2018 - Week Seventeen Photos

This week for the Hawks was pretty quiet. The upcoming week/month definitely pick up speed with a ton of activities on the calendar as we bring the 2017-2018 school year to a close - 20 school days and counting.

Monday, April 23 - Music

 The music tonight in spin class was TV show theme songs - we began with Magnum PI, heard Friends, Cheers, and even Big Bang Theory throughout our 45 minute ride...

Tuesday, April 24 - Profile

Sweet beagle girl keeping an eye out for predators - i.e. squirrels, chipmunks, leaves blowing in the wind, etc.

Wednesday, April 25 - Comfort

No doubt Mr. Gus is comfortable on the back of the couch in the sunshine...

Thursday, April 26 - Quality Time

Quality time between Daisy and RA enjoying a little TV... 

Friday, April 27 - Rule - Breaker

He refuses to sit in the swing the correct way. He said, "I like to have fun, mama. This way is fun!"

Saturday, April 28 - Nowhere I'd Rather Be

Nowhere I'd rather be than enjoying Saturday morning snuggles with these sweet boys...

Sunday, April 29 - Blooming

Amaryllis flower in the backyard getting ready to bloom! Summer is right around the corner! :-)

2018 - Week Sixteen Photos

After a weekend with a house full of family (last weekend), this week was a quiet one for RA and I as the boys spent the week at Nana and Babu's house for their Spring Break. I had a pretty lengthy to-do list to handle while they're gone, but I had a feeling I'm was going to choose to forgo working on the to-do list in favor of catching up on rest.

*Spoiler alert...I didn't accomplish many tasks on the to-do list, but I did catch up on rest and binge watched some of my favorite shows on TV. :-)

Monday, April 16 - Page of a Book

I've gotten a lot of reading done, completely caught up on laundry (didn't know that was possible for a mama of two little boys), and plan to take quite a few after-work naps in the coming days.

Tuesday, April 17 - First

Nana and Babu took the boys fishing at Mrs. Margie's sisters house on Lake Blackshear and they caught their FIRST FISH!

So proud of them! By the end of the night they had caught 10 total. Although, RF was quite upset that they couldn't take the fish back to Nana's house and put them in her aquarium. 

Wednesday, April 18 -Working Hard

Mr. Joe has a good friend that owns a farm not too far from their house, so he and RF headed over to "work" for a few hours. The "work" for RF involved getting to ride along side Mr. Bucky in one of their tractors! I'm sure he talked Mr. Bucky's ear off with a million questions, but he had the best time.

Thursday, April 19 - Day Trip

Mr. Joe and Mrs. Margie took the boys down to have a play-date with some of their cousins, a family of four more BOYS! RF and E really enjoyed getting to spend time playing with them. They played at home, went to a baseball game, visited a local park, and ended the evening with a little Chick-Fil-A for dinner. I love seeing them having such fun experiences when they are on a break from school.

Friday, April 20 - Amusing

 A little history teacher humor. My students send me funny memes all the time...

Saturday, April 21 - Reunion

So happy to see these boys! 

Mama missed her little guys!

Sunday, April 22 - Home-Grown Flowers

Seven Sisters Roses from our side yard...

Thanks for checking in on our family via our little space on the interwebs. :-)

A Ladies Trip to the Billy Graham Library

After our Mother's Day trip to the Biltmore House last year, we decided to take another trip this spring. After Billy Graham passed away we all decided that our trip this year would be to his library in Charlotte, NC. With everyone's schedule pretty busy, Mother's Day weekend was out as an option, but earlier this month Meme, Mrs. Margie, and Aunt Gale came to Covington and we set out to spend the day in NC.

Friday evening everyone came in town and we cooked a big supper of spaghetti and meatballs, bread, and salad. Everyone sat and chatted for a while before heading off to bed as we were planning to head out at 7AM.

Saturday morning we loaded up and hit the road. Mr. Joe and RA spent the day at home with the boys piddling around the house and playing outside (the weather was GORGEOUS!).

We spent the 3 1/2 hour drive chatting and admiring the scenery (not really - the majority of the drive was on the interstate...). But about 11AM we arrived at the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, NC.

Entrance to the library and an absolutely gorgeous day. 

All smiles!

A fun day with these women!

 We arrived around lunchtime, so we stopped in to the deli on the property for a quick bite to eat.

 After lunch, it was time to start our tour which began with Bessie. She told us all about the dairy farm that Billy grew up on.

 We wandered through each of the rooms that told the story of Billy's life. This room was devoted to Ruth's upbringing and time spent in China with her family as missionaries.

 A replica of the mantle and family room in the Graham house...

A good portion of the library included artifacts from Billy's life, including his briefcase and his Bible...

One of the two pulpits that traveled with Billy around the world...

 Entrance to the library looking outside...

 The property also includes the house he grew up in. It was renovated when it was moved to the property, but many of the pieces are from the family.

 Family Bible and portrait in the home...

Living room. This is also the room where Billy's casket laid as the public came to pay their respects...

Kitchen...

White azaleas in full bloom near the grave sites with a beautiful bee fluttering around...

Ruth and Billy's graves...

It was a really great day spent taking a look at a man that had an absolutely incredible impact on the lives of people around the world. And a great day spending some time with three women who I think are pretty incredible, too. :-)

2018 - Week Fifteen Photos

A recap of our week in photos...it was a busy, busy, busy (yet fun) week/weekend. :-)

Monday, April 9 --- Chaotic

A chaotic day Monday after Spring Break called for take-out...

