Wednesday, June 12, 2013

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!

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

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.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

365 Project: Week Fourteen


A blooming orchid in honor of my father-in-law's birthday.
 


Dash running down a hill in our front yard.  The boys are loving all the outside space to play.



The boys and I spent the afternoon exploring the hill behind our house.  This is our neighbor's bamboo grove (iPhone photo).
 


There are two enormous boulders down the street for us, and one of us has a built-in puddle every time it rains.  The kids like to put their boots on and stomp on it.



Having some fun on the playground at the local elementary school (iPhone photo).



Mr. E had to take a big test on Saturday.  Spoiler alert:  He passed.
 


Signs of spring in the front yard.  Spring was very late this year, but once it kicked off things got green very quickly.

Friday, May 24, 2013

365 Project: Week Thirteen


MORE snow.  I got up on Monday and went to NoVA for the closing on our Virginia house.  I had to stop by the house first to pick up the mail and drop a couple of things off, so I was able to spend a little time walking through the empty rooms and saying goodbye.  A few tears may have been shed.



On Tuesday I packed up the kids and we left my parents' house for West Virginia.  It was a surprisingly emotional drive for me:  sad because we were leaving Virginia and our life there, and happy because the four of us were finally going to be together again.  Despite more snow (!) in the WV mountains, the drive went smoothly.  It was fun to show the boys around their new home.



First breakfast in the new house.  The boys learned their way around quickly, but there was a fair amount of "Mommy, where are you?" during those first few weeks.



They enjoyed rediscovering some lost toys that were found during the unpacking.



After just two days of unpacking, we hit the road again.  Mr. E's dad had a big birthday, and we drove to Illinois for the festivities.  I think we're somewhere in Kentucky here.
 


With Ah-Mah and Ah-Gong at the big party.
 


Playing with some new toys on Easter morning.

Happy three-day weekend!

365 Project: Week Twelve


 For over two years, I'd wanted to get a picture of the boys in their double stroller.  I kept putting it off and putting it off, and I finally did it literally as the person I was selling the stroller to was on her way over to take the thing way.  So here it is.  Farewell, double stroller.



This was our last dinner in the old house.  The packers were due to arrive the next morning.  My brother and sister-in-law came over and we had pizza amidst the chaos -- oh, and finished off the wine in our fridge.  Dash was feverish and clingy and I felt like I was being pulled in a million different directions, but looking back it feels like a special moment.  And even though this picture seems random, it perfectly captures the evening for me.  (I suppose I could have taken a shot of Dash throwing up all over the bathroom a few hours later, but let's stick with this.)



Packing day.  After the crew arrived in the morning I had the kids say goodbye to the house and then I drove them down to my parents', where they were going to spend the next few days.  To my surprise, by the time I got back to the house in the middle of the afternoon, the crew was finishing up.  So in the midst of this crazy week, I had the unexpected gift of a long evening to myself.  I took a shower, a nap (unheard-of luxury!), and had a relaxing takeout dinner. 



The moving crew on Thursday was even faster than the packing crew had been.  The house was empty by noon.  Mr. E had come back late the previous night, and he and I cleaned up a bit, grabbed lunch, and headed to my parents' to drop off their car and spend a few minutes with the boys.  Then he and I hit the road for Charleston.  We actually passed the moving van with all our stuff on the highway that night!



Moving-in day in Charleston.  Same boxes, different house.  I supervised the unloading while Mr. E was at work. 



Mr. E and I spent the day in Charleston setting up the boys' rooms, doing some basic unpacking, and waiting for our new washer and dryer to arrive.  Meanwhile, back in Virginia, my dad took this picture of my mom and the boys.  I think Dash is only fake-crying.



On Sunday I took the train from Charleston back to my parents' so I could be at the closing for our Virginia house on Monday.  There were delays, so a trip that was supposed to take under eight hours took over ten (it would have been five in a car).  It snowed much of the way, so it was a pretty trip.  But I'm not the world's biggest fan of trains and I was beyond ready to be out of that one.  I took this with my iPhone after I staggered off.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

365 Project: Week Eleven


Aunt Em came for a visit to help me pack.  Here she's working her magic on a chest of drawers with the "assistance" of the boys.


Just a week after the big snow, daffodils.


 Breakfast, complete with last night's towel.



Tuck close-up.
 


Another good-bye visit from a sweet friend.



Egg salad and arugula on rye.


Selection Sunday for March Madness (screenshot from my phone).  We usually watch the selection show, but Mr. E had just spent the afternoon packing up our TV so I followed it on Twitter this year.  This was the beginning our own March Madness -- moving week -- so I saw far less of the basketball tournament this year than usual.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

365 Project: Week Ten


Playing together.


The weatherman was calling for snow, so the boys and I headed to my parents'.  They were about to begin a kitchen renovation and their new cabinets had just arrived.  Tuck climbed right in to test them out.

 

The snow didn't disappoint:  over six inches in March!  I snapped this shot from my warm seat inside by the fire.


New planks on my dad's barn.



Tuck being able to eat baked milk has opened up a new world of snack possibilities.  Goldfish!



Saturday morning snuggles with Daddy.



On Sunday we met some friends at the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center.  It's a great place for young kids to explore.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

365 Project: Week Nine


Lunch.  Grilled cheese and avocado.



It got a little lonely just me and the boys, meal after meal.  So I took them out to dinner a few times.  Here we're having Italian.


"Fishing" with Grandpa.



Dash makes a teenager face.



Bedtime teeth-brushing session.  



We had a bunch of people over on Saturday to say goodbye.  This cutie is the son of my best friend from college. 



Dash inspects Bumblebee, a new favorite toy from his aunt.

Happy Tuesday!