Road Trip to Virginia Beach...

Aunt Katie needed to go to Virginia Beach so of course she asked us to tag along!! We drove down and took care of the items she needed to do and then drove off to the beach to enjoy the sun. The kids played in the sand and we even were there long enough to see a CRAB!

Then because we were on the road during dinner time, we obviously had to stop for dinner, and we decided to treat ourselves to WENDY'S!!! Sarah had fries in a frosty for the first time...you might say she loved it!

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!!