Fall 2012

The months of September and October sure have been busy in the Van Horn household (I'm sure many of you have been experiencing the same.).  At first it felt great to get back into a routine schedule but I am left exhausted every day. Thankfully, between Ted and I, we are able to work out our schedules to fit our family's demanding needs.

Alex officially turned 16 yrs. old on Sep. 19th!! He has been practicing driving and will have to wait until late Spring to get his driver's license since Driver's Ed is offered second semester. He just finished his 6 month term as Senior Patrol Leader and is working on procuring donations for his Eagle Project. School is going well for him and he actually started doing conditioning for Soccer at Hampton High School. He had to wait a year before he could participate in a team sport due to the fact that we are "out of zone". He is excited about getting to know his coaches and is hoping for a spot on either the JV or Varsity Soccer Team.



Alex turns 16!!

Sophia is keeping us busy with her swim practices and competing in monthly YMCA Swim Meets. She is doing quite well and has improved since the summer. She is very active with her school and extra curricular activities. She is the President of the Student Council and is working on her Girl Scout Silver Award which requires doing a project and spending at least 50 hours of community work on the project.

Sophia getting ready to race while Ted gets ready to DQ someone!

Matthew had an awesome soccer season with his U10 team. They went undefeated 9-0!! Next season he will be moving up to a U13 team, requiring longer practices and a bigger field to play on.  He is enjoying the 4th grade and being in a smaller classroom environment with 15 kids. Last year there was only one 3rd grade class with 26 students! He is very active as a Webelos scout...enjoying the outdoors and working hard on Activity Badges.



Matt knees the soccer ball.

This past weekend I had the honor of attending another Submarine Christening with Ted. This time for the SSN MINNESOTA. Ceremonies like this always make me feel proud of the country we live in and grateful for the freedoms we have because of those who fight to protect it. And, also, I am thankful for unsung heroes like the shipbuilders who work hard to put a submarine together...definitely a job well done! Ted is looking forward to catching a ride on the MINNESOTA when it undergoes Sea Trials next Spring.



Christening of the MINNESOTA

As for me, I have not been working at my father's office since he has decreased his work hours and it wasn't worth the drive to Portsmouth. But, this year, I signed up to be a substitute at the kids' school. I have been fortunate to have been a sub for a 3 yr. old Preschool class for a couple of days, which I actually enjoyed! Who wouldn't enjoy singing songs and playing at different stations for half a day? I have also been a sub for the receptionist at the school office, which I found a little challenging, especially dealing with demanding parents at times. But, it's all good and the staff at the front office seem to appreciate my presence.

Last weekend we were able to get away and spent some time in Charlottesville, VA. It was the first weekend in a while where we absolutely had nothing on the calendar and we took advantage of it! I haven't been to Charlottesville since I went there for a high school field trip...yeah, I know, that was a VERY LONG TIME AGO!! Ted and Alex had the opportunity to visit the UVA Campus and attend a football game. We arrived around 9:30 a.m. last Saturday and couldn't believe all the tailgating that was going on already! Even thought the Cavaliers lost, Ted and Alex had a great time.



UVA Football

I took Sophia and Matt to Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. I couldn't have asked for better weather. It was absolutely beautiful and we picked a perfect time to go and see the vibrant fall colors. Monticello took 40 years to build. The home and grounds were very well kept. We took a "family friendly" tour which kept both kids engaged.



Monticello



Scenic view on Mulberry Lane at Monticello



Fall Foliage

On Sunday, we got up early and headed over to Carter Mountain Orchard to go apple picking. Getting there early was the key. As I witnessed the day before as we were leaving Monticello, the entrance going to the orchard had a long line out on the main road. Like Monticello, the views were breathtaking! We mostly picked a variety called Winesap, which is a red apple, with a sweet taste and crunchy texture. I made an apple pie when we got home...it was delicious!



Matt is happy that the apples are within reach.

View from Carter Mountain

After apple picking, we drove about 30 min. west to Skyline Drive, part of the Shenandoah National Park. The scenic views were absolutely amazing and breathtaking. We only spent about an hour there and wished we had more time to drive the whole route which is about 100 miles long with many scenic overlooks and places to camp or lodge.



A view of the Blue Ridge Mtns. from Skyline Drive.

On another note, this Fall has been filled with mixed emotions....military friends of ours have relocated to NJ (whom we miss dearly!), my aunt who I was very fond of passed away in the Philippines, and Ted's maternal grandmother passed away last week. It really makes me realize how life short is....that we shouldn't take anything for granted, and when given the chance, never forget to let those who mean the most know how you feel about them. I am very grateful for my family, dear friends, and those who have crossed my path and have made a positive impact in my life. If you are reading this, you are definitely one of these people!!