Staunton/Waynesboro

Clare and Daniel had a long course (50m) swim meet in Waynesboro this past weekend. Since it was an outside meet, there were plenty of photo opportunities! Both of them did very well even with the chilly mornings. We had to be at the pool by 6:30 a.m. one morning and it was in the low 60s!

Daniel is getting set for one of the 8 events he swam over the course of two days. He is too skinny! I don't think he has a bit of fat on his body. Notice he got his hair chopped off - I think it was at least 3 inches he had cut!


Daniel doing the back stroke. He has a "B" time in the 100m back! He was very excited about that!

Daniel has the coolest goggles! (They look a little tight!) He is always talking to everyone around him while waiting to race. At one point he was talking a little trash with the kid in the next lane about who was going to beat who. He ended up beating him! :)

Clare has a very nice back stroke. She improved a lot today and is close to a "BB" time.

Clare getting mentally prepared for the 200m freestyle race. She's a little nervous! Every time she was in line for an event she had to go to the bathroom! It's hysterical watching her dance around. Funny too how she never has to go after the race!

After the meet on Friday, we headed over to the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton with Clare's best friend, Laura. The Frontier Culture Museum is an interpretive program which shows how life was lived during the 18th century in Germany, Ireland, England, and America. The kids had a great time looking at all the neat homes, the interesting things in them, and the animals on the farms.

Clare is pretending to spin flax. :) A couple of the homes had looms. The kids thought it was great since they had actually used a loom this past week at the library.

We found this primative bowling game outside the German home. Laura was the only one to get a spare!

Daniel has interesting form. :)

This lovely pig was in a pen outside the Scotch-Irish home.

Sheep were at the English and American homes. These were very friendly sheep, but the lambs were a little skittish.


We bought some "fowl food" and tried to find all the fowl around the museum. The ducks were the easiest to feed. Clare and Laura were determined to have this duck eat out of their hand - to no avail! We found a bunch of chickens roaming the farm, but they didn't want anything to do with us - even though the kids had "fowl food!"

Daniel was the only one who was able to pet this little lamb (actually, he wouldn't let anyone else pet it!)

Yuck! This mommy pig was really gross! I think she put her nasty nose on Laura , who proceded to wipe it on Clare! There were quite a few little piglets who were cute, but a little dirty.

Piggy petting.

Diane's 20th High School Reunion - 6/07

After too many years, I headed down to Knoxville for my 20th reunion. I have been waiting a long time for this event. What a great excuse to get away (without the family :) and see old friends. Candi, Sarah, Chelyncia, Sarah and I met for lunch then headed over to get our nails done. This was my first pedicure and only 3rd manicure. I've decided a pedicure is heaven and should occur often!

We later met up at the big party. There were a few of us who haven't changed a bit - and several look even better! (Remember, we graduated in the 80's when BIG hair was very popular!) It was great to catch up with Courtney, Traci, and Melanie and many more. These are the people that made high school memorable. Let's not wait another 20 years.

Maryland Heights - May 26

Here is Harper's Ferry, WV, from atop Maryland Heights. We decided to hike on the first hot day of the season - all uphill! Fortunately, personal water packs and promises of ice cream at the bottom kept the kids going. It was beautiful at the top.

The last time Clare was up here was when I carried her! She rode comfortably in a backpack. Look at her now!

Daniel loved chasing the lizards around the rocks while Tom warned him to stay away from ledges. We also watched 3 trains go through town while on top of the rocks. Notice Daniel's bushy hair. I think it must keep him cooler.

Apple Blossom - A little late!

Clare and Daniel ran the Bloomin' Mile again this year. They both did great - running it in less than 8 minutes. Clare came in 12th among the girls her age and Daniel was 4th against all the runners in his age group.

Tom and I ran the Apple Blossom 10K the next day. I can't believe we're still smiling! Tom was great to stick with me the whole time. Silly me thought I should keep up the hard work - I signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon in October!!

The Beginning

Here we are! I thought a blog might be fun. Hopefully, we will be consistent with our postings. Once school is out in 2 weeks I'll have a little more time. It's a start.