The Last Getaway

Although we weren't able to travel to Ireland in November as we originally planned, C & I did want to plan one last getaway, just the two of us, before Baby W makes his grand appearance. We decided to extend Halloween weekend, and travel somewhere Sunday - Tuesday. That way, we got Saturday at home to do various housework and such, and also hand out candy in the neighborhood (we had over 100 trick-or-treaters!), and then had a few days off work for our mini-vacation.

We tossed around a number of ideas of locations, knowing that we wanted something A) close by (sitting in a car for several hours isn't my idea of fun when I'm not pregnant), so within a few hours of our house, and B) somewhere we had never been / stayed before. That meant we eliminated our go-to "getaway" locations of the lake house and Williamsburg, which are places we truly enjoy and are able to go to and relax, but aren't new and different.

After lots of googling and time spent looking at the map, we settled on a long weekend at Boar's Head Inn in Charlottesville, VA. We've driven past it lots of times on our way to the lake and other places, but neither of us had ever really spent any amount of time in Charlottesville (it's the home of UVA, arch-rival of Virginia Tech - so why would we?!) It turned out to be a fantastic location, and we had an amazing trip! I'm so pleased that we were able to find some time to relax and fill up our "quality time" banks, just the two of us.

The goal of our trip was to unplug, recharge, relax, and enjoy ourselves. We intentionally did not set agendas or make plans, other than a few suggestions of things we might like to do if we had the time and desire. C's request was to find somewhere to watch football on Sunday afternoon, and my request was a little pampering via the spa at the Inn. Other than that, we were completely free. That meant Sunday night's dinner end up being Zoe's takeout in our room because I couldn't stand the thought of getting dressed and going to a restaurant, and Monday afternoon naps in the peace and quiet of our room. We didn't feel obligated to pack the time we had with activities, and instead enjoyed a few days of leisure. We visited the pedestrian mall and sat in a coffee shop reading. We walked around the property of The Boar's Head with cups of coffee and tea. We went for bagels for breakfast in our pajamas (what, the college kids were doing it!).

Sunday and Monday were cloudy and damp, but Tuesday was a sunny, beautiful autumn day. We took advantage of the sunshine to visit Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, for a tour, which neither of us had done since grade school. We were pleasantly surprised to find an all-new visitor / education center, which was really great, and a nice gift shop and cafe. The tour was interesting, and it was a perfect day to be standing on top of a mountain, with views for miles! We also stopped by Carter Mountain Orchard before heading home - not to pick our own fruit (another time), but to get apple cider donuts and a few already-picked apples. I turned them into a delicious apple cobbler later, which was a great by-product of our trip. Yum!

All in all, it was just what we were hoping to get out of our "last" baby-free vacation. I'm so glad we took the time to plan a little trip, and made it a priority to get some "us" time before we become a family of three. I know lots of people plan big, extravagant "baby moons," but that really wasn't what we were looking for. We just needed a few days to unplug and connect, which is exactly what we got. Perfection!

Where We Stayed
Boar's Head Inn, Charlottesville, VA
C picked this place, and it was wonderful. Just a few minutes from "downtown" Charlottesville, so we had easy access to anywhere / anything we needed, but felt like an oasis of calm. It was beautiful and rustic, which we love, and, because we were staying at the beginning of the week at a non-peak time, practically deserted. I think we were one of just two or three cars parked outside our section of rooms, and we hardly saw another person other than groundskeepers and other staff. We opted for a room overlooking the lake on the property, and enjoyed sitting on our deck for morning coffee. The staff was friendly and welcoming, and the amenities were great. We would definitely splurge to stay at Boar's Head again!

Where We Ate
The Virginian - this restaurant is right by UVA's campus, and touts itself as "a Charlottesville Tradition Since 1923" and Charlottesville's oldest restaurant. The menu has some really delicious-sounding things on it, but, to be honest, I really wasn't impressed. It was cramped, dark, kind of dirty, and had rather gross bathrooms. C had really good fried chicken, but my Reuben sandwich was sub-par.

