Wintergreen 2007

Decked out in her new hiking pants, Rory took her parents on a weekend trip to Wintergreen, which is a mountain-top resort in the Blue Ridge, about 30 minutes from Charlottesville (where I went to college). We had a wonderful time, and Sarah has already said that she wants the trip to be an annual Memorial Day tradition. We hiked, we swam, we played on the lake beach, we admired the views, and Sarah got a facial at the resort spa!
Our adventure began on Friday, with a road trip that took us to two of Virginia's best wineries (only the best for Rory's first visit to a winery).
At Linden Winery, we tasted a delicious Claret. At Rappahanock Cellars, we fell in love with a Cabernet Franc and had a picnic amidst the vines.
On Saturday, we donned a new "kid carrier" for a hike in the woods (which criss-crossed a golf course several times, so it wasn't as rustic as it looks).
After the hike, we retired to the resort lodge for a hearty lunch and a little daughter-daddy goofing around.
Later in the afternoon, while Mommy enjoyed her facial at the spa, Rory took her Daddy swimming in the indoor pool. Pictured here, Rory is a little more excited than her first swimming experience. (Note: Rory vocalizations have greatly increased in frequency and decibel-level across the last two weeks; in this picture, she is growling at the top of her lungs; we think this particular roar means "get me in the pool NOW lazy man with camera!")
In the pool, Rory showed her Daddy all of the swimming strokes that she has been practicing at her Saturday-morning swim lessons, including this complex water-ballet airlift. Rory loved the water. She kicked her feet, used her hands to splash the water, and gave everyone else in the pool a great big smile.
Rory's good form has her Mommy talking Olympics 2026 ...

... a prospect that Rory applauds approvingly.
Back at the cabin (okay, "condo" ... who am I kidding, it was a very modern mountain abode), Mommy made a make-shift eating area for Rory...
...who used her whole body for this particular feast -- freed from the bonds of her highchair (and clothing, apparently).
On Sunday, we said goodbye to the mountain and visited Holly and Mark Stancil (college friends of mine), and their two kids, Annabeth and Cooper (pictured here next to Rory). To get a sense of Rory's "peanut size", consider that at 6 months, Cooper is already as heavy as Rory is at 9 months. Too cute.