White Christmas in Southern Virginia

James, Lulu, and I headed down to Southern Virginia to spend Christmas with my family at my parent's house. We had a fantastic time. Great presents, good conversation, and most importantly....snow!!! And lots of it!

It is unusual for Chesapeake to get snow. It happens. Just not that often. The storm that all the weather folks had been hesitant to talk about last week hit Chesapeake just after 2000 on Christmas night. And didn't leave the area until early Monday morning. My parents had more than 13" of snow on the ground. And for those you think 13" is nothing, for your areas that is true. For Southern Virginia right on the coast? This is near blizzard like weather. It just does not snow there like this storm on a regular basis. As a matter of fact, this storm made 2010 the 2nd snowiest December in Hampton Roads recorded weather history.

We lost power just after 0900 on Sunday all we could do was laugh. And then we headed down to a neighbors for cards, food, and warmth. The power was back on that afternoon.Molly and Chris were to leave on Sunday morning. And that wasn't happening. So we got another 24 hours to spend with them.

Okay, enough of the snow talk. Santa was very good to James and I this year. I got a couple of items that I really wanted. This included a two-shelf bread box! And this one was made by Fiesta! Even better! James had an outdoor theme to his presents: outdoor greenhouse, camping crate, and an original copy of James Beard's Outdoor Cooking.

We hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday with family and friends!!!!

Check out all the photos from our visit here.

A life lived in fear is a life half lived

Those immortal words as Fran speaks them to Scott in hurried Spanish (name that movie) always intrigued me. I understood the meaning in the context of the film, but it wasn't until last Sunday that they truly sank into my own context.

James wanted to take the boys ice skating during our "Christmas" weekend and I needed to go to a Paper Source store. Reston Town Center had that all. So on Sunday morning we all piled into Lola and drove out to Reston. I showed James where to take the boys to find the ice rink and I went to Paper Source (who had the cutest holiday paper crafts that I just had to have). I wasn't there long since I knew exactly what I wanted and as I made my way to the rink I thought that maybe we would spend about 30 minutes total there. I came upon James leading Jaime along the rink wall and Joe slowly inching behind them. It was a little comical. But isn't everyone's first few times on ice comical?

I noticed that Jaime's laces weren't that tight so I helped him to the exit and to a bench so I could tighten them up to prevent his ankles from flopping around. He got right back up and on the ice with James. Joe just sat on the bench. Here was our conversation:

Me: "Are you having a good time?"
Joe: "Sort of."
Me: "Are you going to go back out on the ice?"
Joe: "In a bit."
Me: "Do you want me to come out on the ice with you?"
Joe: "Yes."

So in I went and paid my money, got quarters for a locker to stow my purchases and purse, and cautiously made my way to the rink. Now, I haven't been on ice skates since 1999 when I worked at an ice rink the summer between my Junior and Senior year at Mary Washington College. So I wasn't really sure how this was going to play out.

But I knew I couldn't chicken out. If I was going to fall, I would just have to fall. And I did really well! I never fell once. I realized that I can't show fear to the boys over ice skating. If I show fear over ice skating the boys would be scared and wouldn't even want to even try. The boys did fall more than once. But after the first time they just kept getting back up and kept skating.We skated for over two hours!

Jaime was having a blast skating with James, with me, with James and me. To make Jaime feel even more at ease I started calling toe pics, cupcakes. Which made it even more fun and easier to remember to use the cupcake when trying to get up.

Joe was Mr. Independent, but he never gave up trying to get better at skating. And he did even take my hand a few times. 

Jaime and James after a "fall." Jaime is always the actor.

I was so happy just skating round and round and watching the boys grow with confidence about their skating. I know now that I will not be able to live a life in fear. Because if I do, so will the boys. The little sponges that they are will pick up on that, and I don't want them to ever be afraid of trying something new. Of thinking outside of the box. Or stepping out of their comfort zone.

Life is to short to be afraid or fearful. Life is meant to be lived. And being a step-mom to these two boys is certainly making me live.

Joe's the dark mark in the middle. Always going against the grain.

Impromptu caroling

While on the Metro this morning (reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and listening to Christmas music) a gentleman boarded at the Pentagon Station and proceeded to sing (aloud) the first two refrains of Silent Night!

If you aren't aware of Metro commuting, we are a silent lot keeping to ourselves and the cars are usually quiet (depending on the line and location). So of course no one joined in the caroling, nor did anyone ask him to stop. He wasn't that bad. I think he then exited at Foggy Bottom because I didn't hear him after that.

Three days til Christmas!!!

And so it begins! We got our first accumulation of snow! Now it is less than 2", but when you put it in context of the area it is enough for traffic accidents and school closures. While it did snow last December, it hasn't in the past couple of years. It has everyone wondering if we will have a repeat of last winter.

J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets!

For James' birthday and Christmas present I bought tickets to us to go and see the New York Jets play live at their new stadium at the Meadlowlands in New Jersey. He is a big Jets fan. There were only two games that James was interested in attending. I didn't want to see a Patriot's game, but I was willing to see them play the Dolphins. Needless to say, as the time drew nearer for us to go his face would light up at the mere thought of the game we would be attending.

I was very concerned about the cold weather in New Jersey. I didn't really relish the idea of setting out in the cold. So I started to prepare: toe warmers-check, hand warmers-check, fleece/flannel lined jeans-check, hats/scarves/gloves-check, check, and check. What I wasn't prepared for? Rain.
 
When we woke up on Sunday morning it was as if a monsoon was hoovering over the Meadowlands. It was raining side wides with wind gusts up to 30 MPH. And it was to be a high of 57 degrees! Warm as compared to what we had been exprencing in the DC area. We were lucky that the rain broke before the game and didn't really start raining again until half-time. We bought cheap ponchos at the stadium (umbrellas were not allowed and we saw a lot being thrown away) which helped to a point. But the weather really never got as bad as it had been that morning. Wow for small miracles.
 
This was the inaugural season for the new Meadowlands--all shiny and new. And James was so excited to be able to see a game this year. We arrived early enough to see warm-up and take in the stadium and all its glory. It was very surreal to see an NFL game live. Normally it seems like games last forever on TV, but live they go by pretty quick.

