Here, there, and everywhere ... with Aunt Jessica

I have always loved summer. I think that a major part of that is the freedom that comes from not having school. It's great to have Michael and Emma both at home all day with Sarah and I. It has really been fun. I am also lucky enough to have a family full of school teachers who are also out for the summer. So, our cute Jessica came to see us for two whole weeks, but it went by way too fast. My kids simply adored having her here.



We did have some silly days hanging out at home, but we also went on quite a few excursions. I intended on asking my family what their favorite outing with Jessica was, but now they are asleep, so I will have to guess.

Sarah's is not too hard to guess . . . she still mentions it about every other day. We went minature golfing at the local Putt-Putt. She loved having her own putter. This is her celebrating after she got her ball in the hole.


Emma . . . this one I am not sure. Our sweet Emma is really pretty easy to please, she really enjoyed just being by Jessica. One Sunday afternoon we took a picnic lunch to Belle Island, which is an island in the middle of the James River. It was a beautiful walk across a pedestrian bridge and the kids loved counting the number of different animals we saw. I think the final count was 10 (bird, dog, ladybug, lizard, snake, squirrel, frog, humans, fish, ants).

Michael did tell me that going with Jessica was his favorite visit to the Virginia Sate Capitol. He was the professional photographer on our tour. I also think that a major highlight was when Jessica bought him a state flag in the gift shop, he loves it.


I have always loved Washington D.C. and I think that was my favorite outing with Jessica. We went up there with the intention to tour the Printing and Engraving Bureau, but the tickets were sold out, so we improvised. I think what I really loved the most is watching my kids interact with their aunt.


Ben and Jessica had somewhat of an "alone day." I took the kids to a children's museum in Charlottesville while Ben and Jessica went to Monticello. We had never been there before and worried that our kids wouldn't enjoy it. When they came back they said that it was so interesting and so much fun, and that next time we would have to take the kids.


We know that we can always count on Jessica to show us something we have never seen before. She is truly the ultimate traveler. We can only hope she comes back again soon.