We're back!

After a long hiatus from the world of blogging, we're back with lots of pictures and videos to share! In early October, just before heading to Aunt Ki-Ki and Uncle Jeff's Denver wedding extravaganza, our computer had a major meltdown. Now, one month and a new hard drive later, we finally have it back (thanks to Uncle Jeremy!) and are now ready to add lots of new things to Tommy's blog. I'm in the process of uploading all the wedding and Halloween pictures, so for now, here are a few videos: Tommy and his jack-in-the-box; Tommy dancing at Rhythm and Roots; Tommy singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

This past weekend, we packed up the car again and headed south to Gatty and Uncle Ralph's for the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion - a fantastic weekend of bluegrass music in the birthplace of country music! GG and Dee Dee met us on 81 to head down and listen to the music and watch Tommy cut a rug. The four of us had a fantastic weekend visiting with Gatty, Uncle R., and Brett, wandering State Street, listening to the Belleville Outfit and others, and eating fried oreos. Tommy was his usual dancing self and impressed the local news channel's weather girl who happened to sit next to us after introducing one of the bands. Too bad she didn't get her cameraman to come film him for the 11 o'clock news! Think Shawn would have if he was there :) Rhythm and Roots has become a tradition for Tommy and I as this was our third year in a row, making Tommy a regular since the year he was born. Another great weekend in Bristol!

Cotton Plains Farm

Since we've been in Virginia, we've had the opportunity to visit so many family members. Instead of being an entire day's drive away, we're now within 4-5 hours of most of our family which is an easy trip for a weekend...or even a day.

A couple weekends ago, Tommy and I packed up the car and drove the 2 hours southeast to beautiful Cotton Plains Farm to visit Gussy and Uncle Joe. Here's a list of some of the things Tommy got to see: brown dogs, a barn full of kitties, a very old (and very skinny) horse, real (and huge) John Deere tractors (!!), cotton plants, watermelons on the vine, carrots being pulled out of the ground (a root vegetable, unlike spaghetti), bees making honey, crabs in the mud, and the list goes on. Here are some things he got to do: ride the John Deere gator (not interested in riding those big tractors yet), pick veggies to his heart's content (we will NOT be returning during harvest time!), pick his very own corn cob that he still carries around with him, dance on the giant trailer, run run run by the corn and the cotton, touch the soft cotton bolls still attached to the plant, and the list goes on. So you can bet that he loved every minute of being at the farm and can't wait to go back again!

Here he is trying to pull the silks off of his ear of corn, standing on the trailer, and running in front of the cotton field with (or away from) Belle. And for the record - he DID like the dogs.....just not when they were barking :)

Vermont Vacation Part 1

Our Vermont vacation began at Mimi and Pa's house in PA. Tommy played in the pool, chased everyone with the hose, played trucks with Dee Dee and Bear, got some new John Deere's at the craziest store I've ever seen, and enjoyed spending time with the Pennsylvania gang. (That last picture of Mimi and Tommy with the cow at the Quechee farmers market somehow snuck in with this group, but actually belongs to Vermont Vacation Part 2.)

Vermont Vacation Part 2

First, we travelled to Quechee to Sarah and Greg's beautiful wedding at Seaver Hill Farm. We don't have any pictures to prove it, but the bride and groom were gorgeous, the view was amazing, and Tommy was a dancing fool! So glad we were able to celebrate with everyone! After the wedding, we headed to Plymouth where we spent a few days at Bethany Birches Camp with Brandon and Amber. Since it was the last week of camp and B&A were pretty busy, we headed out for a hike in the beautiful green mountains. While heading up the Deer Leap Trail near Killington, we actually ran right into the AT and followed the white blazes for a few steps before they veered off in another direction. Tommy loves hiking as you can plainly see from the third picture below.

Vermont Vacation Part 3

After the fun and festivities, we headed back to PA to spend a couple more days at Mimi and Pa's house. What a great vacation!!

Every once in awhile, something happens in life that seems to warrant a pause. A moment in time where everything stops and remembers.

We will always remember. Love you, Grampa.

Sun, Sand, and Saltwater

Because of our move and the upcoming trip to Denver for Aunt Kiki and Uncle Jeff's 2009 wedding extravaganza, we were only able to make it to the beach for one day this summer. We sadly had to miss the Butler vacation week, and there ended up not being a Stables vacation week. So a couple weeks ago, a few of the Stables ladies and me and Tommy headed to Sandbridge to soak up some sun and saltwater. Lucky for us, we made the trip on a beautiful sunny (and HOT) day amongst a week full of rainy cool days. Tommy started out a little nervous about the waves, but by the end of the afternoon you'd have thought he was part dolphin by the way he was jumping in the waves and running all around at the water's edge. We had a great time - just wish we could have stayed a whole week!

Robin, do you recognize that dump truck?? :)

Updates and... updates (start here!)

While trying to post a million pictures at once in order to update all you blog readers on the exciting adventures of the great and widely travelled Tommy, I had some trouble arranging the photos in the right order. So instead of making one giant post, I made several smaller ones. Please scroll down to see all posts titled "Updates and... updates." Hope everyone is well! Next up on the blog will be Tommy's day at the beach and our trip to Vermont. Check back for more pictures of Tommy's adventures!

Updates and... updates (cont. again)

Recently, we joined Pa Pa and Jean at the James River State Park for a couple days of campfires, swimming, canoeing, S'Mores (Pa Pa's first!!), hiking, and grilling. I'm happy to say that the Williams' boys didn't burn down our cabin while cooking dinner :) This week, we're heading to the Rappahannock River for a couple more days of fun! Hopefully pictures will be posted in a timely manner... no promises.