Time for School!

Today marks the first day of school for both Emma-Caroline and Sophie who are now in sixth and fourth grades. I simply blinked and woke up one morning to a very tall, beautiful young lady who is now a middle schooler as well as to a spunky bright-eyed nine year old all ready for fourth grade.

 All parents say the words every year, time please slow down! I am so grateful for the schools and teachers that the girls have this year and I pray that they each have a wonderful and successful 2016-2017 year.

A Low Country Water Tour

As we prepare to say good-bye to summer with the start of the school year, I can't help but look back upon our wonderful family vacation with great fondness.

 One of the outings we decided to do one early morning was to go kayaking.

 Gliding across the water with Sophie as my kayak partner was something I feel was almost like being in heaven.

 The cool of the morning, the light breeze, the quiet of the water, the physical work of paddling . . . it was all a gift to the senses.

 I will always be grateful of stepping outside of my comfort zone and trying something I had never done before.

 I think it was my favorite part of our vacation and I hope to go kayaking as a family in the future.

Hilton Head Island 2016

It has been one week since we came home from our family vacation in Hilton Head Island.

 As a parent I have always wanted a "place" where we "always go" for family beach trips. I envisioned the girls having familiar places they'd want to go to at our beach local and that we'd look back through years and years worth of beach trip photos as we reminisced about fun times.

 Although we have not gone to the same beach locale every year, HHI has been the beach destination that we've gone to the most.

 And it may just become our family beach spot from now on.

 Oh we'll visit other beaches such as Cocoa Beach where my parents have a condo and the Outer Banks of North Carolina, but I think Hilton Head is now the official "place" where we "always go."

Jefferson Swim League "Champs"

In the years that our girls have been participating in the summer swim club in both Knoxville and Charlottesville, the season is wrapped up with a city wide meet for all swimmers. 

In Knoxville, the meet is called "City Meet" and is held at the University of Tennessee Allan Jones Aquatic Center.

Here in Charlottesville, the meet is called "Champs" and is held at the University of Virginia Aquatic Center.

It is a wonderful experience to compete against all swimmers in the city and to swim in such amazing facilities that both UT and UVA have on their campuses.

Summer swim season has now officially ended and we are very proud of both of our girls.