ahead of me at this point and I called out, "Ryan, where are you?" and he answered... "I'm in the House".  Again, easily entertained.  They do not pass bills here anymore.

Looking up into one of the smaller oval shaped domes.

Senate Chambers... again, restored to 1859 era.  Loved the top hat! 

We also enjoy all the old light fixtures...

And I personally enjoy all these cute people.

Carly with our Capitol Book now bearing the North Carolina stamp!

The Fire Proof Lady was kind enough to snap our picture as we were about to leave.  They have a very interesting statue of George Washington in the rotunda... the artist who sculpted it in the 1800's was Italian and had obviously never seen GW, so he went with a picture someone sent him, and decided he needed to look like a Roman Emporer. 

Fishers of Men... ok, of Mackeral

Another great day... after church this morning, Tim took Ryan and Ben and Jeff "Deep Sea Fishing".  Apparently, they had a GREAT time.  Ben caught the first fish! 

This is the picture I got on my cell phone!  He was pretty excited about his catch.  He took a few pictures with his camera...

(well, I think Ryan actually took this one!)

That's Jeff on the left... he doesn't look happy in the picture, but I know he had a great time, too!  The boys were pretty happy he could go with them!

While they were gone, Laurie and I and the girls went shopping.  We went to the Apple Store where Laurie very efficiently got her iPod touch replaced, and Kristin showed my how to send text messages with photos to facebook.  That girl is always giving me techno-tips!

Carly checking up on her Webkinz!

When we got back to Laurie's house, we rinsed out and dried out tye-dyed shirts from yesterday.  They turned out REALLY cute (I mean, if I do say so myself!!!)...

The one on the left is the one I made for Laurie, and the one I made for Carly.  No way was I letting her use the dye herself.  Carly, not Laurie.  I made hers because SHE was making us dinner at the time... and seriously, I do have priorities!

Top left is mine, and it's a Bullseye style, and beside it is Ben's (spiral, like Laurie's and Carly's) and Kristin's on the bottom, which was "scrunch".  They were pretty fun to make!

As we were finishing up our project, my aunt and uncle came over!  Pretty excited to see them, although I didn't get a photo of Aunt Syl.  I always get Carly's picture with Uncle Ike because they have the same eyes!  She definately has his same shade of Pale Baby Blues!  We had a really great visit with them, and are looking forward to them coming back after our Big Camping Trip!  Carly and Kristin spent the afternoon baking (you know Carly's Mama doesn't bake!!!) and Carly "helped" Kristin make Uncle Ike some Macaroons!  Mmmmmm.... Another really great day.

Home on the Range

Well, here we are!  Visiting my sister, Laurie, and her family up on S Range Rd!!!  There are MANY reasons we love to come here... of COURSE the family unit.  And then there's Pete's!  Mmmmmmm.  We have plans to go every night.  So that means we will be running alot while we are here!  Which works out since the weather is nice and COOL (comparatively speaking... we are used to 100 degrees and lots of humidity).  Amanda went with me this morning, and I was pleasantly surprised that it went really, really well!  She was kind of funny making sure I was keeping up with her! 

Then there are these 2.... Ranger and Scout.  They have jobs as dishwashers here.  You will be happy to know that this is just the PRE-WASH, and that the dishes are disinfected via the dishwasher afterwards.  I just think this is so very funny!  I am HIGHLY entertained by these dogs!  They are awesome!

There is another visitor here at this house with us... Apparently his name is "Tuckor" ~ which I tried really hard to remember when we first got here.  I told myself, "It's the same name as your cousin's kid" so I thought that would help... but then I seriously called him "Taylor" and then "Trevor" (her OTHER children's names...) so that didn't really help me as much as I wanted it to.  I was trying so hard to learn his name because we couldn't stop calling him "Spot".  And I want to know WHY his actual owners didn't just name him that??? I mean, it's the obvious choice.  And now, we are all just calling him that.  It really fits.  He's a cute dog, too...

Carly and Scout

Today, we went to see Toy Story 3, which was GREAT!  Then we tye-died shirts...

Result photos coming...

Finally a new header...

I've been wanting to make this header for a while.  I was really struggling with finding a verse that was "it" for me, at that moment.  I LOVE this picture of Ryan and the kids heading into Tropicana Field.  If there ever was a picture that showed our identity as a family, I believe THIS would be it.  Goes without saying that we are huge Rays fans.  Duh.  But it isn't a team or a game that we are REALLY fans of.  It's the time we spend together.  I'm really, really thankful for that.  When we go to games, or watch at home, we are talking to the kids and interacting with them... Ryan is teaching them all kinds of stuff and patiently answering their endless questions.  We are fooling around and having fun.  And winning Chicken Dance Off's for our section. 

I love this picture, REGARDLESS of where they are going... Ryan leading his kids.  It is what he does best.  In all areas of life.  And behind the disguise of baseball, he leads them closer to Christ.  By instructing, and by being an example.  By being present.  By using Teachable Moments.  Happy Father's Day, Baby!  You are amazing.

