Awwww

Flippin' for Flapjacks

I love West Virginia. Where else do they have a festival (a rather large one) centered on celebrating the obscure grain of Buckwheat. Where else does said festival draw thousands to a town whose only stop light is leading out of the Wal-Mart parking lot.
Thursday night we went down to Kingwood, WV for the annual Buckwheat festival, and we had a blast. Really. We meandered through the crowds as we found the volunteer fire station where hundereds were stuffing themselves with the legendary Buckwheat pancakes served at the festival. We really enjoyed this unique treat. Then it was time for the parade of fire engines and marching bands. Elena loved waving at the firemen and festival princesses, and she really enjoyed dancing to the marching bands, complete with pretend baton throws and very real high kicks. We didn't make it to the rides or craft sales; maybe next year.

Tailgating and the PRT

Personal. Rapid. Transit. It is the smartest thing the city has done in decades. It is a monorail that connects the different campuses scattered throughout Morgantown, which if you've ever driven here you'd understand that any option other than having to drive through Morgantown is brilliant. And the kids love it. We took the "train" this weekend to do some tailgating with friends before the big WVU game. I have lived in several football towns, but nothing compares to the chaos that is WVU pre-game parties. The city literally shuts down (you have to have a special ID to get into the hospital since it shares a parking lot with the stadium (one of the less smart things the city has done in decades)). Parking lots everywhere are full of tents boasting blue and gold. RVs corral like covered wagons over the weekend and when it gets dark the bonfires make it look like a hobo village with really expensive accommodations.

After the tailgate, Drew told me that he thinks tailgating seems like it would be most fun with just the basics - a pickup truck bed and beer. I sadly informed him that since we don't have a truck and we don't drink beer tailgating might not be for him. Here are a couple of pictures from the weekend.

First Day of Preschool

She started a couple of weeks ago, but that's kind of the schedule we're running on lately.

Parents of 'Tweens

Drew and I are the proud parents of two 'tweens. "What?" -you may ask. "Did I miss something?" Laney? Lucas? Nope. Our '97 Accord and our '99 Neon. It is a difficult task taking care of 'tweens.

I've heard it's a very tumultuous age. Not a child anymore, not quite a teenager. You need to be careful as to handling them just right because they can give you attitude over the slightest irritation. We just want to make them happy and keep them healthy so they can make it through their teen years. We do whatever we can to take care of them and in return we just ask for a little love in return. Is that too much to ask? At least until Drew finishes his residency, Please!

Remember

9.11.01

The last piece of the puzzle

I asked what you guys wanted for your birthdays, but I forgot to post what I got for mine. DREW! He decided to take a day off from work to spend at home. It was the perfect gift after a couple stress filled weeks. He was very sneaky about the whole thing, too! He even got up at his usual time (4 am), got dressed for work (scrubs) and went downstairs to study. It was when he came back to bed for a nap around the time he was supposed to be at work that I figured things out. The kids even slept past 7!

The other present I got:

My stove was delivered (by surprise). Now the final big piece of the kitchen puzzle is installed and working well. I'm so glad. We still need a few small things (like hardware and a window covering) but other than that "we're cooking with gas" (one of my dad's favorite expressions -and he has plenty).

The end is near!

It still feels like summer and even though the kids are back in school, I am only starting to admit that the end of summer is nearing. We have had a great summer. Due to technical difficulties (a broken camera), I am a bit short on summer pictures. I am waiting to get some from my dad, but for now you'll have to settle for these.

Drew brought this skull home after a plating course. It was Elena's mealtime buddy for a couple weeks. She even named her "Aurora."

Popsicles on the porch. What better way to enjoy summer. They're stripped down in redneck fashion due to my frustration with not being able to get the stains out of their clothes. Plus, it made spraying them off with the garden hose a lot easier. =)

Goodbye summer, see you next year!