tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62364705916036536992024-03-19T04:08:35.823-07:00Boise Lauers6225 Randolph Drive
Boise, ID 83709 --- A:208.340.7867 --- D:208.340.7225 --- dalauas@yahoo.comThe Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-40164150137571510092013-06-21T16:22:00.000-07:002013-06-21T16:22:08.928-07:00Mexico Mission Trip 2013<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigKMaRLLee0SU5EXfjnj3yx-UCcDZPrZnFxeJAFM5c4alOFe5HVluR12sbtttx2BQIoPqp9D1a2wtODGSRnZmz14GK7K4QA_f2TtTAS9d9unCPwoAa0t5CGKW8DdFZUtSAu0bydhsMDgb8/s1600/MexicoMissionsTrip2013.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigKMaRLLee0SU5EXfjnj3yx-UCcDZPrZnFxeJAFM5c4alOFe5HVluR12sbtttx2BQIoPqp9D1a2wtODGSRnZmz14GK7K4QA_f2TtTAS9d9unCPwoAa0t5CGKW8DdFZUtSAu0bydhsMDgb8/s640/MexicoMissionsTrip2013.jpeg" width="466" /></a>The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-62155695130289191862012-01-03T09:22:00.000-08:002012-01-03T11:29:07.814-08:00Happy New Year 2012!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduAvnQdmDv9djSJtwcxqyL73yigktAFAA7hLK3oC3FLrY6DbbqU_vEtF3LBLJ1EqdjK2s-Wdljt3Ll5qAIvu2LZMQlei9gN2JL-7WVHGorPrmn3zMdLT_xpYuj-Hu0A8NffvkMgNU1ioU/s1600/SAM_1324.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduAvnQdmDv9djSJtwcxqyL73yigktAFAA7hLK3oC3FLrY6DbbqU_vEtF3LBLJ1EqdjK2s-Wdljt3Ll5qAIvu2LZMQlei9gN2JL-7WVHGorPrmn3zMdLT_xpYuj-Hu0A8NffvkMgNU1ioU/s320/SAM_1324.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693468267011767170" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jzbscScO9ilhTmpH0gC5n5k29UtvmLzwQ1atDbhL6dwEE7AH8SobGgPFuk33aHeGDuRP6h_IICBz-gHTfVpew1ofPXW7iU-E6jeuxophFiuhU1yO4zkwVD9q-hbzBH4Bs5H3ibJsnrD-/s1600/SAM_2545.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jzbscScO9ilhTmpH0gC5n5k29UtvmLzwQ1atDbhL6dwEE7AH8SobGgPFuk33aHeGDuRP6h_IICBz-gHTfVpew1ofPXW7iU-E6jeuxophFiuhU1yO4zkwVD9q-hbzBH4Bs5H3ibJsnrD-/s320/SAM_2545.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693488191439925650" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWezpq2L7jymF_S3DsYRxk4pIj4aJ-Ceyfr4yR_1gvldvmZ0iQ0tkoXgHRXl-lpvzt-UZ2AVmYr4kdIAjATCDLPNmXkxhS6cq-JioH68UXiz8dpUD5fBXmDoVss3BtijVJIJ6JQRzGNRo/s1600/SAM_2445.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWezpq2L7jymF_S3DsYRxk4pIj4aJ-Ceyfr4yR_1gvldvmZ0iQ0tkoXgHRXl-lpvzt-UZ2AVmYr4kdIAjATCDLPNmXkxhS6cq-JioH68UXiz8dpUD5fBXmDoVss3BtijVJIJ6JQRzGNRo/s320/SAM_2445.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693478348606964322" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">We hope you all had a wonderful close to 2011! I decided to revisit our blog (that we have not used since our time in D.C. in 2008). Anyway, here is a bit of our news and photos from 2011. We would love to hear from all of you as well! </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4cORE38EGRdAapmLD_tRkczHGJMXo58KLJZF3Fhciqhg5OB4LPiCK2bSg37yfJN4XBs_zZut1tXX8LpWxgwxIK3e0EpptWVyItEd_U3BoLHVofqH9rxoTYB9OJLZTIrNAc3j1Ca-Do7F/s1600/SAM_2602.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4cORE38EGRdAapmLD_tRkczHGJMXo58KLJZF3Fhciqhg5OB4LPiCK2bSg37yfJN4XBs_zZut1tXX8LpWxgwxIK3e0EpptWVyItEd_U3BoLHVofqH9rxoTYB9OJLZTIrNAc3j1Ca-Do7F/s320/SAM_2602.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693476793282277698" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">Drop us a line sometime.<br /><br />Our year in review:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Baby boy</span> #3: Aiden David Lauer born on April 22<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Basketball</span>... Grayson LOVES lay ups!! See video below<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Broken leg</span>...Jack broke his tibia due to a cyst on his bone.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bible Study</span>...Dave tackled the Old Testament (Numbers is his favorite)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bright Moments</span>...Alissa's 20 year HS class reunion & our 16th wedding anniversary<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Breathing space</span>....summer vacations in OR with Dave's folks and to CO to see Alissa's family<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BLESSINGS</span>...we are reminded as we look back on 2011 all the many wonderful blessings that our Heavenly Father has bestowed on us. He is good. He is faithful. He loves us. He knows us and desires our <span style="font-weight: bold;">BEST</span>!!! Jeremiah 29:11<br /><br />May you enjoy His <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bounty</span> in 2012!!<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Love,<br />Dave, Alissa, Jack, Grayson and Aiden<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;">Here is our updated information:</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Dave, Alissa, Jack, Grayson and Aiden Lauer</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">6225 Randolph Drive</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-MCkPClHBKkl5q5oOV-COyu5V0ZPhGHu7F6tfsWicb-L0M2BXsuJhFkVO3Hyscryh8tVjlLwkJod17a5tLgCGQa37JDpIvIIImX83VF8_hYM4JrnJe79-cK8oFK7vpsuJy5oeak2gCuM/s1600/SAM_2620.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-MCkPClHBKkl5q5oOV-COyu5V0ZPhGHu7F6tfsWicb-L0M2BXsuJhFkVO3Hyscryh8tVjlLwkJod17a5tLgCGQa37JDpIvIIImX83VF8_hYM4JrnJe79-cK8oFK7vpsuJy5oeak2gCuM/s320/SAM_2620.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693468254170278898" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Boise, ID 83709<br />A cell: 208-340-7867<br />D cell: 208-340-7225</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">dalauas@yahoo.com</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBj3ihGGywdIRMvGYDoXZGRiMPa06VfBsT7tXZJnjEJ73FiMpzC1U8i_z1X6kUHtT-3kAskHxVrVsiUwW2yEapSOpmp78lakUCo1euMKdJ07tIha-P9QOsiZdsC_2JQCIGrluiYe_FYh3j/s1600/SAM_2676.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBj3ihGGywdIRMvGYDoXZGRiMPa06VfBsT7tXZJnjEJ73FiMpzC1U8i_z1X6kUHtT-3kAskHxVrVsiUwW2yEapSOpmp78lakUCo1euMKdJ07tIha-P9QOsiZdsC_2JQCIGrluiYe_FYh3j/s320/SAM_2676.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693463821313691474" border="0" /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzubpC1gJ5vIMFu4B2yhqvNiZBKT4w9FVAgVd2G3P60ZjMvM5yWP45Y8a-7t6RwNajrhkcTbJVRhSLx8yTpFg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></span>The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-73649698400611316062008-11-28T16:13:00.000-08:002008-11-28T16:19:47.811-08:00Crafty ThingsI think it must be the time of year or maybe it has just come with age, but I really like doing crafty things. I don't have much skill or experience but I am all game for a simple project that I can do with my kids. My neighbor Sara told me about this one today so the boys and I had to give it a whirl. The link and how to instruction are on the Wise Craft blog link under My blog list on the right of this post. Now that I am Art Mom for both boys' classrooms, I have started to look up more blogs and websites that have cute/artsy/craftsy ideas. If I was half as creative as some of these women, I would be happy. If you all have any other links that have great ideas for arts and crafts with kids, please share. Hope you all have a wonderful season celebrating Christ's birth!The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-70665548684875818322008-11-25T12:48:00.000-08:002008-11-25T13:30:21.044-08:00Fall FunHere is a brief synopsis of our fall 2008. Besides the normal routine of raking leaves and trick or treating, we were able to throw in a few other adventures along the way. First was a trip to the ER (again). Though it was scary and I have never felt that sick in my entire life, the final consensus is that I am allergic to shellfish and shrimp. Yikes! Who knew. I have eaten some shellfish and shrimp off and on throughout my life with no problems. I guess now it is a problem. No more California Rolls for me!