Merry Christmas

Nose Kiss

 Glen like to rub noses.  I think he learned that from Daniel Tiger.  But I am ok with that.  It is fun and cute, just like him.

He is a sweet heart and after the nose rub he needed to give me a nose kiss too!

Cookie Day 2015

 This cookie day we each chose two types of cookies and made an exchange rather than baking all day long.  But we did do some baking.  In fact we made chocolate covered peanutbutter balls  or I should say Mamaw and Grace made them.

 Grace was a big helper today with forming the balls and also dipping them.

 Glen was content to play with his rice and watch Tom and Jerry.

 Look at all of those sweets!  Grace had the right shirt on today "Santa's Sweet Shop"

 Glen helped with the puppy chow

 once he got the hang of it, He really loved shaking the bag.

 Grace got into it too.  What great helpers!

Kids and Cats

 So for a while we had an outdoor cat that loved our house.  He would watch over us and the kids would go outside and play with him.  The kids fell in love with the idea of having a cat.  Then the cat was officially adopted by our nextdoor neighbor.  So we still get to see Boots, but not as often as before.

 However, we do get the joy of playing with Callie and Grandpappy.  One of my co-workers has two cats who are very friendly.

 They went on vacation over Thanksgiving so we fed and visited the cats.  That was the highlight of the kids day.

Glen kept saying "I wike the wittle one!"  Yes, Glen I know you like the little kitty, the little kitty likes you too.

Grace is a Helper

Recently Grace has learned how to be a great helper in regards to planting, harvesting, cooking, you name it...she wants to help.

So this year she helped with grape juice and she was a big helper with picking off the grapes.

 But she still loves to play.  She especially loves to draw on the driveway.  

Here she is making a pizza flower.

Ready For Bed

Glen, Moose, Baby Kitty, all in bed on Lightening McQueen sheets...

What could be better?

This makes for a happy boy, so where is the smile?

Love you Buddy!

Daddy's Gloves

Glen found Matt's gloves...

 Sorry to say, but I think that you have a bit of growing to do before they fit.

Nurse Grace

Don't worry Boris, Nurse Grace will take good care of you!

Kindergarten Picture

What a beautiful little lady!

Halloween 2015

 What a packed day we had as a princess and a mouse.  First we went to the school where I work and had a great time at the festival that some JMU students put on for the students.

We then dressed quickly in our costumes and headed downtown.

 We played games, saw a fire truck, met some kittens, and went trick or treating at the downtown shops.

 We had a great time.  Then we went home for a short nap,

 Supper with Mike, Amy, Adam and Austin, then trick or treating with a bunch of friends from church.

 Grace got her face painted at the festival in the morning.  She had a unicorn drawn around her eye.

It was a fun, tiring, and eventful Halloween that was full of friends and laughter.

Fall Hike

On one of the most beautiful changing of the leaves, fall days this year we decided to go for a hike on Skyline Drive.

 We went to Dark Hollow Falls again (we went on this hike earlier and it is so far the only one that the kids have found success with)

 Once again, they were in love with the colors, but more importantly were the...

 Rocks and water!

 The trail was busy, but it was a great way to spend family time together.

I love hiking, and I am so glad to see the love growing in the kids already too.

Cass Railroad

About two hours from our house is a little town called Cass, West Virginia.  It used to be a logging town.  Now it is known for the historic steam engine rides that they provide up the mountain.

 I have been wanting to go for awhile.  First because I have a boy that loves anything with wheels.

 Second because I have a girl who finds every new experience wonderful and is excited to do ANYTHING!

 But third, because it is just a neat experience to have.  So Mom, Amy, Mike, Austin, Adam, Carol, Matt, Grace, Glen, and I all made the trek to Cass.

After a quick snack,

 and a few photo opportunities,

 We were off to board our train.

 The train that we rode on was in commission in the 1920's.  Has been restored and suited for visitors.

 We were excited to get on the train.

 It was a COLD but beautiful ride up the mountain.  We saw some deer as we went up the track.

 We chose one of the last cars so that we could watch the engine as it made the curves ahead of us.

 Grace and Glen were Carol and Amy's personal seat warmers :)

 It was a beautiful ride.  We only went halfway up the mountain.  Halfway up was where the logging camp used to be.

 Now there is a little store, tables for picnics, bathrooms, and lots of room to run around (which Grace took full advantage of).

 What a great experience.

Now Glen has a completely different understanding of the book Freight Train by Donald Crews (which is his favorite book and he reads it to us every night....because he has it memorized!)

Apple Orchard 2015

A yearly event that we are glad that seems to have become a tradition is that we meet with some of our friends that we met in Roanoke and go apple picking with them in Winchester (since we now live in Harrisonburg and they now live in Reston).

 So on a very nice September day we headed north after church and made our way to the wonderful apple trees.

 Grace was a big help this year and assisted in filling up our bags and also Vitaly and Violetta's bag.

 Once again (another tradition) Vitally needed and apple that was just too high for him to pick, so he needed to lift up Grace so that she could reach it for him.  She was very willing to teach him the proper way to pick an apple.

 Glen was just content that he had his Baby Kitty with him.

 It was a beautiful day of fun and friendship.  I wish we could see each other more often, but I am glad that we do have these traditions that keep us seeing each other at least a few times a year.

 Vitally and Violetta, we will see you all during strawberry season (if not sooner)!