Spring Break 2016

DeAnn and her kids drove down for Spring Break last week!  We had a fun time letting the kids play and touring more of West Virginia.  I cannot believe how many wonderful things there are to see just within an hour of Charleston!  I love it here so much!

We saw Hawks Nest, New River Gorge, Cathedral Falls and Kanawha Falls.  Apparently, by May, everything is going to be GREEN!  We can't wait to go back and see it all.  Because we live here!  It still boggles my mind some days that we aren't just on vacation.  Haha!

West Virginia, we love you!

They grow TOO fast!

While cleaning out the girls' room, I found this green sleeper.  There is no little pink baby to add to the picture, but of course I had to put Claire in it!  There are no plans for another baby that we know of, but wow, how I miss Claire being the age she is in that middle picture.  So pudgy and yummy.

Okay, she's still yummy.  But just SO big and old now!  Why do they have to grow so fast?

Oh these kids.  I love them so so much!  I've been really stressed out with the job search and the move coming up, and I tend to take it out on them, which is awful.  So I've been praying for help and just really ENJOYING them.  It's been so great!

Also, I had so much fun on my trail run last week that I had to do it again yesterday.  Cathy joined me this time, and we had a blast!  I love that girl!  I treated myself to some Chilled Almond Berry Oatmeal at the Corner Bakery afterwards because I'm only going to live next door to it for less than a week, so I HAD to, right?  Right.

Summer Fun

I have been slacking on my blogging.  My goal for this summer has been to stay BUSY with the kiddos.  This is our 7th summer at the Village, and I can't just sit outside in the court with them like I usually do.  Cam needs more than that now.  He needs a fenced yard and a dog.  (Okay, it's really ME who needs that, but still.)

So....until then, we PLAY!  Lots of swimming, hiking, running, hanging out with friends.

PICTURES!!!

Christy!  My big sis and bestie for the summer!

Bear in the forest

We did an evening hike to Lake Mary.  The kids were awesome!

The crew.

I love this picture!  Yes, Joshua wore a teenage girl's jacket.  #totesfine

Sweet Tooth Fairy with Meridith and Christy!

On Thursday, June 19, Sonja and I got to push the lovely Miss Elsha in a 5K race.  It was insanely hilly and hot, so I about died, but it was a VERY special experience nonetheless.  For the millionth time, I cannot believe how blessed I have been to meet so many amazing people through running.

Hanging out with two of our favorite people, Sonja and Chris (and puppy Callie!)

Claire is cute! That is all.

Pouting.

This weekend is RAGNAR!!!  I'm so excited.

Sisterly Run

My "little sis I never got to have", Laura, came to town from Calgary for a few days last week.  I was so happy when she asked me if we could go for a run together.  We drove up Emigration canyon and ran back down.  The colors up there were gorgeous!  We chatted nonstop while we ran 5 miles.  It was so great to catch up!  It's been well over a year since we have seen each other.  We are the same pace, and I wish so badly that we could run together all the time!

The weather has been so beautiful lately, and I am soaking up these perfect Fall mornings because they never last long.  Nate ran 8 miles down this canyon this morning, and I'm running it again with Ashley in the morning.  I ran Bonneville yesterday, and I literally had to stop a few times JUST to look at the leaves and how vivid the colors were up close.  A husky dog also came running up to me at the top of the trail, and I loved on him for a few minutes while I chatted with the owners.  He was so gorgeous!  I wanted to keep him.

Miller Park

We took the girlies to Miller Park yesterday morning.  I know I've posted lots of pictures from this park before, but I can never get over how beautiful it is.

Afterwards, Nate and I got to sneak away and play tennis for about an hour.  We haven't played in so long that our rackets literally had a layer of dust on them.  We actually played better than we thought we would though, which was fun.  Nate killed me with his awesome serves, but I got him back with my not-too-shabby backhand.  Hopefully we can play again before another several years go by!

Some fabulous friends are visiting!  More on them tomorrow...