Goodbye Goats!: January 2019

I'm going to give a little bit of an intro to this one. I've been sidetracked by sewing for the last several months and blogging has gone to the wayside. Photos and videos have still been taken so I've got my catch-up work cut out for me. Thus begins the six-month back track and trying to caption pretty old photos. Have mercy. Enjoy. (That's a friendly note for myself.)

July 1

Sunroom

A little kids dinner party.

July 2

Front Yard

When the clothes come off and there's a pool of water.

July 3

Otter Cove

Kilmarnock, VA

All lined up for the big jump. (Me, Edwin, Andy, Amy, Marina, Lincoln, Leena, Abe)

July 4

Otter Cove

Early morning swinging in pj's with Bitner.

July 5

Cyborg Room

Richmond, VA

My first attempt at apparel. The dress isn't perfect but the Charley Harper fabric is!

July 6

Neighborhood

These kids will chase rabbits for way too long sometimes.

July 7

Lewis Ginter Recreation

Gussied up for Ben and Katie's wedding! Note from the future: I took the dress to the dry cleaner because I got chocolate on it. The chocolate came out, but the sweaty pit stains didn't. So durn.

July 8

Gum Tree

Acing the family photo game.

July 9

Front Porch

Road trip preparation: Hard boiled eggs. Turns out the kids really enjoy picking the shells off.

July 10

Lewisburg, WV

This is when those hard-boiled eggs come in handy. 8 am breakfast picnic 4 hours away from home. This wall gnome was one of the hidden gems of the downtown.

St. Louis, MO

Later that day...We made it to our first destination and immediately went swimming. Thank you to my Mom's cousin, Mary Rose, for opening her house to us.

July 11

Missouri Botanical Garden

St. Louis, MO

So worth the visit, especially since our garden membership got us in for free!

July 12

Precious Moments Chapel

Carthage, MO

Next leg of the journey led us to maybe the best road-side attraction in all the land. It's the Sistine Chapel Precious Moments style and so much more.

Nancy and Clayton's

Ponca City, OK

Later that day...We made it to our second destination and the kids immediately started playing in the dry red dirt in the backyard. We tried to get them to channel their inner Zoolander coal miner, but they didn't quite get it. Not bad though.

July 13

Wentz Camp

Let the Okie Doodle Daze begin! The kids outside their castle-turret-bunk-room-home-for-the-next-three-days.

July 14

Ponca City Police Department

This has been Andy's dream ever since he saw my original Ponca City mugshot taken in 2002 (I think). It should be noted, we have a connection. We did not break the law.

Wentz Camp

My dad, his siblings, and my Grandpa. I always love a family photo that required everyone to travel from a different place. It makes it that much more special. It is also special because my Grandpa passed away in November. So this weekend in July was one to be treasured.

July 15

Castle Turret

Edwin and I still sleeping. Andy and Leena noting it.

July 16

Ponca City

Showing Andy (and the kids) the sites of Ponca. This is the Pioneer Woman, a must-see. I've talked about Ponca a lot and even though it's a real small town in Oklahoma with not a whole lot going on, I love to visit. For the company and the small-town quirky vibe. We spent a few extra days once the Okie Doodles were over hanging with Nancy and Clayton (my aunt and uncle) and cousins from Chicago, Katie and Pat.

July 17

Pawhuska, OK

Day trip to the town that Ree Drummond (the other Pioneer Woman) totally revived and the bison preserve up the hill. My dreams came true when we had to stop the van to let the bison cross the road right in front of us.

July 18

Tulsa, OK

Slowly moving East again. Stopped in to visit Clayton at work and spend the day in Tulsa. We went to the aquarium (surprisingly great for being in the middle of the country), saw the Golden Driller, and ate a couple of really good meals before hitting the road again.

It was pretty cool to get a tour of the US Marshal office. We even got stickers.

July 19

Bull Shoals Lake

Diamond City, AR

Got in late at night. Woke up ready to go! Tubing with Kiki, Aunt Marie, and Uncle Chris.

July 20

Bennett Dock

Bull Shoals

This is pretty much what we did for three days straight and would've done it longer if we didn't have to leave.

July 21

Bennett Dock

Cutest little swimmer.

And not pictured but noteworthy, off this dock and in this lake is where Leena confidently became a swimmer without a floatation device!

July 22

Bull Shoals

One last look at the lake and climbing on the rocks before we go on our way. So grateful for kind and generous family for welcoming us, hanging out with us, and giving us an opportunity to make some solid memories at their homes.

July 23

Maker's Mark

Loretto, KY

Adult portion of the trip. We toured the Maker's Mark distillery and got to taste all the flavors. Andy even got to dip his own bottle (after he bought it).

Springfield, KY

The creek that ran behind our AirBnB. We tried to catch crawdads and decided just to play when we couldn't. I'm a cold-water weeny so stayed far away from the splashing.

July 24

Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine

Beckley, WV

The final leg. We like to pack a lot of food and stop at playgrounds for our meals so the kids can run around. And they usually don't eat, but they burn some serious energy. This playground was a real winner because it was right next to a coal museum that ran tours of the coal mine. Did we do it? Yes! Did we channel Zoolander again? Yes!

Here we are on the little train getting ready to go underground.

July 25

Kitchen

Henrico, VA

And we are home. It was a looong journey. Four states and thousands of miles. But it was so much fun. And we got four new pennies to add to our collection so that's a major bonus.

July 26

Sewing Corner

Getting started on another Charley Harper bird dress for Leena! This one has a lining (just up top) and arm holes.