The new stadium. It looks weird with the wind break surface.

Panaroma of the field from our section.

James' first look at our seats. Three rows from the field.

They ended up losing to the Dolphins (10 to 3), but James had a wonderful time nonetheless. And he got to meet Snoopy!

Yay mobile blogging!

I just registered my phone so I can blog on the go! If we see something on the road, or the mood strikes our fancy, we'll be able to share it with friends and family.

Way to go technology......

Test for mobile blogging

Okay...now you are just taunting me.....

I have had a dream for almost a decade. That dream is to own a Mini Cooper. A dream chili red Mini with contrasting white roof and side mirrors. Her dream name is Evie.

I have fought this dream first when I was in grad school and couldn't afford squat without running up my credit card debt. Then in Georgia where I was paying off grad/undergrad school loans and credit cards. And then in Virginia where I am just to fiscally responsible to take a car loan on my own while paying off grad/undergrad school and having a family. That and while I always drive manual in my dreams (always, I swear to you), I have never actually learned how to drive a manual vehicle except for a few lessons in Georgia by friends and my cousin in West Virginia.

When James returned from Korea we purchased a Ford Espace which was practical at the time with the boys. My first ever car loan with financial support from James. Then Lulu arrived and the boys kept getting bigger. The two door Mini Cooper just wasn't in the cards. Then the Clubman arrived last year, and with the third door I was still hesitant. While all four of us could sit in one (thank you Washington, DC auto show) there wasn't much room for anything else. And this past May we upgraded to third row seating and heated seats with Lola, a Ford Freestyle, my "mom vehicle". The car loan got bigger. But the space was pretty good.

And today I received an email from Mini Cooper USA that they have just introduced a four door Mini Cooper called the Countryman in the United States. OH! and you can get one in an automatic.

Are they trying to make me crazy!?!?!?! I want to motor so badly.....damn you sensible thinking!!!

Today I voted. Have you?

I hate to admit it, but today was the first time I have ever voted in a mid-term election. Seriously. And with the way things are going these days I will never miss a chance to vote ever again.

I have my sticker, but I haven't put it on. I really think that we should go to the ink on the index finger like they do in Afghanistan. That would be super cool! And it would stay around all day unlike our stickers which typically fall off your article of clothing after a couple of hours. And it would be more easy to spot folks who haven't voted and encourage them to vote. I wouldn't mock them unless they had a plausible excuse like early voting. If you are over the age of 18 you should be a registered voter.

Image from the Federal Voter Assistance Program (www.fvap.gov)

If you haven't voted yet today pollsare open until 1900 (7:00 PM)  in Virginia and until 2000 (8:00 PM) in Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Monthly Update

Seriously. Over a month? It's been over a month since I last posted something about this family? Jeez! I should be fired! Well here are the highlights:

• I should be in Austin, TX, right now at the National Preservation Conference attending the ACHP booth. However, James got his flu shot last Thursday and by Friday night what ever his body had been fighting won and he was down for the count. James gets sick about once a year. And when James gets sick...I get sick. But if I get sick James doesn't get sick. On Monday morning when I was suppose to get on a plane to TX I felt like complete crap and knew I couldn't get on a plane. I spent several hours playing phone and email tag with work while we sent an emergency back-up to take my place. I'm glad that I didn't go because it wasn't healthy, but then again I have the work ethic of a bulldozer so it was hard to make that decision. I have since spent the week on the couch and/or bed napping and watching Netflix instantly on the Wii. Man I love Netflix on the Wii. Oh! And James spent last weekend sleeping and ended up taking two sick days this week. He to is doing better except first thing in the morning when his body is waking up...I can't sleep in...and he is now on antibiotics
• This past weekend we had the boys. With James sick he missed out on attending the Richmond Games, but Joe, Jaime, Lulu, and I made the drive south to meet up with the parents. We had a really nice time. And of course Lulu was loved by one and all. Since I was solo parenting with two boys and a dog I failed to take a single photo. Beautiful weather--it usually rains a biblical amount and is freezing on the weekends of the Richmond Games, so the sunny blue skies was a nice change.
• One of the biggest cases I have been working on since 2007 finally came to a close this past week. Yahoo!!!!!!!
• The lovely new command still apparently can't make up their minds on where they would like to be based. The debate between Fort Belvoir and Fort Meade has arising once again like a blasted Phoenix. Can't they just decide and let me live in VA!!!????
• At the beginning of October we had Halloween craft day with the boys. The big project was a spooky front bush decoration:
  
  
  

The boys made a giant spider from a milk jug, pipe insulation, and black duct tape. Love you Family Fun!

• And lastly, Lulu graduated from Beginner Education this month. And will be starting Intermediate Education next month. She looked pretty cute in the cap!

I've written this before and I will write it again. I will do better about keep up to date with this blog!

Cowboy Up - Part Two

When I last left off about my trip to Wyoming I was driving from Cheyenne to Laramie. I took the scenic route. It was less than an hour on a road that is closed during the winter due to snow drifts. There is no wonder folks commute between the two cities. I arrived in time to drop off the rental car at the postage stamp size Laramie airport and take a cab to the conference's social at the Laramie Plains Museum at the Historic Ivinson Mansion.

 

This was a pretty cool place. The house was original built in 1892 and served as a residence to the Ivinson family, then was an Episcopal school for the "Plain's girls," fell into disrepair, and then was purchased and restored by the museum. It not only interprets the Ivinson family but the history of Laramie itself.

Turns out that the day before during the field trip to Camp Guernsey participants were entertained with not only a tour of the installation but also a covered wagon ride and shooting! A gentleman who works with the Wyoming National Guard, and is a retired Command Sergent Major, is a member of the Single Action Shooting Society, or SASS, and he and several of his buddies put on a show and instructed participants on shooting single action weapons. I was so jealous!!!! But, all was not lost for me. Steve said he would take me out and shoot the next day (turns out that someone else missed the fun and he was going to take her as well).

The next afternoon I skipped lunch and headed out with Steve to the outskirts of Laramie to a public range. Now I am used to ranges like the Silver Eagle Group where you have a bay and static targets. This was not that.

