Family Rugby Weekend

A few weekends ago we traveled to my parents' house for a visit and for a rugby game. 

But first-- before we left, Ian and I did a little autumnal activity. His PMO teachers told me how much he loved sorting leaves at school, so we collected a few to sort from our yard. They were right! He LOVED sorting the leaves and telling me what colors they were.

Back to the rugby game and family weekend!

We drove up on Friday afternoon, arriving after dinner at my parents' home in Paris. Virginia, that is.

The next day we hopped in the car and headed to the rugby game near Fredericksburg. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day to spectate at a sporting event.

 While the guys warmed up, we spent some time with this beautiful lass.

 Ian & Bea, as some MOPS caregivers have stated, act quite like siblings. They love each other one minute and then fight the next.

 Soon the game started and Dad joined Mom & me on the sidelines. Due to having to keep track of Ian throughout the games, I still haven't really learned the ins and outs of the game. Jim and I plan to have a few rugby-watching dates in the future, so I can learn more. Dad, having taken a new interest in the sport since Jim's started playing, was able to teach Mom and me a bit.

In these photos, Jim is sometimes quite hard to identify. Most of the time he's the one tackling someone, and therefore he is quickly buried under a pile of men. Tips for finding him include looking for a black scrum cap (to protect his ears from becoming "cauliflower ears") and a small bun sticking out of the back of the cap and the number 5 jersey on the blue team. He is also wearing a pair of maroon spandex (what else do you call them?) under his rugby shorts and is wearing white cleats. Look for the maroon shorts. He has had them since high school, but unfortunately they ripped during the warm-up for this game. 

In this photo Jim is the one pushing closest to us, for the blue team.

This is Jim after protecting one of his teammates. He hardly ever gets the ball himself and mainly is a support player. He loves this job.

This is called a "scrum."

Here you can see Jim pretty well. 

 Jim is normally hidden within the scrum. Here's a set of pictures of them getting set-up.

 Here they started spinning the opposite team. 

 For some reason unbeknownst to me, they called a foul on the scrum the first time. So, they started again.

 Our friend Matt is normally waiting to receive the ball from the scrum and start the play down the field.

 It was so fun to be able to share the game and watch it with Mom & Dad! Thanks for coming!! They got grandparent awards for walking Ian around the field until he fell asleep in the stroller, as well as helping to take care of our friends' dog. Thank you for your help!!

The famous "Baby Dale."

I am so grateful to have Anna & Val, two other doctor spouses and rugby player wives, to watch the games with. They are great friends and I'm thankful to enjoy fellowship with them, while watching the games week after week.

Jim's team won by a great deal. I don't remember the exact score. He was thrilled with the game and really pleased that it was the game my parents got to see. At the very end of the game Jim made a great tackle and, for the first time I've ever seen, he got the ball and moved it close to the endline. I think he even made the final assist!

NEXT, we enjoyed a really nice family evening! Phoebe & James hosted everyone at their wonderful home for a soft taco potluck dinner. It was our first time seeing their new abode and it is so spacious and lovely. I am really happy for them!

Ian was quite intrigued by their new kittens, leading them to hide for most of the evening. He then tackled Äma into some pillows before singing a few songs with her on the floor. It was a very sweet moment. 

 And then it was time to play with Aunt "Beebee."

One of the kittens decided to be a little brave. 

Out of the blue, earlier that week, Ian walked up to Jim, looked him in the eye, shook his hand and said, "Nice to meet you, Papa!" Jim and I were both shocked and laughed and made a big deal out of it. That weekend he had fun showing off his new trick to our family. Here, he surprised James and did it. Thank you for the photo, Pheebs!!

I asked at PMO and they said that they hadn't taught this to Ian. 

One of the teachers said, "That's all Ian. 

Mr. Northrup, my principal in elementary and middle school would be so proud.

We waited until all of the beautiful natural light was gone before deciding to get a family photo. It's pretty dark, but captures all of our smiling faces.

So nice to be with family.

Thank you all for hosting us!!!

Here are my two ruggers. Ian is starting to memorize books and wants to read certain ones over and over again. This book is from Aunt Sherri and he wants to read it multiple times daily! Thanks, Aunt Sherri!!!

Pinery Take Two

Ian and I headed up to The Pinery for a second time this summer, but this time Jim came up partway through the week to meet us. And this time my sister, Phoebe, and her boyfriend, James, were able to join us, too! So, the whole gang was together for most of the week!! That hasn't happened since the summer when I was pregnant with Ian!!

We had a great week with beautiful weather.

 Ian started a new fashion trend. Don't look now, but the runway shows are going to be following his lead this year!

 We enjoyed campfires almost every night.

 And river time every day!!

 Ian LOVED throwing rocks in the water this year and watching them "splash!!"

 Perhaps one of my new favorite pictures ever. My big, handsome boy in my favorite place.

 I obviously couldn't choose just one photo.

 Good lifting form, as always. If only we could retain those innate understandings of how our body needs to be used.

 Hazel, Heidi, Julie, & Aunt Beth came down to the water with us one day.

 This might be my first bump picture of this pregnancy! Hello, Baby!!

 A good side view of the bump and the "big budder." (13 weeks at this point)

 Grumps and Ian, just chatting about life.

 Grandma spent a few days out at The Pinery with us. On this day she had a very productive doctor's visit with Dad and Aunt Beth present.

 We celebrated Uncle Willem's 27th birthday with a chocolate cake (what else?)!

 We went on two canoe trips! Ian's first, official trips. He did a fantastic job on the first one, which was 6.5 miles down to Cooksburg and the ice cream place. On day two, we didn't time it well before his nap and he was a bit grumpy, but cuddled so sweetly with me for most of it.

 Jim gave me a HUGE gift by sleeping with Ian for all of the nights he was there. I slept in the neighbors' house and even slept in each day until 8:30! It was glorious and I felt like a new woman. Thank you SO much, Jim!

Amazingly enough, Ian was normally lying quietly with Jim when I'd come over to the cabin around 9 AM. He let Jim rest the whole time!!

I love this picture that Dad snapped of him one morning. So focused and deliberate.

Let the record show that I did beat James in croquet two times!!! He did beat me like ten times, but hey. Progress was made. We also played a lot of cornhole and badminton

Phoebe & James and then Dad & Willem left, so the last day we spent with Mom. We had a full, fun day with her! We went to Iron Mountain Grill for lunch, the bulk foods store, then to Quiet Creek Herb Farm (our combined paradise... we could spend all day there. Or heck, we could live there!), and then on a hike in Cook Forest State Park.

 We did the Cathedral Pines hike on Longfellow trail and then we got down to Toms Run and waded around in the water. We stripped Ian down, so he wouldn't get his clothes and diaper soaked. I loved watching him frolic and play in the water. He then hiked the whole way back to the car naked. So adorable.

 A boy and his double-fisting of sticks!!

 Now before I hear it from everyone... for some reason I am having trouble downloading a few pictures from my camera. I'm not freaking out yet, but I will continue trying to troubleshoot the problem. I know that Dad would really like the group picture and unfortunately it's one of the ones causing problems! If anyone knows Nikons, iPhoto, & MacBooks... help me. There are some important pictures :)

Until next year, dear cabin! We loved our time with you. Thank you, Mom & Dad, for hosting all of us for a week!