Lazy Parrot Backyard Barbecue - found this one during a Google search for barbecue (C's request), and we were pleasantly surprised. It's a dive bar, and there were some sketchy-looking people sitting inside drinking in the middle of a weekday (you do you, I guess!) but the food was really good. I had a pulled pork sandwich and C had ribs - both were fantastic.

Bodo's Bagels - another local Charlottesville favorite! There used to be a bagel shop in my hometown when I was little, and I still remember the amazing, fresh bagels (anything else is NOTHING like a fresh bagel!). We chose Bodo's for breakfast both mornings, and were very happy with the simple menu, quick service, and, of course, homemade bagels.

Mudhouse Coffee Roasters - we hung out at Mudhouse one evening reading and relaxing, which we never get to do. Located in the Pedestrian Mall, the coffeehouse is tucked in among other shops and restaurants. Totally hipster (not exactly my thing) but with a laid-back, college vibe. I had an individual pot of tea (so cute) and C had a latte. I also had an oatmeal raisin cookie - stick with the drinks; the cookie was dry but okay.

Wild Wing Cafe - since we got to Charlottesville on Sunday afternoon, C wanted to find somewhere to watch football and hang out for a bit. A Google search led us to this bar, located (somewhat confusingly) right next to the train station. We snagged a booth and settled in for a bit. We shared some appetizers and C tried a couple things off their beer menu (always love local beers on draft!). Particularly delicious was "David's Chicken and Friends," which I expected to be a shredded chicken dip, but it was not. Instead, diced grilled chicken is just topped with cheddar and broiled til melty, then covered in bacon, scallions, and ranch, and served with tortilla chips. So simple - a total "why didn't we think of this?!" item. Try it!

What We Did
Boar's Head Inn Spa - my single request for the "babymoon" was to go somewhere with spa so I could indulge a bit. The spa at the Boar's Head totally fit the bill. I enjoyed a manicure and pedicure before a prenatal massage, and absolutely loved the pampering. The spa staff were so sweet and accommodating, the amenities were lovely, and the services were wonderful. It was the perfect way to spend a morning!

Charlottesville Historic Downtown Mall - we parked in a garage and wandered around the Pedestrian Mall several times, ducking in and out of various shops and reading restaurant menus. We had good walking weather, so it was nice to just stroll and people-watch. Personally, I love that many of the restaurants have large outdoor seating sections lining the center of the mall. Such a great way to use the space.

Monticello - our one "touristy" activity for our short trip to Charlottesville was a visit to Monticello. Neither of us had been there since field trips in grade school, so we were basically seeing it with new eyes. There is a gorgeous visitors' center that was built a few years ago, and a bus to take you to the top of the mountain for your tour of the house (MUCH appreciated by me at 8 months pregnant - not sure I would have made it if we'd had to walk!). The tour is led by extremely knowledgeable guides, and I found it very interesting but also just long enough. They kept the groups moving quickly through the house, offering facts and stories about ol' TJ and his home, without overdoing it. Following the tour, C & I wandered a bit on our own and enjoyed the same views Jefferson did. It was picturesque!

Carter Mountain Orchard - we drove past the orchard on our way up to Monticello, and I knew I wanted to stop on the way back down. I've seen lots of friends head to Carter Mountain for apple picking, but had never been myself. Other than the fact that it was absolutely packed on a Tuesday afternoon (who were all those people, and why weren't all those kids in school?!), it was a great place. We opted to fill a bag with already-picked fruit rather than go off picking our own (another time!), and I made sure to have a fresh apple-cider donut... SO good. Bonus: Bold Rock Hard Cider, a company local to the area, has a little nook where they doing cider tastings and sell their goods. Definitely a fan! I look forward to taking a trip back to Carter Mountain when we have a little bambino who will enjoy apple picking and running around.