This was the backdrop of the "range"

Steve briefed us on gun safety and then fitted us with holsters and ear plugs. I shot the following weapons (which I made Steve write down for me):

• 1873 Winchester 357 mag Lever Rifle
• 1894 Marlin 45 Colt Lever Rifle
• 1897 Winchester pump shotgun
• 1867 Double Barrel, Hammered Shotgun
• 1873 Colt (Peacemaker) Single Action Revolver 
• Ruger Single Action Revolver in 357 mag and 45 Colt
• 1911 A1 Kimber "Pro Carry" 45 ACP 

Steve instructing me with the double barrel shot gun. Look at that stance!

I like the lever rifles the best. But I had a great stance with the shotgun. Steve gave me the alias of Khaos Kate!!! Which I have now learned that someone already has registered with SASS so if I ever end up picking this up as a hobby I'll have to come up with a new one. It was so much fun!!!!

The next exciting thing to happen after that was Thursday afternoon and night. My friend Jennifer was going to drive up in the mountains and I tagged along. We drove west of the city and into Routt National Forest. She was on the hunt for wildlife. And we found it in the form of three moose on the side of the road. Two on the left and then surprisingly one of the right. I even got video!!! But I can't figure out how to upload it. Stupid Blogger. But here is a photo:

We dubbed him Bullwinkel. And he was pretty.

It was truly amazing!!! I had never seen moose so close before. We were well above 10,000 feet above sea level, the highest I've ever been. It was cold! And in August! We ended up at Libby Lake for a short stop and one amazing view:

James says it is finally something taller than me! It was tough to get back in the car but we had to hightail it back to Laramie and the Wyoming Territorial Prison where we were having a BBQ and being treated to a live-action gun show with a group of actors from Cheyenne. We arrived as the show was starting so we found the food on the second floor of the prison and watched from there. Though it was hard to hear the voices we sure heard the guns.

I wish I had had more time at the prison to explore and learn more about it. But the sun set quickly after the show and it was creepy walking around the yard in the dark. I did get to try my hand a broom making (which was a specialty of the prison inmates).


Wyoming is an amazing place. I would love to go back and explore all it has to offer. But I don't really recommend flying into Laramie. When I did for a short 20 minute flight to Denver I was on a Beechcraft 1900D. It was a little disconcerting that I could see the pilots.

You can see all my photos here.

The title of these posts, cowboy up, is a saying in Wyoming that I have taken to heart. When life gets you down pick yourself up and keep moving foward...Cowboy up!

Benning: Jack of All Trades

As many of you know out cat Benning is a special kitty. Special being the operative word. I adopted him from a vet in Columbus, GA, in January 2003. He came from the campus of Auburn University where I like to think he failed as a "test cat" in some higher educational experiment. He is a lovely cat that loves to talk, stare, and nip (beware of his mouth at all times). However, the elevator doesn't necessarily go all the way to the top if you catch my drift. He's a little slow.

Over the past year he has exhibited some new skills:

Handy cat  

Sleep therapist  

Intergalactic Crime Lord

And his latest job skill: Mouse Hunter!!!!

Over the summer Joe reported sounds of scratching at night. We thought it must have been the water meter until about a month ago we discovered a hole in the cat's food bag in the basement. Mice! Since the boys left we have kept the door to the basement open and gave Ben daily encouragement to go down there and catch us a mouse.

On Wednesday night he delivered! And also delivered Thursday night.....kind of scary there was more than one....but as long as he keeps catching them I'm okay with throwing them away. I'm just proud of my special kitty with his new mad skills.

Duty Station? What's that?

So I know a couple of months ago I posted that Fort Belvoir would remain our Duty Station with the new command standing up and all. Well....it appears that we are back to not knowing where we will be. Thank you Army :)

Given the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) constraints at Fort Belvoir, the new command does not have as much room as it is demanding, and Fort Meade, MD does. My inside source at Fort Belvoir planning says that part of the command may move to Fort Meade but the section James would be with will stay at Fort Belvoir. Now the rumor in James' office is that the entire command will move next summer.

Every one's orders have been put on hold until this decision is made. With the command standing up officially on October 1, 2010, I am hoping that by the end of the month they will have made a decision.

All I know is that I don't want to move....even to Maryland.

Cowboy Up - Part One

Last week I took off on a Western adventure courtesy of work to Wyoming--the Cowboy State. Did you know that Wyoming has less than 500,000 residents statewide? Yet is the 9th largest state? Big sky country. I was only in Cheyenne and Laramie in the southeastern corner of the state, but it has given me quite a taste of something unique that I want more of.

Monday afternoon I arrived in Cheyenne in one of the smallest airports I'd ever seen. Smaller than the Columbus, GA, airport! After picking up the rental car I drove downtown to the historic Plains Hotel where I had opted to stay. I have never seen photos of Cheyenne and didn't really do my homework before leaving so I was surprised when it took me five minutes to drive from the airport to the hotel. And I was in the heart of downtown Cheyenne. Once in my room it took me a couple of hours, and an empty stomach, to get me back out of the hotel and across the street to the local brew pub, Shadows, for dinner and beer. It is located in the historic Union Pacific Depot which made it even better. After watching the Giants beat the Jets (boo! but Manning got the snot knocked out of him!) I went to bed.

Tuesday's agenda was to meet with the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Officer and her staff in the morning and then the cultural resources manager at F.E. Warren Air Force Base before driving to Laramie that afternoon. I just didn't have enough time in Cheyenne!  If you go you have to check out the Wyoming State Museum and its awesome gift shop. I could have spent an hour in that place. Instead I got five minutes. Before lunch I found the place that I wish I had stayed at: the Nagle Warren Mansion Bed and Breakfast. The owner let us come in and take a look around (it helps that the SHPO was with me). We took a quick tour of the first floor and I was in awe. If I ever find myself in Cheyenne again for work I will be staying here. The SHPO and I then had a quick lunch at Pizzeria Venti before I hightailed it F.E. Warren AFB.

