Second Mommy

Sarah sent me a text this summer saying she was going to come watch the kids for us on our anniversary and that we were to leave and stay away all weekend. It was greatly needed and Brent and I had a great time away.thank you Sarah.  The kids had a great time with Ant Ant - a really great time since Joel keeps asking Ant Ant when she is going to come back and stay with him when Mommy and Daddy go far far away. 

Then Joel told Ant Ant that she was going to be his second mommy when mommy and daddy die.  He was very matter of fact about it and has since refered to her as "second mommy" a few times.

 I think second mommy should come back and practice for a few weekends in a row :) 

Hokie half

This summer Sarah signed up for the hokie half marathon and sent me the link.  She and our friend Sam were running it.  I thought about it but once July hit I didn't really run consistently and figured I wasn't in enough shape to do it and would pass and concentrate on training for the November Richmond half marathon that I had already signed up for.  I told Brent I was thinking about going to watch Sarah and Sam run it because that meant a weekend in Blacksburg with Sarah and Sam.  It's been years since I've really hung out with Sam so I really wanted to go.  He said go for it so I was already planning on hanging out for the weekend. Then we went to the football game and the idea of running around Blacksburg again was really appealing so I came home and signed up. We drove up saturday and walked around campus and drove around blacksburg.

 They humored me and walked up 4 flights of steps stairs to see my picture on the wall (which they have since moved!)

A lot has changed. A lot hasn't.  It felt like it was just yesterday we were walking around campus as students. And it was so good to just walk around campus and laugh with lifelong friends. Good for the soul.

 

Then we woke up before dawn and got ready to run. I forgot about how hilly blacksburg is and how steep some of the hills are. It was pretty much run up a steep hill run down a hill run back up another hill the whole race. But the three of us ran the whole thing!  I was so proud of us.  There is no way we could've done that when we were students. It does feel good to go back years later and be in better shape.  It was a really pretty run. And just a great weekend with friends. 

 

 

 

The perfect beach night

Warm breeze. Not too hot. Practically empty beach. Happy kids. A great start to the weekend. This is the beginning of my favorite time to come to the beach. 

camel

 I bought this camel in Kazakhstan.  Norah found it and now carries it around with her everywhere. Camel has come with us on outings many many times.  Its perfect for Norah since its an animal and it has lots of gold and sparkly things hanging off of it.  Surprisingly the girl who rips up all our children's books has yet to take off any of the gold sparkles.  She is actually very protective of this camel.  The camel came to bible study with us this morning and was the only reason Norah stayed in her class. We like this camel.

But sometimes when her arms of full with the camel and blanket and pacifier big brother is left carrying the rest of her animals that typically goes with her too. 

Yard Work

 Tree and bush trimmer

He's for hire.

Pirates

I think pirates are to Colin as Davy Crocket was to James.

 

Spiderman

Hokie Football

 We just got back from a weekend of Hokie Football.  Its a lot of driving for the kids but they do great in the car. 

 This baby girl doesn't sleep in the car.  Except that she sleeps the days when we are almost home from grocery shopping and are down the street and thats her nap for the day :) But she was awake for most of the 12+ hours we were in the car and just sat there and didn't complain. Joel screamed the whole way once to NJ so we are really enjoying this stage with Norah.

 We made a pit stop on the way for a boy who had to pee RIGHT NOW when we were miles from a bathroom.

 I love blacksburg. And hokie football. And we're very blessed by my parents to have taken the kids to a game every year - sometimes more than once. Thanks mom and dad!

 I'm pretty sure 11 years ago Brent had no clue that once he met me he would be a Hokie fan the rest of his life. 

 Before the game we tailgated with our family salsa competition.  Colin was again the judge and people were trying to buy him out.  At least Brent was...

 My salsa was amazing if I do say so myself... actually it wasn't my best salsa batch but the labels don't lie! I mean look at Jeff and Joel going to town on my salsa.  It must have been amazing.  ha! and look at Brents face.  He wasn't liking the fact that my salsa was such a huge hit!

 But Colin declared Ant Ants the winner and then sat down with a huge plate of her salsa and chips.

 And woah look at that big juicy tomato.  THE ONLY TOMATO we got this whole year out of our garden.  Which that is still a post that Brent needs to write. Who knew all those animals were walking through our backyard at night.  We also tailgated after the game and then drove back to the farm later that night.

 Its so fun to tell the kids all about my college days. I loved going to school there and this time I was heavily recruiting Colin.  "Colin you can eat chick fil a anytime you want in the dining halls.and look over there at the coffee shop in the library you can get donuts too anytime you wanted!" ha! But then Colin went down and pretended to play basketball in Cassell and well that might have sealed the deal. Its only 11 more years before he heads off to college...

 Colin sat with Ant Ant and Joel and Norah were with Brent and I.  Joel and Norah fell asleep right after Enter Sandman.  Crazy.  And we were surrounded by students which made the entrance even more exciting and loud. 

 It wasn't a sold out game so Brent and I moved seats to an empty row so we could spread out and watch the game while the kids slept. 

 Norah slept through the first quarter and Joel slept the whole first half.  In seven years of coming with kids we've always had someone asleep during some part of the game.  Which is crazy that I've been going to hokie football games 7 years with kids. It seems like I just graduated a few years ago.  Time goes so fast.

 Little princess waved her wand to get some touchdowns. She probably thought they needed help. we watched the Alabama game with family last weekend and for the past week Norah has pointed to my hokie cup and says "ant ant" raises her hands in the air with frustration and yells "ARRRRR" and then does it again.  Points to the cup, says "ant ant" hands in the air and then "ARRRRR" So I'm glad she saw a less frustrating game.  She also learned to say hokies!  Cutest thing ever.

 Norah was great.  She just entertained herself with a cup of ice and cheering and sitting and standing and then some popcorn and was amazing.  I expected to walk the stadium with her but I was able to sit and watch the whole game.

 After halftime Colin and Ant Ant came and joined us. 

 Colin loves football and is getting really good at following the game.  He's also super excited about a redskins game Brent is taking him to in a few weeks. 

  Joel did really well too.  All the kids did great.  Which makes it much more fun for Brent and I.

It was a beautiful day and we all had a great time.  The perfect way to spend the first weekend of the school year.  Thanks again mom and dad.  The kids woke up today at the farm and played in the creek. Then we came back home to start another week of school.