Breakfast Takes a New Turn...

Oh, just watch for yourself.

Hostage Crisis in the Hundred Acre Wood

Today was so nice out, so after lunch at Moms,we took Seven for a stroll around the neighborhood in his wagon. (A big Yay to Jon for finding the wagon over a hill, abandoned, and FREE. Best deal ever.) He loves it, and sits up like a little man and just takes it all in. Along for the ride were Winnie the Pooh (Sev evens calls him Pooh, which I think is too sweet) and of course, his knife. Can't leave home without the knife, you know, 'cause you never know when you might have to teach somebody a lesson. Lots of gangstas in Pearisburg these days...so it's good to be protected.

Poor Pooh didn't know what hit him. One minute, all is well and he's being cooed upon and hugged and licked. The next - Bam - we have a hostage situation. This picture says it all, I think... "Keep this wagon moving or the bear gets it."

Yeah...We kept moving.

Drumroll, Please...

Here's a glimpse of life in the Whetzel kitchen. While Mommy bakes, Seven gears up for a career on the road.

We miss you, Kit.

Family Day Field Trip...The Cascades

As I sit here typing, Blogger Friends, I cannot lie.

I AM FAT and I AM OLD.

I am out of shape, and God, do my inner thighs know it. I know exactly why I gave up physical activity...umm, it's called pain. It's going to take me a week to get over this Field Trip.

Jon decided (and rightly so, it was a great day and the leaves are gorgeous) that we should take Seven hiking to the Cascades yesterday, a local waterfall. It's steep, people! The hike up is 90% uphill. It's along the creek, and the views around every corner are so nice, but - huff, huff, huff - geez. Again, old and fat.

Jon carried Seven in the ever-so-manly infant carrier. He was so cute! With only 1/4 mile to go, he finally gave up and fell asleep. So sadly, he missed his first ever waterfall. The two-ish mile hike out was easier than the two mile hike up. Thank the Lord. I think somehow, someway, they are making that waterfall a little farther away each time I go. I honestly think the last time I hiked it I was still a teenager. I think I'll go sob now if it's all the same to you.

Just a side note to the Cascades. We noticed so many VT students there. Like, everyone we met aside from a little old couple or two were students. Does anyone remember the days of freedom - no real job, no real responsibility? No baking groups to post for? No real bills to pay? Just living life and hiking the local trails, excited that it's the weekend and there's nothing to do. For us, we had to MAKE the time to be together, thrilled to have a whole day just to be with each other and the Boy. For US, it was the best thing we could do. For them, there was nothing better to do.

College sucks.

After our hike, we had a nice little lunch in Downtown Blacksburg at a little Italian place called Ceritanos. We ate the buffet, because it was easier and knew we could more easily feed Seven that way. He LOVED it, and was such a little grown up. While the food was good, I know that if we had ordered off the menu it would have been better...but it was good. A nice lunch all and all.

After linch we headed to Riner to the Pumpkin Patch. Or, as it should be called, the Land Where People Forget How Much Pumpkins Really Cost Because Their Children Look So Cute In A Pumpkin Patch. I'll post more on it later - it was really, really nice. Stay tuned.

Pretty Boy

That's really all I have to say about that.

...Run Away, Run Away...

I still don't know how he managed to get it off the table. Seriously. Sorry, Dad, umm, that one was supposed to be for you.

For an update on our youngin' - well, still only 2 teeth. He weighed 20 pounds at his last doctor visit (his 1 year) and was about 30 inches tall. He's a great eater, and there isn't much the child won't try. He loves Poppy's Reese Cups, green beans, peas, and sweet potatoes. He'll eat anything sweet, but that's something he got honest.
Still not walking, though he cruises alot and will stand on his own with good balance. And smart. He's so smart, I think...but I'm his Momma and that's to be expected of me.
He got his second haircut last night, and we didn't mangle it toooo bad. He looks so grown up now.

Jon will be heading to Georgia this weekend, leaving us alone - again. He's going down with Adam Krantz to watch the Bulldogs play, so I'm sure he'll have a good time.

I start Course Two of my Cake Decorating class tomorrow. I really enjoy doing it, so maybe one day I will be good enough to get paid to decorate cakes. Who knows? At least it would be some extra money. (I think no such thing exists..."extra" money.)

Hope everyone out there is doing well and enjoying the cooler weather and a strange start to football season for teams everywhere.

Family Day Field Trip...Mountain Lake

So, Nicole lives in Raleigh now, but she's the one who sends me a link about Mountain Lake and the incredible waterloss. Honestly, since the day I left working there in 2001, I have only been back up maybe 4 times? The last time we went was in October last year after Seven was born. We had a great brunch there...and though the lake level was down, and looked, well, so sad, today was just unbelieveable.

These two pictures were taken in October, at the far end of the lake. The "Deep End" if you will. As you can see, the water is very, very low.

Many of you will remember the days when the Boathouse was completely surrounded by water, all the way to the trailhead. And when the Gazebo steps led right down to a floating dock. I even remember when the LakeHouse at the far end had water in both the back AND the front. When you needed to walk the dock to get to the front door.

Those days are no more.

These two pictures were taken today...from the same vantage point as the Ocotber photos.

There is not even enough water to float a boat in. No exaggeration. No water at all. The dark spots in the photos are just silty dark hardened mud, not water. It's so hard to describe, as you really need to see it in person to get a gauge on how overwhelming it is. If you look closely in the top picture, you can see a man on the left hand side, about halfway down. That's how deep this end was. Over 100 feet. The rocks at the top? People use to jump off of. You can see the water line on them if you look closely. But now? Gone. It's all gone.

Everyone should go and see it...especially if you can remember the Dirty Dancing Days. The days when Mountain Lake was still a lake.