A NEW VAN!!

On Saturday, well before deer season, we went van shopping. We've been looking on-line for a long time and really wanted to get one purchased before we make our annual trip to Jackson for deer season in November. Our little car just wasn't a comfortable ride across the country and really didn't hold all of our stuff. We were able to find a 2005 Honda Odyssey EXL and I LOVE IT!! It's got all kinds of great features: automatic doors, leather seats, great storage, stowaway seats, the optional 8th seat...the kids are comfortable, I'm comfortable, we are all much happier now that we've got some room!

A Museum Visit

Clayton's class is named the "Dashing Dinosaurs," so last week we visited the Museum of Culpeper History to check out the fossilized dinosaur tracks they have. We were also able to grind corn in a mortar and pestle, try on clothes from the Civil War Era and listen to accounts of Civil War battles on a light-up map. We were there for well over an hour and the kids were thoroughly entertained the the entire time.

A Honkin' Fish

Last weekend, Cyle took Clayton fishing in a neighboring pond. They caught this nearly foot-long hybrid. In Clayton's words, "It was a honkin' fish!"

Cyle captured this on his cell phone one evening. Even the rabbits in our yard get no peace. Maybe that's why we don't have any squirrels...

End of Summer

As the summer came to an end, the boys enjoyed playing outside. Levi, following Clayton's lead, has started climbing everywhere! (The little red bench, into the sandtable...) They also love casting their fishing poles out in the yard. We had such a great summer, but are glad fall is here!

First Day of Preschool

Clayton's first day of preschool was Sept. 8. He is going to Epiphany Catholic in Culpeper. His class is the Dashing Dinosaurs. He is a "dashing pteranodon." He is loving it! His favorite part of school is eating snack, of course. Levi misses him while he's at school, but is enjoying the one-on-one time with Mom.

My Craftier Side

Really and truly I love to do little projects of all sorts. In my basement I have a wide variety of knitting, embroidery, sewing, and miscellaneous craft projects started. I am FANTASTIC at starting projects. It's quite the time for a celebration once I finish them. Of course, I'm constantly starting and finishing baking projects - so I can eat them - and you can read about those at Baking At Huckleberries.

Our front flower bed has a pole for a little flag. Since we've moved in, I've been wanting to put our monogram on it. It wasn't until I saw this monogram idea from A Feathered Nest that I was inspired enough to actually make it. I found some fabric I bought at Kimili Designs in Nairobi and whipped this up this morning. Once I'm inspired, I'm inspired. It turned out so much better than I had envisioned!


I've also been putting up summer produce. Early in August blueberries were so incredibly priced that I couldn't pass up buying pints and pints of them I made them into blueberry jam and blueberry syrup. After I came home from the peach orchard with 3 pecks of peaches, I had to do something with them. I ended up canning halves (yellow lid), making spiced peaches (red lid) and peach jam (blue lid). I also made a peach pie for the freezer, some freezer jam, and peach cobbler, of course!

Lynn and Sophia came for a Visit

Last weekend, my friend Lynn and her daughter Sophia were in town. (To get the background on the trip visit Lynn's blog.) On Saturday, my wonderful, loving husband kept the kids all day - on our anniversary, to boot! - so I could hang out with Lynn, Sophia and Angie. We went shopping at the Leesburg Outlets and had some pad thai for supper. It was so much fun. It took me back to our days in Nairobi. I, of course, didn't get a picture of Lynn and Angie and I together. But I did get this shot of the kids on Sunday when Lynn and Sophia came to our house for the afternoon. They drove all the way down from Potomac Mills to spend the afternoon with us. It was so great to see them and catch up!