Work takes me to some interesting places. And F.E. Warren AFB has to be one of them. First established as an Army Calvary post to protect the Union Pacific Railroad in the 1880s, it was turned over to the Department of the Air Force in the 1950s. If you are familiar with Army vs. Air Force installation construction and design to tour F.E. Warren AFB is mind boggling as you know you are on an Air Force base but your mind is screaming Army post. And it turns out that my father spent a summer on F.E. Warren in the 1950s with friends of the family. He was hazy on the dates so I don't know if it was during Army or Air Force control. But I saw the house he stayed in, Quarters 8! It was occupied so I couldn't go in, but the house right next door was unoccupied and there was a door open....of course I explored! Check out my photos of F.E. Warren AFB here.

Southeastern Wyoming is known as the high plains. And F.E. Warren AFB is a perfect place to see what this actually means. Big and flat. Mountains in the distance. And wind turbines. Wyoming gets a lot of wind. So it kind of figures I would have seen a wind farm from the airplane, seen the three that are on F.E. Warren AFB, and then passed the Happy Jack Windpower site on my way to Laramie, which is where the rest of my adventure takes place.........

Ending the summer....

I can't believe that it has been eight weeks since we picked up the boys. A time has flown by. This was helped by our trip to Disney, a quick trip to San Francisco for work, and the last three weeks recovering from a back strain. If you remember from the previous post I strained by back on July 25th and spent two days at home and then went back to work. I ended up working half days for the remainder of the week and then did the stupidest thing I could possible do: took a day trip to Richmond on the July 31 with the family to see the exhibit Tiffany: Color and Light on Louis Comfort Tiffany and the Maymont.

I was on my feet for the majority of the day. The exhibit was really cool and the mansion had a three story Tiffany window. Wicked cool. However on Sunday I was pretty much on the couch. Monday I worked until about 3:30 PM before I couldn’t take anymore. And then came Tuesday morning of August 3rd.

I was able to get into the car to take the boys to day camp. But it was a struggle to get out of the car when I got back home. Then I sat at the table to eat breakfast and then I couldn’t get out of the chair. I was stuck. Thank god my friend Stacey was in town and there to help me up. I was suppose to go to Lilith Fair with Stacey, Molly, Mom, and one of Molly’s friends. But after the struggle to get out of a chair I knew I couldn’t go and sit on the lawn of Merriweather Post Pavilion all day. I called Molly to let her know I couldn’t go, I called and made an appointment with a doctor at DeWitt Army Medical Center, I called James to tell him he would have to come and get me, and I sent Stacey off to spend the day with near strangers. When it came time to get me off the couch and in the truck it took James and I about 15 minutes to complete a task that normally takes one.

To shorten the story (to late) the doctor told me that I had an extreme back strain and that I was to stay in bed or on the couch for an entire week. Seven days. And this time I knew I would follow through with the doctor’s orders. It is amazing what doing nothing for an entire week can do in terms of healing a back strain. My sister helped out by taking the boys to day camp and then cleaning up the house. And then my mom came up for four days while James took the boys to New York to visit his parents.

When he returned he brought his niece Makayla for a visit. By this time I could move about without much difficulty but took it easy with no heavy lifting or exercise. We piled into Lola and headed down to my parents house for a few days to enjoy hot Hampton Roads weather, the pool, and good conversation.

Yesterday we took Makayla and the boys into the city to see some sights. They weren’t really interested but we walked from my office building to the Washington Monument, took in the really tall structure and then hopped in a cab to take us to dinner.

James caught up early this morning to take Makayla to PA where he met up with his sister and then fought his way back through traffic to return two hours behind schedule. Tomorrow James drops me off at the airport for my trip to Wyoming for work and he then will take the boys back to Maryland.

Amazing how time flies…….but we made it through the summer in almost one piece.

Music out in the open

Last Thursday we once again took in a free concert thanks to Fairfax County. This time it was to see the Steep Canyon Rangers, a fantastic Bluegrass band out of North Carolina. They are currently touring with Steve Martin (yes that Steve Martin who happens to be quite the accomplished banjo player) so it was great to see the Rangers for free.

These guys wore suits! So professional. And the way they moved on stage between microphones was like watching a well rehersed ballet.

It was also an opporunity to see a former co-worker and friend of mine who actually introduced me to the Steep Canyon Rangers and several other Bluegrass bands. JT brought along his girlfriend Nicole. It was fun to hear updates about my former company.

The boys stayed around for only about one or two songs before heading off to the playground. Frying Pan Park is an active farm, so after the show we wandered around and saw all the cows, pigs, sheep, and chickens they keep.

Lulu really liked meeting the sheep

Strained.....

Sometime over the weekend I strained my lower back. Not exactly sure what I did that caused this injury just that by Sunday night when I crawled into bed I knew something was wrong. When I woke up Monday morning I could barely get out of bed. I called in sick to work, took the boys to day camp, and then came home to set up shop on the couch with my feet up and the heating pad. When James called me at 0930 I knew I was more uncomfortable than I thought I would be. Turns out he had made me an appointment at DeWitt and was given me fair warning to get ready for a trip to the doctor’s office. All I could do was brush my hair and teeth.

Sure enough the PA said it was a lower back strain and ordered me to bed with some medicine. Since then I have been on the couch with limited movement. Tuesday morning was much better than Monday. And I had more mobility. Today I made the trek into work with every intention of staying there. Within an hour I had made the decision that I would only work 4 hours. And an hour after that I was on the Metro with work in a bag making my way back home while I still could walk up right!

So here I am again. On the couch with an ice pack on my back (a really nifty one that James bought on Monday) and finishing up my last two hours of work. Oh yay. Back problems.

And our next duty station is........

Fort Belvoir, VA! If you can believe it!!!??? James told me last week that he saw that Fort Belvoir was listed as his next duty station reporting January 2011. This sent James on a fact finding mission that resulted in finding out that the new command he is joining and working with right now put in a by-name request for James which took precedent over his "former" orders to Fort Huachuca.

James and I have had huge discussions about the pros and cons of staying at Fort Belvoir or fighting the by-name request and going to Fort Huachuca. Without giving the full list of what was discussed...Fort Belvoir won out.

