A Study on Leaf Jumping

First things first, a few trunk rotations to warm up and stretch out.
So.... twist....

...and twist...

.... then JUMP!

Then get up and out, look for the perfect spot to jump back in....

... and JUMP again!

Pose for a cute photo.

Then JUMP JUMP JUMP some more!

When executed properly, leaf jumping can be sheer joy!

Oh leaves, you make me content to be in you.

One last JUMP!

Now you can go out and be an expert leaf jumper too!

Fall Festival!

We had an amazing time at the Fall Festival today at Hanover Vegetable Farm. Abby's school put it together. We saw friends and teachers from this past year... Enjoy our photos!

Posing with Daddy

Playing in the Corn Kernels

Our fearless Jumper!

Bonding with the Bunny

Waiting in line for the Hay Ride... no one likes to wait

But the wait was worth it! The hunt for the perfect pumpkin begins!

Pumpkin picking quickly turned into flower picking...

...and more flower picking....

YAY!!!! We finally picked a pumpkin!!!!

Happy Fall!
Love,
The Orrocks

Our little Dukie

LETS GO DUKE!!!

Blue Eyes

A long time since my last post. Abby has grown so much! She continues to be an amazing sweetheart.

hammerin' ham

Picture Perfect

Abby's first Picture Day at school was this past Tuesday (3/15/11).

This is how I sent her to school.

Hopefully she didn't look so zoned out when they took her photo!



Abby really loved wearing her dress to school. She was SO cute running around the house in it during the morning. I can't wait for Easter, since this is pretty much what she'll look like then too. :)

I will scan & post her school photo when it comes in! So excited!

And the best part, this dress was free to us. Granny brought it to us in a bag of Hannah's hand me downs. :D (still had the tags, so Hannah never wore it)

Moving Mutalations & Memories

Oh, the memories remembered and made through moving.

It has been a slow start to packing, but we are getting there. The office is packed, Abby's room has been de-decorated, and the kitchen is 1/2 packed. All thanks to Grandma & Pops who, very lovingly, gave up their only free Saturday for the next month or so to come help us pack.... oh yeah, last minute.

We had a good time reminiscing about prior moves, which boxes have been used where, who they had moved, and the distances they have gone. If you can actually believe it, there is a box just about as old as I am... as it was used in a move from Arizona (to Utah? I think). Yeah, these boxes have seen a lot of moves, in a lot of states, for a lot of different folks, but are in amazing shape.

Collin is now our dog for the next month! whew. Here's hoping it helps Molly during this transition. To put it lightly, Molly is freaking out. As soon as we brought in boxes, she started attacking the blinds while we were gone. Oh, and when we started putting things in said boxes... she attacked the carpet. Yes, she dug 3 holes in the back room. Amazing. To help ease her anxiety, we gave her access to our room, and put a sheet on our bed so she could nap there for the day. It worked... for a week. Then came the pee. Yes, this delightful dog PEED ON OUR BED. Last straw. Hands down. We pulled the crate out. And now she is daily crated. Problem solved.

Or so we thought.

This past Thursday, Welford got a trailer and moved a few boxes and furniture out of the house. Molly tried to eat her way out of her metal crate. In doing so, broke 2 of her teeth.

-Molly's broken tooth, next to thumb. Same tooth broken on other side too.-

What do we do now? So, we swindled Collin from Granny & Pops to give Molly a playmate for the days. If this doesn't fix Molly's destructiveness, we'll try to find some loving souls to take her in until we are moved.

Damage in total: 7 blinds, 1 room's carpeting, 2 teeth, 1 metal dog crate.

-Collin on Molly's bed. Molly sleeps on his.-

Spring has Sprung!

March is here, basketball madness is upon us. And with a double Duke championship, I'd say we're starting out with a pretty great Spring :)


After watching the game, Abby & I headed to the park to enjoy the most beautiful day! We had a great time... until not having a nap caught up with sweet Abby. Enjoy some photos from our lovely park outing!

-pretending to be a bird-

-hello shadow-

-Abby really likes rocks lately-

Mommy Where Are You?

-Christmas Eve 2010-

Well, this is at least what Abigail says when she is looking for me, so I imagine you have been doing the same. My long lost friend. I say, it has been a while. Let me catch you up on the highlights since I've started working and Abigail has started school... you know, last November.-Thanksgiving 2010-

Ear infections, colds, more colds, raggedness, Thanksgiving!, more colds, Christmas, ear infections, my ear drum ruptured, turning 30, more colds, more ear infections, but OH the LEARNING!

Abigail's school is A-MAZING to say the least. The first week she was there I knew we had completely made the right decision in picking them. Abby knows sign language, and if you can't understand what she is saying, Abby will then proceed to sign it to you. No joke. You have never felt dumber in your life than having your child sign to you because you don't know what she's saying. I mean, she's trying to talk to you in 2 languages and you can't understand either of them. And it hasn't been all bad despite my highlights list. Although it is a joke at work that I am alergic to work, or at least the building, because I have not had a healthy week since I started working. Oh the joy of daycare germs. It reminds me of visiting Patrick when he was this age. I'd go to work Monday morning after a weekend visit and my coworkers would ask how Patrick was doing, solely based on the fact I was sick. The price you pay for having such amazingly wonderful and perfect kids in your life I suppose. I wouldn't change it for the world.-Thanksgiving 2010-

All in all, we have "kind of" settled in to a double working parent household. I am now jealous of ALL moms who keep their house clean, but really, those who have time to even make it to the grocery store. I'm hoping with a bigger house, we will be able to do a better job of keeping things in their place. But who am I kidding, it just means more to make a mess in and more to clean up. I choose to live in my happy place for now.

So, yes. A bigger place! Welford and I are buying our first house! Hopefully closing March 31, moving the first week of April. Please come visit us. We'll have a proper guest room! I am needless to say stressed. My stomach has been in a knot for 2 weeks now and I've had a "tension" headache for a month, or so the doctor says. I have been keeping a journal of my pains these past few days to share with the doctor on Monday.... but you know, what mom has time to journal, so this journal is in my head. I'll write it down tomorrow... but that's what I said yesterday. :) Back to the house. LOVE IT. I mean, it needs work. It backs up to a creek, has a wooded back yard, and is on 0.73 acres, which is huge compared to the average lot size in Henrico County. It is a small walk from Deep Run Park. One of my favorite places to go when it's nice out.

Abby is a blessing daily in our lives. I mean, I know I'm biased, but she is completely super amazing. And the sweetest beauty ever.


Molly is sensing our move, and tearing up the house.... so she is crated when we are not home.

Welford is loving his job and looking forward to summer. Things are so great and we are so fortunate that he was hired for this position.