Some Good Gobblin'

 

PHOTOS HERE (Sorry...didn't have time to save them all in web version, and had to share them with the fam anyway, so they are in an album on facebook!)

Thanksgiving was fantastic. There's just no other word to describe it: except, perhaps FAST. Brian and I could not believe how fast the time flew by. We didn't have nearly enough time to enjoy the posh, 5-star accommodations (thanks for the newly remodeled guest room mom and dad... comfortable and beautiful), the adorable kids, the fun and feisty sisters, the obliging and awesome parents and the fun holiday activities. Next time we'll just have to stay a month. :)  We did manage to score quite a few highlights, though, such as...

*gorgeous temple square, where we saw bright lights while snuggling with a cute baby, and taking a rambunctious 3 year old on wild stroller rides

*delicious Mandarin food, where Brian met baby Harper and learned they are quite the pair--Harper could not get enough of Bri's stubble.

*scenic golf... in Utah... in November. Not sure what was going on, but we'll take it! Fun day.

*exhilarating after Thanksgiving shopping. Seriously, wish I had Brian on camera. He went from "nice talking to all the people around us and making friends while we were waiting in line" guy, to "squatting down, head crammed between people's knees, grabbing needed DVDs" guy in 2 seconds flat. I was laughing, people around me were laughing... and we got all our DVDs. Priceless. To think he'd never been part of the madness until we got married. He's a natural. :)

*creating cookie trains with the kiddies. Oh the memories of childhood. Gotta give it to my mom... she was pretty darn spectacular when we were growing up (and still is). If we weren't creating something at home, she was helping us create something at school as head room mother. One year she did homemade gingerbread houses (with homemade gingerbread) with my entire class of 30-odd kids. Super mom.  And she's still got it... the kiddos  (and I) had so much fun.

*setting up the traditional train around the tree with the kiddos, and watching them be completely enchanted.

*enjoying movie nights and relaxing with delicious snacks galore

*picking up a new, most-quoted line from 3 year old Tre. Picture the scene: we're all sitting around the table. I'm teasing Tre, and he suddenly says in his sweet little voice, "Oh mine heck Aunt Amber..." and then in a raspy, whispery, pro-wrestling growl, "Whatch you talkin' 'bout?"  Holy Hannah. Maybe you had to be there, but every adult in the room was in hysterics, which led him to repeat it to everyone, one at a time. Brian and I have put a lot of miles on that one.

*visiting my Pa in the hospital during and after an emergency surgery. He still has a long road, but is doing better, and it was good to get to visit with him while it was all going on.

*a gourmet Thanksgiving meal, of course... delish.

*completing my first big sewing project (outside of home ec) with Mom

*a delicious reunion with the Bombay House. Mm mm good.

*sleeping in. Glorious. I don't think Bri has been that rested since... well... last time we were at my parent's house. :)  Can you believe it had been a year since my family saw Bri? Can we say withdrawls?

*watching Papa chase the grandkids around. Squeals, Britt bum scooting at 90 miles per hour, and the sounds of "fe, fi, fo, fum" (a loooooooong ongoing and very unique family tradition) made me smile.

*talking Britt into trying to walk to me. He's so mobile with his cute little bum scoot, that walking just hasn't been on his agenda. But while I was there, he kinda got into it, and it was so fun to see his big smile while we all cheered.

*playing wii and card games with my dad. Apparently he is indestructible when playing Cribbage under the new chandelier, and I am indestructible at Tiger Woods frisbee golf no matter where I play :).

*squeezing in a few friends amidst all the family time for some fun catching up.

Yes, from the time we arrived to the time I sniffed and blubbered my way through security when I left it was delicious. My goodness, how I love my family.

Hope you all had some good gobblin' too, and that you're ready for Christmas! Can't BELIEVE that it's in less than 2 weeks!

Happy Halloween!

4 new blog entries in one day--I fear I was a bit behind...

Halloween this year was filled with lots of pumpkins (and thus lots of pumpkin seeds and pumpkin stew...yum), good friends, spookiness and dog poop (yeah...we'll get there).  Just the way we like it (well, except for the dog poop of course).

We figured we better get the pumpkin carving, and pumpkin stewing, and pumpkin seed baking out of the way on Sunday, just in case we lost power with the storm. Success! (Although, I think my pumpkin looks a little more "Whatever! What's wrong with you!" than "Ooooo...I'm scared!" as was my intention... but "whatever". Maybe it's fitting :) I really don't understand anything Tim Burton.)

On Halloween we enjoyed a quick dinner of cheesy broccoli soup, and then headed out with the Kennedy's for a fun and spooky ghost tour of Old Town (which was packed with cute trick or treaters, and dressed up puppies which Amber loved, and storm troopers which Brian loved). So much fun!

The tomb of the unknown Revolutionary War soldier.

To wrap up the night, we decided to stop at the Halloween House so that Ju and Joey could get a peek--just as cool the second time.

His face is a foreshadowing of things to come...

We also decided to pull over and investigate a suspicious smell as we drove away from the house. It's possible that one of the dressed up doggies enjoying the pirate festivities left a little treasure for Brian to step in, and then smear all over his car mats. I had to laugh as we drove home with the windows open (poor Bri...he has a penchant for stepping in doggie doo doo). The remaining activities weren't nearly as pleasant as the rest of the evening had been, what with the scrubbing and disinfecting by the light of a flashlight--but what's Halloween without a little trick to go with the treat, right? Memorable. Simply memorable.

