Back in Virginia

We started Marathon in a Month the day after we got back from France, Friday the 06th. We did one extra mile on Sunday (just walking) which made us caught up with our friends the Lenox's in Texas.  We are running more of our miles around a lake in the Forest Lakes subdivision this year as it is easier to feel Lydia is safe there.  In the past when we ran on our road we typically had Mark and I running with them so one could be with Jared and one with Lydia but Mark is unable to run much this year with his airport schedule.  So we are spending some good time at the lake each day.  Jared and Lydia are doing really well.  Jared started out running 2 miles each day for the first 5 days or so but has now backed down to one mile each day which works just fine.

 

Lydia and I trying our our new shoes. Hers are actually from last March or so.  We got a great deal on them at the Nike outlet here but had to wait over a year for them to fit her.

Friday night I went to a friends baby shower and had a great time visiting with friends and celebrating this sweet friend. We ended up being double booked because Mark was asked to speak at a youth event at church.  I really didn't want to miss this shower.  This sweet friend has been waiting many years to have a baby and I am so excited for her.  We decided to copy the idea of our old Bishop in Colorado Springs and have Mark take Jared and Lydia to the church with him and have them watch a movie in his office.  It worked beautifully.  They were happily contained in his office so he could socialize with people at the dinner (it was a teacher appreciation dinner which is a really nice idea for an activity, it was a bonus that Mark is a teacher too) and not have to make them sit through a dinner they would have been bored at. And it would have kept him from having a good time too as he would be worried about how they were acting/feeling. The only flaw was how late they got home.  I got home around 9:00 and just beat them!  I did not think the dinner would last that long. Two years ago I never would have dreamed of going to the shower and letting them stay out that late but now that they are older it hardly mattered.  Not that I am going to regularly let them stay up that late but on occasions like this it is just fine.  Mark's calling definitely "invites" us to do things differently than we previously had. They even both slept in the next day.  Jared till about 7:20, yes that is sleeping in for him, and Lydia till 7:45. I was really happy that it worked out.

Saturday morning we took Jared and Lydia to Jump for Jared's good friend Marcus's birthday. His family rented out the whole building and we had a great time jumping around and celebrating Marcus.  That was the main activity we had planned for the day but after we got back home the day quickly filled up. It was fairly warm out Saturday so as we were driving home Jared and Lydia asked if Mark would spray them with the hose.  He did that while I did some preschool work on the back deck.  Eventually Jared decided to go into the woods to explore and I set the water table up for Lydia.  Shortly after that I got a text from a friend telling me about a coin show at the local Elks Lodge.  She knew how much Jared loved coins and was so kind to tell us about it. We considered all going to the coin show but decided to have it be a date for Mark and Jared instead.  I had heard about an event at Ivy Creek and decided to take Lydia on a date to that.  Mark and Jared left and then Lydia and I headed to Ivy Creek for their "Farm days".  We made fresh butter, planted seeds, made a nature window hanger, learned about bees and tasted different honey's, milked a cow (mechanical) and made a bird feeder.  After Ivy Creek we headed to Wendy's for a frosty.  We both love chocolate frosty's with french fries so I ordered us each a junior frosty and an order of junior fries and the cashier only charged me for the fries.  When she said the total, $1.08 I checked to see if she got the frosty's and she said they were on her.  It was really thoughtful. Both those things were great fun but since some clouds had moved in we decided to go to a playground we don't go to often to finish off the date. I loved getting to hang out with Lydia and know she appreciated it too.  Mark had made plans to play tennis with a friend at 3:30 so we left the park to meet them at home. Jared would have stayed at the coin show until it closed if he could have, he was in heaven.  While we were in France the one souvenir he really wanted was some old French money.  We were unsuccessful in finding him any but he found some at the coin show! He was thrilled.  Mark said the people at the booths were really kind and happy to have a younger coin collector to talk too.  It was a perfect date for him and Mark. Sadly no pictures of Jared and Mark and more than we needed of Lydia and I, (it was a cool event with tons of good activities) but lots of good memories made. Its good to be back in Charlottesville.

Fresh butter. 

I loved learning why the honey was different colors and tasting the differences.  Bees are pretty fascinating and according to Lydia terrifying. She has come really far from those horrible Spring days 2 years ago when she refused to go outside for a month.

The perfect salty/sweet combination. 

I'm not sure what she got all over her, most likely grease from the "elevator" but it just shows she had a great time!