Home again, home again, jiggity jig.

So, I don't know if you know, but we have one crazy summer going on over here. And most of it is field hockey related.

Don't ask. It's all recruiting stuff. It will be worth it if she gets a scholarship.

Anyway, Redheaded Snippet and I made our way down to North Carolina to visit both dear (old and new) friends and a few colleges before heading up and over to Virginia Beach for the National Field Hockey Championship. Yes, colleges. I can't believe I'm taking my first-born to scope out colleges.

Somehow, it's hard to believe she's mature enough for this.  That's the metal strip from a ruler, by the way.  Points for creativity, right?

We got to not only visit but stay with one of my dearest friends from my college days.  We hadn't seen each other in about 8 years and vowed never, ever, ever to let that much time pass without seeing each other ever again!

 Her husband said, "Ok, make a funny face..."  I did.  She didn't.  Typical!

I know it's a cliche' but it was just like old times!

Nothing like a good belly laugh!

My friend's sweet, lovely daughter is just a year older than Redheaded Snippet and they got along like they've been friends all their lives!  It was so fun watching them make instant friends.

I remember when this handsome, shy young man was a towheaded toddler!  Now he's over 6 feet tall!

We spent a lot of time in the car!  We didn't get any photos of Duke University, but Redheaded Snippet was rather impressed with it!  Originally, she didn't want to even consider Duke, but now it's a top contender!  She wasn't, however, impressed with UNC (no photos of that either).  It's just too big and too sprawling for her.  That's just fine with me!

We tried to take advantage of being in a beach resort town by staying at least part of the time on the beach.  This was the view from the balcony outside our hotel room.

A few times, it even got cool enough to actually sit out there and enjoy the view!  But most of the time it was just, "SHUT THAT DOOR; IT'S TOO HOT!"

Self Portrait

But despite the beach, we were there for one reason and one reason only...to play field hockey.  This was the sunrise as we made our way to the field one morning.  I HATE those early games!

Now, while her team didn't take home a medal this year, Redheaded Snippet played very well and scored the tie-breaking stroke that ended one heart-stopping game in victory!

And we just found out she was selected for the Junior Olympics again.  We didn't go last year but have decided to bite the bullet this time.

The JO's are in New Orleans this year so The Viking will be taking her to that one.  I am not too comfortable with the idea of her and me roaming around New Orleans unaccompanied and unprotected.

Despite all the hockey playing, there was plenty of time for hi-jinks of every kind.  Of course, my children seem to gravitate toward one kind in particular: looking absolutely deranged whenever someone pulls out a camera. This one isn't so bad, but just you wait...

They really are cute children.  And they are rather intelligent, if I say so myself...

But you'd never know it from their photos...

They will insist on looking like inbred little freaks.  Which, of course, they are, now that we know that The Viking and I share a common English ancestor 27 generations back...

They found the shower cap and had no idea what it was.  But they discovered it makes a handy jellyfish disguise.

...I really have no idea...but I do know those are not his underwear (in case you were worried)!

I think we've honed in on the source of their photographic antics...

Yes, yes we have...

Before we left, we stopped in at William and Mary.  And, as you can see, I DID get some photos!  It was a lovely, cool day and the campus is just beautiful!

You can't see him well, but that's a statue of Thomas Jefferson way back there...

I think there's something very profound in watching a small boy comparing himself to a great man to see how he measures up.

The Sunken Garden, former site of 18th-century garden parties and current site of Ultimate Frisbee games and campus movie nights.

Man-Cub had a real thing for those statues.

Before we left we had to have the obligatory seafood dinner.  The Viking enjoyed his bucket o' crab legs.

Isn't it a law that teenagers have to get a burger and fries no matter what kind of restaurant you take them to?

Man-Cub has decided to start practicing abiding by this law as well.

And what family trip to the beach would be complete without a FOOD COMA ending?  We were so worn out from all the traveling, playing in the surf and sand, running around on fields (Redheaded Snippet), spectating in the broiling sun (the rest of us), eating out and packing and unpacking that we were more than glad to come home again!  It's good to be home again in our own beds and our own kitchen!

Until the next tournament that is...