Tesla the Biscuit Maker

Setting: The bed. Ben and I snuggle as Tesla purrs happily and walks from side to side, randomly making biscuits before moving on.

Ben: "He's looking for some batter. You know, to make some biscuits."

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Shenandoah

Ben loves Shenandoah National Park, and he specifically loves hiking Old Rag, described on the park's website thusly:

"Shenandoah's most popular and most dangerous hike. The number of blogs and websites about this hike attests to its popularity. The number of search and rescue missions each year attests to its danger. There's no doubt that the scramble is great fun and the views are spectacular. A day on Old Rag is one of Shenandoah's premier experiences."

So he was sorely disappointed when the weather prediction for the weekend we'd chosen to go hike the mountain and camp out in Shenandoah was rainy and cold. But wait! Friday of that weekend looked to be spectacular. So, being the loving wife I am, I took off Friday and we made a last minute change of plans.

As predicted, the hike was difficult, but mostly enjoyable. That is not to say that I did not get cranky when I thought we had gotten to the summit only to find out that no, there was still more to climb. I generally get cranky at least once during all of our outdoor camping/hiking activities so this is no surprise. As Ben said when we got home, "I'm just glad you didn't cry this time."

After the 4.5 hour round trip hike we drove further into Shenandoah and checked in at Big Meadows campground. It took several circuits of the area before Ben was able to select a camp site to his liking, but once set up we treated ourselves to a glorious shower in a trailer brought in during renovations of the camp's permanent showers (no complaints here as the water was hot!), bowls of lukewarm reheated spaghetti and s'mores with marshmallows roasted on sticks Ben whittled out of our $7/cord firewood. 

I did manage to sleep, though it required two pairs of socks, two pairs of pants, a long sleeved shirt, a sweatshirt, a fleece jacket, gloves, a hat and a sleeping bag to be comfortable enough to do so. I will say, not the worst night of sleep I've ever had in a tent. 

I did require a nap on Saturday to recover, but it was truly lovely to get outside, use our bodies, and just be together. Definitely something we should do more often.

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Winter Cabin Camping

Because I am a loving wife who also wants to build up "I did something you want to do" points to get to Disney World we went cabin camping in Gifford Pinchot State Park with one of Ben's friends and said friend's girlfriend. It was not awful. I did enjoy being away from the TV and the computer for a bit, as well as the bracing cold fresh air and the novelty of walking on a frozen lake.

Cabin. Woods. Frozen lake.

First hat I ever made. Go me!

Rebels, all of us. Seriously though some ice fishermen let Ben look down in one of their holes and the ice was something like 10" thick. Also one ice fisherman had a canvas tent house thing and planned to spend the night on the ice, which is crazy in a way I don't understand. We watched him pack up and ship out around 8:30 at night though, so maybe the rational part of his brain got the best of him. Or the park ranger kicked him out. Not sure what the proper procedure is for renting a camping spot on what is usually a liquid surface.

And also Ben made blueberry cobbler/cake in a dutch oven and I love cake.

As always, I was pretty ecstatic to get back to these furry munchkins. And also to my comfortable, warm bed.

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Halloween was four months ago.

But I'm posting about it now! I will never not be a Disney character for Halloween; this is a given. This year I wore not one, but two costumes: a work appropriate Minnie Mouse and a less work appropriate Snow White.

Did I have my annual review at work that day? Yes, yes I did. Did I wear my Minnie ears? Absolutely.

The world's most cutest museum dog was a 50's lady, complete with poodle skirt.

And Tesla and Truman were reluctant but fabulous Meowsketeers, as usual.

 I had some Disney Halloween decor, of course (some of it prompted by yet another Disney trip contest that I did not win. One day I will be victorious.)

I marvel at my artistry.

Ben managed to get me out of the house to a party thrown by his friends. I crashed by 11 and went home.

I tried, I really did, to do Snow White hair.

Because he's that cute.

Because we are an adorably Dis-nerdy family, my mother and I wore the same costume.

Don't you just love it?

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Until next summer, Rita's

We got a jump on celebrating my birthday early this weekend with a trip to Uno's Pizzeria and one last visit to Rita's before the end of the season. 

Even though we had to sit in the car with our coats on and it was dark out it was still amazing.

Brr.

Then Sunday I had birthday cake..and birthday cake ice cream to go with it. It was forced on me by my parents. Clearly.

My "I love cake" face.

But then I went for a walk in the park with B...so it all evens out, right? Yes.

Elsewhere in the week...

I made the Washington Post, 

 #musempeopleproblems,

and Truman sat on the remotes.

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Weekend Recap

B was away for the weekend on a motorcycle trip, so I took the opportunity to fill my weekend with other friends and family.

Friday night I had pizza and beer with my little brother while watching World's Dumbest.

