Foxfield 2018

I'm 3 months past Foxfield - such a long time to wait to post! I did skip ahead to end of school year stuff, so that partially explains it, but mostly, I've just gotten WAY behind. It's time to catch up this August! So, onto the post.

I of course took a ton of photos and videos during Foxfield weekend; this year even more so than in previous years because the weather was FINALLY gorgeous. After a run of a few bad years of weather (running the gamut from super rainy and cold to hot and humid!) we all deserved a lovely day, and we got one!

I even brought out my real camera to take photos this year (again, weather cooperated). Here are my favorite shots of all of us. Of course I didn't take this first one - I think my friend Angie did? The memory is fuzzy, but thanks!

Look at my handsome boys!

And beautiful girl too.

Love my family photos, but I have to showcase my Old Ladies photos too! These first two were from my phone.

And then from my camera! I think Evan took this one? Again, it's hard to remember. I do enjoy how I'm the only one looking at my camera lol.

Oh, and of course I had to grab a few photos of the horses!

I do love that our location allows me to get great shots of the horses going over the jump.

Each year I have a bit more freedom at Foxfield as the kids get older and don't need constant supervision, which is really nice. This year, that meant I could head over to the student section with some of my friends and remind myself of what that's like. As I said to Natalie afterwards: "That's a group of people making very bad choices." She doesn't have to know that years ago, we were right there with them! But hoo boy, did it make me feel good for being older and wiser. 

Not one, but TWO Brandi concerts!

I was fortunate to be able to see Brandi TWICE on her 2018 tour for her new album By The Way, I Forgive You, and both times with friends! The first one was back in early April, when I was in work at the same time as Kathy, and we were able to make our trips coincide with seeing her! This was one of the first stops on the tour, and at a venue I'd always wanted to go to - the Beacon Theater on the Upper West Side

The interior of the Beacon is absolutely gorgeous! I was able to take a few photos in between the opening act and Brandi.

We arrived during the opening act; frankly, I don't even remember the guy's name because he was so terrible. So, we got a drink, and went back inside between acts to check out the space and prepare for Brandi!

This tour started with an absolutely stunning string quartet performance. I don't know how long they played their chords for, harmonizing with one another, but I could have listened to it for another hour.

And then the band! The show was so great (as always); they performed the entirety of the new album, interspersed between older songs.

We had pretty good seats! We were in the balcony, only a couple of rows back. So I was able to zoom in between heads in front of us to get some decent shots.

At one point, I badly needed to go to the restroom (damn you, pre-show drink!), so I went during one of the new songs that's not one of my favorites. The line for the bathroom was so long that unfortunately I showed up late to the next song...which is one of my all-time favorite's of hers, off of her second album, and one that I've NEVER seen performed live. I managed to record part of it once back in my seat, with tears in my eyes. Acapella, no mics, so much emotion...loved it.

The second show was in May, and Kathy and I went with Beth and Rachel. The concert was at a new DC venue, The Anthem. It's located down at the waterfront in DC, and I'd heard of it but hadn't been there yet. Who better to see for my first concert there than my favorite singer?

The concert venue is huge, as you'll see in the video below. Here's a shot that I took during the opening act (a band who was a LOT better than the guy who opened for her in NYC!).

For this show, the strings were only a trio, not a quartet, but still sounded amazing. Here's the whole band on stage (a bit blurry - I was far enough back on this one that I was at the limit of zoom ability on my phone).

The very last song they played during the encore is off the new album, and is definitely one of the more sing-along, crowd-pleaser songs. It was a great way to end the show!

Evan and the kids learn Va history!

Today's post is guest captioned by Evan! For 3 days at the end of spring break, March 2018, Evan took the kids on a tour of Williamsburg/Jamestown/Yorktown. He sent me all of the photos that he took during those days, and I picked out my favorites, and then asked him to narrate what we're seeing, as I wasn't actually there so I don't know! So, with no further ado...Evan and the kids' fun history trip!

First up - fun in Jamestown.

We do love the history movies at these attractions!

Jamestown! Site of the first English elected assembly in North America. Yes, I'm a government dork.

John Smith, who discovered New Hampshire. Also had something to do with Jamestown.

Jamestown's old main street is perfect for running

Natalie and Henry were the second people to hold this pottery in hundreds of years. Excavated from a live archaeology dig by the staff archaeologist in this pic. 

Day 2 - more Jamestown!

Replica Powhatan village at "Jamestown Settlement"

I think this is the Mary Constant replica, one of the three ships that brought the first settlers to Jamestown.

West or East, Henry?

Next up: Williamsburg and Yorktown!

Williamsburg Duck Donuts, because donuts.

Listening to a traditional toast to General George Washington.

Henry in the Continental Army

She's quite excited.

Natalie and Henry map out military strategy.

They would've fit on the beds of the time.

At William and Mary!

Natalie asked and found out you can major in both dance and teaching. Dance Teacher dreams are possible at William and Mary!

A rampart at the Yorktown battlefield.

Yorktown memorial

Gov. Nelson's house at Yorktown

The battery stormed by Alexander Hamilton at the battle of Yorktown!

Finally, on the way home, Evan and the kids stopped by Berkeley Plantation, where we got married, to show it to them.

Natalie and Henry at the spot where their mom and dad were married.

Lucy: May 2018

Here's a recap of my favorite Lucy moments (as captured in photos) from the month of May 2018! I love looking back at these photos - even just two months ago, she was littler, her snout was shorter, and she didn't have as many spots around her mouth.

Despite how very, very active she is, I'm able to capture a lot of photos of her lying about. I mean, an active puppy's gotta sleep, right? And she just looks so darn cute when she's curled up.

 

But remember, she's active too! Both of these rope toys are now GONE - they've been totally destroyed, chewed through. That turnip on the left barely survived a couple of days. We've actually signed her up for the Super Chewer Bark Box as she definitely falls under the category of "super chewer"!

 

She even likes to "hoard" a couple of toys together at once, sometimes. We thought that the gray Eeyore she's resting on below would make it long-term...but she managed to destroy it just last week. So, no more stuffed toys for this girl!

See what I mean? :)

I also love how she likes to lay with her looooong front legs/paws dangling over the edge of where she's lying! And on top of that, gives me that quizzical look. "What are you doing with that camera, mommy?"

Or maybe it's just her "Aren't I adorable, here are my big brown puppy eyes" look.

She's not wrong. She's pretty damn adorable.