A new kind of bike ride

On Sunday Elena and I went for a Sunday bike ride (Jake is building pigeon coop version 3.2).

It was really nice (but made me also really sad for our long rides on Sunday in Utrecht, mostly just for Utrecht - or maybe it was for the flat topography...). The fall colors have started here and the trees were beautiful. Elena wanted a pictures of this tree on campus for you.

Here she displays the leaf she selected.


Then we road out the Huckleberry Trail - which is paved and if you replaced hills with windmills and quadupled the number of bikes we saw, it could have sort of been like the Netherlands.

We stopped for a snack (of course) and on the way home we went by the vet school fields and visited some horses. Elena has since put 'horse' on her Christmas list (which I've forbidden even though Jake is now lobby to get a family pony - he's always wanted a horse and is always looking for an excuse).

As for me, well, let's just say that after riding for 2 hours with 30 lb todder on your bike in the Netherlands you feel sort a nice exercised feeling, sort of refreshed. In Blacksburg your thighs burn like hell from getting up all the hills.

Holy Pumpkin Patch Batman

3 year olds + hayride + pumpkin patch ='s madness!

Last week Elena's school went on a field trip to a local pumpkin patch (actually dusty field filled with pumpkins). Elena was really excited that Caroline got to ride in our car. We all clapped to Springsteen during the drive (Ok, they clapped, I drove). The kids had fun on the tractor hay ride (elena bit uncertain, as she usually is about new things) and then it was to the no-pet petting zoo (the people need a little dutch treatment as elena proclaimed - but I could pet Bella and Dona! Yes dear, but this is america and they are fearful of lawsuits if the pony bites your finger off). Then the kid all hunted pumkins (or figured out that if you start them rolling the would knock into each other and start an impressive cascade down the hill and all the adults run after them to try to stop them before they smacked into the fence.)

Here are Elena's new buddies.

Apple of our eye

We decided to try to pick apples today. I've been wanting to pick apples for a while, but it kept getting put off. So today we had our directions to 'you pick Virignia apples' and headed off toward Roanoke. Turns out our first stop was a bust (pre-picked apples. As if! We came out for good family apple pick'in fun and that's that) so we drove up over the Blue Ridge parkway to another orchard. I haven't been on the parkway in years - and it was such a flash back. I expected at any moment to come upon either my geology classmates crawling over an outcrop or my cross country team mates running...reality check was finding a nice pull off with good bushes so my three year old could go pee. The fall colors have barely started (we were too focused on apples to stop for pictures). So we arrived at the Peaks of Otter orchard and winery (we aren't sure about the grapes - the wine appeared to be more of the wine cooler variety) but they had apples! Only one variety still on the trees, though, 'little yellow ones.' There were lots of prepicked apples in crates - but we came for apple pickin - so we bought our little half peck prepaid bag and headed off in search of apples. Luckily the trees were still full and the fruit was low. After we tasted an apples and proclaimed it very sweet and perfect for sauce and baking, Elena said, 'Apple sauce?' I said, 'yes, we can take these and make apple sauce.' She started jumping up and down and yelling like she won the lotto - 'But momma I LOVE apple sauce!!!!!!!!' For our fruit bat, it was in fact like winning the lotto. Apples are so much fun to pick, you fill up your bags so quickly. Then we headed back and picked out a bushel of apples from the crates and bought 4 gallons of real apple cider. Not that pasterized crap, as Jake says. What a bargain, too! I bought a half gallon at the farmers market yesterday (not certain we would find the 'real stuff again') for $7, but we could get a gallon for $5. They all went into the freezer for later this winter. The drive back was a bit long (there was a wreck on 81). But Elena finally fell asleep. It's not as relaxing or as much exercise as riding the train and walking in the Netherlands, but it was nice. Now, I've got to read about how to preserve apples!



Elena and I watch the bees eat the droppers. We bought some honey in the store. She was facinated with the bees and kept saying 'but bees don't like to share their honey...right?'


How cool can you look while picking apples?


See, family fun.

Fall in a college town

Means watching night time games, cuddled under blankets, and sipping hot cocoa.

On Thursday we went to the women's soccer game to watch the game against Clemson. We were also there to see one of 'Maggie's Momma' (the head women's soccer coach) and ran into Uly and his poppa. Elena and Uly shared a blanket and shared hot cocoa (no photos as all three parents were involved in the 'don't spill while we yell for the Hokies' event. Uly got cold at half time, but elena stuck it out. The Hokies scored in the final 4 minutes to tie the game. We left after the first over time (elena was still announcing that she wasn't cold or tired and wanted to stay) at around 9pm. We all went to sleep in our warm beds with the smell of the fall air still in our hair.

The AT

For some that means the Appalachian Trail but on Sunday for Elena it meant Applalachian Treasures. After a tasty pancake and bacon breakfast to load up for our long day, we headed off for our first family hike along the AT. We'd picked a grueling route, 0.6 miles to the Wind Rock lookout. We had two snacks, lunch, and a juice box for supplies. Luckily, we all made it. Elena took her backpack and trucked right along the trail, stopping frequently to get 'treasures' for her bag. Rocks, acorns, and sticks were popular. As was peeing in the woods. We made it to the look out and spend a nice hour or so sitting in the sun, watching the turkey vultures smoke down the valley, and gazing into West Virginia. We were not alone in our idea on the warm (80 degrees!) fall day. A few of the leaves were just changing. We hope to return in the 'crisp' weather.

A few favorite photos of the day.

A 'Grand,' long weekend

Nana and Big Opa came for a visit! They arrived very late Thursday (or should I say very early Friday morning). Elena and Jake went to school in the morning, but soon I arrived with the Grandparents. Elena was excited, but also overwhelmed (she'd seen nana before we left, but not big Opa). So there were actually some tears. I think just didn't quite know what was happening. But after a little calm down time on the play ground, she gave them the full outside tour of her school.


Then we met Jake in his office for lunch (with chocolate milk!) and took the building tour.

That afternoon Nana and Big Opa were on babysitting duty, since it was the 100th anniversary of the department and there were 'events' we were 'expected' to attend. While we were smoozing at the cocktail party, they raked leaves. What a deal!

On Saturday we took them around campus and to the farmer's market. Then we hung around the house working on little projects (Jake got his pruning done, and yes, he feels MUCH better now). Elena showed off our park and let Opa check out her fancy ride in person.


Jake and I got spiffed up for the 'gala dinner'

and left Nana and big Opa in charge. (there was icecream for dessert, we heard).