All Across Virginia

I was in Virginia the past week for work. I went out there with a head cold and came back with bronchitis. (Ain't nobody got time for that!)

We visited a couple of our sites and enjoyed some nice country scenery in the process. Everything was beautiful and green up there.



It was a successful upgrade performed in the middle of the night and the next day after a few winks (not nearly enough), we ventured out to the Manassas National Battlefield Park for a hike. After being cooped up at the site surrounded by processors and dry air, it felt so good to be outside walking around in the Autumn like weather.

Sadly, I don't recall studying about these battles, but it was cool to learn about them as we did the self-tour thing.

Cut Short

David finally got his summer cut (at his request/insistence) and Aubri wanted her hair buzzed too.

Of course there was NO WAY I was about to cut off ALL of her gorgeous locks but she did need a haircut so I obliged her.

He looks so handsome!

Still a curly girl!

And this summer in between Ketiesha's hair appointments/dos, Emi has been working on caring for her own hair and it's been really nice. She can even straighten it herself if she wants. I think she's doing a terrific job.

Lovely twists

Weekend in Frisco

This past weekend we spent a lot of time in Frisco, TX for Emi's basketball tournament. The weekend started off with us having dinner at La Hacienda Ranch with both of my brothers and their families. It was a big, crazy crowd of us (as always) but it was cool to see the cousins hanging together.

The only picture I got at La Hacienda Ranch

Slow Down

This morning on my way to work I saw a double rainbow! The last time I saw a double rainbow was 6 months ago when I was in Oahu. And the time before that was last year in the Wichita Mountains. What a beautiful way to start the day (following 2 gorgeous days of rain).

We've had a fairly packed summer with basketball and family gatherings and I am ready to regroup with my little family for a bit...and have some lazy summer days before they all grow up and leave our nest. ;.(

We celebrated Emi's 11th birthday last month and right after that, the Little Ones' grandparents, aunt and birth mom were in town for a visit. That was a bit of a stressful time as we didn't have much notice to plan things out (and I was looking forward to some serious down time for the 4th) but it worked out fine.  David and Aubri will have memories they can cherish a lifetime.

And my kids seem happy, don't they?



And Emi was gone last week at church camp. When we dropped her off at the church (not our church so it was a little odd for me), it was so sad. Scott and I both felt an emptiness I hadn't felt before. It was so nice when she got back home to us where she belongs.

She had a fun week making new friends and singing in front of the camp (no surprise there). The day she got back we went to a friend's wine tasting and movie night. That was a fun time. The kids watched Oz in the back yard while the adults sampled wine and snacks.

We have so much going on these days and I just want to S-L-O-W things down like when I was a kid for just a bit...

Birthday Girl

My baby girl turned 11 recently and I can't believe it. She starts middle school in the fall!!



She had a typical pool party and the Make the Pie Fly game again, but then she decided to have a few friends camp out in the back yard.











She's growing up too fast....