Capon Springs

We played hooky on a beautiful Friday to fly down to Virginia to meet Katy, Brad, Lyla, and Charlie at a resort in West Virginia 

but our first stop was Cedar Creek & Belle Grove Plantation NHP, site of an 1864 Civil War battle that secured the Shenandoah Valley for the Union. As a new NPS site, the Visitor Center was located in a strip mall next to a dry cleaner but the kids learned enough to earn their badges. 

The meals were yummy comfort foods with a special treat, lunch dessert

Brad ate 2 breakfasts a day

 The sun came up late in the holler, but when it did the days were gorgeous

Let's see: Almost heaven,

West Virginia

Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River...

Paparazzi shot of Erin and Charlie lounging on the pool deck. Props to the kids for braving the spring-fed 64-degree pool. 

Sports of leisure were plentiful, and shuffleboard was a hit with Dave & Katy while badminton was the draw for Lyla and Caroline

At the bonfire sing-along, the winner of the big pumpkin weight guess was announced: Charlie Harris!  

The kids drank their hot tea in the mornings 

 Gymnastics on the golf course

 Swimming in October - brrr

Fall 2016

During the summer the girls practiced biking around the block to the point where Erin finally became competent enough for expeditions. This forced us to find a new bike to Caroline, but then we were ready for the Minuteman Battle Road trail.

The kitties health continued to be of concern, especially Max's kidneys

He never used to do this 

We survived the maze and the crowds 

Tessie is actually a help around the house

Hunting crayfish at the Old Reservoir. We caught a baby catfish. 

Rainy day shoe shopping 

Our computer room is now the Lego-arium for Caroline and Erin's imaginations

Topsfield Fair had the usual baby chicks 

Rare birds such as mallard ducks 

and a 2000-pound pumpkin 

a chance to pet calves 

and eat giant pickles

That Merida hair was worth every penny

The Axe Women of Maine sported some seriously sharp hardware and chopping skills

The purpose of this playing this song was not to expose the kids to Decembrists lyrics featuring vocab words like "prevaricate","fey", and "sibylline". Tessie latched on to the song and specifically the word "honeydew"