oh virginia, we missed you!

It's been about a year and a half since we've made the (usually twice a year) trip to Virginia, so we were extra happy to be able to get there this year for Thanksgiving.  This gathering includes all of B's mom's family...starting with all of her mom's siblings (there were 10 kids in all) and trickling down 3 more generations.  There are a lot of people there!

On the way, we went through the alphabet and offered thanks.  It is sweet and funny to see what the kids come up with :)

Before going to Granny Tolley's, we visited one of our favorite places right down the street.  The mountains and river and bridge are gorgeous!

At her house...the prettiest creek runs in front and beside

The fun hill behind the house

Just one room of many that are filled with people.  This year, we sang a hymn instead of saying a blessing before Dinner since it was easier for everyone to hear.  It was beautiful...

After eating, we visited a bunch!  The kiddos had so much fun with all the Georgia cousins and with Mammaw's iPad.  ;)

We got back to the hotel late and they crawled into bed/cot and crashed immediately.  It was the first time Garner slept in a big bed with everybody in a hotel.  So cute :)

We headed out to Lexington the next morning to meet everyone at the park.  Grabbing some breakfast first :)

So nice at the park...big open fields for the guys to play ball, a fun playground and good time for grownup visiting too :)

Most of the Georgia cousins...

Mammaw's family pics :)

Afterwards, we headed to grab lunch and lost the big two to the cousins' table and then beyond.  They spent the rest of the afternoon with them and we headed back to Granny's to nap Garner...

Our kids asked a lot of questions about this special house this year.  "Why do we call it Granny's house if she isn't there anymore?  How many years did she live there?"  etc etc.  We asked around and found out that she first started living there in the 1930s and lived there on and off until she passed away in 2007.  It has had many renovations and holds more stories and memories than we will ever know...and we love being there :)   

We put Garner down for a nap there with some sweet aunts and went to hike up Lone Tree Hill.  On the way, we saw setup for the evening's fireworks in the side yard!  Thanksgiving Friday nights are not to be missed here :))

The creek on the side...it is all so amazingly beautiful!

After half of the steep climb, I took a pic looking down...

...and the rest of the way up!  Poor Lone Tree must have been struck by lightning this year :(

We made it!

The panoramic Shenandoah views.  Spectacular!

Loved having a quick afternoon date :))

The house filled up quickly again for the evening meal and festivities!

Charlie and Uncle B :)

Food and fellowship...

...and fireworks!

And the evening ended with a bluegrass band in the barn...so fun :))

Loved this shot of Mammaw dancing :)

And cuties Uncle Kenny & Aunt Nancy

All the men sang some karoake (and did well!)

And B and I enjoyed the view with Garner...

We didn't want to leave, knowing that we would be heading out first thing in the morning from the hotel, but we knew that we finally had to when we found Garner like this ;)

In addition to countless other blessings, we are so thankful for a precious couple so many years ago who led a family well and passed down such great tradition and strong sense of family.  Our kids really started talking about their memories and love of Virginia this year and it made me smile, remembering hearing all of that from B when we first met 18 years ago.  I hope it always stays that way :)))

art night

Since I have no artistic talent at all, I am so glad my kids have annual art classes built in at co-op.  They learn so much and have a great time doing it.  We finish fall semester the week before Thanksgiving and were able to see some of their work displayed and gather for dinner and awards.

So impressive!

With 39 families, I think we have close to 200 people when all are present!

Their art awards...

We're so proud of them and thankful again and again for such an incredible group!

garner's 3

Our BABY is 3.  I'm so grateful for the blessing of being home this time from the beginning.  We have cherished her growing and changing and perhaps babied her a bit too much, but it has been so nice.  I know that it will be hard to remember all of the cute things she has said and done, and we haven't been able to document nearly as much, but I can truly say that we have enjoyed it all in the moment(s).

Although she was confused about how old she was after having her birthday party early, we took one last 2-year-old pic on the 15th.  Her eyes and lashes and that dimple...oh my :)) 

At 3, she is a funny, quirky, moody, smart, cuddly, bossy, well-spoken, really cute, stubborn, sweet mess.  She is a completely different person at home than anywhere else...so animated and silly and talkative!  With anyone in public though, she is very shy and not so friendly...mostly staring them down and refusing to respond to their greetings or questions if we are around.  If she is at church or school without us, she is a champ.  We look forward to her feeling comfortable enough to show others her happy side more, and hope in the meantime that they understand.  ;)

She has the cutest voice and lisp that makes us all love to hear and watch her talk.  It's hard to remember what the other kids sounded like at this age, but I'm pretty sure it must be the most fun for cute kids' talk.  She does something hilariously different than the others though, contradicting herself mid-sentence ALL the time.  For example, "I hot, mama, cause I cold" or "I so full and hungry!"  Combine it with the voice and lisp and it melts us all into hysterics.  She's also the one who says "thank you, Mama" and "you're pretty, Mama" and "I love you" etc. out of nowhere and it melts me.  Oh, and she answers "yes" or "no" questions in complete sentences like she's been listening to Gehrig's writing lessons...really funny and so big. 