<br />The other part of our early fall were projects around our house. Dave and our great friends and neighbors (Matt Romberg and Brian Walker) put in a sprinkler system in the front yard. Yipee! No more flood irrigation pipes on the lawn. Though we will have to throw down some grass seed and install a timer, the hard stuff is done. Thanks so much Matt and Brian.<br />We also painted our living room (thanks to inspiration from Sara) and moved our washer and dryer out of the kitchen. We have many more projects that we would like to do, but for now we are just paying off some of the new appliances we had to get upon our return to Boise(funny how everything goes out at once). Hopefully a kitchen floor update will be in the works this spring.<br />We took a nice trip to Yellowstone (and Craters of the Moon) at the beginning of October when the boys had a few days off from school. It was beautiful with all the leaves changing. We saw tons of elk and bison along with a few deer, a coyote and some other small critters. We also had the bonus of running into our friends the Battens at Old Faithful and enjoyed an evening with them at our condo.<br />Grayson turned seven and he requested a small celebration at Pojo's with our neighbor boys Jake and Isaac. Pizza, brownies and 100s of tickets from the games at Pojo's were all any seven year old boy could ever want.<br />In addition we finished up soccer and the boys and Dave started Tae Kwon Do through the city. I think we raked up between 15-20 bags of leaves this fall and we could probably fill up one more. I forgot how many leaves our big old trees shed this time of year. Jack dressed up as Darth Vader and Grayson was Annikan Skywalker for Halloween. Of course we have more candy then we could ever possibly eat but they had a blast trick or treating in our neighborhood.<br />It was nice to be back in our "routine" here in Boise!The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-85575054504506466822008-10-26T17:10:00.000-07:002008-10-26T17:16:45.849-07:00More August NewsIn addition to settling in, we have been busy with a few other things. Jack made the decision to get baptized this summer. We made it back to Boise in time for our annual church picnic and baptism. So the timing was perfect for Jack to act on his decision. Jack understands that his baptism tells the world that he is identifying himself with Christ and that he accepts what Christ did for him on the cross. I love the thought and sincerity that Jack had with this decision. He has been asking a lot of questions and so we pointed Jack to God's Word and what it says about baptism. We celebrate with Jack in this step of faith. <br />We have also added a new member to our family. Her name is Emma Sue Lauer and she comes to us from Dave's cousin Luke and his family. We adopted her in September and she has been a wonderful furry addition to our family.<br />Then it was back to school. The boys started at Grace Jordan at the end of August. G loves first grade and J loves third. We are so happy with our decision to attend our neighborhood school.<br />September and October updates will follow soon....I hope!!!The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-41597821687099305502008-10-26T16:36:00.000-07:002008-10-26T16:56:41.794-07:00Back to BoiseOK....it has been way too long since I have posted anything on our blog. I guess the move and drive all the way across the country, settling in and school starting just took up so much time. We are feeling settled and getting back into the groove here in Boise. Here are a few highlights from the last few months. <br />We drove out of Bristow, VA on August 7th to begin our cross country road trip back to Boise. We took 10 days to see friends and family as we meandered through 9 states on our way back home. Our first stop was Nashville to visit Dave's brother Tim and family along with Nana, Papa and Great Grandpa Baker. It was just fun cousin time for our boys and Tim's girls. We spent a couple of days in TN swimming, playing games and eating Las Paletas gourmet popsicles. OH....wow! If you have never savored a gourmet Mexican popsicle, you don't know what you are missing. They are the best!!!! YUMMMM!!! <br />After Nashville we headed on to Jonesboro, AR to visit our college friends Robby and Kelly Fowler. Our kids are close in age and had a blast swimming all day and just enjoying the last days of summer (and BBQ) in Arkansas. We even took in a Arkansas State University football practice. Thank you Fowlers for your hospitality!<br />Next it was off to the farm in Prior, OK. Our good family friends, the Bounds, have a beautiful spread of land with horses, a fishing pond, tractors, streams, a tree house and much, much more. Though our stay was short, the boys were in little boy heaven. I think they could have stayed with the Bounds a very long time doing the things boys love to do...catch critters, explore, fish, build and get REALLY dirty. It was so peaceful and refreshing. We all said we would go back to the Bounds' farm again someday! <br />Then we made the long trek from OK to CO. We made an unplanned pit stop in Newton, KS to see Alissa's Great Aunt Norm. We realized that we would be driving right by her house on the interstate, so we had to stop and say hi. Dave and the boys had never meant her. Aunt Norm has the same spunk and spirit of Alissa's late Grandma Princess. She is precious and it was so neat to spend time with her and for the boys to meet her! Thanks Aunt Norm for letting us "pop in", it was so worth it for all us. You are an amazing lady!