Travel Tales: Rodanthe, NC

We spent last week in Rodanthe, NC, with C's family for our annual beach trip. It was a really relaxing week, and we had such a nice time. Given all the shark-related incidents lately, I didn't want a whole lot to do with the beach itself (but then, I never really do) but I was perfectly happy to spend my time in the pool and in the air conditioning!

In the past, it's seemed like there have been many more "activities" with the family throughout the week, but this year, with three little ones and two more on the way, there was much more downtime and relaxation. Totally fine by me! A week of decompression was just what the doctor ordered, and we took full advantage of the plan to have no plans.

Mostly, that meant reading (finished this and this), napping, late lunches, puzzles, and floating in the pool. That is my kind of vacation! We stayed at the same house that we stayed at two years ago, and it was kind of funny to be back and see everything the same. We had breakfast two different mornings at one of our favorite local joints, Atlantic Coast Cafe, and of course the whole family went to Top Dog for our annual lunch. Traditions that involve food are my favorite.

As if vacation wasn't enough fun, we celebrated my mother-in-law's birthday while we were there, and I took advantage of the opportunity to make dessert... yellow cake with whipped cream and berries was so refreshing and delicious.

One morning, we went fishing at the Rodanthe Pier. This mostly involved C fishing and me watching, but I did manage to accidentally catch a fish. How is that possible? Well, I was posing with the fishing pole so C could take my picture like I was really doing something... and next thing I know, there was a fish tugging on the line!! NOT how I planned it... oops! C also "caught" a stingray, which was the craziest thing - more like, it was HUGE and it caught him, because it was way stronger than he was! I caught a glimpse of it flying through the water and it was massive. It took his line almost all the way out and then snapped it, and got away with his hooks and anchor and everything else on the line. I've never seen anything like it! That was enough adventure for one day, by far.

Another day, C and I went for a drive and ended up all the way down at Hatteras, so we had lunch at The Billfish, which we discovered last year, and went shopping for some souvenirs. It is always nice to spend a little one-on-one time with just the two of us when we are spending the week in a house with 15 people. We needed some time away! A lunch date was a great way to spend the afternoon.

C and I spent a lot of time with our niece, "practicing" - in fact, C, changed his very first diaper, ever. Makin' moves! We really could not stop looking at each other and thinking / saying, "this time next year, we will have a 7-month-old baby!!" It doesn't seem possible. Crazy to think this was our last summer vacation as the two of us, and that next year we will be a party of three! It will be here before we know it, and vacations will never be the same, will they? At least next year I will be able to enjoy an adult beverage while beaching - this year was a little DRY (puns... ha).

Overall, we had an amazing time, and we capped off our trip with a stop to Morris Farms for farm-fresh tomatoes and peaches, which I've been enjoying for breakfast, lunch, and dinner this year. Really good produce is just that - really good. Such a delicious souvenir to bring home and keep the vacation-vibe going. I loved our trip and the beach is one of my happy places, but I have to admit, sleeping in my own bed on Saturday night sure felt good. There is no place like home!

Doughnut Miss These

See what I did there?? Ba-dum-cha. Bad jokes all around.

I am not a huge doughnut fan (I mean, I love sugar, don't get me wrong - but as for doughnuts? I can take 'em or leave 'em). However, when I found myself in Portland last night, just a few minutes away from Voodoo Doughnut, I knew I had to make a stop. I've seen Voodoo on shows on the Travel Channel and in plenty of articles featuring the "best of Portland," so it only seemed right to check it out.

The shop was easy to find, and there was no line (probably not surprising on a Wednesday evening) but cues set up for busy weekend mornings. I was prepared with cash (thanks for the warning, Internet) but not prepared for a huge menu with limited descriptors of flavors. It's probably important to note that most of the names are rather raunchy - good for a laugh but not good for describing to your mother! I just kind of picked a few blindly and hoped for the best. The prices were great - I got three doughnuts to sample and a cup of water for $5!

