Some Favorite Spots

We have now reached the point where we are starting to experience some of our "lasts" in Charlottesville -- Mark's last day of class and last final at Darden, our last day attending church in the Rivanna Ward, etc. While Mark was not at all sad to take his last final, we were all sad about saying goodbye to the great people in our ward whom we love so much. And in an effort to chronicle our time in Charlottesville for posterity (in what little time we have left), I'm trying to take and post some pictures of some of our favorite/most visited spots.

Home sweet home! While just a rental, this house has truly seemed like home to us. We've loved sitting on the front porch swing in the late afternoon and twilight, the girls have loved riding their bikes back and forth on the verandahs in the front and back, we love the trees (except during an intense storm when they knock the power lines down), we love the deer that tiptoe through the woods or sometimes feed 7 or 8 at a time on the front lawn. It often feels like a bit of heaven (outside, that is, since it is often a disaster inside).

One of the reasons we initially loved the house was the built-in play set and the trampoline that the landlord had here for his grandchildren.


The Charlottesville area is so picturesque! We took this picture at the Darden Days BBQ with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the background. It was all I could do to hold onto squirmy, wormy Jane for the picture!
I know it's blurry, but I just love this picture of Millie in motion. She loves it here and is constantly collecting things/exploring in the woods (although you can't really see it, she is holding a golden, sequined purse in her hand into which she was collecting wildflowers).


Mark has been enjoying the golf course a lot lately now that his school schedule has lightened up a bit. His tan makes me look like the White Witch from the Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.

The Monticello Trail is one of my favorite places. I just wish I had gotten a picture a few weeks ago when the blossoms were in full force. The trail winds up the mountain and ends at the parking lot for Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello. In the Fall, Abby, Jane and I would walk it about three times a week. Now that the weather has gotten better, we've started doing it again. Last weekend, we had a fun picnic there with our friends the Evans and the Capells.
The McLaughlin and Evans girls on the trail.

Jane a little wary of Josh Capell's advances. He's such a cutie! We're so glad the Capells came down from D.C. to visit!