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| A jedi youngling discovers her father's lightsaber. |
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| Beware the Dark Side.. just like the cat. |
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| "I find your lack of peanut butter and jelly.. disturbing." |
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.
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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.
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River was lucky enough to have her picture taken with a good lookin' lifeguard. Oh, wait a minute.. that's me.
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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.
She worked really hard to get those toes in the sand.
River took her sand construction work very seriously.
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.
There is nothing more comfortable.
Hurricane River destroys a beachfront town! News at Eleven!
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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Buzz Lightyear arrived a few days later on our doorstep like the conquering hero. River squealed when she opened the door to greet him..
One by one they came. Not in boxes or wrapped in paper but by the front door or simply waiting to be discovered while sitting on the sofa or resting on the mantle because.. well.. it's rude to wrap old friends up in boxes and paper.
The lessons of the Toy Story films seem to have not been lost on River; Appreciate your friends, Take care of your toys and Play nice. We've enjoyed taking advantage of the opportunity to teach her these lessons and have a little fun too.
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Buzz and Jessie reunited with the help of River.
Barbie, Ken and Etch dazzle with their spelling skills..
A shocked River shortly after she discovered Jessie on the sofa.
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The Potato Heads enjoying a little romantic time.
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Did you know that potatoes float? (But they're not very happy about it.)
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Stretch prefers to spend his time in the pool.
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After each new arrival River would ask when Woody was coming. Sometimes she would direct her question to her mother or I and sometimes to Buzz and the other toys. Finally he arrived last Monday bringing the great Toy Story migration to an end. He was waiting in her car seat for her when I came to pick her up at daycare and you would have thought Santa Claus himself had been waiting there.
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Jo and River outside Perry Park's Glenwood Hall on Mother's Day 2010.
Relaxing at Aunt Cathy and Uncle Michael's House..
Having a good time with Aunt Cathy.
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.
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Trying to negotiate a little more time in the pool.
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Operating some heavy equipment at the Duke Energy Children's Museum.
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Acting as Foreman in the "Quarry" at the Duke Energy Children's Museum.
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Toy shopping with style.
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Hanging out with Lightening McQueen.
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Spending quality time with Reagan and Daisy.
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River graduated to a "big girl swing". 
Bruises and bumps are sure to follow. Such is childhood.
It's true! Pets and their owners DO begin to resemble each other. Jo and Daisy have the same stare!
Lunch with Granny Collier.
Mmmm, chicken fingers and fries!
Playtime!
Daisy must endure the "cone of shame" after getting "fixed".
Have you ever seen such pitiful face?
River LOVES to Swiffer! (I added this one for Gretta.)
She has her baby, her purse and is all dressed up and ready to go shopping!
River and her mini-cart have become quite popular at the local grocery store.
Not only does she have fun but it wears her out. Big naps usually follow.
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