Valentine's Snuggles, and maybe not just because it was cold.

It was a wild week, and one comprised of a lovely Galentine's Day (for me and the kids and our extended fam, the Ryans) and a continuation of the epic trout fishing journey (for Seth.) He departed for the Shenandoah Valley with the camper in tow on Wednesday, and on Friday we finally caught up with our biggest Valentine. 

It was 15 degrees in the mountains.

Now that's love.

Our long weekend included lots of campfire snuggles, which was the just what the doctor ordered for us all.

We also did our fair share of acting like actual terrorists in caverns (here, in the world famous Luray ones),

 

touristing it up at the acompanying roadside attractions (here, the toy museum, car and carriage museum, and Pink Cadillac Diner, respectively),

and celebrating Dad's birthday early with a German dinner at a hilariously cramped and miniature-sized German restaurant. Although Finley got to play the accordion and the Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte was on point, so it was an overall win.

Sunday found Seth back in the river

while the kids and I hiked

to the absolutely stunning Natural Bridge.

 

Naturally, their favorite part was the gift shop

(and the really cool Visitors' Center.)

We were also reminded that the Shenandoah Valley does breweries right (here, playing tic tac toe at the epic Great Valley Farm Brewery)

We met Dad on the river, after a long day of outfit changes that left these two hooligans in snow pants (all they had left, Mom Fail)

and Finley showing off her best "I don't know how this happened" pose after winding up hip deep in mud.

Everyone recovered for s'mores later. We were reminded that Ford likes his marshmallows just the way Mamma Gran did: on fire.

Possibly related, everything we own is now completely covered in marshmallow goo.

On our last day of the four-day, the kids and I tackled the Massanutten Water Park. Which is pretty much my worst nightmare, but at least if you arrive early you have a few minutes of pee-free water. Presumably.

Turns out, I could've saved a serious chunk of change and just put the kids in a warm bath, since they are total chickens who flatly refused to go down the big water slides and mostly camped out on the stairs of the hot tub.

(Although Ford eventually wound up the courage to do this tiny slide, took it v. seriously, and then repeated his performance at least 50 times in true Ford fashion.)

We worked up enough of an appetite for brisket sandwiches at Hank's (because "nothing says love like a bucketful of meat!")

and, after a long day of driving and unloading the camper and contemplating vast quantities of laundry, found ourselves back at home; with Davy Crockett delightedly sporting his new coonskin cap.

He reminds me so much of my baby brother, and I crack up every time I think of Ben and his makeshift coonskin cap decades ago.

All in all, although I still think of President's Day Weekend as a ski weekend, we did OK for warm (ish) weather and no snow. And got in lots of snuggles with our hilarious Valentines. 

We call that a win.