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)!

Look Who's In Preschool

 He may not always want to pose perfectly for a picture.

 But this little stinker

 is now in 3 year old preschool

 at a local community school

I hope you have a wonderful year my little boy!

Grace's First Bus Ride

I was unable to see Grace off on the first day of school, but Matt was.  He also took pictures of the day and now I am able to share them.

 Mamaw and Glen were also there to see Grace off.

 Grace's big fear of Kindergarten was riding the bus.

 She was all packed and ready to go.

And with the help of her great friends down the street, she is not afraid of the bus at all.  In fact now she says that is one of her favorite times of the day.

Apple Orchard (Grace)

 On September 16th I had the great fortune to be able to go with Grace on her first field trip.  It was early enough in the school year that it was fairly easy to take a personal day to be with her.

 We got to ride on the school bus to Showalter's Orchard.  Grace was a bit confused because we go to another orchard every year so she was expecting that one, instead of this new orchard that we had never been to.

 We got to see apple trees, pumpkins, and sunflowers.

We went on a wagon ride around the orchard and into their storage, sorting, and cider making buildings.

 We even got to pick our own apple.

 Grace got a good one (but she is afraid to eat it, since the last time she ate a whole apple she lost a tooth.  So I think that she believes that every time she eats an apple she will loose another tooth.)

On the ride back she wanted to take a selfie of her and her teacher.  Thank you Mrs. Blosser for being willing to help her in that way.  What a great day it was!

First Day Of School for Grace

 Grace started Kindergarten on August 25, 2015.  She is in a dual immersion program where half of the day is taught in Spanish and half in English.  She is already coming home singing and talking in Spanish.

 She is loving school and through the communication I have with her teachers it seems that it has been a good and smooth transition.

 I can already see a change in her actions and behavior after only three weeks of school, a classroom structure, and all the expectations of the teacher that have filtered back to home (good ones).

Wow, Kindergarten has started!  Time has flown by!