Just a Geek Named Jess

So... how's your summer been treating you?!? As you can see from the picture above... this is pretty much how we've been spending our "Dog Day's" of summer... ;). But when were not lounging around the house we've been hiking in the woods at a local park, taking swim classes and getting ready for school to start again in September. Yes, the kids here in Virginia (at least in our county) go back AFTER labor day... and it has made for a VERY long summer. Especially for a kiddo who really enjoys going to school and seeing her friends.

In the mean time she has been doing GREAT in swim class, and is making friends along the way there too. She graduated from the first level last week and now she is in a level 2 class. Graduating level 1 means that she can now properly hold her breath while going underwater and swimming back and forth to the instructor while breathing properly, in a very short distance. I am so proud of her and most importantly, a LOT less scared of her being near a deep pool.

My little fish right after she got to ring her graduation bell :)

Such a proud mommy moment :) 

Last weekend we took a walk in the woods! We have this really amazing park that is just down the road from our house, it was an old farm and now the county has turned it into a wilderness park. What's really great about it is, that you are in the city but once you get on the trails you really do feel like you are in the middle of no where! It has a fantastic area to overlook the Potomac River, which we didn't get to actually see this time since we were on a different trail. Although, I plan to go back as soon as the leave start to change color, I would love to get a great shot of the river in all the fall foliage! Here's a few pics from our hike...

The carriage house built in the 1800's

The grain house where the stored their food from the harvests.

The old well house.

The munchkin and her daddy on the trail.

Just below and through the trees you can see the Potomac River.

This weekend I am doing something pretty daring... I am submitting my art/photography in a local art show!!! I haven't submitted any art since probably my high school days. I am pretty nervous about it... of course I am my own worst critic but, people tell me they like my stuff and my hubby sorta told I should... so here goes nothing! I submit it tomorrow and then the show is next weekend. First prize for best in show gets $1,000, second gets $500.00, third gets $300.00 and 14 honorable mentions get $200.00. I figure what do I have to lose right? I'll be submitting a painting I've done recently and a photograph I took last year while visiting a local farm.