Wednesday, October 19

hairstyles are a milestone




September 1
Sunroom
This guy. Mostly all smiles and looking like a long and leaner.


     

September 2
MCV
Sunset on the job. Not a bad thing to look up and notice.

             

September 3
Libbie Mill
In a little girl's life, new hairstyles are a milestone. Especially when they are pigtails!         


September 4
Kids' Room
This is not a hairstyle milestone. In fact, she looks like a completely different kid when she's got the scraggly bangs-in-the-face look.


September 5
Airspace
Edwin and I en route to Little Rock, once more. Blue skies over Chicago this afternoon.


September 6
Southridge
Little Rock
It couldn't have been a more beautiful setting to celebrate a more beautiful person. My middle school (and still today) best friend's mom passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. She was more than just my friend's mom. She was my friend, too. We travelled together, laughed together, and did many other things that would be embarrassing/incriminating to mention. All of it will make me smile forever.


September 7
Airspace
Somewhere between Little Rock and Charlotte we saw the sunrise. While painfully early (we got to the airport at 4 am), I love to fly when there's an opportunity to see the sun from this perspective. It's peaceful and sobering, especially after all the loss.


September 8
Kilmarnock
First Ducky and Bunker (late) Summer Camp for LB and EJ commenced yesterday, a few hours after Edwin and I landed in Richmond. First on the agenda, naked bike riding.


Hiawassee, GA
Meanwhile, Andy and I are enjoying this incredible view while we celebrate Matt and Jeta sans kids! I think it's important to note that this is our first kid-free night/s since we went to see Ryan Adams in May of 2015. Whoa.


September 9
Kilmarnock,VA
Ignorance is bliss. But come to find out poor guy is a mama's boy and giving Ducky and Bunker a run for their money these first couple days. (I know he looks perfectly cute and happy here. Misleading if you ask Bunker.) He did get better and even started sleeping through the night, which is pretty much a miracle in my book. Which would be titled, Secure the Upper Bonus. That's just a little Lydia trivia for you.


Murphy, NC
I wish we could do this every weekend. Really just more than once a year. These girls, bride not pictured, are six of the best things to ever happen to me.


September 10
Kilmarnock, VA
All's well as far as I'm concerned!


Murphy, NC
How many bridesmaids does it take to secure a veil? All of them.


Just needed to document how well-rested we look.


September 11
Kilmarnock, VA
Ducky and Bunker's Summer Camp ends with a bang! And one kid on her way to being potty trained and the other on his way to being sleep trained.


Nantahala National Forest, NC
We pulled over for the vista. Look at that heavenly light shining down on the angel!


September 12
Preschool
All kinds of transitions for our growing girl. Four nights away from mom and dad and then we throw her in school. For two hours. That's how long it was supposed to last. This is the best we could do for a photo since she wasn't too keen on letting us leave her.


September 13
Living Room
Her first school project and she ripped it all up. So we chose to decorate with tape. Totally intentional.


September 14
Whisk
I've literally been waiting for this all summer. Every time a picture of a macaroon ice-cream sandwich pops up in my Instagram feed, I salivate. Well, we finally went and I was a little underwhelmed. It could've been the flavor option (saffron salted caramel something or other), but I'm kind of glad about that so I don't feel the urge to go every day.


September 15
Twin Hickory
Two little monkeys swinging in a tree.


Back on the home front, drywall gets delivered while there is still easy access.


September 16
Lewis Ginter
These two cuties exchanging romantic glances with each other and the camera.


Back on the home front, easy access is no longer available.


September 17
Short Pump Mall
Spending the morning at a mall: better than one might expect. Water features and frog statues galore keep them busy. Thank you.


September 18
Field Day's of the Past
Goochland, VA
Dressed these kids in overalls for the farm animals at the fair. Leena's favorite part: the free sample of chocolate milk. Not the real calf next to it. She did love petting and feeding all the animals though.


September 19
The Mill
Final dinner with Kiki before she hits the skies in the morning. She loves all her grands and they love cooperating for photos.


September 20
Street
All these crazy caterpillars. Leena gets down real low and talks to them and says things like "aaah" in a real sweet voice.


September 21
Sunroom
Making sure Jonah has adequate dinner entertainment.


September 22
Kitchen
Celebrating four years of marriage with solo time, no electricity, and good food. Let me elaborate...Andy's gift: upgraded electrical service for the shop. My gift: kid free morning. Our gift: homemade empanadas and tres leches for dinner.