<br />From Newton we pressed on to Longmont, CO to see Alissa's parents and other family. Though we were able to play outside and enjoy the beauty of CO for a day or so, the storms came rolling in just about the time we went rolling on out for ID. We took the scenic route through CO (not Wyoming). It took a bit longer but it was well worth it. <br />We drove into Boise on August 16 and everything seemed so surreal. It took a few weeks to readjust to our lives back here in Les Bois, but eventually it felt like we never left. Our time in VA was great, but it seems like a dream now. We are so thankful for the opportunity we had to live out East and for the friends and experiences we gained there.The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-36685127354173606602008-07-30T06:51:00.000-07:002008-07-30T07:32:17.422-07:00Fourth of JulyDave's brother Tim and family came up for a visit over the Fourth. We had a great time seeing the sites of D.C. by double decker bus. We were able to see so many things from the top level of the bus. Great views of Georgetown, the National Cathedral, the monuments, the mall, Dupont Circle, and Arlington National Cemetery. In addition to the bus tour, we visited the Air and Space Museum, the National Art Gallery, the Rehnquist Art Gallery, the White House (outside only), Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Folk Life Festival on the mall. At the festival we enjoyed mango lasis and yummy cuisine from Bhutan. Later one evening we were on mission to get Ethiopian food but we ended up at Ben's Chili Bowl (a long standing favorite of locals and celebs including Bill Cosby).<br />On the Fourth of July we went to Mt. Vernon. Though it was busy, we were able to have a very patriotic experience including a tour of the mansion, a revolutionary war demonstration with canons, muskets, a drum and fife corps, and a reading of the Declaration of Independence. We also ate in the Mt. Vernon Inn sampling George Washington's favorite Peanut and Water Chestnut soup. Yum. We enjoyed great views of the Potomac on Washington's lawn and we were able to lay carnations at the foot of the Washingtons' sarcophagi. A special tribute to the Father of our Country on Independence Day. This will be an experience we will never forget!The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-31160015323804018832008-07-30T05:55:00.000-07:002008-07-30T06:08:43.167-07:00Time FliesWhere have the last three months gone? In my last blog I prayed that the time Dave was away for 9 weeks would go by quickly. I am happy to say that it really did pass by in a flash because we both had lots going on during that time. I was so thankful that we chose to home school this year because we were able to take off and visit family while Dave was in Utah. Now, we are looking back on our last 15 months here and can't believe that it is coming to an end. <span style="font-weight: bold;">It is officially over and we are heading back to Boise next week.</span> This summer and our time here in Virginia have flown by in many ways. We feel so blessed to have had this time here. Now we are looking forward to being back home in Boise. We are driving across the country again this year. It was so fun last year and we were able to see friends and family along the way. We wish that we could just zig zag all over on our way back, but our time is limited. Our route takes us slightly more south/central, so unfortunately we won't be able to see our friends/family further north. We plan to head to Nashville first to see Dave's parents, grandpa and brother (and family). Next we head on to Jonesboro, Arkasas to see friends from BU days (The Fowlers). From Arkansas we will drive to Prior, OK to see The Bounds, some family friends of the Lauers. Then we will rally the troops for a long stretch from OK to Northern Colorado to see Alissa's family. From there...on to ID and our home in Boise. Well, that is a look ahead to the next couple of weeks (we plan to pull out of VA Thursday 8/7). In my next blog I will try to summarize our adventures over the last three months, if not in words, at least in pictures.The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-57828049666452045382008-04-29T06:29:00.000-07:002008-04-29T06:44:45.087-07:00April 2008We started off the month celebrating Jack's 8th birthday. We created an Extra Terrestrial extravaganza complete with gurgling, green alien punch and flying saucer pizzas. The kids made their own miniature aliens to take home with them. Jack helped plan and decorate, he enjoyed having his alien fighting buddies with him on his big day.<br /><br />Except for a short trip up to Philadelphia, we have been doing the soccer thing every weekend this month. The boys love it and have such great coaches and players on their teams. It is so fun to watch them play and to see how much they have improved since last season. GO EAGLES! GO TIGERS!<br /><br />On the 13th we took off to Philly for another doctor appointment for me. We spent most of Sunday at the Franklin Institute checking out the Star Wars exhibit. The boys loved it and couldn't get enough of the hands on science that went along with all the special effects, artifacts, and robots from the movies. We spent time on Monday morning at Longwood Gardens, just in time for many of the tulips, daffodils, cherry blossoms and dogwoods to be in full bloom. The conservatory was spectacular as well.<br /><br />As I write this, the boys and I are getting ready to fly out to Colorado today for a two week visit. Dave left Sunday for an eight week project in Utah. Thankfully I will get to go see him this weekend and he will come visit us in Colorado for Mother's Day/his birthday weekend. We are not looking forward to being apart for so long, but we are thankful that we will get to see each other a few times. We meet up again in Nashville over Memorial Day Weekend. We sure miss Dave around here and we are praying that the time will pass quickly!<br /><br />I better run and pack my bags!The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-46544852715230013352008-03-19T12:58:00.000-07:002008-03-19T13:00:21.883-07:00Hey....Woa, is this the right page?I was getting tired of the other layout, so I decided to change things up. I am so new at this blog thing, but I am trying to figure it out and add some fun to our Virginia Blog. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.<br />AThe Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-78180490787138571582008-03-19T10:29:00.001-07:002008-03-19T12:08:45.723-07:00Picassa Web AlbumsWe have started using Picassas Web Albums which enables us to add slide shows to our blog. If you want to know more about the pictures in our slide shows or see larger pictures, just click on the slideshow and it will take you directly to our Picassa album.The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-56156908209788523972008-03-18T16:55:00.000-07:002008-03-18T20:46:17.651-07:00Take me home, country roadA little John Denver, anyone?