Skyline Drive

Skyline Drive. Just one of the hundreds of reasons I love Virginia. The views from Shenandoah National Park are beautiful all year, but especially stunning in the fall. We were having some electrical work done all day a few weeks ago and I needed to keep the kids out of the house. Amelia wasn't feeling too well so she missed school that day and joined me and the boys for a drive. We stopped at the Apple House once again for apple cider donuts and then headed into the park. I stopped at every scenic overlook possible. I love to go during the week when it's not very crowded.

Sky Meadows

Sky Meadows State Park is just down the road from Hollin Farms so after we finished picking peaches we headed there for a picnic and more stunning views of the countryside (and lots of butterflies and cows). The kids loved running in the wide open spaces. We had the entire place to ourselves and just enjoyed a lazy summer afternoon.

There is an old farm house there, the Mount Bleak House, that you can tour. We had never done the tour before but one of the rangers was kind enough to give our huge group of excited kids a tour. It was perfect because she geared the tour toward the kids and made it very interesting for them. She wasn't bothered by their enthusiasm and didn't even panic when they touched something (rare for a house tour around here). We learned all about how a middle-class farm family lived in the 1860s. Oliver was getting a little crazy on the tour so I had to take him out, but the girls loved it.

 Elsa picked a bouquet of wildflowers for me. "Mom, don't see what I'm doing. It's a surprise!"

Oliver enjoying the freshly cut grass.

Not thrilled to find this little guy spying on us.

 

I hung out with these two while the others finished the house tour. Simon immediately rolled onto his face and attempted to eat some grass.

 Descending into the creepy ice house.