Let's Go Bowling!

 On anyone else, bowling shoes look ridiculous :)

The kids each earned a coupon book from the summer reading program at our local library.  There are fun coupons for water parks, mini-golf, ice cream, and bowling!  Alex wanted to pursue his bowling belt loop and this was the perfect opportunity.  We reviewed how to hold the bowling ball properly, how to pick one out that is just the right weight, manners, scoring, etc.  He, Abby, and I played one game and the scores were all very close, which tells me I need to work harder on my bowling game.  Abby needed no help hoisting her 6lb ball up onto the ramp and shuttling it down the lane.  Alex choose not to use the ramp this time and instead threw the ball properly each time.  Thank goodness for bumpers!

Yard Work

 

Something cool we learned when we moved here is that you can drive to the giant recycling center here in Fairfax County for free mulch! You can also bring all of your specialty recycling products there, like motor oil, antifreeze, batteries, refrigerators, etc. The place is HUGE! Given that we need gobs and gobs of mulch, the free option was an attractive one. We lined the trunk with a tarp, at the suggestion of friends, and it worked! We backed right up to the pile, shoveled it in and drove off. After two trunk fulls, we probably need about 20 more!

Potomac Nationals Game

 Scout night at the Potomac Nationals Game started out rainy, but everyone was pumped up for the camp out on the field to follow the game.

 A little rain can't slow us down! 

Here we are...forgetting just how long nine innings can take!

Setting up the tent on the field after the game

There were thousands of people there, and just as many ready to set up their tents on the field post-game.  The kids stuck it out through the whole game, ran the bases, watched fireworks, walked to the car to get all our "gear" for the camp out, and low and behold we'd forgotten the tent poles.  You know how when you buy a tent, it comes in a bag the size of a cosmetic bag?  We'd stuck the tent poles in an adjacent box in the carport storage area but only grabbed the tent when it was time to leave.  It happens.  The kids were upset for a minute, but once we set up their smaller tent at home in the living room to "camp out" at home, all was fine.

Fairfax Water Mine

 Catching up

 Little Juliet was a trooper all day!

 Sarah and Peter's son Ben is getting so big!

 Abby in her signature shades

 Alex floated around the lazy river no fewer than 20 times all day

The Fairfax Water Mine is located inside Lake Fairfax Park.  Our friends Peter and Sarah were in town visiting family with their adorable little ones, Ben and Juliet.  We met up at the Water Mine for a picnic and afternoon playing in the water.  Sarah's sister was able to join us with her two children as well as our friend Kate and her kids.  It was a super fun, super tiring excursion.  Brad met up with us in the afternoon which was helpful as Alex went one direction and Abby went the other.  We strapped this life jacket onto Abby and she was good to go, floating around in the lazy river without a tube!

Popcorn!

Alex's Cub Scout Pack is selling popcorn.  We let him put his uniform on and sell to the neighbors one night after dinner.  Of course, Abby didn't want to miss out on the action.  She rode her bike to each house with him and waited patiently in the driveways.  He's already exceeded his goal with a few weeks still to go, what a great salesman!

Fairy Party

Abby's friend down the street, Audra, had a fairy-themed birthday party a few weekends ago.  Audra's mom took these pictures and sent them to me.  She said Abby had a ball!  They even got to keep the tutu, wings, pixie dust, and a handmade fairy house! 

Theodore Roosevelt Island

Friends of ours were heading over to Roosevelt Island last Saturday and invited us along.  Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States, and this island, nestled in the Potomac River in D.C., is a tribute to his dedication to conservation.  Roosevelt loved nature and the outdoors and this memorial is very appropriate.  As you approach along the Potomac, on the George Washington Memorial Parkway, the island is very unassuming with nothing but a small parking lot and a footbridge nearby. 

We looked at turtles from the riverbank before (and after) traversing the footbridge onto the island.  No bikes, no cars allowed on the island.  There are wooded trails around the island with a monument of Teddy Roosevelt in the center of the island.  The large statue is beautiful and surrounded by a series of fountains.  The fountains/water features were unfortunately damaged during the earthquake last year and have yet to be fixed.  We look forward to going back once they are fixed as I'm sure it is a much different experience than this time when our kids took turns listening to their echo under the bridge where water would normally be running through.  Perhaps a little more serene :) 

It was exceptionally quiet out there, despite being in the middle of Washington D.C..  We all enjoyed a snack in the shade and the kids played hide and go seek.  There were few people there.  Given the temperatures in the 90s, all of the shade on the island was a welcome relief from the full sun at the pool or other monuments in the city.  Such a gem nestled in this fascinating city!

Lunch at the Winery

 RdV Vineyards, view from the vines

 Checking in on the chickens and picking veggies for lunch

 Learning the difference between grapes for making wine and grapes for snacking

 Picking tomatoes, view of the winery in the background

Abby cut flowers for a centerpiece

Aunt Jackie was nice enough to have us out to the winery where she works for lunch last week.  It is hard to put into words just how beautiful it is out there.  Delaplane, VA is about 45 minutes from here and there are numerous wineries out that way.  We walked down to the garden to get eggs, flowers, and veggies for lunchtime.  After lunch we rode through the vineyard to take a look around and the views were spectacular.  Alex's favorite part is the wine cave in the basement of the winery, while Abby really enjoyed spending time in the garden.

Tennis Superstar!

Alex is really enjoying tennis this summer!  We are excited that he's found a sport he is excited about and plan on letting him continue indoor lessons during the fall/winter months. 

The Door Project

 Door #1, linen closet

Also, this shot gives you a good feel for how narrow the hallways are here in these homes.  There were several houses we looked at buying, but there would have been no way to get our furniture through the upstairs hall to the master bedroom.  A few times I remember our realtor asking "How attached are you to your furniture?" 

Ahh, the simple things like putting laundry away without waking up the whole house! 

 Lots to be painted, and painted some more!

During Grandpa's most recent visit, he and Brad tackled the door project.  Replacing all the original flat doors with six-panel doors seemed like a simple enough task.  The closets upstairs also have metal doors which make a lot of noise every time they are opened and closed.  We removed the metal linen closet door within a week of living here as it was so loud.  Brad's Dad painted the doors during the day then he and Brad worked on installing them in the evenings and over the weekend.  With the help of several borrowed tools, they were able to cut the doors down to fit into the settled and slightly warped existing frames in the house.  Currently they are all hung, door knobs installed, and raw edges painted.  We are pleased with the look and it was a relatively inexpensive update to the house.  Many thanks to Fred for the hours of painting in the heat!

What June, July, and August Are For...

 Popsicles during adult swim

 Picnics in the living room (with the sharks!)

 School supply shopping for second grade

 Hmm, more popsicles, different day

 Rocking the diving board and touching the bottom of the 12' end

 Playing board games (moving these from the basement to plain view in the new house has been a really smart move)

 Dressing up to make dinner

 Finally filling the sandbox, even if it is on the front porch

Playing vet/doctor before breakfast is even served