Wednesday, May 25, 2011

State of the Yard

Post-mowing downtime for dad!

New pencil holly in the planters.

This stuff looks fine from a distance, needs work though

Huge hostas waiting to become deer food.  Beautiful peony from neighbor Debbie.


New little boxwoods replace old shrubs


Home sweet home

Nature's Bounty

It STILL amazes me what gifts we get from nature.  A few little low-maintenance plants put in the ground a few years ago provides the surprise of fresh strawberries in the spring, enjoyed in morning oatmeal, with angel food cake, or on vanilla yogurt.  Mmmmm! 

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Smith Mountain Lake Weekend

This was our third time renting a cabin at Smith Mountain Lake in conjunction with one of my (Cortney's) triathlons. The race (which you can read about here) is a good excuse to get away and we've grown to love these quaint but functional cabins along the lake. Plus it gives the kids the chance to swim in water that is in the low 60's...burrr!! 

We've got this down to a science, packing food and meals, and this time we added in one early Mother's Day dinner out at Mariner's Landing. Oddly enough, we ran into another family we know from Blacksburg at dinner!

After dinner Friday, Robert and the boys made a fire and did the traditional s'mores, followed up by a game of UNO, while I read and rested up for an early morning. 


I was out of the house Saturday before anyone had stirred. The family showed up to cheer me on, and the kids built a fort in the nearby woods since it's not all that exciting to wait for your mom to bike or run by. 


The start of the fort structure

After the race and the lonnng drawn out awards ceremony, we had some lunch and hung out at the cabin/lake.  The kids enjoyed the inflatables.

At first we had them tethered...just in case

But with the alligator, we figured they were safe!


Then Spencer and I had a mean game of Scrabble (funniest word: urinal!) and headed off for a bike ride. We practiced riding with no hands. Fortunately, there were no wipeouts.

Bike ride!! Time to raise the seat, this boy keeps growing!

After dinner, more fire, more s'mores, and Yahtzee.  Then sleep.  Nothing better than sleeping to the sounds of rain on a cabin roof after a full day of playing!


We all were somehow up by 6:15 am, and discovering a rainy day, and US being US, we had the place packed up and we were outta there by 7:20 am, and back in Blacksburg by 9:15 am!

We bring an intensity to all we do - even vacations.  Short, sweet, pack it in, pack it up!

We are hoping to make this May race/cabin rental an annual event.  It's a gorgeous place, not too far, affordable, and tranquil.

Spring Strings Concert

Spencer is in the bottom left of most of these...red polo and khakis. Most of these are the 3rd and 4th year students, the Can Can is 1st - 4th.  Enjoy!

Sonata for Grand Viola and Orchestra (Paganini)



Royal Fireworks Music (Handel/Sweeney)



In der Halle des Bergkonigs



Can Can