The treats turned out to be delicious - I picked well, I got the famous Portland Cream (like Boston Cream), a Butterfingering (chocolate cake doughnut with Butterfinger crumbles), and a Raspberry Romeo (raspberry-jelly filled). My coworker picked up a Voodoo Bubble (bubblegum flavored! A little crazy but the color was amazing).

It was a fun, touristy experience, and a cool travel bucket-list item to check off. When in Rome Portland!

Travel Essentials - What's in My Carry-On?

Good morning from the West Coast! I am checking in from Washington State today, where it is hotter than blazes and I am still adjusting to being three hours behind. Whew!

Business travel is intense, and I generally feel like I am constantly "on" when traveling - there is no downtime when you are with your clients from morning til night! It is exhausting, but it is worth it, too - I love meeting new people and putting names to faces instead of just seeing signature lines in emails.

All the work travel I've done in the last year or so has led to becoming a pretty succinct packer - I can fit my whole life for a week into a carry-on suitcase and a backpack and maneuver pretty well. While I'm often on little planes where they gate-check your carry-on luggage, I always have my backpack with me. I thought that I'd share a few things I always have handy to make those long days of multiple flights a little easier. Creature comforts, if you will!

1 // a water bottle - my number one tip for traveling! Everyone knows that you can't take liquids past security at the airport, but an empty water bottle is no problem. Pack it into your carry-on, and fill it from once you're past the TSA. There are water fountains near almost every bathroom, and I've found that a lot of airports have bottle filling stations these days. Love it! You save on paying for overpriced water, and you'll help yourself stay hydrated as you travel.

2 // my nook and a magazine - I load up with e-books before I hit the road, so that I have plenty of options whether I'm on the plane or passing the time during a long lay-over. I throw a magazine in my bag, too, though - you never know when your battery might die, or you just lose interest in the same story for a bit. A magazine is a light-weight change of pace.

3 // a light scarf / pashmina - good for a multitude of things! Warmth if the airport or airplane is chilly, scrunched up to use as a pillow, a scarf to dress up a plain outfit, you name it. Doesn't take up much space, and usually comes in handy.

4 // snacks - I try to avoid paying for crap in airports, both because it's expensive and it's stuff I wouldn't normally eat. A gallon-size ziploc bag with some granola bars, a banana, a single-serving package of peanut butter, and whatever else I can grab at home goes a long way, both in the airport and as I'm traveling from site to site throughout the week.

5 // an external battery pack - critical to my survival. I'm pretty sure I've sang the praises of this invention before, but if I haven't, let me start now. $20 will get you a rechargeable battery pack from Amazon, and as long as you have the right cords with you, it will definitely save you in a pinch. My phone battery dies constantly, and being phone-less on travel day is no good. Additionally, my nook battery is likely to die if I'm using it all day, too. A quick plug-in to the battery pack, and I'm good to go. Get one!

What things do you make sure to travel with? I can get away with leaving a lot of stuff at home while I'm on the road - but as long as I have these five things tucked into my bag, I'm generally a pretty happy camper. So long from the West (Best??) Coast!

Five for Friday: Philadelphia edition

Happy Fri-YAY! I am home from my business trip and reunited with my phone, so all is good in my world. Wahoo!

I spent Tuesday-Thursday in Philadelphia for work, and I just have to say that each time I visit that city, I enjoy it more and more. Granted, every time I start to feel like I know my way around a little bit, I end up completely lost, but oh well.It's a great mix of city and not-city, and I always enjoy discovering new things and places.

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Being phone-less for the week, I am pretty much picture-less, too, but I still thought I'd share a few things for Five for Friday! It's been a while... oops.

1 // On Wednesday, my team had lunch at Devil's Alley. My co-worker and I split the daily special, which was a tuna melt (yum!), and the fried green tomato BLT. Both were fantastic. It was a great lunch spot - check it out if you're in the area!