So there you go folks. James won't be moving out to AZ with the furry children. I won't be living with my sister and brother-in-law. And if you want to come and see our Nation's capital we will be here for at least a couple more years!!!!!

Holy Ghost Tent Revival

James, the boys, and I went to our second free concert through Fairfax County Summer Entertainment series last week, this time to see Holy Ghost Tent Revival. Billed as not being one type of music or another I remembered seeing this band's name for a festival last fall in Maryland with Scythian. So I was intrigued and wanted to hear more. The park listed Holy Ghost Tent Revival as "Indie/Americana." And I would tend to agree. It was a little bit of everything and I loved it! I bought both of their CDs and haven't stopped listening since.

The sound wasn't the best, but the venue allowed us to bring Lulu and have dinner outside at gloaming. It was pretty awesome. The boys didn't care much for the music and went and to explore the playground. We forgot to bring a water bowl for Lulu (bad parents we are!) but the park provided one. We will remedy that this week since we are going to see the Steep Canynon Rangers this Thursday. Can't wait!

Backyard barber

A couple of Friday nights ago we were talking with the boys about getting their hair trimmed. Joe is determined to keep his long (much to my nagging of him to stop playing with, and brushing, it on a regular basis) while Jaime, who had long hair in the winter, seems to be enjoying a shorter cut. The conversation ended with James giving Jaime a cut that night in the backyard. While Joe hid inside the house far away from the clippers. It was pretty cute.

Before

During

After

Starting off the summer on the right foot...or was it the right ear?

A couple of months ago our friends Becky and Leo invited James, the boys, and I to join them during their annual Disney World trip. With the good will of our Army family (Becky and Leo and MWR) we decided to make the trip :) I know that Disney has its haters and its devotees. I believe after our week on the property I am somewhere in between. We truely enjoyed ourselves!

Our trip started after picking up the boys for the summer. We arrived at Becky and Leo's in time for dinner and shortly afterwards hit the hay since the elder boys decided that we would start our roadtrip at midnight. Normally a drive on I-95 at midnight on a Sundy/Monday morning would be a breeze....except this night it seemed that VDOT decided to shut down two of three lanes for construction. Within two miles of getting on the interstate. So we lost about 30 minutes trying to get through Fredericksburg. After that we were flying! Well, with three kids we were flying. After about 15 hours we made our final destination and homebase: Saratoga Springs Resort.

The week was a bit of a blur of food, heat, rides, sights, naps, laughs, and fantastic service everywhere we turned. Here's the break down of day, park, and highlights from our first three days:

Monday--Downtown Disney
Since it was our first day on the property, we took the water taxi from the resort to Downtown Disney for dinner at Raglin Road. After a great meal (even I was surprised) we walked around and saw the sights.

Tuesday--Magic Kingdom
We arrived in time for the Opening Ceremonies and didn't leave until after 11:00 PM. That is about 15 hours if you're counting. Highlights were the boys getting out of their comfort zone with the Haunted Mansion. Me almost losing my lunch on the Mad Tea Party due to Leo's spinning ability. Meeting Pooh and friends during our breakfast buffet. Oh and Space Mountain rocks!!!!

Wednesday--Animal Kingdom
Not our favorite park due to the fact that guests are squeezed into small spaces and people leave their manners at home. But Dinosaur, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Kali River Rapids, and Expedition Everest were excellent! Oh if you are on the Disney Dining Plan do not try and eat at Rain Forest Cafe, they don't take the plan :(

You can see our photos here. Tomorrow I'll add information on the second half of our trip.

Beware of the speed camera.....

Saturday night I was leafing through the mail and found an envelope addressed to me from the District of Columbia. Strange. Why would they be mailing me something? Turns out it was a speeding ticket! From a speed camera! On I-295! Around Exit 2. From Friday, June 4, 2010, at 6:38 PM.

I couldn't believe it. But there was a picture of Lola and my license plate and everything. It seems I was going 61 MPH in a 50 MPH zone. Now I am not denying that I was most likely going around 60 MPH at that place in time. No one does the speed limit on this stretch of I-295. Which of course doesn't justify speeding. I was on my way to pick up the boys trying to get to Baltimore-Washington Parkway and get ahead of the traffic; which is always a nightmare on Friday evenings.

No way I could get out of this ticket and no points were being put on my license. So this morning I wrote a check (for $125) and mailed it. But it still erks me that I got a ticket in my mail.

So for those of you travel on I-295 in the District.....beware of the speed camera....it will get you when you least expect it. Or just travel in a pack of cars. The information on the camera said it couldn't work if there were multiple cars present!

Summer Entertainment Series

Well if you just don't learn something new everyday. Fairfax County has a Summer Entertainment Series that lasts through September in the major parks throughout the county. And after looking at the line-ups the acts aren't just local. Even the Steep Canyon Rangers will be performing....for free!!!!! So going to that concernt on July 22, 2010.

Check out the website if you are in the area. I'm sure there will be something for your to enjoy. Or you can come and join James, Joe, Jaime and I for a picnic under the stars.

Make no little plans

Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood.

--Daniel Burnham

Wednesday night Molly, Chris, and I made our way to the National Mall to watch a new documentary on Daniel Burnham, a gentleman some consider to be the founder of modern city planning. This was a pretty cool event since it was outside on the Mall, and it was free!

Mark your calendars for September 6, 2010. That is the national preimere of the film on PBS.

And check out Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Maddess at the Fair that Changed America. It is all about Burnham designing the Chicago's Worlds Fair contrasted against a serial killer praying on the fair goers. Really interesting. And true.

Hey You Guys!!!!

Can you believe that this month in 1985 The Goonies hit the big screen?! One of my all time favorites hands down. And luckily enough even Jaime and Joe like it too. The torch has been passed!

Check out a great article from The Washington Post on a weekend in Astoria, OR celebrating the film!

Funny enough? I have been to Astoria myself. In fall of 2005 I was in Portland for a conference. My friend Serena and I made a trek along the coast and ended up in Asotria. But it didn't really hit me where I was until we were up in the Asotria Column (and yes I walked up all 164 steps to see such an amazing view!). And then I was floored. And had a great blueberry beer at a local resturant (which if my memory serves me correct is Wet Dog Cafe). And the beach was amazing! Unlike any beach I had been on before. I went before I had a digital camera, so I have to drum up my old photos and negatives and see about getting them transfered. While we had sun/blue skies, three days later a friend went on the a conference sponsered tour, and it was cold, wet, and cloudy. We were so lucky!

