Catching up...October and November photos

Hannah's CC class - science experiment - permeability through an egg.
Caleb taking a brief snooze in his stroller.

Caleb - 2 months old already!

Gammy, Hannah, and Justice

Connor and Patriot

Daniel

Go Connor!

Daddy is one of Connor's coaches

Last game...Kyler and Connor (left)

Daniel's CC science class - dissection of a crayfish.  Stinky!

Daniel scored 2 soccer goals!

The whole family is here - Gammy, Poppy, Aunt Shannie,
and Mr. Chris are all visiting for Daniel's 5th birthday party!

Ashley and Hannah got their ears pierced for a belated birthday gift from Gammy and Poppy!

Happy 5th Birthday, Daniel!

Beautiful -- and healthy -- eggs from Liberty Farm...

We renewed our Colonial Williamsburg Good Neighbor's Passes -- what a great deal!

Bonfire with some friends...

Love this Japanese Maple next to the front porch!

Happy Birthday, Scott!

Caleb - 3 months... What a precious smile!

Poppy (Dawn's Dad) wanted to try out the tractor....I think he's having fun!

Dawn's sister, Shannon, holding a chicken for the first time.  Chris is overseeing 

Ashley and Alexander the Great, our not-so-nice rooster.
Ashley is experimenting with some dominance exercises...

Yummy cupcakes, Daniel!

We're also celebrating Dawn's mom's birthday (Gammy)...

Yummy hay...

Connor's CC science class - dissecting an owl pellet.  Hmmmm, what did this owl eat?

The boys are dressed up for the Smith Memorial Harvest Party...
a baseball player (that was hard!), a colonial drummer, and a cute calf!

Caleb has found his fingers - not sure which he prefers yet...

We took the kids to the Romney rally at the Newport News airport.  Signing his bus...

We ran into some friends from church while there....

Training Caleb early in conservative ideals and patriotism...

Mitt's plane just landed...on the tarmac...

Welcome to the jungle...

Our jungle...I mean, garden...Things got out of control this year!
What a MESS!  We'll try to do better next year!

The chickens are finding some good stuff to eat though...

We forgot where exactly we planted the potatoes...so...we decided to bring out the big equipment - first to cut the weeds, then the bucket (front-end loader) to dig for them.  We actually found quite a few potatoes!

Soccer and Montpelier...

Daniel's first year playing soccer.  This is his first organized sport.

Hannah and Daniel

Our first time to President James Madison's home, Montpelier, in Orange, VA.
Fourth President of the United States (1809-1817)
*****
"The advice nearest to my heart and deepest in my convictions is that the Union of the States be cherished and perpetuated."  -- James Madison, 1834

Outside the visitor's center

"The happy union of these States is a wonder: their Constitution a miracle:
their example the hope of Liberty throughout the World."  -- James Madison, 1829

Caleb's longest car trip so far - about 4 hours round trip...
He's doing great!  7 weeks old...

Back of Montpelier

The temple

I LOVE this tractor and hay wagon!  I want a hay wagon just like this one!

Celebrating Constitution Day

Montpelier:  Home of the Father of the Constitution

Ashley...the "Chicken Girl"...The chickens and guineas love her!
She is always taking them compost from our kitchen and they love it!

Our six guineas.  We let them loose about 2 weeks ago and they are doing really well staying on our property so far.  In fact, we think that they think they are chickens!  They stay with the chickens and are scratching just like the chickens do - much to my disappointment.  Guineas are not supposed to scratch, making them suitable for insect control in gardens.  However, these guys are acting just like chickens!

Daddy, Caleb, and Burgess - a rare sight around here...(Daddy taking a nap)...