Virginia Days

We don't have internet at the house this month - maybe next month? So this comes to you from the church parking lot and their free wi-fi while I wait for a meeting to start. After a visit in VA and a week at our friends here in MN, we are finally in our own little home again. It is a 3 bedroom, so bigger than we are used to, but very very basic, as you'd expect student housing to be - no ac, or washer and dryer or dishwasher. But we love it! After spending 1-10 weeks in each of 7 different states over the summer, we are thrilled to have our own space to mess up! (That last was for Riley and Joe, the human hurricanes.) I love unpacking and deciding the prettiest way to arrange our new place. We also have made friends in the ward and joined a home-school co-op rotation for twice a week preschool. Riley and Joe attend so, 3 weeks out of the month I drop them off 2 days a week at a friends house to learn stuff for 2 hours. And then I take a turn 1 week a month. Pretty sweet, I think - tomorrow will be the official first day of dropping them off so we'll see.

But I'm about out of time and wanted to post up these pictures from our time in VA. We had such a blast hanging out with the family and soaking up the green, green climate that is VA. We went on lots of adventures and left the babies with Grandma and, er, Grandma the Man, as Riley says, and went on a date and Riley learned new bedtime stories from Grandma the Man that she continues to share to this day. We heard a very dramatic rendition of "Danny the Doodlebug" last night.

Lots of walks in the valley.

Badminton:

Princess Riley always got her own bench to lounge on in the evenings.

 Daisy chains. Tiaras. It was a slow day, and isn't that great?

 Slip in slidin' paradise...in.

 They cracked me up and kept at this for like three hours. I risked a few pictures from the front, diving out of the way just in time.

Bowling? No, just chucking kids.

I can't even! Gets me every time.

 Playing with Mister, the resident "baby."

We took a trip to Pipestem State Park. Dad fried up enough chicken to feed an army and we made a day of it! There was a car show.

 Tram ride

 River wading.

"Riley, sit next to Grandpa so I can get a picture!" Doh!

 Then back on the road! We miss you, family and VA!

And really miss this too!

Last stretch back to MN:

 Joe is ultra-sensitive to light, but we kind of enjoy it :) I was the same way as a kid, so I hope he will grow out of it eventually.
Time's up! Later gator!