Getting on with our lives

We are moving to Richmond in just 5 days! We finally found a house to rent yesterday after looking for 3 full days. Chuck had a massive spreadsheet going of 37 different possibilities, 15 of those we toured and the other 22 we only peeked in windows or drove by. We drove ALL around Richmond and they all started to run together. Luckily, Chuck had done a little video with our camera in front of each house while talking about it, so we could keep them all straight. He had to know he was getting the best bang for our buck. We ended up finding a great house for a great deal (even less than we currently pay in Lexington). It was worth all the work.

Today was our last Sunday in Lexington at church. It's always sad to say goodbye to those that have been such great friends and examples over the last few years. We have absolutely loved it. We know that great things lie ahead for us in Richmond and are excited to start this next phase in life.

Last week, after we finally committed to the Richmond job, I was feeling particularly down about moving and I happened to read this talk from General Conference. I realized that in order to get on with our lives and move out of the student phase and back into the career phase of our lives we needed to move. I have loved every moment about living in Lexington, and I have loved things about every place that we have lived. We have had a child born in each place - Baltimore, California, Lexington - which makes each one special.

I'm particularly grateful for the friendships that have been bonded here. I know that I will keep in touch with many of you for many years. I'm excited for the friends and adventures that lie ahead.

County Fair

Last weekend was the County Fair. Chuck and the girls watched the tractor pull, while I fed Charly. I'm glad I wasn't out there with them, because those tractors were so loud. A nice man gave Chuck a pack of earplugs but the girls refused to stick them in their ears. Check out that gorgeous view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

We then all headed over to watch some of the juvenile horse competitions. Leland really enjoyed watching the horses much more than we anticipated. We enjoyed a picnic lunch while picking out our favorite horses and riders and watching them go around the ring.

Lucy loved getting to see and even pet some of the barn animals. We saw goats, sheep, chickens, roosters, peacocks, turkeys, cows, and mini ponies. Lucy's favorite was the baby calf that we got to pet. Leland's favorite were the peacocks.

Leland got to participate in the kids tractor pedal pull again this year. She didn't go very far (only about 10 of the 40 feet) and seemed a bit nervous with all the people watching her, but she did okay. She came in 5th place in her class. She won a little toy tractor that she loves. You had to be 3 years old to participate, so Lucy didn't do it, but she did well cheering her sister on.

Leland's memory is crazy - the second she saw those mini tractors, she started talking about last time she did it which was a year ago.

Fun Times in Lex

Chuck's mom and dad were able to visit us for a few days and meet their newest grandchild (#14). The McBrides (Chuck's sister) came up from NC to hang out with us one day while they were here. We decided to take them on the horse drawn carriage tour of our town that we have always wanted to do. It was very fun and of course the kids loved it.

Our town is very hilly. There was one time that the horses "refused" to pull all of us up a hill, so some of the adults had to jump out and walk up the hill. I thought it was pretty funny, but I was sitting next to our driver and she was really nervous and pretty shaken up by it.

The boys were able to play a round of golf. The kids played at the park, went to Boxerwood Gardens, and out for ice cream with Grammy. That evening, we all went to a concert in the park. We enjoyed a picnic dinner and the kids danced. At night, Chuck and his parents went on the Haunted Walking Tour of Lexington. You get to hear all sorts of legends and ghost stories about places all around town.

We had such a wonderful time with all of them. Thanks for coming to visit.

4th of July Festivities

Every 4th of July in Lexington there is a hot air balloon rally on VMI parade grounds. For 2 days, hot air balloons go out twice a day. The girls loved watching them lift off the ground and float through the sky. We went for about an hour or two on July 3rd and on the 4th to watch the balloons take off.

We also played in the 2 bounce houses, an obstacle course bounce, and a huge slide that were set up up for the kids. The girls loved all of them. Lucy's favorite was the bounce house with the Nemo characters on the side.

Lucy amazed us all by climbing through the obstacle course all by herself, including the 8 foot rock climbing wall-style ladder to get to the final slide. She is such a strong little girl. They just went on all of them over and over again. You had to buy tickets for the kids to play. Once it started raining a little bit, the boys taking tickets just let our girls go again and again.

About a half hour before the fireworks were scheduled to start, we finally pulled the girls away from the bounce houses. Lucy got kicked in the face by a little boy so that was it for her.

We started out waiting under our umbrellas for the firweorks to start, but then we got smart and headed for the car. We found a parking spot with a perfect view of the fireworks and watched from there. We enjoyed the show out of the rain and even turned on some patriotic music to listen to. It was perfect. This firework in the picture was the biggest one we have ever seen, ever. Chuck was able to capture it on film, but this is not even at it's largest state.

