Home to Utah for Sister Time

I LOVED being in Utah for a few days at the beginning of the year to be with my sisters and Mom. Of course my Dad and brothers too, but I was there for our annual sister's retreat. It was heaven. I enjoy almost everything about Virginia (including and most especially the mild winters, being surrounded by history, and the green everywhere) - but I miss my Utah snow covered mountains, hugs from my Dad and Mom, late nights with my sibs, and home-cooking. There's just nothing quite like it. I got all of that in a few days. I also got to play for 'Music and the Spoken' word on Sunday. That was also like heaven to see my 'musical family' that I haven't seen in a while! I could not believe when Nate's ENTIRE extended family came to watch. It was one of the sweetest things I think I've ever experienced! His Uncle Dave even drove from Colorado Springs to be there. I really am a lucky girl to marry into that crazy Freeman family :).

So this waffle is what we got for breakfast on our way to the airport (January 1st). Happy new Year!! Nate told me that we had to try the 'Waffle House' because it's an iconic place in the South. So it's kind of a tradition we have to go to breakfast before one of us leaves I guess (we've only done it twice now haha). We held true. Mason and I shared that one - and can I just say that I still have moments when I crave that waffle? It was .... so good.

Me and my little travel companion Stanley :). He did amazingly well! I wish I could sleep anywhere, like he does!

 

Williamsburg

Williamsburg was amazing. Part of me wishes i lived during that time - until I remember those things like hospitals, and modern conveniences like hot running water and cell phones. It was so simple though - so sweet in so many ways. I loved how it was so well decorated for Christmas (candles in the windows, beautiful wreaths on the doors). We also visited the campus of William and Mary which is also just right there! Wow. Loved that campus. We toured the Mansion house (where Jefferson lived while he was Governor of Virginia), the George Wythe house (Jefferson's tutor), the Episcopal Church where George Washington, Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Benjamin Franklin and many other prominent revolutionaries went to Church. By the end I was exhausted - but it was the best kind of exhaustion. Fun times! Thanks Nate for making my life an adventure!

We saw someone taking a pic with 'Flat Stanley' so we asked if we could have one, too!

College of William and Mary

I loved when Mason stopped to smell the flowers.

Puppet show

Mason held that position listening to a piece by Bach on the Piano for about 10 minutes. He couldn't get enough.

Busch Gardens

We all enjoyed visiting 'Christmas town' at Busch Gardens. It's rated the most beautiful amusement park in the Country, and I can totally see why. Mason loved the train rides, the airplane rides, the shows (We saw an Irish one, and English - a play on Dicken's Christmas Carol), and especially driving his own little bumper car. So much fun!!

Yorktown

The battlefields of Yorktown (the first of our historic triangle stops) were fascinating to me. I realize now how much George Washington had to make important decisions in order to win. This is where the British surrendered to the Union troops. Miraculous war. How we ever pulled it off, is a complete miracle to me - considering what we had (ragged troops way underfunded), and considering what they had to fight with (the best Navy and Army in the world). When we stopped by to visit the tent sight of General Washington (tucked into a piece of woods, across a stream), I felt something (seen the Giver?). It was meant to be this way. I love living in Virginia surrounded by so much history. It all comes to life. Sorry there aren't more pictures. Maybe that's a good thing :).

Tent of Washington in the Museum at Yorktown

Richmond

The day after Christmas we took off to Williamsburg. We stopped on the way in Richmond to tour the Confederacy Museum, the Confederacy White House, the home of John Marshall, and eat lunch at some southern barbecue place Nate had read up on. He likes to do that :). Fun day!

Christmas 2014

Christmas in Charlottesville was so sweet. It was our first Christmas with just our little family. We made some new traditions, reignited some old ones, and had fun being together. Gosh I love being with Nate so much!! We watched 'The Nativity' movie with Mason before going downstairs to see what we had gotten. We got to focus in first thing on why we celebrate Christmas. It was sweet to me. That tradition comes from Nate's family, and I love it. Then we saw Mason's face light up with presents (um, being a Mom in those moments is pretty much the best), and then we had a fun breakfast. The rest of the day we caught up on Skype with family, then spent the evening with Nate's cousin here. Loved that. Great day!!

All About Mason and Stanley

Mason is 3. For his birthday we threw a party at the park on a beautiful day in November. I knew that being outside with his friends is his favorite thing. That and the Happy Birthday song, cake, and blowing out candles. I have loved watching him grow up. It's especially enjoyable to discover his personality more and more. He was born so unbelievably sweet and cute. When he turned two, he took us for a bit of a ride. We discovered he has a strong will, wants to make his place in the world and assert his independence (pretty normal for a human being probably - especially a two year old). Now that he's three and a big brother, he seems to be maturing (gradually easier to explain things to him) - and he isn't so concerned as before about doing things a certain way. He has a great voice, and a straight kick with a soccer ball. He helps me carry in groceries and gets things for me while I'm feeding or holding Stanley (usually...unless he doesn't really want to) :). He LOVES his friends, misses his family in Utah (especially his grandmas), being outside, music, sports, and going to the Children's Museum here in Charlottesville. His prayers for breakfast include expressing gratitude for every item on the table and a few cousins or Aunts and Uncles mixed in as well. He is tall and a little skinny for his age, he's bright and he makes me smile every day. He is super empathetic - can usually tell when I'm sad or need a hug or a laugh (so much like his Daddy). He has been making us laugh so much lately. I am so grateful he is my little boy.

Stan just turned 8 months. I think he looks a little more like me, but there's definitely a mix. He's a little chunky for his age - and I LOOOVE those rolls and soft cheeks! I can't stop kissing his cheeks sometimes. They are like soft dough. He was perfect the first two weeks, then we discovered his little sensitive stomach - no dairy, and lots of others things for a while. He spit up probably half of his intake. Poor little guy! I held him a lot. I have no idea how I ever got laundry done or dinner on the table. It's a miracle. Those were some exhausting months when we first got to Virginia, but gradually after 4 months he started to improve, then 6 months major improvements. Now he hardly ever spits up. YAY!!!! We've discovered he is actually pretty happy-go-lucky. Maybe his personality is a little more like Nate's, and Mason's is a little more like mine. We are still figuring that out :). Stan loves Mason - I can see it in his eyes and his smile. He's easy to make smile and laugh. Otherwise he's just really 'chill'.

Sometimes I can't believe this is my life. I am the luckiest girl. I never knew I could have it so good. It's a ton of responsibility - but I also know I have an amazing support network - God, my family, my friends, my neighbors. Ya - it's stretching - but I even like that part of it - because I feel like a stronger person every year. I'm grateful that I have a Father and Savior to look to for guidance every day. There's NO way I could do it without them!!!