And the verse.  First, let me say that my all time favorite song HAS to be Casting Crowns, "Who am I".

Who am I?

That the Lord of all the earth,

Would care to know my name,

Would care to feel my hurt.

Who am I?

That the bright and morning star,

Would choose to light the way,

For my ever wandering heart.

Not because of who I am,

But because of what you've done.

Not because of what I've done,

But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,

Here today and gone tomorrow,

A wave tossed in the ocean,

A vapor in the wind.

Still you hear me when I'm calling,

Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,

And you've told me who I am.

I am yours.

I am yours.

Who am I?

That the eyes that see my sin

Would look on me with love

And watch me rise again.

Who am I?

That the voice that calmed the sea,

Would call out through the rain,

And calm the storm in me.

Not because of who I am,

But because of what you've done.

Not because of what I've done,

But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,

Here today and gone tomorrow,

A wave tossed in the ocean,

A vapor in the wind.

Still you hear me when I'm calling,

Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,

And you've told me who I am.

I am yours.

Whom shall I fear

Whom shall I fear

I am yours..

I am yours..

See?  Favorite.  Every part of it.  So.  Somehow, not so randomly (I'm sure), I stumbled across this passage in 2 Samuel 7... God telling David he's going to bless his family, his son gets to build the temple... his family would endure forever (through Christ).  The above verse starts David's response back to Him.  I hardly made it past that verse!  It just really stuck in my head and I kept thinking it... Who are we that we have this great family, and have been blessed so much???  So here it is.  The best best best part, (other than the obvious!) of this whole 2 Samuel 7 business?  Happened right before David's famous Bathsheba Incident.  You know, which God already knew about.  And chose to bless him anyways.  The amount of times (and many more to come!) that I fail Him miserably?  I need to remember that I am nothing.  He is not.  He chose to love me anyways

Who am I, indeed.

CKC 2010

My husband just might hold the record for the most years at summer camp.  He says his parents made him go when he was 6.  To camp in New York (they live in Michigan).  "All by himself".  And he cried.  For his Mama.  In her defense, she was right next door.  But he still missed her.   31 years and nearly as many weeks of camp later, he might still have been crying at camp.  But he MUST love it, I mean, he keeps going, right??!!

We just finished up a week of Covenant Kids Camp, which is our church's camp for kids age 6-12.  I use the term "We" loosely as I didn't spend the night there this year:)  Smart Girl.  (there were no crafts in the middle of the night, and no one was allowed to get sick then, either, so I got to go home!!!) For all the hard work, late late nights, raiding, and dirt ~ we always have a great time and love being able to share this experience with our kids.  It's so fun to get to know the kids Ben and Carly hang out with.  And seriously?  They are REALLY great kids!  This was a REALLY fun group this year!

My personal favorite night of camp is "Parent Night", when the parents get to come over and see what we are doing, and visit their kids.  I just love that they get to experience a little of the craziness and it is so refreshing to see Non-Camp People when you are Quaranteened at camp!  This year, MY parents came to visit.  SHOUT OUT to Papoo for participating in the Burping Contest!  You are a trooper, DAD!

Another Camp favorite is Chip Calculus.  He's been coming to camp for many years now, and couldn't be any funnier.  He keeps track of the points the teams are earning, and I am completely in love with him!  This year he started "Chip's Challenge" which included a different kid each night trying to answer his crazy questions.  Such as asking really fast, "Let's say you are the bus driver and there are many stops to pick up kids.   At the first one 2 kids get picked up, then at the next stop 5 kids get picked up.  The next stop 3 kids get off, then 6 kids get picked up.  At the next stop 2 kids get on, the next stop 7 kids get off.  At the next stop 4 kids get on, then the at the next one, 2 get off.  At the next stop 5 kids get on, and 1 gets off at the last one.  What's the bus driver's name?" (answer that WITHOUT reading back over it!)  No one got his questions right, but they still got prizes, you know, like doggie treats, a spatula, or hair mayonaise. 

First year for Future Boy, you know, since we had a Space Theme.  He told everyone what the future was, since he'd been there.  (Yes, Ryan-the-Back-to-the-Future's  DREAM PERSONA) The Camp Nurse had to ask Future Boy to stop saying "Three people will get hurt tomorrow!" since when ONE person got hurt, the kids all said, "ALL RIGHT!!  only 2 more people need to get hurt now!"  She was fine with him saying what they'd eat for dinner, or that someone would spill their drink, etc... the kids went crazy when the stuff really happened.  Pretty funny.  We mostly enjoyed the oven mitts on his hands.  See?  Ryan LOVES camp!

On Parent Night, our Pastor comes up and talks with the kids...  Ben helping out with a demonstration...

And cutie Eli in the Power Point!  Awwww, we miss him!

So, not the best pictures overall, but you get the idea!  Carly took a FOUR hour nap when we got home and had to get her hair stripped of all the product she doused it with all week!  Ben just kept saying over and over what a great week he had, so all in all?  EXCELLENT FUN FOR ALL! 

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Then you will be able to test and approve what

God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2