Happy Anniversary

Dear Ben,

Today we celebrate our 8 year anniversary. I can't believe it's already been 8 years since we celebrated our wedding day. The past eight years have brought us so much happiness. I never thought I could love you more than I did eight years ago today; however, I realize I love you more and more each day. We've experienced so much together and I am so blessed to have you as my Husband, my Best Friend and Kyle & Hannah's Daddy. I look forward to another year together. I love you with all of my heart, always and forever. Happy Anniversary!

Love,

Jamie

Do you know what this means??

More progress on the basement is being made!! Ben hung the rest of the drywall this evening. He's also been working on the electrical work for the lights. The drywall finishing starts tomorrow!!!! I'm very excited about this home improvement project; however, I still haven't decided on a wall color. Anybody got any great ideas for me??

Getting Cooled Off

Saturday night when we got back Kyle begged me to let him play in the sprinkler. He loves getting wet these days.

This would be Steven chasing Ali all around the backyard trying to get Hannah's shoe back that Ali swiped. I wish I would've thought to capture it on video. I was too busy cracking up laughing to think about it at the time.

A close up - it took awhile to get the shoe back.

Kyle trying to out run Ali - remember, Kyle's terrified of this dog!

Hannah decided she was going to get wet, also.

Saturday Night Dinner - Japanese Style

After visiting the Vineyard we headed to dinner at a Japanese restaurant very close to Steven & Kara's house. We decided to sit at the Hibachi tables. It was our lucky night because kids eat for free on Saturday nights and drinks were buy 1 get 1 free. I also tried Sushi for the first time and really liked it. We're ready to eat

Hannah caught on to using chopsticks very well. She ate her entire meal with them.

Steven catching rice the cook threw to him

Ben getting ready to catch some rice

Kyle also did well using his chopsticks and suprinsingly Kyle ate a lot of his food. I was suprised since he is such a picky eater.

The kids would jump out of their chair and back up everytime the flames would get hight. They thught it was cool, but I believe it scared them, too.

Arrington Vineyards

After going to the Science Center we headed to Arrington Vineyards. It is owned by Kicks Brooks. It was a really neat place. On the weekends they have a live band and people just gather with their blankets and coolers. Most of them buy a bottle of wine and sit and listen to the band play while enjoying their snacks. We did the wine tasting. I will say that I tasted the best wine I have ever had during this tasting. It was a Rasberry dessert wine. They served you a chocolate truffle especially made for this wine for this vineyard. They told you to take a bite of the truffle, a drink of the wine, and then another bite of the truffle.....mmmmm. I was quoted as saying, "You just can't help but smile when you mix those two things." I ended up buying a bottle that I will save to open up on our Anniversary next week. After the wine tasting we enjoyed sitting out on the patio with a bottle of wine to share.

Looking out onto the Vineyard

Adventure Science Center

On Saturday we all got up and went to Adventure Science Center. It was such a cool place. It was definitely a place for all ages, so we all had a great time! This post is rather long, but I took so many pictures there. We will definitely go back to this Science Center. They are building on, so we will have to go check it out again when they get it done & when Kyle gains 5 more pounds (you'll read about on down).

You actually end up climbing up to the tip top of this. It's a great view of Nashville.

Kyle using the pulleys to lift a car.

He did it!

Taking a ride on The Magic School Bus with Ms. Frizzle

Hannah also enjoying a ride on The Magic School Bus

This thing was really cool. It was sort of like Google Earth. You move this big disc back and forth until you find an area you want to move closer. Then, you can spin the disc and it moves in very close. It was neat trying to find our house.

This would be a simulator to show you what it's like for astronauts to work at zero gravity. You had to push yourself up this wall and back down pretending to work along the way. It was so much harder than it looks. I had an easier time getting up because gravity was working with me; however, I struggled getting back down. It's a good thing I didn't have a desire to be an astronaut. I don't believe it would've worked out for me.

Steven, Kara and Me hanging from the top trying to work our way back down

Close-up of me at the top

Me again at the top

As you can see, there I am stuck up at the top. I really did have a tough time getting back down. I decided I need to be lifting some weights - build up my arm muscles. They also had a simulator that showed you what it was like to walk on the moon. Kyle was so close to being able to do this one. I had him in line and the lady said, "Is he doing this?" I said, "Yes." She said,"Well, he needs to come over and get weighed." He was just at the height requirement so I thought we were through. Well, he was 5 pounds shy of being able to do it. No fair, right? When Kyle gains 5 pounds, then we will go back and we will both try the Walk on the Moon.

Ben trying out what it would feel like to work inside a space ship. It's harder than it looks.

Hannah playing some tunes

At the top of that point from the 2nd picture

And the best way to get down once you get up there - this long, winding, blue tunnel slide...so much fun!!

Kyle behind me in the slide

And yet another slide

Steven trying to figure out what muscles work together and how to make them work together to pedal a bike. Very cool!

Dr. Broeker checking to see if his patient has an ear infection

Dr. Broeker checking his patient's blood pressure

Up close with the dinosaurs

Hannah showing us the circulatory system

This was also very neat. You wore this band around your head that had metal things on it. The idea was to stay relaxed. It read your brain waves and the more relaxed you were then the ball would travel in your direction. If you could get the ball to the little circle inside that plastic tube then you won. As you can see, Kyle is very relaxed and he is very close to winning against his opponent.

It showed your brain waves on the computer screen.

sitting in the back of the ambulance

Kyle smashing a souvenir penny. There were several different ones he could make, Kyle couldn't make a decision, so with some persuasion he chose the one that said Moon Walk (even though he didn't get to do that). We were joking saying he needed that one to remember we were there the day after Michael Jackson's death.

Hannah & Uncle Steven