Hit the road Claude!

16 months ago I received a call that my sister Molly was being admitted to the Intensive Care Unit in Williamsburg, VA, with a blood clot in her leg which had traveled to her lungs, it was a pulmonary embolism. A blood clot. ICU. It was pretty scary. James and I hit the road at 2300 hours that night and made it to Chesapeake in the wee hours of the morning. After picking up my other sister Nancy, we made our way up to Williamsburg and spent the next four days in the ICU with Molly and my family. We didn't leave Williamsburg until they released her from ICU. She was only 35 years old.

Since January 2009 Molly has had to change almost everything in her life; from eating habits to how she travels. Because she was put on coumadin, a blood thinner, she has been in a doctors office almost every week for blood tests. She named her clot, Claude, and feels that it would have been less expensive to have a baby than a blood clot.

Here are the facts: a blood clot is medically known as deep vein thrombosis. It can lead to death. Learn about this condition and learn how to prevent it. I use travel socks when traveling by car, train, or airplane. If you don't own a pair, buy a pair.

Last Thursday she recevied the greatest news: Claude was gone!!! No more coumadin!!!! It was finally over!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Such fabulous news! I had to share! But more importantly to share knowledge about DVT and how it can be prevented.

By popular demand

     Since Kate is out of town and it has been pointed out that I need to "get on the ball", I've decided to do a post of my own.  This will most likely be short, but hopefully it will apease my critic.

     While Kate covered most of what has been going on in the last post, but she did leave out a little bit of information.  For starters, as most of you know I've been back in the states and here in Virginia for nearly three years.  This is a bit long for me to spend in one place, and according to the Army it is almost time for me to move on.  So, this January, right after the holidays, I will be moving to Fort Huachuca, Arizona.  The Army has decided that my "talents" can be put to better use in TRADOC (Training and Doctirine Command).  At this point, I don't know if I will be working as an instructor or as a Platoon Sergeant.  Basically either way I will be most likely dealing with a bunch of whiny trainees, the ranks of which will vary depending on my duties.  If anyone finds this the least bit confusing, you're in the same boat as me.  While this is the earliest I have ever been notified of a pending assignment, I have absolutely no clue what I will be doing.  Kate will unfortunately not be joining me for at least a year, so I will be spending my free time talking to Lulu and Ben and Roosie.  I may or may not actually be sane when Kate joins me in 2012.

     As for a previously covered topic, my table is finished and if I may say so myself, it is nearly perfect! So, hopefully this passes muster with a certain redhead and alos informs some of you a bit as to what's going on with me.

Has it been a month? Update time!

Has it really been a month since I last posted?! I've got to get better about this. Here are the updates bullet point style:

• Dara and I took a trip to the Big Easy mid April to celebrate her birthday. It was the first time for both of us in New Orleans. And we loved it! Such a great city. You can skip Bourbon Street (even worse than Duval Street in Key West, FL) and still have a great time. I have posted my photos here if you want to take a look. I am still working on adding captions and locations. Dara and I want to go back and accomplish and see all the things we were unable to see this past trip. It will be another fun filled weekend I'm sure. Hightlights were Coop's Place on Decater, Cuvee on Magazine, Mardi Gras World, St. Louis Cemetery #1, and seeing the mighty Mississippi River.
• My mom came up for a visit the first weekend in May.
• I got a wicked head cold/sinus infection that I have been battling since April 27th. I think I am finally on the mend.
• I went to New York City for work on April 29th. The meeting was really bad but I got to see Mary Kate (sans family) and she let me drink my way back to Penn Station. It was fabulous.
• James' command had a picnic on May 7th and James came in first place in the fishing competition under the catfish category! Go James!
• We traded in the Escape for a Ford Freestyle I have named Lola (the Land Yacht). She's my "mom car" and I love her. Leather seats, dual climate control, third row seating, I could go on and on about how cool she is. But I won't....we all love it, expect Lulu is still getting used to it.
• Our garden is planted and bulbs are in the ground. And we already have a squash growing!!!! I need to buy some new plants as ones I planted have died off for some reason. I think it is the liner of the basket.
• I have begun Operation Green Light at Dara's. Her birthday present this year was a "green" present. My manual labor to clean, organize, and plant the flowerbeds in her front lawn. She's a trooper but is very thankful for my labor. I need to take some photos to chronicle that journey.
• Joseph celebrated his 11th birthday on Saturday! We all went to see Iron Man 2 and ate dinner at Red, Hot, and Blue which is one of Joe's favorite resturants. We bought him pads and a helmet for his skateboarding adventures.
• I celebrated my birthday this week too. I don't mind my birthday, I just don't like celebrating it. But at the last minute I decided I wanted to go hit golf balls at Top Golf and drink beer. Many couldn't make it due to the last minute invite, but I had a good time none-the-less!

Okay, sorry for dropping off the blog for a month. I will try and do better. I swear!

Spring has sprung!

Alot has gone on since the last time I posted. So I will update you all in one post.

As many of you know James and I have this on going battle, it's really a skirmish, about his hair. He wants it. I don’t. I fell in love with a bald man and I want to stay married to a bald man! So our compromise is that from April 1st to September 30th he is bald. And October 1st to March 31st he has hair. I would have a photo if I had been home the morning of the 1st when he shaved it. Alas. But most of you know what he looks like without hair anyway!

I went and saw the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin on Friday, April 2nd. They had peaked on Wednesday, March 31st. The cherry blossoms are a pretty big deal in the Washington, DC, area. They don’t last very long and when they are in bloom all is right with the world. Check out the rest of the photos here.

James took a short trip up north to say goodbye to our friend Ryan. He has taken a position with a NGO to spend a year in Afghanistan. It will be just as if he were here in the states since he is never far from his facebook page! We wish him the best of luck and will send many care packages. You can see the limited photos James took here.

