Our little 8-month old is bursting with energy! Despite her best efforts she hasn’t quite mastered crawling yet, but she’ll roll clear across any room in just a few seconds when she’s after something. Nothing excites her more than her newfound mobility and independence.

Alex’s birthday gift to me this year was a little family weekend getaway in the Shenandoah Valley. Since February is so cold we waited until warmer months to plan our trip. We stayed in a quaint, secluded cabin just a quarter mile from the Shenandoah River. Although we weren’t completely off the grid, it was nice to be mostly unplugged enjoying each other’s company — just the three of us.