September 23
Living Room
New nightly activity. Leena can identify all of her letters now! We think that's pretty special.


September 24
MakerFest
Catching the tail end of this cool little event full of local creators and kid activities.


September 25
Lewis Ginter
Mother daughter selfie from the tree house. She loves to climb up in the windows.


September 26
Sunroom
He's probably happy because he knows food is coming.


September 27
Attic
The mess that is the upstairs play area. Precisely why I moved it all upstairs.


September 28
Kitchen
Some of Leena's early preschool art. I did not put it in a keepsake box.


September 29
Back Yard
She's taken charge of feeding the cat and standing watch to make sure she eats every last piece.


September 30
Sunroom
Yogurt stache.






Tuesday, October 4

a foot in the face



August 1
Grandma and Petey Pie's
Kilmarnock, VA
Visiting with the other grandparents before we head back to Richmond.


Richmond, VA
This is just to show how all over the place we've been. ALL the laundry!


August 2
Toyota Dealership
Taking care of business (and eating lunch while we wait).


August 3
Sunroom
A few days late, but look at those feet!


August 4
ARC Park
And look at that butt!


August 5
Otter Cover
Kilmarnock, VA
 We celebrated Oma's life today and Leena met her cousin Reagan and they were instant buddies.


August 6
Waynesboro, VA
Oma's final resting place.


August 7
CMoR
Sending the poof balls through the wind tunnels. Retrieving them and doing it all over again.


August 8
Sunroom
Cross-eyed banana nose balancer.


August 9
American Airplane
Didn't think we'd be going back home so soon, but here we are en route to Little Rock for Grandma Frost's funeral. EJ fastening his seatbelt for departure.


August 10
Grandma and Grandpa's
N. Little Rock
Dad and his sibs. Not pictured: Grandpa, Aunt Bernadette, cousins of mine, cousins of Dads. We had a beautiful service honoring Grandma and though our hearts are feeling a bit empty, I think everyone is breathing a little easier knowing that she's not suffering anymore.


August 11
Sno Cone Hut
Little Rock
Summer is creeping on by, but I finally got a sno cone. Alongside the firefighters of Little Rock Station 7.


August 12
The Fold (duh)
Little Rock
Out to dinner with Dad at this new taco joint in an old gas station.


Kiki's Place
Doing exercises with Kiki after dinner. Leena's got it down.


August 13
American Airplane
Best seat mate ever. (And Andy and Leena got to fly first class! Too bad it was our forty minute flight and not the two hour one.)


August 14
Kids' Room
A welcome home poop on the floor by LB. This was the one minute between bath and diaper and we were two steps away from the changing table.


August 15
Living Room
I went to a bag sale at a kid's consignment store and came away with so much stuff for so little money. Mom for the win!


August 16
Sunroom
The best part about this is that Leena is not wearing a diaper (brave, I know, given the incident pictured two days ago). When the cold ice-cream made it's way down to her nethers, well, you can imagine the shock.


August 17
CMoR
So excited about all the dinosaurs. Or something.


August 18
Lewis Ginter
Enjoying some outdoor music and a foot in the face. This is definitely going to go down in my book as a favorite photo.


August 19
Crump Park
Baby girl baa's with the baby lamb.


August 20
Kids' Room
Some of his new threads from the bag sale. He's already almost too big for them, but I could not resist these cute jams.


Front Yard
Hosing these two goofballs off.


August 21
Living Room
Three cousins smushed in a chair.


August 22
Living Room
We had a beach day and someone (ahem, Mom fail) missed some face patches. Makes her look even tougher than she is.


August 24
Front Yard
Little Miss on her tractor.


Back Yard
And windows on the shop!


August 25
John Marshall's Farm
Andy took this on duty. Site of John Marshall's Farm. (I really don't have anything to say, and he's not here for me to get a back story.)


August 26
Living Room
Toothy selfie. Man, this kid is funny. In so many ways.


August 27
Three Lakes Park
Morning at the park with our cousins. So glad they are close by and willing to waste away their days with us. Makes them feel not so wasted at all.


August 28
Racquet Club
Our neighbors invited us to their pool. This guy is clearly the boss.


August 29
ARC Park
She's got to find her rhythm somewhere and it's probably not going to be from me.


August 30
Kitchen
I think we can all say he enjoys facing outward and seeing all there is to see.


August 31
Kitchen
He also likes the view from above. Such a handsome dude. Both of them.