<br />After hiking a couple of miles at Bull Run Battlefield in Manassas, the gorgeous weather lured us to yet another excursion. On a whim, we drove over the state line to West Virginia. And yes, Dave and I sang John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads"<a href="http://www.asklyrics.com/display/Olivia_Newton_John/Take_Me_Home,_Country_Roads_Lyrics/106938.htm" class="l" onmousedown="return clk(this.href,'','','res','8','')"></a>....how could we resist? We set our sights, and our GPS, for Harper's Ferry. Many of us remember that is the sight of the John Brown raid in protest of slavery (a spark for the Civil War) but so much more took place in this town at a crossroads (see link to the left). Some highlights for us included walking our first steps on part of the Appalachian Trail, standing on Jefferson rock, taking in the beautiful surroundings, and walking over 200 steps to the "top" of the town. Though it was a spontaneous trip, we quickly realized how significant Harper's Ferry is to our country's history. Jefferson sat on "his" rock and wrote about the beauty of this location. Meriwether Lewis worked and stocked up on supplies there before his meeting up with Clark to head west. The steps we climbed were carved out of the cliffs by the townspeople in the 1820s! The town changed hands 8 times during the Civil War. That just scratches the surface of this town's history. We are hoping we can go back in the late spring or fall to experience even more of West Virginia's beauty and history.The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-9075063838060552612008-03-18T15:13:00.000-07:002008-03-18T20:38:54.113-07:00February ActivitiesIn February we (mainly Alissa) were dealing with illness, but we did manage to have some fun too. Dave took the boys to the Udvar-Hazy Center (a part of the National Air and Space Museum) to see the huge planes on exhibit there. The highlight - the SR-71 Blackbird.<br /><br />As a part of the Royal Rangers program at our church, the boys spent two days participating in their first Pinewood Derby car build and race. Dave worked very hard to help the boys build their cars and then they each got to race against other boys in their age bracket. Grayson got first place in his age group for design/creativity and Jack's car actually got third place in speed for his age range. They were both so excited and we all loved watching the pinewood derby action.<br /><br />Alissa (mostly recuperated) got to attend a Bon Jovi concert at the Verizon Center in downtown D.C. with her friend Jamie. It was a blast from the past and she enjoyed getting to have girls' night out on the town.<br /><br />For school, both boys tackled some new projects. Jack researched the Revolutionary War and created a power point presentation. Grayson researched gorillas and then designed a lap book (see the slide show to the right).The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-2380929768298404212008-03-17T15:33:00.000-07:002008-03-18T20:32:04.545-07:00Pennsylvania Quick TripSo it has been a long time since I have updated our blog and I want to try and "catch up" over the next week because spring is upon us and I know we will have many more blog worthy events in the coming months.<br />In January we headed to Pennsylvania. I (Alissa) have been struggling with some different health issues since having mono in 2005 and Dave found a clinic outside of Philadelphia that specializes in treating my symptoms. It has been a long road, but my trip to this clinic has made a difference and I feel hopeful about my treatments. (I may write more about this health "adventure" at a later date.) Since we were heading to Pennsylvania anyway, we decided to make a long weekend out of it and have some fun too. We made a detour to Lancaster County and feasted on a traditional Smörgåsbord. We witnessed the charm of farm life and Amish living though many of the touristy establishments were closed for the winter. The boys were reminded of our time reading Farmer Boy (the story of Almanzo Wilder) and how hard people worked on farms (and the Amish still do)! We then headed to King of Prussia, PA for a couple of nights as that is where the clinic is located. The boys spent time at the King of Prussia Mall (second in size only to the Mall of America in MN) while I visited the doctors and had some tests done. Our hotel was only a couple of miles from Valley Forge, so we had to stop by there and see the place where Washington's troops held out for the winter during the Revolutionary War. We also discovered Maggiano's Little Italy and feasted on the traditional family style cuisine while a blanket of white began to cover the surrounding area.<br />On to Philadelphia! Thanks to the GPS that we purchased on our way out of VA, we were able to drive right to some of the hot spots in Philly. We were limited on time but we had a couple of goals as we entered the city of brotherly love: eat a real Philly Cheese steak at Pat's, see the Liberty Bell, tour Independence Hall. We were able to do all three as well as a visit to Benjamin Franklin's grave (1 day after the celebration of his 302 birthday), experience the Money in Motion exhibit at the Federal Reserve Bank where we each walked away with one hundred dollars...shredded in a baggie :( and a carriage ride touring the streets of Philadelphia. We had recently watched the movie National Treasure so the boys were very excited about seeing Independence Park where part of the movie was filmed (many other scenes were staged around D.C. as well). Anyway, the carriage ride tour gave us a condensed overview of the buildings and history of the park. It was perfect considering our time constraints. The Independence Hall tour guide was very informative and showed us what it would have been like if Matt Foley were a park ranger and not a motivational speaker. At all of these historical sights, we have tried to help the boys understand the importance of knowing our country's history. On our way out of town we drove by the Franklin Institute and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (we hope to tour both of these on our next visit).<br />On to Mechanicsburg to visit family. Uncle Jonathan and Aunt Cathleen Lauer graciously opened their home to us and we so enjoyed spending time with them. We were able to see their pictures from a recent visit to Japan to see their son Benno. We also visited the campus of Messiah College where Uncle Jonathan serves as the head librarian. From there we headed home with a brief detour through Gettysburg. Phew! It was a whirlwind trip and we made the most of our time. We do hope to make it back to PA before our time here in VA is through!The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-80545844539900890812008-03-06T12:42:00.000-08:002008-03-18T20:24:51.139-07:00Bringing 2007 to a CloseAfter our amazing trip to Florida and the Virgin Islands, we made plans to spend the last part of December with Dave's extended family in Chicago and Wisconsin. The Lower/Lauer family reunion was planned the weekend before Christmas in Lake Geneva, WI. Most of the family could attend, though we did miss the Dan Lauer family (in Idaho) and Jonathan Lauer family (visiting Benno in Japan). Uncle John and Aunt Ruth Willis were so kind to let us stay with them before our drive to WI and through Christmas after the reunion. The boys LOVED their dog Bailey and we all enjoyed a warm, cozy Christmas with John, Ruth, Matt, Clara, Trevor, Sam and Christina.