Adventures with Momma

Crossing an un-natural bridge at Natural Bridge State Park.

Gathering Leaves

Gathering Leaves

Spades take up leaves
No better than spoons,
And bags full of leaves
Are light as balloons.

I make a great noise
Of rustling all day
Like rabbit and deer
Running away.

But the mountains I raise
Elude my embrace,
Flowing over my arms
And into my face.

I may load and unload
Again and again
Till I fill the whole shed,
And what have I then?

Next to nothing for weight,
And since they grew duller
From contact with earth,
Next to nothing for color.

Next to nothing for use.
But a crop is a crop,
And who's to say where
The harvest shall stop?

- Robert Frost, 1923

"May I please stay one more minute?"

Virginia Beach

We took River on her first vacation last week away from home. It felt like our first vacation as well since it had been eleven years since we have taken one. Simply put; the wait was worth it. We all had a wonderful time.
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Naturally we were concerned how River would take the long ride in her car seat but she traveled the distance like a pro. On the way home we stopped only once in nine hours for River to enjoy a Happy Meal. Perhaps the next time I will ask her to drive.

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Don't let the Surfer Girl image fool you; River didn't really care for the ocean itself but she LOVED the beach. It was all about the sand as far as she was concerned. The boogie board saw more action in the hotel room with me dragging her back and forth on the carpet while she giggled uncontrollably.

. You don't always know at the time when you are making a cherished memory.. but sometimes you do. This is one of those times when we knew for certain.

. River was lucky enough to have her picture taken with a good lookin' lifeguard. Oh, wait a minute.. that's me.

. One of the many seagulls who either wanted you to give them food or just get the h#ll off of their beach.
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We kept hearing an odd thumping sound in the trunk for the first 200 miles but it eventually faded away. We had originally thought that the luggage was uneven but, much to our surprise, Memaw Marti popped out of the trunk at a rest stop in West Virginia. As it turned out, she was a godsend and a blast to vacation with. (She rode in the backseat on the way back home.)

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Jo: The Planner, The Budget Maker, The Navigator. The.. Everything. Thank you Sweetheart.

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She worked really hard to get those toes in the sand.
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River took her sand construction work very seriously.

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Naval vessels were always just offshore and military jets always overhead. Virginia Beach must be one of the safest stretches of American coastline. God Bless America.

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There is nothing more comfortable.

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Hurricane River destroys a beachfront town! News at Eleven!

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Sunrise on Virginia Beach, 09/09/10, 06:44am.

It is easy to forget how blessed we are to live in such a beautiful country. Remind yourself once in a while and just get in the car and drive. Our land is a treasure that I hope River never takes for granted.

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Stolen Moments

Don't Worry Baby

This is probably going to date me but I listened to a lot of The Beach Boys as a child. It was one of my Father's favorite groups. We even saw them in concert.

I guess it was no surprise when River was brand new that the only songs my extremely tired brain could come up with to sing to her in the middle of the night when she would cry and I, being a new mother, didn't know why, this song would always float to the top.

Who would have thought that it is a comfort song for her now? She loves it.

Know how I know?

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Well its been building up inside of me
For oh I don't know how long
I don't know why
But I keep thinking
Something's bound to go wrong

But she looks in my eyes
And makes me realize
And she says "Don't worry baby"
Everything will be alright
Don't worry baby
Don't worry baby......

"Single Babies"

A spontaneous performance that was cut short by the mesmerizing attraction of a popsicle.
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Spring 2010 Photo Round Up

Here are some miscellaneous photos taken over the past few months in no particular order.

Jo and River outside Perry Park's Glenwood Hall on Mother's Day 2010.

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Relaxing at Aunt Cathy and Uncle Michael's House.

.Having a good time with Aunt Cathy.

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Standing beside the B29 "Bockscar" at Wright Patterson Air Force Museum. This is the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945..

.With Mommy, standing beside a Gemini space capsule.

. Enjoying refreshments at the Wright Patterson Air Force Museum's cafeteria.

. Trying to negotiate a little more time in the pool.

. Operating some heavy equipment at the Duke Energy Children's Museum.

. Acting as Foreman in the "Quarry" at the Duke Energy Children's Museum.

. Toy shopping with style.

. Hanging out with Lightening McQueen.

. Spending quality time with Reagan and Daisy.

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Mother's Day 2010

When it comes to Mommies, River has one of the very bestest in the whole wide world! (She is also a pretty good wife too!) We're all in agreement; We'll keep her!
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Happy Mother's Day, Jo!
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March Photo Round-up

River graduated to a "big girl swing".

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Bruises and bumps are sure to follow. Such is childhood.

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It's true! Pets and their owners DO begin to resemble each other. Jo and Daisy have the same stare!

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Lunch with Granny Collier.

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Mmmm, chicken fingers and fries!

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Playtime!

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Daisy must endure the "cone of shame" after getting "fixed".

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Have you ever seen such pitiful face?

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River LOVES to Swiffer! (I added this one for Gretta.)

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Under The Weather

Last Friday Jo began experiencing admominal pain and ended up spending the weekend in the hospital. The hospital staff graciously allowed River to pay her Mommy a visit. Her big blue eyes and smile was the best medicine she received during the entire stay.

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March 7th, 2010

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November 3, 2007 - What a difference 28 months makes!

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