2 // Being in Philly meant I got to see my BFF, Lizzy, for a few hours! She picked me up from my hotel on Tuesday night & we grilled on the patio at her apartment building - it was great to see her and visit for a bit without any other plans going on! Definite perk of this particular work trip. Between our recent girls' weekend and the bachelorette party in Philadelphia, I've seen her several times over the last few months, and I love it.

3 // A co-worker managed to snag dinner reservations at Zahav for Wednesday night, which was a huge deal - everyone was super excited for the chance to try this renowned dining experience. I wasn't really sure what I was getting myself into - Israeli / Indian / Middle-Eastern food is not my cup of tea, usually - but I was pleasantly surprised by what we experienced. We opted for the tasting menu, which included a variety of salads to start, multiple small-plate appetizers, and multiple entrees, so that everyone could try a few bites of a ton of different things. With the exception of a few dishes, I enjoyed everything I tasted!

4 // I traveled to Philadelphia via Amtrak - my first train ride! That's a lie, since I ride the commuter train to work every day, but it was my first time on Amtrak. I was very pleased with the service. Will definitely look into that in the future when we are booking trips north.

5 // We took a quick trip through Reading Terminal Market yesterday afternoon before heading out of the city, and I stopped at Flying Monkey Bakery to pick up a treat for the road. Enter chocolate-dipped banana whoopie pies. Ohhhhh my heavens. So delicious! I am already thinking of ways that I can re-create at home. Yum!!

It's wedding weekend for my sweet friend, Brittany, and her fiance - can't wait to see them tie the knot tomorrow and begin their lives together as newlyweds! What fun Memorial Day plans do you have? I'm hoping for a cook out with C on Monday. Burgers on the grill sound amazing.

linking up with the five on friday girls:  Darci, Christina, April,and Natasha

linking up with karli and amy

Easter Monday

Another Monday, another busy weekend in the books! My day is jam-packed with meetings and things to do, or else I probably would have stayed home and teleworked today. The parking lot at the train station was empty this morning - pretty sure a lot of my fellow commuters had the same idea I did, and actually followed through. Lucky them!

I can't complain much, though, because I took the day off on Friday. It was a much-needed mental health day! I wandered around Target for a while, took over an hour to grocery shop, had Chipotle for lunch, and got my hair cut and highlighted. It was just what the doctor ordered! A welcome day of respite in between lots of weekends of plans.

Speaking of weekend plans, we were out of town again this weekend. On Saturday morning, C and I packed up and headed down to Fayetteville for a fun event: a surprise 30th birthday party for my friend, Ashley! I hadn't seen Ashley in almost two years (oh my god, how time flies) so I was glad we were able to get down to North Carolina for this milestone. Her husband has been planning it for weeks, and it turned out great. Plus, her two adorable little boys were dressed in tuxes, and more than happy to just some moves on the dance floor. Not sure I've ever seen anything cuter!

PS - this was my first ever Rent the Runway experience! Verdict: I liked it, but didn't love it. Or maybe I just didn't love the dress, and that was my own fault. It was pretty, but I picked a cut that doesn't always flatter my body-type. As far as the service goes, my dress was promised to be delivered by Friday evening, and I had it in my hands Thursday afternoon. I ordered a back-up size for free, and I was really glad, because I was much more comfortable in the larger size due to the cut and the cloth. I do think I would try it again, for a special occasion! 

Sunday morning, C and I had breakfast at Cracker Barrel (hash brown casserole? Yes, please!) before heading home. We had big evening plans: making Easter dinner! We cooked our very first ham (not very complicated, as it turns out) and I made an amazing potato casserole (The Pioneer Woman does it again). We ate until we were stuffed to the gills. Delicious!

It was a beautiful day, and I loved seeing all the pictures on Facebook and Instagram of everyone's kiddos in their best spring clothes. So sweet! Is there anything better than babies in bonnets? Probably not. 