Nana was a trooper hanging out in the rain next to the stroller while Chuck and I played with the girls by the bounce houses. Thanks Nana.

Charlotte's birth day

Without further delay, here are some pictures from Charlotte's birthday.

It was "a beautiful Virginia day" (as Chuck always says), with the sun rise lighting up the Blue Ridge Mountains (as seen from our hospital).

Ashley entering the hospital

Ashley and Charly pose for their first mother-daughter photo

First picture with Dad

Big sisters!

Charly after a good bath

Baby Charly sleeping

Mom and Charly resting at the end of a long day

Gates Wildlife Preserve

This little baby deer hung out at our house for a weekend. One Saturday morning the girls were jumping up and down and screaming by the back door. This tiny baby deer about the size of small-medium sized dog was strolling through our backyard with his mother. By the time I grabbed my camera they were headed up the trail behind our house.

Sunday morning we noticed the baby deer curled up under the fence that runs next to our house on our neighbor's property. It was about a foot from the curb of the street. As I walked closer, I thought he would jump up and run off but he didn't. He was breathing, but would not move from his curled up position. We were concerned that he was hurt and/or abandoned by his mother that I had seen him with the day before. The mother was no where in sight. We decided to head to church and would call animal services if he was still there when we returned.

He was in the same exact spot a few hours later, so we called Animal Control. They suggested we call the Wildlife Center of Virginia to see if there is anything we should do. While Chuck was on the phone, Leland and I went outside to take a picture. While we were out there we noticed 2 adult deer in our neighbors yard across the street from the baby deer. One was sitting down with her head and ears perked staring straight at us. The other was in the brush just next to her.

Turns out this was nature in progress. According to the Wildlife Center, and as described on their baby deer website, "[f]rom birth the fawns are left alone while their mothers go off to feed. The mothers will stay away from the fawns to avoid leading predators to their location. They will return at dusk and dawn to move and/or feed their young." Sure enough, the fawn was gone the next day.

We also have a family of ground hogs living in an old tree stump in our backyard, only about 15 yards from the house. The first year here, we only saw one really big and fat one, but the next year, we saw two regular sized groundhogs. This year there is at least one regular adult and two babies. It may be 2 adults and 2 babies. We never seem to be able to get any good pictures of them. Last week the 2 babies were wrestling and playing in the grass right outside our door.

The girls love watching all the other creatures in our backyard. We have a variety of squirrels, bunnies, and birds (red robins, blue jays, orioles, and others). You would think we live out in the country and not in the town like we do. I think because we have such a narrow backyard it forces the animals to be really close to our back door.

May Happenings

Leland's first year of preschool ended at the end of May. She had such a wonderful year, made some great friends, and had an exceptional teacher. We have been so pleased with her preschool and I'm wondering if we will be able to find one as wonderful for next year whereever we live. (The expectations are getting higher and higher for our next town we live in.) The school year ended with a singing program and slide show of the school year.

Leland was the child that waves to her family throughout the entire program. Leland was also excited that my aunt Barbara was able to come to the program as well.

Lucy being ever so dramatic because I would not let her play on the stairs.
Leland and her teacher, Ms Julie.

We are officially a minivan family. We are the proud owners of a 2009 Honda Odyssey. We all LOVE our new van, especially the girls. Expecting our 3rd child to arrive in 4 weeks (or less) we needed a vehicle that could fit more than 4 people, so now we have room for 8!

I've written about how much we love our Honda Element, so for now we still have it. We have been a one car family for the last 4 years and we have loved only having one car. We will wait to see where we live and what our schedules will be before we decide if we will go back to only having one car.

If you are in the car buying market, talk to Chuck about his strategy getting the best price. He did an awesome job. He got internet and phone quotes from all the Honda dealerships within a 2 hour radius of us and then made them work for our business. I remember him doing this when we bought our Element, too. I have no doubt that we got the best deal. When I went in to sign the papers the Honda guy says, "Man, your husband has been working me to death."

We have really enjoyed the gorgeous weather outside. Our usual park visits are just to the park at the end of our street, but recently we have started going as a family to a different park that is HUGE. The girls love it and especially love having daddy at the park with us. I love this picture of Leland helping Lucy up the hill. They are such great sisters. Leland is very helpful and protective of her little sister and Lucy just adores Leland and wants to be just like her.

One evening we took a walk along the a section of a trail that runs along the creek that runs through town. It was a gorgeous walk and then we played at the park.