<br /><br />After spending the night in Chicago, we followed John and Ruth up to Covenant Harbor on Lake Geneva, WI. It was beautiful on the lake, but a stark contrast to the ocean breezes and sunshine from our last trip. I do believe the temperature was something like 13 below zero with the wind chill. WAAAYYY too cold for me. Dave, Tim, Angela and our four kids enjoyed sledding and playing in the snow. I (Alissa) did not leave the comfort of the resort except to go to Gino's Pizza (the best TRUE Chicago style pizza in the world). Our time with the extended Lauer family was so nice. Grandma and Grandpa Lower seemed to bask in having so many of their descendents gathered around them. I know it wasn't easy for them to make the trip and adjust to all the different activities, but they were wonderful. Grandma even won the Bunco tournament with the most Buncos...I don't think she ever left the head table. Way to go Grandma! The youngest generation had fun reacquainting themselves and playing together. The grown ups spent lots of time talking and catching up since the last reunion. Specifically we spent one morning sharing all that has happened in our lives since the reunion in 2003 in Tennessee. It was a great time to reconnect and share in the joy and pain we all have faced over these last years. Another highlight included a talent/variety show. With skits, comedy, dancing and music it was a showcase not to be missed. We all had some great laughs. Dave and I were again reminded of how blessed we are to have a Godly heritage in our families. Many generations are blessed because of those before us who chose to follow the one true God.The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-71992982919990727922008-01-06T13:29:00.000-08:002008-01-07T18:34:15.494-08:00A Vacation of a Lifetime<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh51iROnW9TVh2fZLbT0bjyBjmPDxSXqn8xUwWVwrKKzBaFNVUQJ4MLMVnjgTBhxBqSp-uYpckZ63sWbouRsfZd4hCe4sJhA3haLq-0Cim_D0sl-iKXpxtnvV7zshucrtviKhkDwQEh_VMN/s1600-h/DSCF4898.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh51iROnW9TVh2fZLbT0bjyBjmPDxSXqn8xUwWVwrKKzBaFNVUQJ4MLMVnjgTBhxBqSp-uYpckZ63sWbouRsfZd4hCe4sJhA3haLq-0Cim_D0sl-iKXpxtnvV7zshucrtviKhkDwQEh_VMN/s320/DSCF4898.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152928311533241458" border="0" /></a>One benefit of living near a big city is the ease and economy of flying. From Boise, we rarely flew anywhere b/c it was "spendy" but from D.C. we can fly to many areas cheaper than we can drive. Amazing! We have planned on going to Orlando for years (Dave's parents did live there full time, now they are there about 5 months out of the year). We saw this as the opportunity to make it happen. And since Dave's mom and dad would be there before Thanksgiving, we decided to add a belated 10 year anniversary trip as well. Of course no trip to Florida would be complete without a visit to Disney World.<br />We left November 14th for Orlando. November 15th our family went to Magic Kingdom. The boys are the perfect ages and heights for a Disney World experience. We could stay all day and they could ride every single ride they wanted to. Some favorites of Magic Kingdom were catching the Year of a Million Dreams parade, taking pictures with the characters (a real milestone for Grayson), Jack and Grayson riding their first big roller coaster "Space Mountain", experiencing all the Holiday hoopla that only Disney can imagine (it was snowing on Main Street as we exited the park that night). Jack says that his favorite ride was Stitch's adventure, Grayson really loved Buzz Light Year's fight against Zorg, we ALL loved crazy Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain (Mom got soaked on that one). Oh, and Jack Sparrow looks amazingly real in Pirates of the Carribean. It was a truly magical day!<br />Friday morning, November 16th mom and dad left the boys with Nana and Papa for a second honeymoon in the Virgin Islands. Destination: Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. After a couple of plane flights, a ferry or two and a taxi, we arrived at our quaint <a href="http://www.guavaberryspringbay.com/">Guavaberry Spring Bay</a> bungalow. When we woke up the next day, we were surrounded by a tropical paradise, tucked in behind boulders and trees in a secluded and quiet oasis. Ahhhhh! I can still feel the ocean breezes traveling through our abode. We spent our days snorkeling, reading and just relaxing on the beaches of Virgin Gorda. Some highlights included Savannah Bay (an entire picturesque white sand beach all to ourselves...), exploring The Baths early in the morning, driving around the island (only to be stranded when our rental car overheated on Mt. Gorda, though we did have breathtaking views), trying out local fare and watching the sunset. The four days we spent on Virgin Gorda were the perfect prescription for reconnection, rejuvenation and relaxation. We can't wait to go back.<br />We ferried back to St. Thomas and stayed at the historic Hotel 1829 in Charlotte Amalie (with a fancy dinner at Herve's next door). The next day we took a trip over to St. John and ventured around the island to find some ideal beach and snorkeling locations. The beach at Francis Bay was our favorite snorkel spot and the beach bumming wasn't too bad either. We grabbed lunch to go at Maho Bay eco-resort and enjoyed picnicking on the beach. The larger fish must love Francis Bay too because we observed several feeding frenzies while we were there. We ended the day by watching a magnificent sunset from the hills above Cruz Bay, St. John.<br />In Charlotte Amalie we discovered a real jewel in the middle of a jewelry store mecca. Gloria's cafe is nestled in the middle of the old narrow alleyways and serves a superb breakfast with Carribean hospitality and flare. Gloria and Pauline will always have a special place in our hearts. We also ventured to tour Blackbeard's Hill before heading back to Florida for more vacation fun.<br />The boys had so much fun with Dave's folks. They hit Gatorland, Downtown Disney, Lego Land and Blue Springs State Park to see the manatee. I think it was a very special time for all of them. Nana had Thanksgiving meal ready and waiting for us when we returned to Orlando (even after a 2 hour delay). All of us, including Nana and Papa, went to Animal Kingdom for a day. We had a "magical moment" with Disney cast members while watching the gorillas and another one when we got to skip to the head of the line and ride Primeval Whirl (in Dino Land) two times in a row without getting off in between rides. Jack thought it was super cool to have that special treatment. Some other highlights included Rafiki's Planet Watch, the Kilimanjaro Safari, It's tough to be a bug, the holiday parade and the scary Dinosaur ride. The show stopper happened at the very end of the night at Expedition Everest. It was the last ride of the day and we used our fast passes. The entire ride was a rush and we whizzed past the Yeti as he stalked us through the mountain. We were reliving the moment and catching our collective breath, when someone handed us four more fast passes that they were not going to use. It was a bonus ride that none of us will soon forget.