Britt's Bachelorette Bash

I spent Saturday and Sunday in Philadelphia, bachelorette-partying in the City of Brotherly Love - what a whirlwind! I headed up bright and early on Saturday morning to meet Brittany and the rest of the girls in Philly. I had to work all day on Friday and got home late, so opted against driving all the way up in the dark by myself... it turned out much better to rest on Friday night and join the shenanigans on Saturday!

Not many pictures to share, because what happens at the Bachelorette Bash, stays at the Bachelorette Bash.... but it was wonderful to spend some time with my friend, meet some of her other friends, and traipse all over the city in the name of celebrating Britt's upcoming nuptials!

We had brunch at Moshulu (complete with bottomless bellinis and mimosas - what a way to start the day!!), climbed the Rocky steps, saw the LOVE sign, and had a beer at McGillin's (Philadelphia's oldest continuously operating tavern, serving beer since 1860!). We continued the festivities waaaayyyy past my bedtime (well into Sunday morning) and I definitely woke up hurting. This old girl just doesn't live like that anymore!

Fun fact: Brittany and I have been friends since I was in fifth grade, when she and her family moved onto my street and we immediately bonded. I find it very hard to believe that was over 20 years ago! I know I talked about this last week, but I feel so lucky to have such steadfast girlfriends in my life. Multiple friends that I've had for multiple decades?! That is seriously a crazy thing. I was honored to have Britt stand by my side when I got married, and I am equally honored to stand by her side when she says, "I do!" in May. Yay!

Throwback Thursday Tuesday: when we were young and tan
and marriage was a million years away.

#NashvilleNYE

Hi! Happy First Monday of 2015.... there is a reason to celebrate every dang day, isn't there?? This Monday was particularly hard to wake up to, due to the whirlwind of activity over the past few weeks. If you read my Christmas Coffee Talk Catch-Up post, you know that the holidays were very busy for us. Well, the fun didn't stop when Christmas was over... because to celebrate NYE and the new year, we headed to Nashville to "party our faces off!" (gotta quote my sister on that one... pretty sure she is right!)

C and I flew to Nashville on Wednesday afternoon (originally scheduled for a flight at noon on the dot, but delayed til almost 2, of course!) and met my sister and brother-in-law, along with four of their friends, for a long weekend in Music City. We. Had. A. Blast.

This might seem like a semi-crazy plan, but C & I had money plane tickets burning a hole in our pockets, and it actually seemed like the perfect opportunity to cash them in. We booked a trip to Nashville in May to celebrate C's birthday, but when my grandmother passed away right after my grandfather, we ended up having to cancel so I could fly to California and be with my mom and our family. Southwest didn't refund our money, but gave us vouchers to use by March. When my sister suggested the Nash-Vegas NYE trip, I looked up prices.... and it turned out to only be $20 more out of pocket to fly down for a long weekend to celebrate the end of 2014! Done and done. The money was already spent, so why the heck not.

We went to the huge block party-type celebration on Broadway in Nashville for NYE, which was... an experience. It was a free concert, headlined by Lady Antebellum, attended by 130,000+ people, in freezing cold temperatures. While we had a good time, I'm not sure it is something I ever want to repeat! (Nor do I want to repeat the hangover that followed the next day... #cantdrinklikethatanymore!)

Thursday and Friday were much more our style - bar-hopping from honky-tonk to honky-tonk, listening to tons of great live bands (and a few not so great) and soaking in the fun and excitement that can only be found in Nashville.

We went to the Gaylord Opryland Hotel one afternoon for a drink and to check out the Christmas lights - talk about an incredible hotel. It is absolutely stunning inside and out, and the Christmas decorations just make it that much more extravagant and gorgeous.

We almost made sure that we ate BBQ at Jack's (a Nashville staple) and spent hours at Tootsie's World Famous Orchid Lounge. We had fried pickles at Rippy's (one of Nat's and my favorites!) and danced at Legends Corner. 

