a little Virginia autumn for your weekend

^ "Umm, Mama, I'd really like to go on a walk with you but I just have to figure out how to bring all my shoes along too."

The weekend before we left Virginia and returned to Sicily, my parents, siblings, Elliott, Lena, and I drove to a pretty little getaway in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Elliott and I swung by UVA to pick up my sister Emily on our way to the house my mom had rented for all of us.  We soaked up time together with hikes in the mountains, leisurely meals and conversation indoors, and quiet moments around the fire pit or in the hot tub outside.  Lena especially enjoyed the huge walking stick bugs ("bee!  bee!" and giggles) that her daddy caught for her.

I'll leave you with a portrait of a blogging couple.  This is how we spend many evenings together but usually no one else is around to say, "Aww, you two are so cute with your matching computers!" and take a picture.