Tuesday, October 17

tootin' around




August 1
LGBG
Our annual visit from Tim and Holly usually involves a trip to the garden. What can we say? It's nice and when you've been friends for fifteen years it doesn't really matter what you do.


August 2
Pocahontas State Park
A morning well spent at the pool. I love watching Andy play with the kids and the kids play with Andy. They all act the same.


August 3
Street
Andy took the kids for a morning walk so I could sleep in a little. I would've almost skipped sleeping to see this cuteness.


Front Porch
But then I got to see this cuteness later on. Maybe my new favorite photo of all time.


August 4
Near Laburnum probably
Hood ornaments. Spotted while on the job.


August 5
Cronk House
Babies meeting babies and showing affection the only way they know how. Ear pulling, nose biting, and pinching.


August 6
Kitchen
Just laying with a ladle on the floor half under a 500 pound butcher block. Whatever makes you happy.


August 7
Cyborg Room
Their new favorite spot to squeeze in to. It's obviously funnier when Leena does it because she's bigger and nearly gets stuck.


August 8
Driveway
Getting ready for an epic road trip/LuLaRoe Party to/in Little Rock. By myself. With the kids. He's helping me load the car.


August 9
Casey Jones Village
Jackson, TN
Edwin, the conductor. But I'm going to toot my own horn for a minute: We left Richmond at 3:30 in the morning, have only stopped for meals, and have not turned the iPad on yet (it's approximately 5:30 pm). We made it to Little Rock at 8:30 pm. Toot!


August 10
Mexican Restaurant
Little Rock, AR
Silas and Leena reunited. They are cute. When they aren't getting at each other.


August 11
Bud and Angie's
Family cookout. These visits home are made complete when I get to see my extended family.


August 12
Terri and Mike's "Back Yard"
Me, taking a selfie out back, after a successful day of LuLaRoe parties with some of my cousins!


August 13
Jim's
Hot Springs, AR
Leena refuses to wear the pink bib (she always chooses blue). So I couldn't help it with his hair. It's too long to not hang in his eyes, but too short to go behind his ears. He makes a really cute girl too.


August 14
Hot Springs National Park
Exploring the sights while Edwin sleeps in the car. It's fun to play tourist in a place you've been to many times before.


August 15
The Arlington
Again, touristing in downtown Hot Springs. With Kiki.


The Aquarium
The giant turtle doing a walk about. We weren't sure if he was real. Then he walked. Then we weren't sure if he was supposed to be out of his cage. Then we read the sign. All is well.


King Kone
Overposting for the day. But watching Edwin eat his first ice cream cone by himself was epic. From the folds of his neck down to his toes.


August 16
Lake Hamilton
This guy floating on his back like a pro.


August 17
Alligator farm
Couldn't resist checking out this spot. Both kids fed the alligators, the donkeys, the emus, the goats. It was awesome.


August 18
Sheri's Dock
Spent the morning at Mom's friend's house and dock. It was great to spend some time at the lake with my kids the same way I did nearly every weekend when I was growing up.


August 19
Jim's Boat
Tootin' around the lake on our last day of vacation.


August 20
McDonald's
somewhere, TN
On the road again. Another 3:30 am departure. At approximately 6:00 am, something hit my windshield (I think it was a bird) and cracked it. That's just a side story. We pulled off for breakfast a bit later and luckily found a play place.


August 21
LGBG
We finished up the last four hours of our drive and went straight to the fire station to see Andy. And then pretty much got home and loaded up the stroller to go to the garden in time to enjoy the near total solar eclipse with some friends (and strangers).


August 22
Bedroom
Finally sharing kid duties (and a bed) with my spouse again.


August 23
Front Yard
Leena's photo in the morning. Titled: Edwin standing in a wagon.


Andy's photo in the afternoon. Titled: Edwin sitting in a different wagon.


August 24
Warner's House
Leena's photo again. Titled: Mom sitting on the ground.


August 25
Back Yard
A visit from the Wikler's definitely calls for lighting up the fire pit and having s'mores! Suzy Lynn is way better at smiling when asked to for photos.


August 26
Niche Studio
Leena getting her first haircut while I do a pop-up sale in a neighboring studio.


August 27
Three Chopt Recreation
Like zombies going for brains. Except they are just little boys going for big sister/cousin's ice cream.


August 28
Arc Park
Fashion show? No, just toddler dress yourself day.


August 29
Duck Blind
Window trim!


August 30
Willow Lawn
A little cousin play date while shopping.


