WAHOOWA!

We had tickets for a UVa football game!  True, the team isn't much to watch these days, but I'd never been to a game, it had been a long time since Josh had, and it was something he so enjoyed in college--we wanted to go back together!  After we got the tickets, however, the idea of a Friday night game that didn't start until after Graham's usual bedtime didn't sound so fun...  Luckily, we have some super neighbors that love Graham and were more than happy to hang out with him for the afternoon and have him sleep over :)  I did my usual Friday morning volunteering in Jackson's classroom, and then he and I left together right before his class left for lunch!

We had plenty of time to get to Charlottesville, so we stopped for a few caches along the way!

This is a wonderful example of why our family loves geocaching so much: this was such a pretty spot, but we NEVER would have visited it without the hunt of a cache!

Learning some random history...

Our little Big Boy!

Yup, you're reading that correctly!  Stonewall Jackson's arm was buried after being amputated from his still living body!  We also learn fun facts like this while caching... ;)

Our lunch stop at Sonic on the way to C-Ville was perfectly delicious!  Jackson scored these great glasses as his Wacky Pack prize!

We just love Charlottesville, and we definitely don't get back often enough.  BUT, Jackson's been enough times now that there are certain things he asks to see.  Edgar Allen Poe's room is one of them!

A little selfie while waiting for Jackson to listen to the recording at Poe's room

Jackson hung from this same tree this summer--LOL!  He kept asking when we'd get to it, so he could hang again!

Alum-Hoo and his Future Hoo (?!)

Wearing their matching shirts for the game!!!  I bought these shirts for them when Jackson was just born!

There were some vendors set up around the stadium, including Geico, who had some fun games to try.  Jackson got to put on a helmet and try to toss the football in the hole.  He made at least one!

Modeling his new sunglasses and beads from various vendors!

Josh's Uncle Larry hooked us up with a tailgate, so we hung out and had some dinner.  

Jackson's first soda!  He was a fan of the Sprite!

Playing some Baggo

FINALLY Fan Fest opened!  We had all been anticipating this, especially Jackson, since the weather was going downhill, and there was still a fair amount of time before the game.  There were huge inflatable slides,

a balloon artist making sabers, 

basketball, 

and fun photo ops.

Wahoowa!  Go Hoos!

It was finally time to head to the field!  The weather actually cleared up making for a pretty night.

There was also face painting at Fan Fest!

Family selfie!

Jackson had a blast!  It was so fun to take him on a special day date and give him all of our attention.  I know Josh always enjoys showing us around grounds and being back in one of his favorite spots, and I just love being with both of them :)  

Fun with Mimi!

Movie night with Mom!  Recharging from Graham's preschool orientation and gearing up for the real first day next!  We tried out the new fancy theater with tables, reserved seating, and leather recliners!

The last meal we ate on the road of our summer road trip was at Wendy's, and Josh really talked up the burgers to encourage Jackson to happily eat one for dinner.  It worked...almost too well!  He is obsessed!  His main request was to eat at Wendy's when Mimi was here!  LOL  So, off to Wendy's we went...

...then we all headed to Wegmans for a variety of things: Josh went to a geocaching get together, Graham and I did a bit of grocery shopping, and Mimi and Jackson had a little dessert date :)  LOVE Wegmans!

Then, we had some silliness in the check-out lane with Mimi's glasses!

Getting ready to head to the playground, but first a fresh attempt at a pseudo-First Day of School photo shoot for Graham :)

And, the boys found a caterpillar!

Playing at the playground near the Marine Corps Museum

I think this was my mom's idea...or Jackson's... Either way, it turned out so cute!

A fancy lunch at IHOP was next on the agenda.  We always have SUCH a good time when Mimi visits!  We all like to go to the bookstore, eat, play games, go to the playground and have little adventures :)

Graham's Goes to Preschool!

The school calendar changed this year, and the public school in our county began BEFORE Labor Day!  That is unprecedented in Virginia.  But, with Labor Day falling so "late," school would have gone until pretty much the end of June.  To avoid that, the county applied for a waiver from the state allowing us to start school on August 31st, a week early.  I'm personally a fan of this plan since I prefer to have actually had some summer before the 4th of July comes rolling around!  I had assumed preschool would start earlier too, so it never occurred to me that my mom would be here for Graham's first day of preschool!  I was SO glad she was, though!  :)

Josh, Mimi and I all got to go with Graham for his orientation time on Thursday morning.  It was only for about an hour, but it takes the kids through an abbreviated version of their schedule.

Playdough was first up, and Graham was a BIG fan!

Then, they moved to a different room to play!  Trucks--hooray!

Graham's teacher was slated to be our friend, Mrs. Bone, but she is suddenly relocating with her family :(  Fortunately, her replacement, Mrs. DuBinok, seems to be the perfect fit for this group of preschoolers :)  The picture above is of Mrs. Bone showing the class how to fold their hands and teaching them the prayer before snacktime.  Graham had a great time and seemed excited to spend a whole morning at school the next day!

Well, we had quite a morning...  Graham threw a crazy fit that lasted a couple of hours :(  I'm not even sure what set him off, but let's just say he didn't want to wear the shirt I had picked out (because it was the same one Jackson had worn for his first day of preschool) or take any pictures with the cute sign I made him.  After tantrumming most of the time before we left for school, he cried all the way to school.  The only way I got him out of the car was randomly mentioning this bell that is on the side of the church.  He was excited to see the bell!  We let him ring it a few times.

This is the ACTUAL first day of school with Mommy holding the sign.  

This is the next day (today) when a MUCH cheerier mood was had by Graham!

Ready to go with his shark backpack!

Brothers who go to school!  AH!  Slow down, Time!

Mimi's Fall Visit!

Mimi came to visit!!!

On our way to the airport, Graham and I took a run starting at Gravelly Point for a change of scenery.  We got to see lots of planes land and take off!

It was crazy humid, but running with the Potomac River and monuments as scenery was great!

Next stop: Airport!

Our first stop with Mimi was the Barnes and Noble down the road for coffee, trains and books!

Reading buddies :)

After Jackson got off the bus, we went to Dairy Queen to use our Summer Reading coupons as a pre-soccer practice snack!

Delicious!