<br />Nana and Papa headed back to Nasvhille while the four of us packed up and left for Epcot. Over two days we saw almost every inch of Future World and World Showcase. (Day one - 13hours, Day two - 9 hours) Every ride or showcase had charms for the kids to collect on a lanyard and a mask. Jack and Grayson collected every single one. Some of their favorites at Future World were Turtle Talk with Crush, Test Track, Mission Space and Soarin'. We rode the spinning version of Mission Space and it actually had barf bags on the ride. Mom and dad were both a little shaky after that one. In World Showcase we dined at Restaurant Marrakesh in Morocco, complete with belly dancers and live music. Each country had so many great things to offer such as a picture with Pere Noel (St. Nick) in France, a bagpipe rock band in the UK, a viking ship in Norway, Matsuriza drums in Japan, Dragon Legend acrobats in China, and the traditional Holiday Candlelight Processional with John O'Hurley narrating the Christmas story. We also hit the Character Spot for photo ops and ended both nights with the IllumiNations fireworks show.The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-67965462310528642192008-01-03T14:29:00.000-08:002008-01-06T18:41:50.935-08:00A Monumental Bike Tour<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4ZOdiP3VTCZwo1wHerxy-ZH37aFi6jYXPiUOoqmtJgScL49y5g1jX4m3fBjYVeeSU6pnLGNjNFn3ekNfWbjNxAf6bZzgoNSaVEZNQENcxfNgBH2tJzur6K0g-M5LrsEj5QNRou0arRUz/s1600-h/DSCF4497.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4ZOdiP3VTCZwo1wHerxy-ZH37aFi6jYXPiUOoqmtJgScL49y5g1jX4m3fBjYVeeSU6pnLGNjNFn3ekNfWbjNxAf6bZzgoNSaVEZNQENcxfNgBH2tJzur6K0g-M5LrsEj5QNRou0arRUz/s320/DSCF4497.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152472886086075202" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKK3kqEKlLnAHaXreW315sDE9ZArE5OPh3xdYxa-GENsUrJAboevy6kE0E1T5iMOTbRPwJ-qaJr_9HxKKUr-FGEbehq81ZiiVgPTQkQ1l2aawQrrUpSKT6IZj10KI1elb8QcHYZNzr1Aps/s1600-h/DSCF4498.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKK3kqEKlLnAHaXreW315sDE9ZArE5OPh3xdYxa-GENsUrJAboevy6kE0E1T5iMOTbRPwJ-qaJr_9HxKKUr-FGEbehq81ZiiVgPTQkQ1l2aawQrrUpSKT6IZj10KI1elb8QcHYZNzr1Aps/s320/DSCF4498.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152472052862419762" /></a><br />In the cooler breezes of October, Alissa's parents came for a first time visit to Washington D.C. After hiking the tour on foot ourselves in 1997, Dave and I knew that there had to be a better way to see the sights with kids. We discovered D.C. bike rentals and tours earlier this year and we decided to give it a shot with the boys and Grandma and Grandpa Lawyer. It worked out perfectly. Especially after Grandpa rescued Alissa from having to ride with Jack on a tandem/trailer. She just couldn't maneuver with a big 7 year old on the back so Grandpa stepped up and saved the day. Once that was settled we had a relaxing time cruising up and down the mall to all the major monuments. I think we will all look back on that day as one of the most memorable experiences as a family, learning and appreciating the freedoms of our country and the men and women that made it possible.<br /> In addition to the traditional monument tour, we also headed to Mt. Vernon with Grandma and Grandpa Lawyer. I think that I stated in an earlier post how amazing Mt. Vernon truly is and how much we learned about George and Martha. This second visit was just as exciting because we were able to see some things that we had not on the first visit earlier in the summer. For instance we enjoyed a traditional colonial meal at the Mt. Vernon Inn (complete with Peanut and Chestnut Soup....yumm!), we also encountered a comrade of General Washington that was one of the U.S.'s first spies. You know Washington was a master of espionage. We walked more of the grounds because it was much cooler and saw an entire area of the indoor museum that we missed the first time. Though I am not a huge fan of Martha Stewart, I would have to agree with her observation that Mt. Vernon is America's home.<br /> On a whim, we took Alissa's parents to the Marine Corp Museum just 20 minutes from our house. We knew it was free and thought it might be a nice way to spend a cool October afternoon and simultaneously honor the memory of Grandpa's older brother Gary Wayne Lawyer. He was a marine and was seriously injured in Vietnam as a young man. His life was forever changed by that experience and by visiting the Marine Corp Museum we hoped to have a better understanding of Gary's life and the millions of others who serve our country in this way.<br /> We were pleasantly surprised by the state of the art exhibitions at the USMC museum . The displays were top notch and even the boys gained a better understanding of what it means to serve our country in the U.S. military. Through the use of special effects and creativity, we experienced a drill sergeant yelling in our ears the moment we "stepped off the bus" and continued on the journey through boot camp, training and battle. Though this may sound intense, it was presented in a way that really opened our eyes but didn't shock or appall us in any way. There were also great reminders of the sacrifices made by many, presented through film, sculpture, memorials and artwork. The boys even had a chance to write a note to marines serving our country right now. Alissa and her dad could have roamed the halls for hours reading and learning more about the history of our country and the many battles, heroes and struggles that those before us faced. Once again we were reminded of the great opportunity we have living here in Northern Virginia on this temporary assignment.The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-82523090238452135512008-01-02T18:25:00.000-08:002008-01-02T20:59:59.239-08:00OBX<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBsqrMFGEbThiLIzvgeGncSh0EwhM9NuAd03GzYY2H9NzB0hXHNyASeeux_n-LmeC0YOVf8_4k2QblUDIQa_ZK6N-RCeUrnY1pkiGXSNnHo6r3W19-6KdlY62JDx3Z4NfSubmJOOUswsi0/s1600-h/Copy+of+DSCF4394.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBsqrMFGEbThiLIzvgeGncSh0EwhM9NuAd03GzYY2H9NzB0hXHNyASeeux_n-LmeC0YOVf8_4k2QblUDIQa_ZK6N-RCeUrnY1pkiGXSNnHo6r3W19-6KdlY62JDx3Z4NfSubmJOOUswsi0/s320/Copy+of+DSCF4394.