Saturday I indulged...a lot. Since B doesn't like to eat junk food and I love it, I tend to go a little overboard when he's away. Ice cream by myself, and then dinner and wine with my girlfriends while we watched wedding shows. We capped off the evening with a cupcake tasting.

Sunday morning I got to have snuggles with my fur babies.

Sunday myself, my brother and one of my cousins took my grandmother out to dinner for her upcoming 75th birthday. 

Party shoes.

In my hometown there's a rather unique restaurant built in an old chicken coop on a farm, and it is THE PLACE to go to celebrate something (it's also one of THE ONLY PLACES to go, but that's beside the point). They serve food family style, and the only thing you choose is your main dish. In the "appetizer" round they bring out cottage cheese and apple butter, coleslaw, fruit and sugar biscuits or "hush puppies". The hush puppies are not the kind you get in the south. They are simply biscuits fried and rolled in sugar, and they are one of the best things you will ever put in your mouth.

Mouth-watering goodness.

We made her sit with a birthday balloon. Thankfully no one sang.

After you are full of fried carbs, they bring you your entree (my cousin and I split fried chicken and eggplant parmesan) along with green beans, corn, french fries and, at our request, more hush puppies. And if you aren't done (which you aren't) they top it off with a dish of ice cream. Afterwards, as tradition dictates, you roll yourself out onto the grounds of the farm to visit the pond and the ducks that live there. If you are in the know, you save some of the non-sugared dinner rolls (since no one eats the non-sugared ones, there are plenty) to feed the little guys.

Such a great weekend, but glad to have B home safely for snuggles.

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One Year Later

2013

2014

As of Sunday, September 7, B and I have officially been married for one year. Time does indeed fly. In many ways the year was the same as the past four (three? four? I don't even know anymore) that we've been together. We already lived together, so we didn't need to merge two households. We already shared a joint bank account. I didn't change my last name. Really, our day to day lives didn't change that much, but there is something intangibly different about being "official". It feels different to be presented to the world as a married couple, even though our commitment to one another was cemented long ago. 

We wanted to mark the occasion with a few days of just enjoying one another's company. Also we just bought a house and aren't in a position to shell out cash for a big splashy trip at the moment. So we took off from work Friday and spent two days at the beach with some good friends.

Sunset over the bay.

 

Ice cream, always.

We went home Saturday night and spent our actual anniversary hanging out at the house, and doing some of our favorite things together:

Eating.

B made me blueberry pancakes for breakfast and I used my favorite Disney "Mrs." mug. We also got Chipotle for dinner and had frozen yogurt for a special treat.

Cuddling.

With both each other and the cats.

And being outside on a beautiful day.

Hiking in the local park.

I personally love to find unique gifts, so I gave B a wallet card to replace the tattered note I wrote to him years ago that he's been keeping in there, and a little book of things I love about him.

A lovely day to cap off a great year, and a great way to launch the next, hopefully-equally-as-great one.

  

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Why I Love Being Married to Him

Via

The other night B was playing with his pocket flashlight, holding it behind Tesla's ears to make a shadow and repeating "It's the Batman!"

And that's why I love being married to him.

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The Lorax

When we bought our house, this was the view out the front window. 

We were pretty pleased with it, considering we live in a rather urban area but are both nature-lovers (maybe one of us more than the other).

Recently, the builders of our complex started cutting down some of those trees to put in an office building. We know builders cut down trees. We know many trees were surely cut down to make the home we so enjoy. Still, we don't really like it. We hoped the builders would at least leave some nice groupings of the original woods, as they had done in other areas.

Last night on my way home B called.  "Babe! They clear-cut everything!" "Oh no!" "I know!" "I'm sad." "Me too."

When I got in the door, we commiserated over losing the trees. The cats meowed at us loudly and B goes, "I think they're upset about the trees too-you know what this feels like? That book The Lorax! Dr. Seuss had it right."

Via

More and more it seems like everything I ever needed to know I could've learned from Dr. Seuss.

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Three days off. Here's what I have to show for it (hint: not much).

I am coming down off of a 3 day weekend and its always hard to come back to work but I shall persevere. 

Friday after a doctor's appointment I had lunch and went shopping with my mom. The kittens were the big winners from that trip as I got them lots of toys.

Cuddles with his new squishy.

A little high off the catnip mice.

Being off also meant I got to wear comfy clothes and indulge my new found passion for leggings.

Saturday we slept late and did a short hike to a local little waterfall.

The shirt I got him in Hawai'i.

B took me to Famous Dave's for dinner since I love BBQ but have never been there. Let me tell you, it was worth it. I had a delicious pulled pork sandwich WITH COLESLAW ON IT (I am big on food mixing) and broccoli that I chose because I felt like it was the healthy option but it was really, really good so I'm pretty sure it must've been smothered in butter but oh well.

This weekend also marked the return of the Mickey Mouse antennae topper.

Also this:

                                                        

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