After years of talking about it, we finally went apple picking this fall. Friends suggested two orchards in Markham, Virginia—Stribling and Hartland. Both are literally right off I-66, just before Front Royal. We chose Stribling, if only because they had a slightly better website. Apparently it was a good choice, because the orchard was packed. We weren’t entirely sure what to do, so we just parked and started filling up bags of fruit. Eventually someone handed us an apple picker, which was much easier than raising the kids on our shoulders—although we did have to supervise use of the apple picker, lest Henry and Vivian whack themselves or some poor stranger in the head. The setting was lovely, with picturesque views of the Shenandoah mountains in the distance. In less than an hour, we had filled several bags (those bushels fill up quickly when you have two eager young helpers). We decided to quit before things got completely out of hand (how were we going to eat all that fruit?) and had a picnic lunch in a clearing near the orchard. Everyone agreed it was an enjoyable outing and well worth a return visit next year. Below are pictures from our apple-picking adventure:
Click here to find out what we did with the surplus apples.
Mimi and Paw Paw visited at the end of August (just as Henry was starting school) and joined us on a little mini-vacation to the Shenandoah Valley. We rented a cabin outside of Luray, Virginia over Labor Day weekend and took in the local sights. First up was Luray Caverns, which was much bigger (and busier) than any of us expected. It took over an hour to walk through the meandering cave complex. The next day, while Mimi and Paw Paw explored Skyline Drive, we visited the indoor waterpark at Massanutten Resort near Harrisonburg. The waterpark was quite nice—comparable to Great Wolf Lodge in size and attractions. Henry really enjoyed the lazy river while Vivian had fun splashing around in the toddler frog pond. Back at the cabin, we fished in the nearby lake (Vivi caught her first fish and was extremely proud), watched for deer on the front porch, and made s’mores around a campfire. The cabin also came equipped with a hot tub, which we used for an evening soak under the stars. Sadly, our weekend away, and summer itself, came to an end all too quickly, and we were soon back on the road to Washington. The kids asked when we could return to the cabin. Maybe next time, we’ll visit in the fall when the leaves are turning.
Henry started Kindergarten at St. Mary’s in Old Town Alexandria in August. After several weeks of ordering uniforms, assembling school supplies and picking out the perfect backpack (dinosaurs!), the big day finally arrived. Henry got to preview his new school on his birthday. Elise reported that he was a little shy upon meeting his new teacher—Ms. Guidry—but warmed up when he spied some former classmates from St. Anthony’s. On Monday morning, we all drove Henry to school together, and Elise escorted him inside. Henry seemed apprehensive but readily joined his class when the school bell rang. Below is a video of Elise and Henry walking into school together:
We weren’t sure what to expect (having had some rough transitions in the past—see Transitions), but Henry managed to do just fine—much better, in fact, than we anticipated. When Bryant picked him up after the first day, he seemed happy and even a little excited about the start of school. One difference we noticed right away: Henry really misses his afternoon nap and is exhausted at nighttime. During the first few weeks, he was asking to go to bed right after dinner. Of course, starting a new school has been an adjustment for all of us. Unlike daycare, we can’t arrive late, which means a concerted effort from everyone to get out the door on time. And then there is the uniform rotation to keep track of: PE uniform on PE days, dress uniform on Mass days, and summer uniform the rest of the time. We packed Henry’s lunch for the first few weeks. Recently, he has been buying his lunch from the cafeteria (we loaded some money on an account and they debit whatever he buys). So far, Henry seems to be making relatively healthy choices (yogurt, fruit, cheese and the occasional hot meal). Carpool pick up and drop off can only be described as madness, but we’re slowly getting used to the system. Henry is a big fan of aftercare and seems to prefer those days when we don’t pick him up right at dismissal. Apparently playing Legos with his friends is more fun that hanging out with mom and dad. All in all, a relatively smooth transition. And although we fully expect further adjustments in the weeks and months ahead, we couldn’t be more pleased and proud with how Henry has begun the school year.
