Autumn in Virginia

We've had an unusually rainy fall here, but in between cloudbursts and hurricane warnings, there have been some truly beautiful days, too! 

We signed Ryder up for soccer, but it's been canceled more often than not.  I wish we could get a refund on that, actually...  Even just fifty percent, since that's how many of the games have happened?

Yes, I'm too cheap to order the actual picture.  See Ryder in the front row on the right?

Ryder also had a class field trip.  I didn't go (since they won't let me bring Camille along), but I'm friends with one of the parents (who is also the soccer coach) who went, so I got these great pictures!

Ryder and his buddy Owen

Yay for Skyline Drive!

Who doesn't love a bus full of second-graders?

Also, Ryder is weird.

Colton also had a field trip that I didn't go on (but I'm friends with his teacher, too-- I'm telling you, it pays to be friends with people!).

On the hayride with Joseph and Walter

Also, Craig started building a tree house with the kids.  We were going to put it off for a bit until we had more time and money, but then we realized that we would NEVER have enough time and money, but the kids won't think this is fun and cool for much longer.  So why wait?

The main support beams

Our whole backyard is sloped, so one end of the treehouse is only about five or six feet up, but the other side is ten feet up!

There's Ryder helping Craig

And Kendra!

Colton drew this the following Monday-- I don't think anything could have pleased Craig more!

 And of course, we've been raking leaves...

Oh, how I love this picture!

And this one!

Totally buried!

I love sunlight shining through trees, and I love the view from my kitchen

This picture needs an explanation...  I've been continuing to exercise (clocked over 2,000 minutes on my Nike app!) and last Saturday, Bentley was working out with me, and then all the little kids decided to join us while we did mountain climbers.  They worked up a sweat and peeled off their sleeper pajamas, and then proceeded to exercise in their underwear.  I looked around and thought, "That got weird fast."  Craig got the receipts.

Doing squats.  In our underwear.

Ryder named that red tree "Shockey," I have no idea why.  I normally don't think too much about it, but it sure is lovely right now.  And with that shock of color, I guess it is aptly named as well!

Happy Autumn!