Hiking!

My mom and her friend and my brothers have gotten into hiking the last couple of years.  They've done a couple of overnight hikes as well as several day hikes.  I didn't ever have the desire to join them until I started trying to lose weight and jogging outside.  Then it was just a matter of working it into my schedule.  I finally was able to join them on a three mile hike to Harper's Ferry.  They had been working on hiking all the way to Harper's Ferry (I can't remember their starting point) and just had three miles left.  So on a Saturday in June my mom, her friend, Ian and I hiked those three miles.  My dad dropped us off and then picked us up in Harper's Ferry.  It was fun, not too overwhelming for my first hike and a really pretty part of the trail.

We followed a canal (can't remember which one) for a good way

and saw turtles hanging out in the muck and on logs.

Our destination, Harper's Ferry!

Lunch by the rivers

Another Graduation!

A month after the oldest sibling graduated with her PhD, the youngest sibling graduated from high school!

Thomas and his girlfriend, Alley

The graduates with their moms

Me with my two youngest brothers

Being silly

Thomas' dessert - it's a little tall!

My Sister, the PhD!

I don't know what's wrong with me that it takes so long to blog things! I love blogging and I love reading other people's blog updates, so that should be enough motivation to keep up with it!
The weekend after we went to Florida my sister graduated with her PhD in History.  It's been a long road for her, being a mom, teaching, and helping with her husband's company.  I wouldn't have gone if I'd been pregnant, so in a TINY way I was glad I wasn't pregnant so I could go.  Chris and I drove up with my parents for the weekend and stayed in a hotel while my sister's mom and her husband stayed at my sister's house.  We got checked into the hotel and went to my sister's house for dinner.  While we were there a storm started and there were flash floods that washed out part of her road and started to flood her basement! We had to wait several hours before being able to get back out and we were very glad that we'd brought our SUV! Luckily the weather for the day of the graduation was perfect and everything went well.  The graduation was for all the PhD and Master students, so it was long and my sister got her diploma at the beginning, so we all got up and walked around at least once!  Then we went back to her house and had a fancy celebration dinner.  Chris and my parents and I drove back on Sunday and were back to work on Monday! It was a long drive for a quick visit, but we were all glad we got to go.

My nephew running to hug my sister after the graduation

My sister and her advisor

My sister and her family

My sister with her dad and stepmom

My nephew trying on the robe

My sister with her mom and her mom's husband (not her stepdad, though)

Cooking dinner in her hat