VIRGINIA!!!

Okay, Virginia does very much so still have a home-y feel for me. I braced myself for the humidity to  be a shock since it's been a while since I experienced an east coast summer, but surprisingly I enjoyed it. Luckily the 100% humidity days passed right before I got there. Don't get me wrong, I still felt the moisture every time I stepped outside and running in it was weird, but it was a welcomed experience. 

Plus, when you see how green everything is you kind of forgive the humidity a bit. The trees have so many branches and all the branches have so many leaves and even the trunks end up getting swallowed by kudzu. Virginia is just dripping with green. If I didn't love it, I think I'd be bugged by it. I can see how some people from the west might feel claustrophobic there. I mean, where in the world are the mountains, right?! The mountains are a huge part of getting your bearings in Utah. In Virginia you feel like you're in a jungle, even on the highway, but I like it. Even hearing the cicadas was a comforting sound.

I used this tree in front of my house for a science experiment in middle school. I tied little yellow ribbons around three different branches and I had to measure the branches over the course of the school year to track their growth. It was neat to track and I never did end up taking the ribbons off out of laziness, so eventually the tree grew over them. You used to be able to see the ends sticking out, but now they have been completely swallowed up in the branches.

I woke up when I wanted to (*bliss*) and I got to go on a couple of runs while I was there. I didn't want to pass up feeling like a running goddess since it was supposed to be a lot easier with the altitude change, but the humidity threw a curve ball at me. I mean, I'll be the first to admit I'm a sweaty girl, but I wasn't a few minutes into my run before I could feel the moisture on every part of my shirt. My legs actually felt slippery. I had a good laugh at myself.

From my runs:

My old elementary school where my mom still teaches!

I had to take this picture to try to capture what I mean about Virginia dripping with green.

Best for last. Obviously the best part about my stay in Virginia was the people.

I got to go to lunch at Clyde's with my parents and all of my siblings my first day there.

Okay, Mom is actually very good at this. Who would have thought? I tried to amp up my game after she got her first few 2's but there was just no beating her! Burt was the only one able to out-do her.

Rebekah had to dig a couple balls out of the shrubbery, but we still like her.

Talia had to nurse Eliza right after, bummed we didn't get everyone in the picture!

My first time meeting sweet little Eliza! Holy hair, right?! This is after Talia cut a couple of inches off too! She is such a sweet, calm, go-with-the-flow kind of a baby. I never heard her cry. She amazed me!

After golfing I went to Rachel's cute new townhouse to help her and Burt get ready for the family to come over for dinner. I loved the colors in her dinning room, she has a good eye for decor.

Henry was a real charmer while we were there too. He got a kick out of leading us in clapping and you can even get him to raise the roof when you say, "Henry, party in the house!" It was hilarious! Best baby trick ever. 

His noggin got a couple of really good bonks over the course of dinner though, poor boy. A highlight was after the first one when good-natured, concerned mother Rachel said, "Burt, do you think he needs to go to the ER??" and all my other siblings just started busting up. Through his laughter my brother made a comment like, "Well, I guess you can tell who here has more than one child!" 

This joke came to mind:

First baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you

can go home and wash and boil it.
Second baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with
some juice from the baby's bottle.
Third baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.

Speaking of David, he and Talia have such sweet girls. I already mentioned Eliza, but Clara and Kathryn had me swooning. Clara is another one who is just so incredibly entertaining to watch and listen to. Her latest thing seems to be pretending to be a jaguar (who have spots with rosettes around them, not just spots she'll have you know) so I'd often catch her slinking around on her hands and knees, purring, or doing this:

Kathryn is darling and so. stinking. smart. We went to the museum at Fort McHenry where she gave us a list of her top 5 wars. Aren't you supposed to have a top 5 barbie princesses at that age or something?? Watch out world, Kathryn is already in the think tank!

She also drew me these while I was there, and they haven't stopped making me smile.

What's a trip to VA without some true Terry bonding time? (aka some sort of historical site)

I really enjoyed learning about Fort McHenry though and it's a place I hadn't been before. During the War of 1812 the British tried to capture Baltimore, but this fort kept them at bay and they had to give up. Francis Scott Key was watching the battle from the harbor and was inspired to write the Star Spangled Banner because of his experience there. (Do I sound smart? I'm trying to catch up to Kathryn.)

Some random photos my dad took, I think because he was just so excited about the weekend. I probably owe 50% of the photos on this post to him.

Rebekah left on Sunday to get back to her family. This is right before we said goodbye. We tried to get a good shot, but really there was always something awkward and we decided we just couldn't be helped!

Rachel smells great. I can't figure out why I keep looking like I was trying to maintain distance.

When I finally come in closer, poor Rachel gets lost. Oi!

*heart squeeze!*

My last night we all went to Red Robin for dinner.

And celebrated accordingly.

(!)

Before I caught my plane the next day I was able to stop in at my old dance studio, which has continued to thrive in the last 8 years. Wow, it's almost been a decade. I saw two of my old teachers, a bunch of bun heads, and it was a fun blast from the past. Then we spent some time with Talia and the girls before Mom dropped me off at the airport.

It was a wonderful trip and needed on several levels. I'm so grateful for Jayce giving me the nudge I needed to do something like that. I'm excited to have my family with me next time too.