Tyler and Megan's Well-Child Visits

Tyler stats:
Weight: 97 lbs (80%)
Height: 56 3/8 inches (43%)
BMI: 90%
Megan stats:
Weight: 49 lbs (68%)
Height: 44.5 inches (29%)
BMI: 87%

Both kids look great.  Tyler will have to get his Jr. High shots next year.  I can't believe he'll be that old!

Tyler's Baseball Game With Visitors

Sherri wanted to take Graham on a outing and so she texted me to see what we were doing.  I told her that Tyler had a baseball game and she decided to come up and join us for the game.
She got to see about an hour of the game and I think that she had a good time.  The other kids loved playing with Graham and having Sherri at the game.  Tyler loved that she came to cheer him on and we all had a good time together.

Michelle's Trip to Virginia: Day 5 - By Land & By Air (again)

My mom and I were planning on leaving for the airport a little later in the morning, but Wendy woke up feeling really sick and decided that she needed to see her doctor.  They were able to get her in that morning so after Gabe and Wendy left for the doctor we decided to start our long drive towards the Raleigh/Durham airport.
I wanted to drive a different way back to the airport then the way that we came so that we could see different thing.  We started out that way, but then the GPS offered us a shorter route and my mom accepted that route so it put us back on the same road we came in on.  Oh well, it wasn't a bad drive.
We stopped at a rest stop just over the boarder into North Carolina.  After using the bathrooms we went into the visitors center and looked around.  My mom had a nice chat with the workers there before we got back on the road.
We decided we were getting hungry and decided to see what we could find.  A Cracker Barrell was right off the exit and sounded good to us, so that's where we went. We did have to wait about 10 minutes to get in so we looked around the shop while we waited.  I found a few fun things I wanted and then they called our name.  My mom and I shared a yummy pot roast meal.  It was so big we took half of it with us to eat on the plane.
After eating we got back into the car to finish our drive in the rain to the airport.  We made it to the airport without much problem but getting to the car rental return place proved to be difficult when I read the arrows wrong and the street we took, took us right out of the airport.  So we had to put it back into the GPS and figure out how to get back.  We did get back and found the car rental return and I felt a lot better.
We got into the airport and their was a long line of people waiting to check in with luggage.  Luckily we didn't have to check in luggage and just needed to get our boarding passes.  I got mine without problems, but my mom's wouldn't print out.  We had to have a ticket person help us, but she was able to print it right out.
So then we went through security and found our gate.  We had about 20 minutes before they started boarding our flight.  We then got on the plane and got all situated for our long flight home.  The flight was good, no drama.  We ate our leftovers and snacks from the airline.  We watched movies and played our tablets.
After we landed my mom called my dad to pick us up.  We did check our bags at the gate so we had to wait for our luggage.  After getting our bags we went out and waited for my dad.  Since it was Memorial Day it was super busy and it took my dad longer then usual to get to us but he made it and took me home.  I had a great time with my mom and Wendy's family but I was happy to be home with my family!

Michelle's Trip to Virginia: Day 4 - Lunch & Boating Back

On the other side of the Naval yard is shopping and hotels and other tourist type things.  We parked the boat and headed to get something to eat.  They had a faris wheel that Jacob and Benji wanted to go on.  My mom and I were feeling a little sick from the boat ride and decided to sit that ride out.  They had some really nice seats in a park area where people were playing and relaxing.
After their ride we all went and got some lunch in a food court type area.  It was so hot and humid outside.  I got some ice waters to go and then we walked back to the boat.
The ride back was just as nice as the ride in.  We got to a nice open area and stopped the boat so that Benji could swim if he wanted to.  He didn't end up getting in but Benji and I enjoyed putting our feet into cool water.  That is until another boat came by and it's waves splashed up and got my bum wet.  I got up quickly after that and went back to my seat to dry off.
We got back to our dock and got the boat onto the trailer before heading back to Wendy and Gabe's house.  Gabe had smoked a pork butt the night before and that is what we had for dinner.  It was super good and so nice to have a nice sit down dinner with their family.
Jacob and Alex both played their instruments for us and we were very impressed.  The rest of the evening was very laid back and we just enjoyed our time with the Pulliam's...and their dogs.  We had a great day and got prepared for our long trip home the next day.

Michelle's Trip to Virginia: Day 4 - Naval Ship Yard Coolness

Oh my this was so cool to drive a boat through.  I couldn't believe that they let boats go through this area.
We saw like a dozen huge Naval ships, 2-3 ships where the planes land on them, and even a submarine that was being worked on.  A couple of the ships had Navy men on top of them patrolling with big guns.  I waved to them and they waved back.  Some of these ships were in the water and others were completely out of the water.  It was so cool to see these ships as close as we were and I was totally geeking out here.  They don't want you taking pictures so I had to be sly about my picture taking.  This was totally unexpected and I was so glad that I got to see all this.  SO COOL!