August 31
Bedroom
Just now catching up on all the laundry from our trip to Arkansas.










Friday, September 15

unlimited supply of dum dums




July 1
LGBG
Being really American in our stars and stripes and being really cute without trying.


July 2
Front Yard
Giant bubbles for the semi-win. As in, kept the kids busy while cookies were in the oven, but it was difficult for the little hands to be steady enough with the wand.


July 3
Front Yard
I'm going to go ahead and say that watermelon season is the best season, as far as these two are concerned.


July 4
LGBG
Debated several festive activities, but sometimes (okay, frequently) the easy option wins. So we packed up our stroller and walked across the street and had a lot of fun.

 

July 5
Cyborg Room
Edwin's size didn't overlap with US Marshall blazer season so we used a rainy day as an excuse to let him wear it.


July 6
Bed
Yahtzee in bed (and that is a Yahtzee!) with the husband. Probably as close to a date night as we've had in awhile.


July 7
VMFA
Cultural outing. But then it turned out the play area was closed so we took a decent walk to a playground in the Fan. Overall, good morning!


July 8
Otter Cove
Seems fitting that Ducky bought a giant duck. Leena is pretty skeptical unless it is in the grass. It took a lot to get her up there.


Meanwhile Andy and Henrico Station 7 are helping City of Richmond fight some fire. I think they look a little too excited to be standing next to a red engine.


July 9
Back Yard
First s'more roasting of the summer! And Leena's first time to roast by herself!


(Her dress is on backward. Oops.)


July 10
Pediatrician
I don't even know why we are at the doctor but I'm sure it has something to do with Edwin's millionth ear infection. (Leena insisted on wearing knee socks even though it was 97 degrees.)


July 11
Duck Blind
Getting an Ikea closet installed is no joke. Even when it is just a few pieces. We survived and didn't even yell at each other. So consider it another successful date night.


July 12
Edwin's Room
Fell asleep in the car. Moving him was enough of a risk so I definitely wasn't going to try to take his shoes off.


Then he woke up and was hungry.


July 13
Duck Blind
Tile work getting done. Check.


July 14
Crump Park
Friends at the park. Even though they don't look it at all.


Tile work nearly complete.


July 15
Living Room
Leena got a hold of my phone and took this beauty. I will say, her pictures are beginning to have purpose rather than just ceilings and floors. Still the occasional 157 photo burst though.


July 16
Front Yard
Jumping. Over and over. And brother could care less.


July 17
Twin Hickory
Splash padding.


July 18
Front Porch
Sharing popsicle-eating tips, especially when it comes to getting the juice out at the end.


July 19
Leena's Room
Naps are harder to come by these days so if she passes out in the middle of her floor, fine by me!


July 20
Front Porch
After a cancelled flight and an unexpected day at home, I'm off to Denver for a Roller weekend. Meanwhile, back home everyone is enjoying after dinner popsicles.


July 21
Continental Divide
Boulder, CO
Hiking with my high school besties = the best. We are all staring at Tucker and I have a death grip on her harm because she just lost her balance and almost went over the edge.


July 22
Denver, CO
I don't remember what the brewery was called, but it was obviously fate because this mural was on the wall. That's an "r" in sign language. It's also the Roller symbol we gave ourselves many years ago.


July 23
Donnelly House
Westminster, CO
All the other Rollers have left for home but I've got one more day. So I met my cousin-nephew David Larkus and hung out with Pam. Nothing beats a vacation where you get to see/spend quality time with so many people you love.


July 24
Smith House
Paeonian Springs, VA
As I fly back across the country, Andy hangs with his cousin and all our kids hang together. They had a wild time on the farm!


July 25
Pediatrician
Here we are again for the summer of ear infections for Edwin. Leena doesn't mind because it's basically meant an unlimited supply of Dum Dums.


July 26
Cyborg Room
Trying to get a passport photo for Andy and failing miserably. Instead he's making fun of his daughter's goofy teeth and scoring a nice family photo.


July 27
Chuckey's
Just some East End signage Andy photographed while on the job. It's kind of a one-stop shop. Depending on your needs...


July 28
Twin Hickory
What happens inside the tube.


July 29
Bott House
Kids get their first music lessons and they both are real taken. We will be sending them over regularly for violin, ukulele, guitar, and piano lessons from here on out. Let me know if I left anything out. Oh, accordion!


July 30
Otter Cove
Family dinner after a long hard day of playing and soaking up the sun. Leena nodded off at the table.


July 31
Maymont
Alice, the goat whisperer, and Edwin, the goat runner-away from.