Janice

The girls usually spend one week of the summer down in Charlottesville with my family. Since I’m working from anywhere these days, I went down with them and stayed the week. We hadn’t seen everyone in-person since Sophie’s birthday back in March, so it was really nice to finally give real hugs. The week was pretty low key. Most of the activities that the girls do while down there are closed this summer, or we just weren’t comfortable doing them, so we spent a lot of time at the house and just took a couple of trips out.

One day Becky and I took the girls to Sugar Hollow, which is a beautiful hiking spot where I spent a lot of time in high school.

  • On a rock in Sugar Hollow

Another day we went to a lake that was open for swimming.

One afternoon we met up with my friend Sarah and her daughter Lexi, who is 2 weeks younger than Sophie. We typically see them once or twice a year. The girls have totally different personalities, but get along pretty well. This time they bonded over Tic Toc (if I could find an eye roll emoji I would insert it here).

Sophie & Lexi (looking at Tic Toc together). Also pictured, adorable Caleb, who is just a year.

And the rest of the time we spent at the house – playing in the yard, fishing, and just hanging out.

Sophie and Penny fishing at the lake.

Lauren lost a tooth while we were down there – her 8th tooth, and third to lose while we’re with my family. Must be a tooth fairy preferred location.

Holding up her 8th lost tooth.

We of course travel with all of the animals, which right now just included Lauren’s tortoise, Jewels, and Sophie’s parakeets, Princess and Zebra. Jewels had an opportunity to meet Vahid, and she was not thrilled about it. She kept her head in the shell the entire time.

Jewels and Vahid meet.

Lauren and Ari are pretty inseparable, and spent nearly the entire time together. At times it makes it tough for Soph because she feels left out. She and Ari also play together, but their personalities are very similar, which usually means it leads to fighting pretty quickly.

Mom also wanted to recreate a picture that she took of Dad, Becky and I about 30 years ago when we had Hannah, who is a doppelganger of Penny. Penny wasn’t super into taking direction, and we’re all a lot bigger than we were 30 years ago!

1992 vs. 2020
The whole fam on our last night there.
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On Sunday we celebrated my Nana’s 93rd birthday with a party at Doug and Vicki’s house. Nana just got back from a two month trip to Scotland, Sicily, and Greece. Not too shabby for a 93-year-old. Doug and Vicki were with her in Scotland, and then Diane and Richard were with her in Sicily and Greece. She doesn’t fly any more, so she took the Queen Mary II back and forth between New York and London.

Here’s the birthday lady. Looking dapper coming right from church to the party.

Becky, mom, and me with Nana.

 

She had a little help from the grandkids to blow out the candles.

Ari, Nana, Sophie, Lauren, Kishore, and Ashwini. What a cute crew!

More pics from the day – Becky and me, and mom with her grandkids

Earlier in the day we also went and visited Pappap’s grave at Valley Forge Park. He was buried there eight years ago, but never had a headstone. The kids and grandkids all chipped in and had one made, and it was just placed last weekend, so we all went to see it.

Although it took a while, it was really good to see and felt like good closure for everyone.

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We spent part of last week in Newboro, Canada. Brad & Joan have a house there, on a little island. There’s not much to do but fish, read and relax… it’s always the best vacation. Doug, Vick, Quinn, Carley, Julia, Nana, Mom and Dad were all there too (and Finn – Julia’s dog).
Dave, Sophie & I slept out in the little cabin, which is separate from the main house. Here’s she’s enjoying my bed.

Sophie loved hanging out with her second cousins (At least I think that’s what they are to her…). She just can’t get enough of Carley in this picture.

Here’s a shot of the whole group (including Julia who is behind the plant)

Nana brought back this outfit for Sophie from Paris. It’s been too hot in Philly to wear – but it was much cooler in Canada and she was able to sport it before she got too big. Our cute little chicken.

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We spent the 4th of July weekend in Avalon. It was incredibly hot, but we still got in some good beach time. Unfortunately the water was freezing. We dipped Sophie’s feet in, but she didn’t like it too much. She much preferred to sit on her Nana’s lap.


Here’s a shot of four generations

Sophie also rolled over for the first time this weekend! She’s been struggling with getting her one arm out from under her, but finally was able to do it.

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