Happy in the Suburbs!

We are so happy that Laura and Andy decided to move from Chicago to Virginia!  In addition to not having to worry about their family freezing in place at any moment in future Chicago Winter Apocalypses, Arlington is so much closer and now we can drive there!  We left on Thursday and stopped overnight about halfway near Virginia Tech (where Ray studied long ago) then arrived on Friday. 

So good to see the boys again--they've both grown so much!  Lincoln is so tall now and is such a polite young man.  He and Pepe had fun playing video games about warships and airplanes--right up Pepe's alley--and Gus and I had fun playing Wiggleworm--he played the part of the Wiggleworm and I just tried to hold on as he did 360s in my arms and used me as his mountain in a climbing expedition!  He is so cute!  He makes you work to get a smile out of him, but when that big grin breaks out across his face, well, it just warms you all over--he is the cutest little guy. 

He isn't crawling yet but he's found a way to speedily pull himself across the hardwood floors.  He's the silliest thing--wouldn't he have to be to be part of this family?  His favorite thing now is to grab a clump of your hair and pull.  He is all boy. 

We had fun going to dinner, watching soccer, visiting the farmer's market, and Laura took me on a quick driving tour of Washington, DC.  And I swear that Marine One flew right overhead, delivering Obama to some important engagement.  But most fun was just playing with the kids.

Very fun trip but the drive home yesterday was very long (8 1/2 hours straight) and through 3 very heavy thunderstorms, so we are wiped out today. 

 

First, a Bluebird visiting before we leave our house:

 

 

Ray's old building at Virginia Tech:

 

 Scenes from my super quick driving tour of DC:

 

Two sweet grandsons:

 

 

This is Gus:

 

This is Lincoln:

 

This is an old photo of me and Laura when she was about 2--everyone keeps telling us that it looks like LAURA with Gus or Linc!

 

 

 

These photos (of me and Laura) show the strong resemblance, too:

 

 

 

 

 

Sweet photos of Laura and Linc:

 

Typical scene with Pepe and Linc--all involved in some videogame battle:

 

Then Linc decides to design an aircraft carrier:

 

Now even Gus wants to get involved:

 

Helping Mommy in the kitchen:

 

Gus was fascinated because Pepe had no long hair to pull!

 

Linc and Oscar:

 

 

Linc pulling a fake-sleep on Pepe to delay our leaving:

 

 

Andy and Laura:

 

Sweet Little Gus:

 

 

Linc pouting and waving goodbye from their porch:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ghostly Squirrel and Farmer Squirrel

New visitors at the homestead today--and such a treat--it's a WHITE squirrel!  This area is known for its white squirrels and they are quite rare.  He's just enjoying the corn we put out for them, along with the gray squirrels, the turkeys, and the beautiful pair of doves, that I have yet to get a photo of. 

 

On particular gray squirrel we call our farmer squirrel--he bites a kernel of corn from the cob then runs away and digs a hole and covers it up to save for later.  No doubt we will have a full yard of corn come September.  :-)

 

 

 

Visitors at our Front Door

Haven't posted in a while and just have a few photos and videos for today.

First, Otis and Russ the last time Russ and Katie visited:

 

...then, Mr. & Mrs. Cardinal during their last visit:

 

...and from today, 2 turkey ladies and their 5 adorable little newly-born chicks!!!