On Saturday, C & I met up with one of my sorority sisters who lives in Nashville, and she took us to brunch at Josephine and then for an amazing driving tour of the "not touristy" parts of Nashville. I loved finally having a chance to see places other than Broadway. I totally failed at getting a picture of the two of us, but I was so grateful and happy that she was willing to spend her Saturday chauffeuring us around and showing us the sites. Love ya, Rachael!

It was such a fun (and exhausting) way to spend a few days - we had a great time, and already can't wait to go back! Nashville is one of our absolute favorite cities, and it will always have a little piece of my heart. 

Anniversary Time-Travel

For our anniversary, I gifted C with a night at a hotel in one of our favorite "quick getaway" towns: Williamsburg! A little time traveling is always a good adventure. I flew home from Detroit on Friday morning, and then had just enough time for a quick lunch and to throw some clean clothes in a new bag and grab my toothbrush before we were out the door again. I was afraid I would be too exhausted from the business trip to be much fun, but it turned out to be absolutely perfect. We had all of Friday evening and Saturday to spend being tourists, and then had all day on Sunday at home to get caught up on house and life things. It was a wonderful way to celebrate our anniversary, and I'm so glad I bit the bullet and booked the trip, because we'd been talking about it without committing for a while. Why the heck not!

Once C found out where we were going, he did a little research, and decided that we should finally do a Tavern Ghost Walk in Colonial Williamsburg. We checked into the hotel and then headed to the historic part of town for a walking tour by lantern, complete with real accounts of ghostly activity at some of the most well-known locations in the area.

It was goofy and fascinating... definitely got my gears grinding. I don't think I believe in ghosts, per say, but I do believe in souls hanging around. Does that make sense?

 

After our tour, we decided on dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in the area: Food for Thought. Can't recommend it enough if you find yourself looking for a good meal! The owner was in the house on Friday night, and stopped by our table to wish us a happy anniversary - so sweet. We had a fabulous meal, just as we always do there, and completed the evening by popping open a bottle of champagne from Old House back in the room & toasting with our wedding flutes. Three years down, so many more to come!

Blurry and dark, but then again, we were on a ghost tour... so that's what you get.

 

Saturday was a quintessential fall day in Virginia - blue skies, sunshine, crisp breeze, colorful leaves. We made the most of the weather and wandered around Colonial Williamsburg and the surrounding shops. There was a Farmers' Market going on, and a reenactment taking place in the center of town. Plenty to see and do! We grabbed sandwiches from The Cheese Shop and sat outside on the patio to enjoy them. A quick detour to the Yankee Candle shop left with me two new candles for the house (I had a coupon! Sorry not sorry) and, at the last minute, we decided to check out the Williamsburg Winery, which we've heard lots about but never been to. Time to try it!

 

 

We did a tasting to see what we liked (there was a white and a red that were very nice, and a spiced wine that I bought a bottle of and can't wait to turn into gluhwein!), and then decided to check out the Gabriel Archer Tavern for a glass of one of our favorites. Sitting at the bar, watching the hustle and bustle of the lunch crowd, was a lovely way to kill some time. Once we decided that we couldn't delay any further, we hopped in the car and headed home to our kitties. This was their first overnight alone since we got Toby! They did splendidly - the only casualty was a bag of corn tortillas that had been left on the counter. Apparently, Toby was in the mood for Mexican food... who could blame him?

I know it probably sounds silly to say that we needed to recharge our marriage a little bit - I know, we don't have kids yet, we work the same hours, blah blah blah... but really, we did need it. Work has been draining me lately, we've gotten into a meal rut, the chores are piling up around the house. It felt so nice to take some time away together, without anyone but the two of us, and go on an adventure with no agenda. We did whatever we want, when we wanted it, and just enjoyed some quality time together. A night away from home to focus on each other was just what we needed. The last three years have been so wonderful - I can't wait to see what year four brings us!