Home sweet home

We couldn't be more happy than to be headed back to good ol' South Crackalacka!!  We had a great time and everyone enjoyed themselves, but nothing is more beautiful than the sight of your family and home after a long trip.  

We ended our trip at one of our favorite summertime hangouts, Mimi & Poppa's lake house on Lake Wateree.  Traditionally, the Fourth of July is spent here watching fireworks, enjoying some good food, and hanging out with the coolest people you know.  

Everyone was dressed in their American best & ready for a day in the sun.  

Of course the weather had other plans for us.  We played this game all week!  Sun & swimming...raining and running (for cover). 

Sun & swimming with Virginia, Maya & Jake...

Rain & run with Poppa, uncle Kyle & uncle Jim. 

Swim & sun with Jake, James, Jake & Shep...

Rain & run with everybody on the porch.  At one point there were no less than 20 people crammed onto this porch together waiting out the rain!  You can't see her, but grandma is inside wrangling kids and prepping some vittles.  

Uncle Kyle, Mimi & Shep enjoying the sun.

Whit and Mimi looking lovely!  Everyone please note the blue skies in the background...

Landon & Daryl trying to catch some of those those rays.

Sheppy and I are hanging out together on the dock.

Gurl loves her aunt GG!  Snug as a bug in a rug!  And hey Ash!  Creepin' in the background!

Whit always did like hats.  GG always did like to give bunny ears.  

Hey what a surprise...more rain!

These guys want a trip to Maine one day too!

Seriously.  These two are the cutest things I have ever seen.  Shep is very protective of his little sister.

Sheppy loved trying on my glasses and hat.  

He wasn't the only one!  

She's ready for her close up Mr. De Mille!  

All the Potteiger's were happily surprised by a visit from older sister Nikki!  

The tiny dots are boats on the water.  We all enjoyed the fireworks but nobody enjoyed them more than Daryl.  He really wanted his own fireworks!  

Especially the ones that looked like fountains.

The next day we enjoyed some breakfast and prepared for more sunshine & swimming / rain & running.  

We made Mimi and Poppa & Granny Rose and Poppa Gary a picture collage of the best pictures from our trip.  We couldn't have made this trip with out their support!  

Here is Melissa Rose (widdle gurl) with her Mimi.  

Here is Sheppard (Daideaux) with his Aunt Yahyee.

Sheppard decided to get comfortable while waiting out the rain.

He wasn't awake much longer.  He slept with Landon and I almost every night.  What an angel!

Nothing could have been more appropriate than to end our trip at the lake.  Many of our most special memories have been and will be made here.  It was a welcome home party better than any one could have asked for.  We were sad to leave but excited to hit the happy trail home after a full month away.  

Seeing the friarsgate sign was a blessing!  Almost there!

Ahh!!!  Finally home and everything seems to be in order thanks to Kelly & Dawn!  I don't think I've ever seen landon quite this happy!

 Reunited and it feels so good...I've missed you friend.

All in all we had a fabulous trip!  Here are our favorites:

Food- 

Maya- Philly wit wiz

Kyndale- Garlic knots - Pungo pizza

Kirkland- Landon's fire grilled steak

Regan- fresh lobster

Landon- NYC street gyro

City

M- ny

Ky- ny

Kir- dc

Reg- Philly

LAN- ny

Thing you Saw

M- smithsonian natural history

Ky- Lincoln Memorial

Kirk- Statue of Liberty 

Reg- MLK Jr. Memorial

LAN- smithsonian American history

Funniest moments

M- film Berkeilicious

Kyndale- boardwalk rides

Kirk- maya getting wiped out by waves

Reg- Accents- Teresa, Larry & Beauregard 

LAN- berkelberry bush & lord tubbington

Missed the most

Maya- 2 pillows not one

Kyndale- family Daideaux

Kirkland- family gurl

Regan- personal bathroom / toiletries

Landon- home

Most Stressful

Maya- packing in the rain

Kyndale- migraine

Kirk- traffic & car time

Regan- sick

Landon- loosing keys

Favorite Tshirt

Maya- nj

Kyndale- nj

Kirk- nj

Reg- Boston

LAN- Philly

For now our great adventure is over.  We couldn't have taken this trip with out the support from our family & friends!  I especially want to thank all the grandparents.  Through your Christmas presents of tents, chairs, consumable paper products, grills, and sleeping bags we had the gear necessary to camp this long.  What you have done for these children is life changing and opens innumerable doors for them.  The experiences they have had and the things they have seen and learned will be resources they can call upon for the rest of their lives.  We love you so much and are so proud to have completed this trip with your help.  Thank you.

Out West next year?  To be continued...

Forecast calls for more rain. Yay.

Look all you want Landon, there's nothing out there except more rain.  It has rained almost nonstop since we have been in Virginia Beach.  

Desperate for some activity, Landon and I took a walk in the drizzle. 

We found some entertainment at the local mall...

Where we ate some dinner.  

Then hit target.

Day four we went for a sushi lunch, which was delicious.

Then we popped some tags at the Salvation Army.  Landon was looking for a boogie board.  

We tried to hit the beach.  

Some of us succeeded.  

Some of us failed.  Don't judge.  It was cold and it was raining.  Who wants to sit on the beach in the cold rain!?!?

Well then it started pouring so we all had to give it up.

Does this rainbow mean the rain is over?

On our last night of camping, we had a campfire and some s'mores!  

While we're sad to leave Virginia Beach we're excited to head down to the lake for last leg of the trip. This is the last time we have to pack up this car and break camp.  

Goodbye Virginia Beach! Here we come South Carolina!