From April 1, 2010 until April 6, 2010 we lived without a refrigerator. On March 28th we awoke and heard a very strange noise coming from downstairs. It turned out it was the fridge. That night I timed the noise which would run anywhere from 17 to 21 minutes and then would be silent for 13 minutes. It wasn’t until the 7th before a contractor from the home warranty folks arrived to inform us that the compressor was failing. Really? How could you tell? Then another contractor was sent out to confirm what the first guy said. Really? I couldn’t take the noise anymore or the threat of my refrigerator catching on fire, so I bought ice and filled the coolers with as much as I could and recycled and tossed a lot. Molly and Chris were kind enough to offer their freezer for our meat. Wasn’t about to lose that! It wasn’t until Monday, April 5th, that the home warranty folks finally gave us an answer as to what our options were. To make a long story short (too late) I took myself to Lowe’s that night and bought a new fridge. It was delivered the next day and that night I had all my food back where it should be. Long live the bottom mount fridge!

My college roommate Jess delivered a healthy baby boy named William on April 8, 2010. Congrats Jess and Nick!

Jaime decided it was time for a haircut this past weekend. He looks fantastic! And I wish I had taken a photo. But more will come soon since we have the boys for the summer. Yay!

And finally, James was pretty industrious yesterday and built us a new tabletop for our table frame. We lost the original one in 2008 due to a freak storm. Instead of buying a brand new set he built a top. This past winter it took a beating as we didn’t cover it and we couldn’t use it anymore. He is pretty handy when he needs to be.

I'll post the finished product later this week. He still has to stain it.

Must Read: Pride and Prejudice

I Heart Mr. Darcy.

This is in reference to the fictional character Mr. Darcy, the hero for Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. In 1995 A&E and the BBC produced a six-hour version of “Pride and Prejudice” which quickly become a favorite mini-series of mine. I had taped it from TV, received the VHS set as a cherished Christmas present, purchased the two -disc DVD, and finally upgraded to the deluxe ten year anniversary DVD edition as another cherished Christmas present.

Amazingly enough, I had never actually read Pride and Prejudice. Until now. God I love my Kindle. It is amazing what a great read this was! And of course I had the many adaptations running through my head while I was reading, mostly Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. Hands down the best representation of the character.

Please, please, please go and start reading Pride and Prejudice. And after that you have to start reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I just started reading it and will finish it in no time. Any book that has the following line is worth reading:

“His sisters were fine women, with an air of decided fashion, but little in the way of combat training.”

Weekend of Harmony and Beer

This past weekend James took Lulu and I to a bed and breakfast in Nelson County, VA. Two weeks ago he declared that he wanted to go away for the weekend. His last night on mids was Thursday and he didn’t have to be back in work until yesterday at 1400 (yay swing shift!) so this was the perfect weekend. He did the research and booked the room. Friday afternoon we packed a bag, the Escape, and the dog to take off on our adventure. Our drive to middle VA was so nice. Not a lot of traffic, warm weather, and good conversation. Our GPS unit had the location wrong for Harmony Hill Bed & Breakfast so James guided us in with his iPhone. We were welcomed to the B&B and settled in no time.

Harmony Hill Bed & Breakfast

Our first outing was for dinner at the Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company. Oh. My. God. We have found a mecca of food and beer; especially beer. After partaking in the sampler we settled on the Schwartz Beir for James and Ale of Fergus for me. We really didn’t want to leave but we were getting tired. So we bought a growler of Schwartz Beir, a couple of glasses, and headed back to the B&B for a night cap.

Devil's Backbone Sampler

Saturday morning, over a fabulous homemade breakfast, we decided that we would do something that involved Lulu first and then something “adult” in the afternoon. We decided on walking a portion of the Blue Ridge Rail Trail along the Piney River in Nelson and Amherst Counties. It turns out that we parked at milepost 1.8 of the trail and walked towards the trail head. Oh well. We had a great time. Almost four miles might have been a bit too much for Lulu, but she was a trooper.

Piney River

After our hike we decided on an impromptu picnic back at the B&B. We stopped in Nellysford, VA, and picked up fresh bread and a bottle of VA wine from Basic Necessities Café and then cheese, dip, and sandwiches from Ambrosia Bakery & Deli. It was fun to eat, drink, and dine local. Lulu enjoyed lounging in the sun. Before drinking too much more wine, we put our picnic in the room and Lulu in her crate and headed for our “adult” activity of the afternoon.

Our makeshift table for our picnic

The DelFosse Winery has been a favorite of ours since 2007, so going to the vineyard itself was quite a treat. We bellied up to the bar for our tasting. And of course didn’t leave empty handed. We even signed up for their wine club (which we learned can ship to AZ!!!). We also learned that they have a cabin on the property that can be rented, which we most likely will be doing at the end of summer.

DelFosse Winery and Vineyard

After a nap back at the B&B we headed out to dinner at Devil’s Backbone. Again. We couldn’t help ourselves. After a brief wait for a table (they were packed Saturday night) we once again enjoyed fabulous beer and food, though I had Gold Leaf Lager (awesome!). We brought back our growler and had it filled with Ale of Fergus. Saturday evening was spent drinking champers in the B&B’s gazebo and then to bed.

Sunday morning meant waking up and leaving. Not an easy accomplishment. Breakfast was incredible with an amazing baked apple french toast. We made it out of the B&B and to Charlottesville, VA, to visit our friends the Evans’ (Clay, Bethany, and Cayley). We had a fabulous time seeing their new digs (which they moved into last year) and grilling out for lunch. We had to leave there eventually, and instead of sitting in the nightmare that was I-95 North we took Route 29 North back to Northern VA.

All in all, as James and I sat in the backyard Sunday evening, drinking Ale of Fergus, and watching Lulu play…we knew that we had just had one hell of a weekend. Check out all the photos from the weekend under "Images Of Our Live" at the bottom of the page.

Promotion baby!

I just wanted to give a shout out to our good friend Bri who was promoted to Sergeant First Class (E-7) last month. She is currently deployed so the photos she sent were as close as friends and family could be to the big day. Congratulations Lady!!!!!

Bri being pinned.

Easy walk!