Michelle's Trip to Virginia: Day 4 - Boating Fun Begins

My mom and I got up and dressed for church.  The ward is super close to Wendy's house and it took us like four minutes to get there.
After a nice sacrament meeting we went back to Wendy's house and got changed for our boating outing.
Gabe got the boat all ready to go for when we were back.  Wendy decided to stay at home and rest, so we headed off without her and Alex.
The place to dock the boat is only like ten minutes away.  We got the boat in the water and we were on our way.  The boat is super fancy and comfortable.  My mom and I put our feet up and relaxed in the sun while Gabe drove the boat.  Jacob hung out in the back of the boat and Benji walked all around the boat and ended up by his dad in the captains chair.
My mom laid back and shut her eyes soaking in the sun and then her shirt flew up and she didn't notice because her eyes were shut.  It was pretty funny and I had to call out to her to put her shirt down.  I am so easily amused.
We took the boat through an industrial area and then we got to drive the the Naval Boat Yard.  So cool!

Michelle's Trip to Virginia: Day 3 - Swimmer School Awesomeness "Airplanes & Lunch"

Gabe then took us out to the hanger where the airplanes are stored.  We didn't go into the hanger but I did get out and take a picture with the airplane in the background, because I am a big nerd.
After that we went to the store that they have on base and got us some sweet Coast Guard souvenirs.  It was a fun store.  I want to go back.  Everything was so amazing to see and I loved every minute of it. 

After our tour we went to a Mexican Restaurant for lunch.  Wendy and I shared and it was super yummy.  After eating we went back to Wendy and Gabe's house to let Wendy rest. 

Michelle's Trip to Virginia: Day 3 - Swimmer School Awesomeness "Drownding Pool"

In a different room is another pool where they have a boat and a helicopter simulators that can be dropped into the water to teach them how to escape them if they were to crash into the water.  It was really cool.

Michelle's Trip to Virginia: Day 3 - Swimmer School Awesomeness "The Pool"

The pool room had two huge pools with a walk way separating each pool.  They had large flags hanging on the walls on each side of the pools.
Each pool was covered with large covers that go up and down with a touch of a button.  It was very impressive to watch the pool being uncovered.
They also had ropes hanging from the wall that they climb up as part of their training.

They have a hot tub on the side of the pool and lots of cool signs all around the walls and even the Coast Guard seal at the bottom of the pool.  I was so proud of all the men and women who go through this program.  All this hard work to help other people.  It's pretty awesome!

Michelle's Trip to Virginia: Day 3 - Swimmer School Awesomeness Part 1

OH MY AWESOMENESS!!!  I could not have had a better time.  This was so cool to see all the swim school stuff and all the other stuff on base.
We first started off with driving by the helicopter/mechanic training school. I couldn't resist getting my picture taken with the helicopter blades.  So cool.
Second stop was the Swimmer school building.  Gabe was so cool to show us all these cool places on base and to answer all my questions.  He first got us into the building and showed us a class room where the candidates learn stuff.  It looked just like a normal class room, but I thought it was super cool.  It even had name tags of the people who were still in the program.  I think their were like 6 names.  They start with as many as 24 people and graduated only a few.  Sometimes no people make it to the end, other times only one.  I think up to five or six people is the highest they graduate.  It is a super tough program and the elite of the Coast Guard.
From the class room we went to the swimming pool training area.  Before we went in there we saw the mannequin with the swimmer gear and of course I needed a pictures with him.
When we got into the swimming pool area I was shocked with how huge it was.  Two huge pools with a walk way down the middle.  Huge flags on each end of the pool.
On the wall they have the names of all the people who have completed the program and Gabe showed me where his name is and let me take his picture.  He really was so nice to indulge me in my geekiness.  Did I mention it was super cool there!

After he showed us his name, so cool, he showed us the work out room.  It is a huge gym with work out equipment and then a door to the outside.  Outside they have tons of stuff for them to work out on and do different drills.  It was really cool.  In the gym they have a bell that they can ring if they are quitting the program.  Gabe told us that they have another bell somewhere else, but we didn't get to see it.  We forgot about it until it was too late.  But it was fun to see at least one of the bells.  My mom rang it.  She said you can't quit something you never started.  She is so silly.

Jacob and Benji really like the gym and playing on the exercise equipment.  It was pretty funny watching Benji do the adult sized equipment.  I chose not to try any of it and make a fool of myself.  I am sure I was silly enough without making it worse.

After the gym we went into the room where they work on the water rafts. They have a big work bench and tools.  Everything they would need to learn all about the rafts and how to work them.  They also have things (posters/banners) on the walls from past graduating classes that are a memento of their class.  That was really cool to see the different things that each class did. After that room Gabe showed us more in the big double pool room.