Preparing for Imprisonment: Annapolis Style

The Saturday before Frankenstorm (aka Hurricane Sandy, aka Superstorm Sandy, aka The Perfect Storm, aka the crazy, gusty storm we miraculously managed to survive with power intact, aka the-million-other-names-the-24/7-storm-coverage-teams-have-dubbed-it), Brian decided to get me out of the apartment for a fun day in Annapolis. I'm not sure how much his choice of Saturdays depended on the fact that neither the BYU nor South Carolina games could be viewed on ESPN3 that week, and how much depended on the fact that he knew we'd be hostages for the next few days and wanted to get me out of the apartment (I'm like a puppy. I need my regular outings and walks)... but regardless, I think his plan to spend the day in beautiful Annapolis was brilliant, sweet and perfect.

The colors were gorgeous, the history was scenic and the strolling made for the perfect day away.

The stroll down this quaint street was the perfect intro to the city...
except that passing a pub we saw the Gamecocks all gathered
around a very injured Marcus Latimore. Not good. Brian did a
good job at ignoring the sick feeling in his stomach so we could
go on enjoying our day, but we both feel for the guy.

 

An old tavern that's been here since pre-Revolution times, and
the cute old fashioned looking street signs I loved.

 

If we ever spend the night in Annapolis, I want
to stay here.

 

On the steps of the oldest, continuously operated State Capitol
 building in the country.

 

He surrenders! He surrenders!

 

The State Capitol

 

 

 

 

 



After strolling, popping in shops and touring all day, we headed to a nearby restaurant for a yummy gluten free meal of Nandos Peri Peri Chicken, and then started the drive home, via a gluten-free bakery, Happy Tart, that I've been dying to try forever (I'm telling you... Brian spoils me). Lucky for us, Brian took a wrong turn, and we ended up driving past the most amazing Halloween house I've ever seen. After reaching the bakery and loading up on cupcakes, cake pops, cookies and sweet buns (Brian insisted we were preparing for the storm with food storage and I should go crazy), we drove back to explore. Seriously. Amazing. Photos don't even begin to do it justice. Pirates, pirates everywhere! Music. Dry ice bubbles. Scene after scene of revelry. I felt like I was in Disney!  Such a fun end to the perfect fall day.

 

 

It's alive!

Frankenstorm is alive and kickin'. Gusty winds (maybe gusty is an understatement...please stay intact trees in our parking lot...please), tons of rain, flooding (which luckily isn't affecting us), and 121,000 in Northern Virginia without power (which miraculously isn't affecting us either...knock on wood).

But guess what? Brian is working from home today and tomorrow, so I say BRING IT ON HURRICANE SANDY, YOU MONSTER! :)   (Ok...to a degree... please leave our power lines and cars alone...)

Fall at Great Falls

What's better than skipping out of work for a morning and hiking in the gorgeous fall leaves around a stunning waterfall?

A big thanks to Julianna for getting me out of the house, and being such a fun hiking buddy (Not many people could have fourth grade boys catcalling and falling in love from clear on the other side of the falls... And not many people could make 2 hours of hiking feel like 20 minutes. "Wait... what? It's time to turn around?").  So much fun!

A Fall Drive

On Saturday, Brian suggested we go on a fall drive. You know me... I LOVE/am obsessed with/can't get enough of/live for the fall. And you know Brian...considerate/sweet/best hubbie ever. Driving to and from work on the Baltimore Washington Parkway, he'd been noticing the leaves peaking and just HAD to show me. Thinking it would be more fun to drive with a destination in mind, he'd done a little homework and found a quaint old mill turned shopping center, Savage Mill, where we could go through some antique shops before returning home (right in time for the BYU and South Carolina games that were both on network TV that day, of course).

We hopped in Tink (you know Tink...the perfect/sun roof blessed/great-for-a-fall-drive car), and spent the morning enjoying the colors, fresh air and antiques. Man, I love the fall.

Oh how I wish my camera would capture the gorgeousness.
Check out this link: it does a bit better.

The sole surviving example of a Bollman Iron
Truss Railroad bridge.

 



Virginia just does fall right.

There's nothing like Autumn in an orchard

 Bri continues to be a monkey.

I continue to giggle all Fall long.

 Bri tests the apple cider donuts and finds he approves.

We try out being Scarecrow Bri and Apple Amber.

 We say, "Oh...cute!"

I don't contain my excitment over our yearly tradition...

  or over my good looking date.

 We love the VA countryside...

and fully understand our state motto: VA is for lovers.



National League East Division Champs!

Our MLB team, the Washington Nationals, don't have the greatest baseball past. In fact, year after year they come in dead last in our league. DEAD last. Worst record, worst team, haven't been to the playoffs since 1933.

Well ladies and gents, grab some Cracker Jacks and your giant red fingers, because this year that's all changed: WE ARE THE NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST DIVISION CHAMPS, and as of today, we won our first playoff game!!!  We are going all the way, with the help of cute little 19 year old Bryce Harper (get in line ladies...ok, actually he doesn't really do it for me, but apparently all the old ladies around here can't get enough).

It's Nats-mania in DC, and Brian and I take full credit. After all, we DID attend 3 games this year. I think our cheering gave them that extra little push they needed.

GO NATS!

 Even the nose bleeds are great seats.

 

 

 Nationals Park

 

 Bri meets Teddy, a few games later

Teddy wins the Presidential Race around

the field for the first time ever...I'm just

sayin. :)

 

 

 See that crazed look in my eye? See that

fully specialized concessions stand behind me?

 

 

Game with our friends, the Kennedy's.