Swimming...

This summer Kurtis has gone swimming almost everyday (unless he was sick) and he has improved so much just by listening to Nanny's instructions.

In the water he can do a front flip, back flip, and hand stand.

He does a very terrific cannonball!

He loves to be thrown in the air!

He has learned how to snorkel.

He has been practicing how to dive, and today I saw him do three or four really good ones.

He has just become a little FISH!

Sarah just loves to relax in the pool, and prefers to go in the morning when it is not soo hot.

Park and Smores....in 100 degree weather??

The one thing that has been a huge change for us CALIFORNIANS out here is the heat!!! I have been reading that the weather in CA has been so nice and cool lately....well here we have been in the 100 degree marker for a while and the Pikula's are feeling it! Despite the heat we all decided to take a trip to the park, it must have been a Sunday because otherwise we would have been at the pool!! Afterwards though we had some delicious SMORES!!! MMM.....it was worth it even with the heat!

Sarah and Ella Sliding

Kurtis kicking Ryan in the face...he is a bit too happy about it!

Kurtis pushing Kyler...Kyler loved laughing at Kurtis it was really funny.

Ms. Sarah could spend HOURS on the swings, and it was the way to get a breeze!

The bugs are something else we are not used to...both of the kids have their bug away thingamagigs on their hips!

This picture is why I chopped my hair all off!!! I needed a change and was tired of the heavy poiny tail...but pictures of that to come.

I love this picture of Ella...and I am sharing it to show you how hot and muggy it is out here!! She is so adorable though, she was sharing her smore with her little brother it was so cute!

Kurtis and his CHAMPION Smore!

Natural Bridge

There are lots of fun sights to go and see in Natural Bridge, Virginia. Along with the zoo we went to the Natural Bridge, the Butterfly Pavilion, and the Collectible Toy Museum.

The Natural Bridge was amazing, I loved the initials or names carved in the wall with the dates. It was neat to try and find the oldest ones.

Kurtis hiked a little farther to the falls with the rest of the crew while Sarah and I went back to the air conditioning!

He found a snake...probably a good thing I wasn't there!

An old tanning hut.

Ella and Kurtis

Finally at the falls!

Kurtis has been to the Butterfly Pavilion in CA a few times but this was Sarah's first time, she was a little nervous. I think she was a bit hot too.

Kurtis found this huge Playmobile that he wanted to take a picture with at the collectible toy museum. We found many many toys from when we were younger, which I am not sure what that is saying. Either I am old or the museum needs to get older "collectible" toys.

Natural Bridge, Virginia

Our next adventure we decided to go to Natural Bridge Virginia, to go to a Zoo there as well as the Natural Bridge.

Here is Sarah before we got very far on our journey. About an hour into our car ride she said "I am done", then she cried and cried for Daddy and screamed until we parked the car. It was such a fun experience!!!

At the Zoo we got to ACTUALLY RIDE A AFRICAN ELEPHANT!!!

Just in case you can not tell, I am very excited to ride this elephant...possibly more excited then my son! I just kept telling him...we are riding an elephant, we are riding an elephant....!

He thought he was on top of the world after doing that!

We saw a lot of other great animals too.

I will put up the photos from the Natural Bridge next!!

When the cats away the mice will play!!!

While Derick is away for training this time the kids and I decided to go back to see GG and Pops. It has been a great help while I am working and then on the weekends we have lots of plans to do fun things. We were here for 4th of July so we went to Nanny's pool and hung out with friends and family!!

Then Ryan and Jordan were able to pull a fast one on GG, Pops, and Katie.

The first few days with everyone we went swimming, enjoyed good food and dessert of course, and played with bubbles!!

My dad has this amazing garden that has been producing tons and tons of cucumbers so my mom and I decided to pickle some, it was fun but VERY stinky!