The Turner Family

Some form of dementia is creeping in for me, as mom had emailed and asked for our digital copies of the bike/rollerblade trip we took with the Virginia and Fees Road Turners this July, and I replied that I couldn't locate them in our photo program on the computer . Tiff found them, quite logically located, as the program stores photos chronologically, and I had failed to notice them or look back far enough. Doh . No matter the activity that may have brought you to the destination, the kids always enjoy the playground equipment. I love it that Tiff remembers to switch the settings on the camera, and get black and white photos for a change of pace. The contrasts and lines of b/w photos are sharper, the emotions are different. You have 2 group photos from which to choose. Or, if you're PhotoShopically -inclined (or on a budget and can't afford $600 for PhotoShop, here's a free and capable alternative for those with PCs) you can cut and doctor and paste and make 1 photo ...

With Jason and Ahni's uncertain U.S. residency status for next year, Tiffani and I thought it was a good opportunity to visit the nation's capital. We called and got the OK from our hosts, mapped our route, gassed and loaded the van, and took off about midday on Saturday, August 12. We drove to Somerset, Pennsylvania , and checked into a Knights Inn , not altogether a complete dump. Note Tiff and I at a rest area on Sunday, ready to be there already, photo courtesy of Cori. We luckily coincided our arrival in Springfield, Virginia with Jason and Ahni's return from a camping trip in Blacksburg , home of Virginia Tech , so we unpacked and stretched our legs, and then gladly took off for the local pool. Sophie excitedly chose to ride bikes with Ahni and the Virginia Turners, while the rest of us piled in the van. Here we are on our first day, having just stepped off the Metro and walked the block or so to the Mall . The Mall is visually very impressive for first-timers like...

Can't you just feel the excitement? Yet another summer holiday comes to a close, but this time we transition into fall and school without trying to simultaneously sell 3 houses, buy a new one and coordinate a move, while changing schools.

Sophia started preschool today, and according to Tiffani, she was terribly independent: she asked that Tiff not accompany her inside. But it was Tiff's day to work in the classroom, so she had to go, which meant that Sophia played pretty independently of her parent. Once inside, Sophia ran off to her own interests, not where the other children and parents were gathered. Soon, other kids noted Sophia and were over playing with her. Tiff said Sophia made a friend, Kelly, who put her arm around her during story time. I even got a visit at work before they headed over. All seemed to go well, and both little kids came home for massive naps.