New Fire Pit

Last night we "broke in" the new neighborhood firepit that Dave acquired and Robert helped to move and assemble. The Hobarts, Holbrooks, Wysockis, Wilsons, Martins, and a representative of the Segelkes all turned out for it. That meant: 11 adults, 11 kids, and 3 dogs!  Plus a lot of hot dogs, marshmallows, cinnamon rolls, blueberry cobbler (yum, thanks, Paul!), and beer!

The kids had made the most incredible "long house" from branches and vines with NO adult help. It's impressive! A spontaneous game of baseball broke out and the kids created a junior fire pit (pyros!).

We sure do love living here and very much appreciate the great neighbors that we have!!

Kids standing by their "long house"

Another view of the longhouse

The new fire pit

Our common area!

Field Day

I had the pleasure of helping at the Harding Avenue Elementary Field Day! I was put at the "crab soccer" station. What impressed me was how the kids threw themselves into these events with such gusto. Our school certainly beats the obesity odds!!

Snack time!

Best friends Aram, Grant, and William

Pets!

Trixie and her bunny

Animal bunk beds!

Grant has springs for legs!!

Spencer's Adobe video

Spencer has been corresponding with my Adobe contact and he was asked to make a video to share with them. Here's what he came up with! Spencer has always been a good teacher, presenter, and speaker!

Painting College Avenue

This summer they are planning to tear up College Avenue and turn it into a "promenade" with a one-way street and big wide sidewalks. We already have an outdoor stage, our local theater, and lots of bars and restaurants. We have lots of festivals and things there so it probably makes sense.

In anticipation of the destruction (!) they invited the kids to come down and "Paint College Avenue"! It was a great experience and the kids spent over an hour and a half puttering, meeting up with friends, art teachers, etc. The weather was perfect and it made us really appreciate where we live!!!

Spring Soccer 2012: Undefeated!

Grant's soccer team wrapped up their spring season under Coach Luke and Coach Ed undefeated! They won all their games and tied up this final one, so technically, undefeated! It's a wonderful team of kids and parents and we look forward to most of them moving up an age group in the Fall and continuing on!

The grass was ridiculously long for the final game!

Mother's Day

Today was mother's day! I started the day off with a 7.5 mile run at Pandapas Pond - with the first two miles UP the mountain, and the next two DOWN the mountain and a few more miles along the creek bed. It was glorious!

I returned home and decided that the kids and I needed to get out of the house and spend time together. Despite temps in the mid-60's, I told them to put their swim suits on. We took a 15 minute drive to the North Fork of the Roanoke River. I've ridden my bike past this beautiful water countless times, vowing to bring the kids. Well, today was the day. We scoped it out and vowed to return when we are enjoying warmer summer days!

It was a lovely Mother's Day, capped of by dinner at Oma Therese's house. We enjoyed soup and bread and a delicious rhubarb cake!

Smith Mountain Lake Weekend

This was our third year staying in a cabin at Smith Mountain Lake, right on the water in a quiet cove. It's a nice kickoff to the race season and to summer! We were happy to have friend Davis along with us this year too!

Grant starting the fire with his firestarter

roasting hot dogs

electronics...can't leave home without them....SIGHHHH

My morning kayak trip, so quiet and peaceful

Spencer and the VT Youth Orchestra

Last night was the VT String Project concert and as a fourth year cellist, he's in the senior-most group. Still, it's amazing to see what even the first years can do. It's such an outstanding program and I'm quite sure that 95% of them would not have had experience with a string instrument at such a young age without it. The first three videos below are just the Youth Orchestra - 3rd - 5th year students; the last one is ALL of the students from years 1-5!

Well done!