Skyline Drive

We had Brett's parents here this last week to celebrate his upcoming birthday.  It was great to have them around to savor the Fall Season with us.  We wanted to do something fun and different while they were here so I looked into different options. I had heard that Skyline Drive was a beautiful place to visit with the changing leaves, so we loaded in the car and headed for the hills.  At first I was hesitant to leave because it was foggy and rainy, but I am so glad we went because it was breathtaking.  We saw spectacular views of the Shenandoah Valley, with patches of fog enfolding the ground below. It made the mountains seem a wee bit bigger as they peaked up through the clouds, even though they still don't compare to the West. Abby liked driving through past the changing leaves as we wound around the mountainside.  We were even able to visit my new favorite place to pick fruit, Hartland Farm. (Thanks Michelle for introducing us to this place.)  They had freshly squeezed Apple Cider, crates full of freshly picked apples, and mounds of bright orange pumpkins.  Mmmm.  The owners of the farm also told us that we needed to experience the taste of an apple donut in the Fall. I am not a donut fan, but I have now been converted.  The apple donut was heavenly.  Makes my mouth water just thinking about it. We had a great day and definitely enjoyed soaking in the fresh air.

 

As you can see, Kate loves to eat leaves.  

Mmmmm.....Apples.  

Picking out pumpkins.

There were parts of the drive that felt a little eerie with the fog...perfect for Halloween.

 

Cheers to the Fall!  My favorite season.

Preschool Excursion

Our preschool group had a fun trip to Homestead Farm this week.  Heidi did a great activity with the kids where they needed to find certain objects around the farm and they loved it. There was definitely a lot of running, giggling and collecting.  These kiddos are really cute and we always love doing things with them.

 Yes, this would be Abby...wild as ever.

The Lovers

A Favorite

A favorite part of our trip was watching the sunrise. Watching it come up over the vast ocean makes the world seem so big and so small, all at the same time.  It gives you time to think about life. 

Lil' bit of Southern

Our trip down South to the Outer Banks did not disappoint.  We had a wonderful time.  It was hard to leave.  The weather was perfect and the company even better.  Brett was able to take some days off work and our good friends came with us.  We obviously spent the majority of the time at the beach.  The girls loved splashing in the water, digging in the sand and flying kites along the shore.  Kate especially enjoyed the sand and ate more than enough. It was nice to just relax, breath in the ocean air and take a break.  Now we are home, Abby keeps asking me, "When are we going back to the beach mom?"  A good time was had by all.

  

I love this picture because it shows Kate's excitement.  She always kicks her arms and legs at the same time when she is excited. 

No better place to fly a kite.

Natalie is Kate's best friend.  It was so fun to have her and her family with us.  These two loved crawling around together.  Eating sand was a favorite for them, though they later regretted it.

My friend Lauren took this picture of our family and I love it. Thanks Lauren!

'The Conquest of the Air'

 The Wright Brothers Memorial is where flight began. 

 It was fun to see how it all started and how much things have evolved since. 

 Here is where the first successful flight started and then landed. (The white marker is where it stopped.)

Dance like Angelina Ballerina

 

Abby started taking dance classes a few weeks ago.  She had been begging me for months to put her classes because she wanted to be like 'Angelina Ballerina'.  I think one of her favorite parts of dance is getting all dressed up.

  She loves having her friend Joey in class.