Tuesday, April 10 --- $

 

OMG! RA noticed a suspicious charge on our checking account and it turns out that someone opened an account with an internet provider in my name using my debit card number. UGH. I spent over an hour and a half on the phone with the company trying to get it handled. Luckily, once I got to the right person (and that took five different transfers...) it was taken care of and I called the bank to cancel my debit card. 

Wednesday, April 11 --- Dream

I wonder what RF was dreaming about because very few seconds he gave a little smile. No telling with that silly boy. These two boys love to come get in our bed. I'm ok with it --- one day they won't want to do that, so for now, it's perfectly fine. :-)

Thursday, April 12 ---My Vice

Seriously, my vice. Spin class. What a freakin' workout tonight. A new instructor teaching the class pushed us to our MAX. It felt really good afterward, but during...not so much.

Friday, April 13 --- Something Funny

Watching this three year old drive the John Deere is pretty funny, but watching him pitch a fit when he was told he couldn't drive it at the highest speed nor could he run over his brother is another story. This kid, y'all. He's going to give me a run for my money. 

Saturday, April 14 --- Blessing

A beautiful day in NC I drove my mom, my mother-in-law, and RA's aunt to Charlotte, NC to see the Billy Graham Library, Homestead, and his grave. It was a day of fun and blessings getting to hang out with three of my favorite women.

Sunday, April 15 ---Choices

 For the next week, I will get to make the choice on what we watch in the Hawk house as the boys are spending the week (their Spring Break) at Nana and Babu's house. RA and I have a full week of work, but a few hours of quiet in the evenings will be nice as we get ready to enter the last few BUSY weeks of the school year.

A Weekend in the Shenandoah Valley

 With the end of my Spring Break approaching, RA and I set out EARLY on Friday afternoon for a weekend away in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The 4AM alarm sounded and we jumped in the car for the 8 hour drive through GA, SC, NC, and VA. I slept a good chunk of the way (it's what I do on long car rides) while RA listened to some music.

Jammin' out. Probably listening to Journey...

A road trip for us isn't complete without a stop at the Awful Waffle...

We made it! 

Mary's Rock Tunnel in the Shenandoah National Park...

We stopped along Skyline Drive (the main road through the park) and took a number of photos of the amazing views...

 We decided to climb to Hawksbill Summit (the highest point in the park). So, up we go!

 The view from the top!

 It was a beautifully clear day and you could see for miles!

 Shenandoah Valley...

 Selfie at the Summit!

A hawk flying above Hawksbill Summit...

We found lots of acorns for Ellis!

After Hawksbill, we hiked down to one of the lowest points in the park - Dark Hollow Falls. It was a beautiful waterfall, but man the climb back up was brutal...

We made it to our B&B which is on a farm and were welcomed by these cute guys...

We FaceTimed with the boys and they were able to see our new bovine friends...

Cave Hill Bed and Breakfast in McGaheysville, VA...

Uncle Charlie's Room...

View down the long hallway to the 3rd floor...

Front entrance...

Main hallway...

Front parlor...

Main parlor and front sitting room. The room was FILLED with memorabilia from the family as they have owned the property since before the Civil War. The house was built in 1830.

ORIGINAL 1750 land grant...

Fireplace in the dining room...

Dining room table...

 The house was decorated in vintage farm tools...

View from the front porch looking towards the Shenandoah National Park...

 We headed to a local restaurant (The Thunderbird Cafe) and had an amazing dinner followed by a nice hot cappuccino before heading back to the B&B for the night. 

Wishing this was my view EVERY MORNING while I drink my coffee...

Yogurt, fruit, and granola + breakfast potatoes and eggs in a basket for breakfast!

We wandered to a nearby town (Harrisonburg) to visit Shenandoah Heritage Market which was an inside shopping center of sorts that had an antique store, a huge fabric store, a country store, a toy store, and much more. 

Such a cool shopping location...

RA found a wall of cast iron...he LOVES to cook with cast iron...

 

Every type of flour, rice, and bean you could imagine...

Spices, too!

A Hess helicopter for RF!

And a jar of BIG marbles for Ellis! 

After antiquing in Harrisonburg, we headed back to McGaheysville for lunch at Hank's (BBQ restaurant) and then ventured over to Madison, VA for RA to pick up an auction purchase (imagine that...). We stopped at Yoder's Country Market outside of Madison and picked up some homemade strawberry jam and bread.  We drove back to the B&B through the park and it was...

SNOWING!

 

That's a snowflake, folks! In April!

SNOW!

We stopped at an Italian restaurant for dinner and watched it snow while eating!

Snow covered spider web back at the B&B...

 

More snow accumulation...

View out our bedroom window as the light snow was falling...

Sunday morning we woke up and wandered the basement while waiting for breakfast. Most of the items in the basement were original to the house and family. 

This 'weather station' made me giggle...

One of the original shutters on the house. The note hanging on it imagines everything that the shutter has seen over the years...

Vintage keys...

We said good-bye to the B&B after a yummy breakfast of french toast and bacon and began the trek home...600+ miles. Of course, our trip home involved a stop in a town to pick up an antique door RA bought from a local home restoration guy. We chatted with him and his wife and marveled at his house (that he moved BY HIMSELF board by board from NC).

SIX HOURS ON THE INTERSTATE LATER... and we're back in GA!

Beautiful sunset outside of Walnut Grove, GA...

A fantastic view to a wonderful weekend away. 

The remainder of April is pretty low-key with a few events here and there. The calmness will be nice as we get ready to round out the 2017-2018 school year in May and spend the summer preparing for RF to enter Kindergarten and Ellis to enter Pre-K! :-)