Hikin' Hopps!

James and I love to be outdoors. We want our children to know that there is more to life than video games and tv. When our family is in the mountains, our children seem to come alive! They explore, climb, and basically do anything that uses their imagination. We have gone on short hikes as a whole family, but hope that our children will one day be able to join us on our quest to hike the entire Appalachian Trail! This time, James and Bryce hiked South Mountain with our dear friends-Ken Kramer and three of his children: Nicholas, Abby, and Jessie. They all had a blast (even though is got very cold at night). Now that we've got some good hiking under our belts, hopefully next year we can take the younger children...as long as they can carry their own pack!



Legofest 2011

James took Ethan to the annual Legofest this year at the fairgrounds. They got to see a lot of huge sculptures, plus make their own! I think this might just become another Hopp tradition!



And I took the road less traveled....

...and that has made all the difference.  Robert Frost is one of my favorite poets, and so appropriate is this poem that I was able to live out this past weekend. My outdoor husband James took me backpacking on a section of the Appalachian Trail. We have been reading books about the trail for months, but I've never hiked past 5 miles anywhere, especially not up and down a mountain. We hiked from Carver's Gap, NC to Mountain Harbor Bed and Breakfast on Roan Mountain, Tenn. It was almost 20 miles, filled with steep inclines, declines, and rocks. Lots and lots of rocks! Plus some of the most breathtaking views ever seen. There is nothing better than getting to the top of a mountain and seeing a glimpse of heaven with the one you love. No bears this time, but there is always next time! Wait, did I just say I might do this again??????







Closing a chapter

We have had a camper at Yogi Bear Campground for 4 years now and have loved every bit of it! We've swam, gone putt-putt, paddled a kayak and canoe, hiked, danced, played bingo, met amazing friends, but most importantly, spent quality time together as a family. These are memories that we will have forever. We are still going to camp; we are just going to go to a smaller scale camper and/or tent depending on the situation and time of year so that we can travel more around the country. But we will definitely return to check on Yogi Bear!



School year 2011-2012 begins!

It is official, they are all back in school, whew! Bryce started back in July at Moore Square Museums Magnet Middle School. Sooo much easier to say M2M3! She is doing fantastic and the style of learning is definitely what she needed. We pray for her often as she is in a different environment and exposed to more temptation, but trust in the Lord that his angels are keeping watch. Ethan and Mary started today at Neuse Christian Academy. Ethan is in second grade and Mary is in first. They both got the teachers I hoped for and I know will have a wonderful year! Ethan did mention that he wished his older sister was still going to "his school". I wanted to put that in print so when they are teenagers and fighting like cats and dogs (kind of like they can do now), I can point this out to them and say, "you guys know you really love each other!" And then they will look at me and roll their eyes.



Another year older, still our baby girl!

Mary turned 6 this year and was lucky to have lots of family and her very best friends at her party! She even knew what Brenna and Alicia's favorite colors were (her best friend's are twins) so she could pick out the "right colored crowns, mama!" Aunt Trisha and mommy made the castle cake from scratch and used a kit from Michaels store for the adornments. We ended up calling it (forgive me Lord) the "cake from hell". Those turrets, flowers, flags, anything added on would NOT stay put. We basically took a picture really quick and kept just holding the pieces up with our fingers. And if you look really close, see the glitter? I think it will never come out of all of the cracks in the kitchen floor!



Forever

Forever is a big word, isn't it? But that's how long I feel that my friend Debbie will be my best friend. We have known each other since we were 3 years old! This past year she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was and is a trooper, and it showed with all of her friends showing their support! Yesterday, she all her "breast friends" completed the annual Susan B. Komen walk to fight breast cancer. Over 24,000 people walked/ran this year! Debbie has made it through all of her treatments and surgeries, and is starting her "survivor" title. I know God's hand and everyone's prayers will continue to keep her and her body strong as she continues to heal. Until He calls her and everyone home, she will always be my forever best friend!

LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.
Psalm 30:1-3

T-Ball Time!

Mary decided to try t-ball this year for the first time. This age group is so funny to watch!  Mary impressed us a lot, and loved playing! Daddy James was coach (mom assisted..some) Watching her play convinced Ethan to give baseball one more shot (he wasn't a fan when he was younger). We will find out next year!

Pine Knoll Shores 2011

I think we finally turned the corner this year!  James and I both agreed that this was the most relaxing beach trip ever (except for one 99 degree day = 3 cranky kids)  Every year the kids get older and everything becomes more manageable. We also got to see our dear friends, Joe and Eleanor, our "adopted" grandparents who spoil our kids rotten each time.  I guess that's what they are for!
Lots of pics, I couldn't decide which ones to post!

And they're done!

Bryce is officially a middle-schooler (gasp!) and Ethan in second grade. Mary is on a year-round calendar, so she will be done in 2 1/2 weeks. Bryce had a 5th grade "graduation" from Neuse Christian, which is sorrowfully her last year. Mary and Ethan will both attend NCA next year, and Bryce was accepted at Moore Square Museum Middle School. I am confident that she will have her own angel watching over her as she embarks on a new adventure!

New friends

I took the kids to build-a-bear workshop recently. They are doing great in school and I just wanted to reward them. Even though these are just stuffed animals, it is easy even for me as an adult to say "oh, these shirt/shoes/headband are so cute"!  Ethan, who has always been the one to need a "comfort blanket", does not go to bed now without "Cami" (Yes, it's a girls name-we won't tell him!)

Great Wolf Lodge!

James started a new job last week and to celebrate, we took the kids to Great Wolf Lodge, an indoor water park that we have been dying to go to! This place is well worth the money. We got a "cabin" room and free wolf ears! (These will be a must for game days-go Wolfpack!) We hope to make this a yearly event, even though you do have to practically take out a second mortgage to go there! Memories of ecstatic children...priceless.

Another outdoor love!

Our family started kayaking and canoeing 3 years ago at Yogi Bear Campground, where we have our camper. This year, we got our own kayaks so we could go whenever we want! James and I tested them out this past month. It is so relaxing, unless you are paddling against the wind!