365 Project: Week Twenty-Two

Memorial Day.  I got this flag for Mr. E years ago and we've never been able to display it until now. 

Gotta have shades for yard work.

Let's just say that there's been a lot of peeing in the bushes this summer.

Mischief.

On Friday we packed up the kids and headed back to Virginia for a weekend stay.  We arrived at the farm around dinnertime and of course I got out my camera.

Saturday Mr. E and I left the kiddos with my parents and went to a wedding in Washington, Virginia ("Little Washington").  The festivities were at the famous Inn, and of course everything was amazing and over-the-top and completely perfect.  Good friends, good food, good wine -- and a beautiful sunset over the mountains just as the dancing started under the stars on the outdoor dance floor.  If only every Saturday could be so luxurious.

While in Virginia we got to experience Brood II of the 17-year cicadas in full effect.  The shrieking was unbelievable, and the sheer number of the bugs in the trees -- and dying on the ground -- was a bit gross.  But overall it was neat to see.  Crazy to think that the next time they come out, Dash will be 20!

365 Project: Week Twenty-One

Fun on the scooter.  Tuck got it for his birthday last November, but he hadn't shown much interest in it until recently.

 

Haircuts on the back deck = nakedness.  (Truthfully, it's all I can do to keep clothes on them in warm weather, haircuts or not.)

 

Sweet smile.

 

Our next-door neighbors have a son who's right between Dash and Tuck in age.  He's a great playmate.  We love the friendliness of our neighborhood.  We have more contact with our neighbors here in a month than we did in a year in our old house.

 

New redbud leaves.

 

I got a my bling-y light fixture for our front hallway!  It's the Margeaux ceiling mount from Ballard, and I'm delighted with it.

Dash working on a construction project on a Sunday afternoon.

365 Project: Week Twenty

Tuck's first day of potty training!  (Note the beverage by his feet.)  He did great.  It is awesome not to be dealing with diapers anymore.

 

Dash outside.

 

Playing with the hose.  Endless source of entertainment.

 

 I think I was bribing Tuck with goldfish to get him to hold still for this picture.

A little post-breakfast drawing session with the chair as a desk.

 

Mr. E and I re-assembled our giant Expedit bookshelf -- we'd been advised by the movers that it wouldn't travel well assembled.  The kids had a great time playing in it before we stood it up.

 

Petunias.

365 Project: Week Nineteen

Hanging basket out front on a rainy Monday.

Block robot.

My parents arrived for their first visit at the new house.

Watching boats on the Kanawah River with Grandma.

Spring wreath on our front door.

Grandma and grandsons.

Dash helps with the lawn.

365 Project: Week Eighteen

My precious Dash.  I love this picture.

 

Azaleas in front of our house.

Sweet Tuck.

 

This looks like a lovely wildflower meadow, but it's just a big patch of weeds behind our house.  Our backyard is just a rocky mountainside, and right now the landscaping there consists of a few shrubs planted long ago and whatever weeds have sprung up.  It could be a lovely hillside garden, but it would take a ton of work and I'm not sure I have it in me at this point in my life.

 

Superhero Tuck stands watch at the front door.  I *love* having a storm door.  I keep the big door open all morning to let in the light.

 

Lilac -- one of the aforementioned shrubs on our hillside.

 

A foot race on the driveway.  Tuck was just beginning to run back in May.

365 Project: Week Seventeen

Watching Daddy leave for work in the morning.

 

Lamest photo ever!  This is the wallpaper in our master bath.  I don't hate it, but Mr. E isn't a fan of the extreme pink-ness so it'll probably be replaced at some point.

Dash wearing heaven-knows-what.

 

Hostas!  It's been so fun to see what's come up in our yard this spring.  The small garden area right beside our front porch was totally barren when we moved in, and now it's packed full of these luscious green beauties.

Tuck scaling a low wall in our backyard.

 

This was a big day:  We converted Dash's crib to a big-boy bed!  He was almost three and a half so it was well past time, but he'd never tried to climb out and seemed happy with the crib so we dragged our feet.  He was so proud, and he's done great with it.

 

Horsing around in my laundry basket.

365 Project: Week Sixteen

April means my favorite flowers:  grape hyacinths.  I dug up some of the ones in our Virginia yard and brought them with us.  They were originally wild ones from the farm and they smell so much better than the cultivated ones.  I hope they survive in their new spot.

We had a whole lotta work done on our basement:  new drains and sump pump.  It was paid for by the sellers as part of our purchase, and we hope it'll keep things dry down there.  But wow, what a muddy mess.  This was the scene in my laundry room on day one.

 

Dogwood blossom in afternoon sunlight.

 

It's a tower of little boys!

 Tuck-face in the bath.

We spent Saturday in Virginia at my cousin's wedding.  My mom made the cake.  Isn't it pretty?

On Sunday Mr. E broke in his new lawnmover!

365 Project: Week Fifteen

 

Taking the cars out of the garage for a spin.

 

 

Tuck in a bunny hat.

 

 

It was a gorgeous day and we went downtown to have lunch with Mr. E at his office (iPhone photo).

 

 

Little flowers on the hill behind our house.

Tuck exploring the yard.  I think his outfit was chosen by his big brother.

 

Cherry blossoms in our neighbors' yard.

 

Mr. E removed a wasps' nest from one of the front windows.  He had an audience.