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151109955524100866" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">We headed for the Outer Banks of North Carolina the first week of October with our good friends the Jensens. It was considered off season so we got a killer deal on a beach house right on the the sandy shores, including a deck with a hot tub. We drove down the coast and headed down past Kittyhawk to the Outer Banks. Our place was in Waves, NC which is between Kittyhawk and Hatteras. Though the winds were high the first day or so, things calmed down and we were able to enjoy the warm breezes and white surf of OBX. We took a day trip down to Ocracoke Island to experience one of the US's most beautiful beaches. The ferry trip was fun for the kids as they fed the seagulls and contemplated the pirate history associated with Ocracoke. We all agreed it was a perfect day on Lifeguard Beach boogie boarding, picnicking, flying kites, and digging in the sand. Back at the beach house we enjoyed life at a beach bum pace, making the most of our time on the sand and in the water. Our days were filled with pirate treasure hunts, sea shell exploration, sunrise photographs, walks along the shoreline, reading books and just feeling the ocean air fill our lungs. Our nights included a bonfire on the beach, relaxing in the hot tub, playing games, feasting on crab and curling up with a good book as the sound of the tides lulled in the background. It was a perfect of summer getaway!<br /><br />Of course our trip would not have been complete without a pit stop at KittyHawk/Kill Devil Hills to take in the history of the Wright brothers' first flight. Since we visited the Air and Space museum in D.C. earlier in the summer, we got to see the actual plane that Orville and Wilbur used at Kittyhawk. We all remembered something of our museum visit and found Kittyhawk to be the piece that completed the puzzle. The boys ran the track that the Wright brothers used in the dunes for their first flight. Jack and Grayson were amazed to learn that they actually ran faster than the first 2 flights since we timed them and compared it with the flight times recorded by the Wrights. Our visit to Kitty Hawk brought history to life for all of us as we placed together the pieces we had gathered over the preceding months - home schooling at its best!<br /></span>The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-60470738635403831142007-10-11T12:53:00.000-07:002007-10-16T07:48:24.844-07:00End of Summer<span style="font-family:georgia;"> Phew...I can't believe that we have been here five months already. It is hard to believe that summer has ended (though our recent 90 degree temps sure felt like summer). Anyway, August and September are now behind us and we are looking forward to a fun filled fall! Our main events these past two months have been starting school and soccer, though we did make it downtown a couple of times and found a new hiking area nearby.<br /> Home school has been a fairly smooth transition since we set the foundation earlier this summer. We have been reading some classics together and learning so much about geography, history and math. We did get connected with a home school group in the area and have enjoyed some activities with other home school families. I would like to get closer with at least one or two other families to form a little more of a regular support system.<br /> A huge highlight for the boys is playing organized sports for the first time. Soccer has been such a wonderful thing for both boys. Grayson is known as "the stopper" on his team because he is instinctively defensive. Jack is really starting to understand more of the strategy and position play since his team is a little older. Dave and I love watching them play and try not to "coach" too much from the sidelines. It is fun just to cheer on the teams and see all the kids enjoying soccer so much. Now both boys are saying they want to wrestle this winter. The jury is still out on that one.<br /> Our day trips to the district included stops at The National Museum of Natural History and the National Cathedral. We drove into downtown for the first time and enjoyed seeing all the monuments and pieces of history as we navigated the streets of D.C. We got to meet up with our good friend Matt McCauley at the National Cathedral as he was in town for a conference. It was so good to hang out with him and indulge in some certified authentic Italian style pizza at 2 Amy's near the Cathedral. YUMM! Our trip to the Museum of Natural History was preceded by a scouting visit to the Adam's Morgan area of D.C to enjoy some good eats at The Diner. Do you notice a pattern?<br /> We made our first trip to Maryland as a co-worker of Dave's invited us to a 100 day celebration. This is a Burmese tradition in which an infant is officially named and a party is thrown when they are 100 days old. The hospitality and food (once again) was outstanding. We enjoyed the drive to MD and the opportunity to experience another culture's traditions.<br /> Closer to home, we ventured on a couple of hikes at the Bull Run Nature Conservancy and we attended the Micron 12K (wafer output per week) celebration at Marriott Ranch. The boys have so enjoyed our explorations in the nearby forests and hills and we are trying to build up their endurance for our trip to Disney World in November. The Micron party was super kid friendly. Our favorites were the climbing wall, the mechanical bull and pony rides.<br /> Well...we ended September with our first big trip to the beach. An entire week at a beach house in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I'll save those pics and details for our next volume. <br /> Thanks for reading. Hope that you are all doing well. Come and see us anytime!<br /><br /></span>The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-64789258606871331362007-08-27T12:39:00.000-07:002007-08-27T17:51:23.178-07:00JulyI can't believe that July is gone and August is almost over. We have had some fun adventures over the last couple of months and I am finally getting down to bloggin' it. Read on if you want the details.<br />We began July with a visit from Dave's folks. We enjoyed some amazing weather those first few days of July. We went to a Cubs v Nationals game on July 3rd and enjoyed mild low 80s temps. We also enjoyed a neighborhood picnic and fireworks on the 4th, once again we were spared from blazing heat. Things began to warm up on our day trip to Mt. Vernon, but it was bearable. We all loved learning more about George and Martha Washington. If you are ever in the area, Mt. Vernon is a must. I have such admiration for our first President and first First Lady.<br />Then we decided to head to the historic triangle for a few days. (Yorktown, Jamestown and Williamsburg) This is when we got a true feel of baking in an oven. It was very HOT and HUMID but we did our best by alternating between inside exhibits and outside experiences. We found ways to cool off at each location.<br />In Yorktown we hit the beach for a short time, just a block from our bed and breakfast. Yorktown was so quaint and the beach area had a few small restaurants and shops. As we strolled the cobblestone streets near our B & B, we passed the drum and fife corp practicing and an orchestral concert given at the revolutionary era church down the road. It was so peaceful and picturesque, it was hard to imagine the hard fought battle that took place there at the end of the Revolutionary War. (A great victory for Washington.)