July 27

Kitchen

My first batch of InstantPot Greek yogurt. The whey. The yogurt. Takes as long as driving to Oklahoma, but you don't have to do anything and the result was two thumbs up.

July 28

Three Chopt Recreation

Potluck pool party! Fantastic afternoon at the pool.

July 29

Living Room

Our house guest for the week, Layla. If we were to get a dog, at this point, I would only want Layla. She snuggles, she goes on walks, and she growls at me when I'm in the kitchen.

July 30

Science Museum

Simulating the hurricane.

July 31

Quilting Adventures (QA)

Getting ready for my next quilting project and consulting with the groom Levi on the color palate. The consulting ends here though so he, not just Sarah, can be a little bit surprised.

August 1

Crump Park

I think the kids have a love/hate relationship with these spinny things. It usually starts with big giggles and then the spinning gets faster and faster and you can't stop and giggles quickly turn to fear. I seem to have caught the in-between.

August 2

Living Room

Layla's biggest fan. We usually have to do some major soothing when Layla's visits are over. It's really sweet and really sad. Most nights (like always, not just when she's at our house) when he's in bed and trying not to go to sleep he asks where Layla is.

August 3

Bathroom

Andy and the kids are at the river so Katie and I are soothing our faces. You're welcome for posting this.

August 4

Sewing Corner

That project with the color palate. I cut out the squares to make hst's (that's half-square triangles for all the non-quilters).

August 5

Kitchen

Summer veggie gratin on the way! I didn't use a machine to chop those, btw, just did a really awesome job making really thin slices. Toot toot.

August 6

Sewing Corner

Leena's dress! With arm holes and so much more! I'm in love and would like an adult sized one.

August 7

Warner's House

Went for a stroll and ended up in underwear at the neighbors house. Because the sprinkler was on and Brooks was playing in it. But what gets me is that belly peeking out!

August 8

Twin Hickory Park

Edwin and Ella braving the splash pad together. I think he has a serious crush.

August 9

Richmond Zoo

Best day ever as far as the kids are concerned. Animals, "rides", and Uncle Abe. Not going to lie, pretty great day for me too.

August 10

Three Chopt Recreation

Pool evening with the cousins! I love an afternoon at the pool followed by a pizza picnic followed by more swimming. It just feels good and like you've done what you can to embrace a nice summer's day.

August 11

Front Yard

Most successful rearing of a plant that I planted.This elephant ear took to our soils very nicely.

August 12

Carytown

Hit up the Watermelon Festival for the first time ever. We had our fill of watermelon and kettle corn. And heat. It was a warm one. (Also, Leena was the best dressed there.)

August 13

Science Museum

Watching the pendulum get so close to knocking the next peg over. One of these days our timing will be on. Or we could just watch for ten minutes...

August 14

Twin Hickory Playground

All goggled up and waiting for the water. My heart.

August 15

Back Yard

Summer fire pit. There's got to be s'mores somewhere around there.

August 16

Upstairs

Meal planning grocery list for a week-long trip to the mountains for ten people. That's no joke. Neither is the actual shopping.

August 17

Station 15

Met some friends at the station for some fire engine fun and we all got to take turns spraying the can of water and playing in the fire hydrant water.

August 18

Andy's childhood swimming hole

Monterey, VA

Took a slight detour on our way to Snowshoe. Andy grew up here for a little while. We met the people who live in his dad's old house, walked the property, then he and Leena took a plunge in the spring-filled swimming hole he played in as a kid. It was raining. It was chilly. Leena was so brave (she joined him on her own accord) and I could see the nostalgia and joy on Andy's face. I think it was really cool for him to share this special spot with all of us. We literally pulled off the road and went behind a barn, and voila, magical!

August 19

Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area

Pendleton County, WV

The activity book at our AirBnB led us to this pull over spot on the side of the road. It's considered a swimming hole, but it's the middle of August and the water was probably 65 degrees. Andy is the only one willing to swim in that. He brought a crawdad back from the other side of the creek. You can also barely see the energy vortex he built on the other shore.

Top of the Ridge Cabin

Slatyfork, WV

Home for the week and not complaining at all. Kids aren't either (at this moment) because their bellies are full of s'more and their hands are sticky with marshmallow.

August 20

The Maze, Top of the Ridge Cabin

Slatyfork, WV

There was a labyrinth cut out from the ragweed in the yard. We hid toys and the kids had to find them. Turns out Edwin is a little, like a lot, allergic to ragweed.

August 21

Greenbriar River Trail

Cass, WV

We did a "hike" that could accommodate all these kids and their back-aching Kiki.

August 22

Honeycomb Rocks

Monongahela National Forest, WV

Now this was cool! If you can get past our faces you can see the line formations on the rocks.

Christmas card photo. (And just consider this your Christmas card.)

August 23

Durbin Rocket

Durbin and Greenbriar Valley Railroad

Scenic train ride through the mountains and along a river on the Durbin Rocket, a coal-fired steam engine. (Not pictured: When we drove 1.5 hours to the wrong train depot, stressfully made new reservations, peacefully had a picnic at a state park along a river, drove another hour to the correct train depot, enjoyed the train ride pictured here, had ice cream, drove another hour back to the cabin. Phew.)

August 24

Cranberry Glades Botanical Area

Pocahontas County, WV

A boardwalk through the cranberry bog. But no bear sightings.

Falls of Hills Creek

Hillsboro, WV

Part two of the day. Family photo, but Andy is the tiny guy near the water fall. He has a thing for freezing cold water. It's like his goal to get in as many water holes as possible.