NOVA!

While Carrie worked on the house and talked with the photographer, Shane and I went outta town. 

But we stopped at the library first. Shane spotted a copy of The Wizards of Once. That was the last audiobook we listened to on a family road trip.

It was written by Cressida Cowell. If you don't recognize the name, you may recognize the series she's known for: How to Train Your Dragon.

The library had pictures of dragons posted for kids to look for.

Shane spotted a kid form Sunday school, Lathan, and they ended up finding all the dragons together.

Take your kids to your local library. They're great.

After we got some audiobooks (Shane picked a Hank the Cowdog we've listened to at least 7 times), we were back on the road with our first stop at Jama's.

John showed up next. Then Megan, June, B, and Sammy!

We didn't stay in Jama's room long. There was a bump and she got a phone call from a worried neighbor!

John hooked the boys up on his Switch. When that 'wore out,' Megan coughed up her phone. That left the adults free to do their things.

Megan and June talked. John and I broke out Blood Bowl. He beat me 2-1 with a heavy rushing plan.

Shane and B could only be distracted by electronics for so long. Megan started a hide and go seek game while John and I finished our game.

The coolest hiding spot:

B crawled into the fridge! I saw him open the door and stand there with the little gears twirling. I watched him out of the corner of my eye and suppressed a laugh!

If it was Shane, I would have had to stop it. One, he's too big. Two, he would have noticed I saw him.

But B's not mine....AND HE FIT! I doubled over when the door closed.

Of course, I let Megan know right away and she 'found' him quickly! I almost wanted to make him crawl back in for a picture, but decided against it.

Shane hid in a cabinet later, but nothing will top B in the fridge!

Megan had to go to a dinner party with her crew afterward. Shane, John, and I spent our evening at ChicFilA until it was bed time (Random: Harmonica guy was back!).

Jama and Ed hosted us for breakfast. I feel like I'm at a fancy hotel with a room and bacon every morning I visit Jama's!

Shane discovered that Jama's recliner could do more than just recline while we changed for church.

If Travis had been available, I probably would have taken Shane to Christ Church. He wasn't, so we ended up at the church I really connected to in Chantilly. It looked like Shane was trying to wrestle a kid on the sports field when I picked him up!

We drove straight from church to Megan's. B was starting tee-ball that evening, so we had to get our visit in before nap.

Big B was around and cleaning. We were having a nice talk in the kitchen when I looked out the window and saw Shane peeing out of a tree!

It was probably a bonding moment.

We laughed. Then I put on my dad face, opened the door, and told Shane to "Knock it off and get in here!" I shut the door to get the rest of my laughter out before he showed up. I'm going to be telling that story again and again....

B was mainly cleaning, but he got to get beaten up in a pillow fight before it was nap time.

Shane and I met John at a Tropical Smoothie Cafe halfway between us. I gave Shane my phone and he put the camera to use.

Not all of the pictures were videos of the inside of his nose, either!

John and I played a second round and this time the dice crushed him. I'd like to think it was my superior strategy, but that'd be a lie.

Shane happily played on the Switch. I was happy to see he was playing a racing game....and he wasn't in last place! He's learning and improving!

We left NOVA around 5:30 PM (Or maybe it was 5:35 PM after I realized I left my laptop charger in Jama's room). There was an emergency pit stop in Madison for both of us (That bathroom was nowhere near as clean as I remember it!*), but otherwise it was an uneventful trip home. Shane's a great traveler.

*We started to stop at this particular bathroom after another stop gone wrong! Ha!