Her favorite toys are books and baby dolls.  She is such a little mama, putting her babies to night-night and in timeout and asking us to remember to be quiet while they're resting.  She loves doing her "work" while the bigs are busy with schoolwork (she has a cute preschool curriculum I found online that helps with letters and vocabulary).  She knows most of her letters, counts into the teens, loves to sing and pretends she's reading all the time.  She's for sure a lefty, the only G who's taken after Daddy. 

On the charts, she is average for weight and petite in height.  Still with a cute round belly and more baby-looking than the others at this age.  Her hair is finally growing in some and she wears it mostly in pigtails due to the length in the back (and still shortness on top :)).  One of our favorite gestures is her constantly reaching to smooth it back on the sides, like she's putting it behind her ear, when she says something growny or is on a mission.  Her eyes and lashes bring constant comments and have been used well by her to get her way when needed.  We are learning that we have to reign in the babying just a little to keep her from being too rotten...and she is not happy about that!

The sister relationship with Greer is girly and fun and a little dramatic.  Greer can stir up a little strife and Garner is currently responding mostly with shrieks and whining, much to our dismay!  They are super cute together though, playing dressup and mama/baby, coloring and reading together.  We pray for a tight-knit bond for them.  She and Gehrig are snuggle buddies.  She totally has him wrapped around her finger and gets her way most of the time when he is nearby.  Thankfully, she is becoming a little more independent, not wanting to be held or carried ALL the time...but when she does, she knows Gehrig is the one that will always give in to her.

I love hearing her talk about Bible stories and ask questions and am so thankful for all that she knows and learns already from the bigs and church and co-op.  Her most constant comment about Jesus is that He is the one that always takes care of her. "Right, Mama?"  She starts every prayer with "Lord God..." and says "I have so much fun at church!" every time we go.  So so thankful for everyone there!!  They know that the way to make her feel comfortable right away is to offer to read her a book and we so appreciate their willingness to know and love her well.  

She would go home today with her co-op teacher, Mrs. Rebecca, and is sooo excited when it's co-op day.  She came home one day, telling me how much she loves co-op.  When I asked why, she said, "the old lady."  I worried that she was referring to her cute young teachers and asked what the old lady's name was.  She replied, "the old lady that swallowed the fly!"  Mrs. Rebecca makes the books come to life for them there and does the cutest projects with them.  :))  At preschool two morning a week, she has sweet Mrs. Lisa and Mrs. Relo and always hesitates for a moment to go in, but ends up having such a great time.  I am so glad for the opportunity for her to spread her wings a little bit, even though I always miss her!

She still has her paci and lovey and will have them for as long as I can see.  Her sleep continues to be wonderful at night and naptime, and I can't bring myself to change anything!  I also just may be okay with that one last piece of baby life sticking around, if I'm honest. ;)  I could go on and on, but it's already so wordy!  I'll wrap up with that day's pics...

We had school, co-op and nap on her birthday and then headed out to eat for a birthday dinner.  On the way, the big kids said, "Hey Mom, did God paint that for Garner's birthday today?!"  And it was so incredible...

We enjoyed Moe's for dinner and then yummy cupcakes...

...and a few gifts :)

Such a fun, relaxing time.  You sure do make us smile, Garn...a LOT.  We love you and are so glad that you are ours!  Happy birthday!!

favorite field trip

A sweet local couple who worked in education for decades put their heart and soul into creating an authentic one-room schoolhouse after their retirement.  Now, they allow students to come for a day and experience school as if it were 1912.

Gehr looked so cute and grown as we arrived :)

Front steps

Absolutely beautiful inside!

We learned all about daily chores and home life for the first little while...

Seriously, SO cute.

Camp, Gehr & Gench

Lining up for school!  Boys on one side, girls on another ;)

They stood politely before reciting the pledge and praying.

Adorable :)

She hung with Mama or played outside with the other littles...

The schoolmarm started with a language arts lesson, using the Word as her textbook.  She taught us that back then, they learned to read just so that they could know what the Bible said.  Wow :)

They were each given real slates and slate pencils to record their math answers...

...and quill and ink to practice handwriting.

The younger grades went out to wash up for lunch...

...while the older grades received a little more instruction (mostly character building and scripture memory work).  Loved watching...

Washing up now too

Cute cups and pails for lunches

And the outhouse ;)

Recess!

And chore practice for anyone who wanted to try any of several options...

Group pic after lunch

Spelling Bee!

Gehrig won!

Best buds

I can't describe how precious the whole day was.  It was definitely hard work to live in 1912, but also simple and appealing and so much more open to the Lord.  It's hard not to wish we had lived back then...or maybe that today was just more similar to those days.  We are so grateful for an opportunity to learn and experience this time period, even just for a few hours.  And we loved learning from and spending time with Mr. & Mrs. Holt... we told them that we just may show back up at their place for Sunday lunch one day :)