<br />On to Jamestown for a journey back to the first English settlement of our country. For those of you out west that may not know, it is the 400th anniversary of Jamestown this year. They have worked very hard to make this a special celebration at Jamestown. The indoor exhibits brought together culture, artifacts, people groups, governments, and historical figures that contributed to and then carried on the legacy of Jamestown from 1607 to present. Outside the boys enjoyed the hands-on activities at the Powhatan Village, the fort, the waterfront and the ships. The volunteers at Jamestown use the same methods as the people of the original settlement to build ships and homes and make other necessities. Needless to say, we were all fascinated by the inventive and resourceful settlers and natives of Jamestown.<br />On the last day in the historic triangle we spent a few hours at Williamsburg. The heat and time constraints kept us from fully experiencing the richness of this living history. We did stroll through the streets and shops as well as a church where Jefferson, Washington, Patrick Henry, and George Mason all attended when in town. We caught glimpses of some revolutionaries debating in the streets and horse drawn carriages making their rounds. I know we will have to go back in the fall or spring to make up for our abbreviated visit.<br />We rounded out July with a visit to the National Zoo and a visit to Wolftrap National Park for the Performing Arts. As for the zoo, we want to go back when it is a bit cooler as many of the animals were hiding away out of the heat. At Wolftrap we went to an instant opera for kids. Think improv for opera singers. It was really cool and we all learned a little something about opera. We were also surprised to hear the National Symphony Orchestra practicing for a later performance. They were being directed by <span class="performancesname">Marvin Hamlisch, we tried to peek in but just caught the tail end of the rehearsal.<br />In between all our travels, we spent July at soccer camp, swimming lessons, tennis camp and just hanging out at our neighborhood pool. With all the activity, July just flew by. That is all for now. An August update will be coming soon.<br /></span>The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-58566623207171754962007-06-26T12:42:00.000-07:002007-06-26T13:09:50.623-07:00More June AdventuresWe have continued to explore and learn more about our new "temporary" home. This area has so much to offer, it is difficult to narrow it down. We have joked that we might have to stay longer just so that we can see and do all that we can. We hope to make it to some of these places in the coming months: Jamestown, the outer banks of North Carolina, New York City, Baltimore, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Amish country), along with many of the historical sites in this area. We will see if we can fit it all in.<br /><br />Over the last few weeks, we have hiked in the Shenandoah Valley, toured Louray Caverns, took another trip to DC with friends and hiked around the Prince William Forest. We also discovered some great parks in the area - Burke Lake Park and Frying Pan Farm. We had our first visitors from out of town too. Tim and Louanne Pepper came from Houston to stay for a few days and see the sights in DC. We know Tim from our days at Baylor, he led our college group at Fellowship Bible Church in TX. He and Louanne were married in November, so this was our first chance to meet her. It was so fun to have friends here and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with the Peppers. Nana and Papa Lauer will be our next visitors and we plan to have LOTS of fun with them over the Fourth of July. I am sure that we will more adventures to tell in our next blog.<br /><br />Hope this finds you well. Drop a line anytime at: dalauas@yahoo.com<br />Love,<br />Alissa, Dave, Jack and GraysonThe Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-51087278202102758212007-06-04T12:08:00.000-07:002007-06-04T12:09:01.795-07:00The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236470591603653699.post-87996736432112425842007-06-04T10:16:00.001-07:002007-06-04T12:15:32.820-07:00NOVA<font style="" face="trebuchet ms" size="2">For those not in the know (tee hee) NOVA is Northern Virginia. Although we really miss our Boise friends (and climate), we are doing our best to make this "home" (at least for a year or so). We are trying to take advantage of our location and see the many sights, museums and monuments that this part of the country has to offer. We went downtown to DC at the end of May and visited the Air and Space Museum and the Nat'l Gallery of art. Both boys loved the hands on exhibits at the Air and Space Museum. Jack loved seeing an actual Monet painting and Grayson did his best to hang with us as we did the "quick" tour of the art museum.<br /><br />This last weekend we went to a Potomac Nationals baseball game (minor league). It was fun, low key and the weather was great. We may try to take off this next weekend and head to the beach. Dave is faithful to research and plan out all of our adventures. He really loves to do it and none would be complete without a stop at some of the locals' favorite restaurants. We hit two different BBQ places since our arrival. Our favorite was Dixie Bones in Woodbridge, VA. The ribs were amazing and the desserts are pure southern comfort food.<br /><br />During the week the boys and I are starting the basics of home schooling. Some of the home school moms I know call it boot camp. In addition, we are reading Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. They are amazed at how hard Almanzo had to work on the farm. It is a good eye opener for all of us. Jack is also fully swept away by the Magic Tree House series. We've thrown in some math, a couple science activities, fort building, riding bikes and swimming. We are just taking it one step at a time and I am trusting the Lord to give me the patience/endurance I need for this chapter in our lives. The first few weeks have not been easy as we are all adjusting to these changes, but I know the Lord is faithful. I am working to be more organized and purposeful with my time. We are all being stretched and it is a little painful at times, but we are pressing on.<br /><br />Dave is enjoying this temporary assignment with Micron. He has been an asset to the group here as they are problem solving and working to make things more efficient. His background in programming has been very useful and he feels this was a good move professionally. We wish he was at home more, but we make the most of our weekends together (with a few days off here and there).<br /><br />I know this was lengthy and detailed, but it feels good to get this all out "on paper". Maybe this is more of my personal journal than a blog. We will see what transpires. I will try to be more brief in the future.<br /><br />Love to you all,<br />Dave, Alissa, Jack and Grayson</font>The Lauershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11052486602415944227noreply@blogger.com2