it's been awhile

Hi.

It's been awhile, huh? About 18 months in fact since my last post here, but it feels good to be back and writing with my sisters in this little corner of the Internets. A lot has happened since then - some good, some not so good as one would expect in life - and I will attempt to highlight some of the good things for you today, as we get back up to speed here on this little blog.

The biggest change, of course, is my ever growing children who just insist on getting taller and more independent by the day. And although I keep looking at them and thinking, "How dare you GROW UP right before my very eyes in my very own home! How rude! You are supposed to stay my babies forever and ever!" what I keep saying is, "Look how wonderfully you are growing up right before my very eyes, here in our very own home! How amazing! You will always be my babies forever and ever, but you are growing into the best big kids I could ever ask for." (Insert heart-break emoji here.) Although they had a tough time getting along this summer (that four year difference has never seemed so big), individually, they are wonderfully sweet, loving, silly, thoughtful, hilarious, kind children who make me proud to be their mama.

Tommy turned 11 this past June and has really come into his own at school. He had amazing teachers for fourth and fifth grade who prepared him well for his first year of Middle School (!!!) that began just yesterday. He has chosen some wonderful friends who I hope will all stick together as they figure out this first year in a new school. He still loves his legos, is having a great time playing his second year of travel soccer, and the drum lessons he started last December helped to secure his spot in the percussion section of the 6th grade band. I am so proud of him.

Go #16!

Annabel turned 7 just a few weeks ago and continues to absolutely LOVE going to school. She has had the BEST teachers so far and has another amazing woman this year for 2nd grade. She also has the sweetest little friends, and although they all got split up this year, I am hoping that she will seek them out on the playground and also branch out and make some new friends. She loves her new American Girl doll and takes her everywhere we go. A few weeks ago she started her 5th season of rec soccer and will begin piano lessons again in a couple weeks. I am so proud of her.

After the rainy parents v. kids game last June.

In addition to growing like weeds, Tommy and Annabel have turned into really good, adventurous hikers. Talk about a dream come true! And proof positive that if you make your child do something often enough he will (probably) eventually come around and start to like said thing that you are always saying, "Come on! Let's go do this fantastic thing that I love and want you to love with me!" Taking our kids hiking has always been a priority (whether they liked it or not) and has just recently become something that they love to do, too. Last summer we headed up to Bar Harbor, Maine for a glorious week of cool temperatures, lobstah rolls and mountains. We went on some really great hikes and the kids were amazing.

Since they did so well in the summer of 2017, we decided to go for the gold in 2018 and took them up to Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. We had another glorious week of cool temperatures, delicious food and mountains. As we headed up the Tuckerman Ravine trail I wondered if this would be the trail that made them decide to stop liking to hike. It was rocky and steep and when we connected to Lion Head, it was boulder hopping straight up the side of the mountain. Would they love it? Would they hate it? I was afraid to ask. But when we got to the top, they were all smiles, so proud of themselves, and asking us to point out where the Appalachian Trail was so they would recognize it when we "hike it as a family" after Tommy graduates from college. That sentence went straight from Tommy's mouth to my rejoicing ears. YES! Let's aim for the AT. Our secret plan (take them hiking until they love it so much they want to hike the AT) is working. High five!

One other notable addition to our lives and our home is, as Carrie mentioned on Monday, a pool. We had so much fun picking it out and designing the deck and beautiful stone wall around it, and have had even more fun swimming in it with friends and family all summer long! Easily one of the best decisions we have made in our 14 year (!!) marriage.

There are lots of other stories to tell (I made a sweater! We went camping! I made another sweater! I got a new job! I made another sweater!) but there will be lots of time for all of that in the weeks to come. For now, I'll just say thanks for meeting us here at WeThree once again, and I look forward to getting back in the habit of writing and sharing about our life in central Virginia.

Happy Wednesday!