Now that the weather is starting to improve (they are hinting at highs of 70 on Friday!!!!) I can now once again take Lulu on walks at night before bed. I must say, two months ago it was a struggle to take her for a walk. She would pull on her lease or come to an abrupt stop and whine. It was annoying. She is a dog. She should love the outdoors! I have noticed that as she gets older and bigger she is starting to enjoy more things “dog.” Like the dog park and walks.

On advice from our friend Jes, we purchased an Easy Walk Harness which has a front-chest leash attachment that stops the dog from pulling forward; if the dog does it will pull against their chest and upper legs. It is a miracle of nylon!

The only problem is that it gives Lulu greater access to the leash which she wants to mouth, but she is getting better about leaving it alone. We crossed over Southrun Road and into a nearby neighborhood where I saw a fox! I’d never seen a fox in our neighborhood before so that was very exciting. If I had been wearing better walking clothing and my ears weren’t cold we could have kept on going.

And when it rains it pours with pet ailments. Benning has scratched all his fur from behind his left ear. Two weeks ago he got a shot of antibiotics and steroids (the vet believes it is a “hot spot” or allergic reaction) which were suppose to help. He is starting to scratch at the scab and won’t let it heal. If he is still like this next week it is back to the vet and most likely the cone of shame. Lulu has an abscess on the top of her head. An abscess! It is way gross and I won’t go into details but she to is on antibiotics orally (I would have preferred a shot) for the next 10 to 12 days. If the abscess doesn’t clear up then when she goes to be spayed on April 2, 2010, they will have to clean it out entirely while she is under. Luckily, the vet will keep Lulu overnight and perhaps she won’t require the cone of shame.

Roosie is just Roosie. Luckily nothing has happened to her yet. But everything happens in threes. So it is either her or someone’s pet that will be struck with something. Or maybe my sister’s cat Miss started it all with her ailments. And the cycle of threes has ended. Yay. That is what I am going with today.

Springing up babies....

When I awoke on Friday, March 12, 2010, there was a text message from my good friend Mary Kate sent at 4:34 AM:

"Release the Kraken! Alyce is on her way."

This was code for Mary Kate was in labor. While I haven't heard anything from the new momma since, she posted some photos of the cutie on her Facebook page (for the record I don't Facebook) and a cryptic posting which I believe means Alyce Adelaide weighed in over 8 lbs. and was over 20" in length. She has a full set of hair! And the cutest cheeks.

Now the funniest thing about Mary Kate having a baby is that among our small circle of friends from Mary Washington College, she was the last one we pegged to a) get married and b) have a baby. She is always full of surprises that Mary Kate is.....

We can't wait to meet Miss Alyce!!! Congratulations Mary Kate and Drew!

Finding treasures

This past weekend was DC Flea, an antiques and collectibles show out at the Dulles Expo Center. I started going back in 2005 on occasion and it seems that recently I am going every time. I love this show. Well, I really love any antiques and collectibles venue. It isn’t every one’s cup of tea, but it sure gets my pot boiling! My partners in crime this trip were Molly, Nancy (who was up visiting), and Laura. See below for my big scores:

This basket was my first purchase. I am a sucker for baskets and this was so unusual. I was able to talk the price down yay! (Especially since this vendor had a White Mountain hand-crank ice cream maker marked at $95 and you couldn’t even turn the crank the full circle. She clearly had no idea what she had or that it was way overpriced for an item that didn’t work.) I can’t wait to use this basket at the Farmer’s Market this year.

My second purchase came when Nancy found me in one aisle and dragged me to another. Molly was standing in front of a chest. I wasn’t in need of a chest until she opened the lid and the label inside proclaimed it to have been made by the Richmond Cedar Works! This company made wooden furniture and appliances between 1870 and 1960. Now what really makes it special to me is that the saw mill (named Camden Mills) which planed all the wood (juniper, cypress, and cedar) was located in Bells Mills, an African American community just down the road from where I grew up, on the Elizabeth River. I know exactly where the cedar wood for this chest came from (the Dismal Swamp), where it was processed (Camden Mills), and how it made it to the factory (the Elizabeth River). I have always wanted to own a piece of Richmond Cedar Works furniture and now I do!!!

Look how the label has survived! As if it was purchased and never used or opened. What a great piece.

However, the last owners decided to spray paint it white so James and I have a lot of work ahead of us to return it to its former glory. And several joints are loose. But for $40 it is worth it.

My last purchase was a ladder which I will use to hold blankets. I have been looking for something unique to hang blankets and I think I have found what I was looking for. And at a great price.

Now I just have to wait until July for the next event. If you are interested in joining us please let me know. It is always a great time. You never know what you will find. This weekend was no exception.

When the boys get together....

The oldest of James' military buddies come from his stint at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA, in the late nineties. There he met three young men: Ryan (Air Force), Micah (Army), and Shaun (Air Force). Okay, Shaun came after James had left DLI but Shaun was an alumni of DLI so we just consider him from the start. James would talk of them often to me sharing his crazy stories of their high jinxes in CA and then when they were all stationed in the Washington, DC, area. Ryan was by James’ side right after Jaime’s birth in 2001 when he was shuttled from hospital to hospital. Even before I had met them I considered them part of our family. Shaun lives in Northern VA near us. Micah current lives in Canada (his wife works for the State Department). And Ryan lives in New York City.

In 2006 I got to meet Shaun and Micah when James had come up from GA for a visit. I was very excited to meet them. And I didn’t meet Ryan until 2008 right before the wedding (for those of you at the wedding Shaun was the guy in a kilt and Ryan was the guy in a suit) but I knew I liked him from the start when he got me a glass of wine!

Whenever Ryan or Micah are in town the old gang gets together. And it can be a riot. Ryan was down recently on a visit and brought his girlfriend, Amy, whom we were very excited to meet. As we sat down to dinner I said “Let the games begin.” Amy looked at my with a puzzled look, and I explained that when any combination of Shaun, Ryan, Micah, and James are together there is always a good time and wild stories.

Here is the proof:

This is Ryan, James, and Shaun at the beginning of the night after dinner.

And this is Ryan, James, and Shaun after a night at Murphy’s Irish Pub.

Boys will be boys.....