Mud, WV, Strategic Committee, Turtles, and More! Part 2

Sunday was Rob's birthday. So we got all dressed up, and Rob and his girls went to brunch with his mom and step dad. While we were there, we ran into the world's strongest man (Phil Pfister) from a few years ago. After a fun brunch as Jes's nanny, Jes and I were off to run errands and get ready for the party later that day. Went shopping, and then headed over to Rob's dad's house for a cookout and lawn games party! Had a good time playing some Baggo and some Ladderball. Had some good food. :) Then we just hung out at Jes and Rob's and played some more games.

Monday was the day I had to head back to Virginia, but before the drive, we squeezed in a kayak trip on the Elk River. It was great! Jes and I tried out some rapids in the kayaks while the boys rowed behind us. Then, it was time to say goodbye ( sigh) and drive back. Got back to Virginia just in time to do laundry and repack for the next trip.

Worked 1/2 a day and then headed to Silver Spring, MD to the NOAA headquarters for the NERRS Strategic Committee. Got to stay in the Hilton (yay for comfy comfy beds) and had two pretty productive days of meetings. Interesting to see more about how the NERRS system works and work with some folks I normally wouldn't have the chance to. Had a late evening drive back to Williamsburg last night b/c Friday was a big day at work.

Saved a turtle crossing the parkway this morning, had a field trip (saved a sea star from the claws of a spider crab), and started to get ready for Marine Science Day. Big day tomorrow...and then Sunday.....it's time to crash!!!! :)

Mud, WV, Strategic Committee, Turtles, and more! Part 1

The past week has been SUPER crazy busy. Started it off by last Thursday having a canoe trip for the Blue Crab Bowl winning high school teams to Catlett Islands. My second field trip with Sally, and it definitely went a LOT better. I decided to take the kids to the marsh and then get out of the canoes. Immediately - sinking up to your thighs in mud. But the kids were great sports and actually loved it. I got a comment from one of the kids that he was fully expecting the trip to be "lame" but that he thought it was awesome. Always good to hear.

So after the trip, I drove up to Charlottesville on my way out to West Virginia. Andrea is just so awesome - she had volunteered to host a session on hosting international students going to UVA. Just in her spare time. So I ended up getting there JUST in time to see the end of it, but it seemed to go well. We went and got some dinner, got to catch up, hang out a little, and it was really nice.

Friday, got up early with Andrea and started the journey to West Virginia. Took about four hours from Cville, but the trip was gorgeous along the way. Once, I got to WV, it was just SO exciting to see Jes, Rob, and Ellie! I really miss them. Jes showed me around the house and they just have some awesome projects going on. Her garden is just amazing and really made me want to have a backyard to get into that action myself. We got a little girl time to do some shopping and then out to dinner while Rob's mom watched little Ellie.

Saturday was the big outdoor West Virginia experience. First we stopped at Suzie's biscuits for some delicious breakfast. And then, Jes, Rob, and I headed out to the farm with Jes's dad for some four wheeling! It was awesome...a little scary at times since it was really my first time...but fun! We went all around the farm and through the woods, down hills, through creeks, through mud, etc. Saw the "camp", used the outhouse, etc. :)

When we got back, Saturday we just relaxed at the house with Jes and Rob's friend Dan. Played some ladderball and went for a walk by the river and played some games.

To be continued...

Randomness

Saw this in the VIMS parking lot the other day on my way to meet some Master Naturalists - and had to snap a photo of it. Interesting, to say the least. Also put some fun pictures up the past few trips.

Tuesday's canoe trip up Back Creek and close to Goodwin.

And one from the Master Naturalists last week. He just wouldn't let go.

Boone Weekend

This weekend was a big, important one for the fam. Jimmy was graduating from Boone.

The weekend started with getting to leave work a little bit early to offset some overtime worked earlier in the week so that I could drive to Charlottesville and avoid traffic going through Richmond. Andrea and I went to dinner with one of her friends in town. Got to go to Bonefish Grille, which I'd never been to before. Bang Bang tacos were quite tasty! Then, we had a VERY exciting (to the other two girls) trip to Target b/c they never get to go there so they were stocking up! By the time we got some ice cream and got back to Andrea's it was pretty late so we just hung out a bit and went to bed.

Saturday morning we were both headed SW from Cville, me to Boone and Andrea to a wedding near Winston Salem. So we drove through some really nice views and mountains, following each other, and eventually splitting up after lunch.

I got to a rainy afternoon in Boone just a few minutes after my parents. Met them at Jimmy's apartment (which was actually pretty clean!) and then we went to check into the hotel. Since my grandparents didn't make it to graduation, I got my own hotel room so I wasn't subjected to the snoring (which I was prepared for with my ear plugs). We decided to go downtown and did some shopping and then headed to the Mellow Mushroom for some beers and delicious pizza! Saturday night we hung out at Jimmy's for a little bit and I got to see his desk that he made in his senior studio class which was AWESOME!

Sunday, we got up early and got some breakfast and then drove around on the Parkway. It was such a nice day and the views were great. We stopped at the Cone House, this giant mansion that has crafts inside and a view looking down the mountain over a pond. We drove down to the pond and took a little stroll around it which was nice. Hit up some lunch back in Boone, again another great choice by Jimmy, and back to the hotel for naps, porch time, changing for the big graduation.

Graduation went really well. We missed Jimmy walking in somehow, but I identified the back of his head so we at least knew where he was sitting. Got some good pictures of the graduate afterwards and had a little celebration back at the hotel room with gifts and champagne before our dinner reservation.

All in all a great weekend, despite the rain this morning on the drive home. It was fun going on a little vacay with the whole family and definitely seeing Jimmy! Now he's off to his internship on Friday in Charlotte. So, next trip to plan is to see him there and then to plan our possible California trip in November! Yay! Good luck Jimmy! :)

Field trips are back in full swing

Field trips are back in full swing now and I even went in without waders today and the water is pretty warm! Finally might be done with our waders. :) Which would be awesome. I was just so happy going to work today b/c I'm just really really excited about this summer and getting the camps started. It's going to be something new and a fun time I think. I have a new employee starting in just a couple of weeks too which will be nice! He'll start to a full list of things to do but at least we'll keep him busy.

Here are some pics from the beginning of the season. More to come!

Nudibranchs caught off of the Gloucester Point Public Beach! :) Very exciting.

Me and the new educator - Sally. AKA - "the hot girl" as one of the high school groups referred to her as. Did I mention how excited I was to be done with the ever flattering waders?!?!
Sally and I with Taylor, who asked us if we'd be his friend....twice each! :) So we had to get a shot of us with him. :)

Puzzlepiece Time

Last minute decision to head up to Charlottesville and hang out with Andrea this past weekend (look how excited she is!). We were going to go to the Montpelier wine festival, but those plans didn't work out so we found some fun on our own. First stop was the Blue Ridge Eco Shop which I've been on the email list for a while but haven't been able to make it into the store before. Very cool - got myself some aluminum lunch containers...and....a little suprise for little Ellie! :)

Then we drove out to Blenheim Vineyards which is the winery owned by Dave Mathews! :) He wasn't there - but there was a picture of him in the photo album. Tasted some really tasty wine and the view was spectacular.

Saturday night we went out to eat at a restaurant that we'd tried to go to before, Bang, and it was great. The food was really tasty and the martinis were good too! :)

All in all, a fun weekend of hanging out and I get to see her again on Friday!!!! :)