Fall Weekending

We had a really fun, really busy weekend - and I am exhausted this morning sitting at my desk to prove it! From Friday - Sunday, we managed to fit in three "family dates," lunch with a girlfriend and her son, a bunch of errands that desperately needed running,  dinner with my parents, and some online shopping. What more could a girl need?? It was the kind of weekend that just needs to be documented - it was full of simple but wonderful experiences, the kind that can get forgotten but shouldn't!

On Friday evening, we took the baby to the pumpkin patch for the first time! He skipped his afternoon nap, so we were bordering on meltdown status towards the end, but we all had a really fun time. I got a picture of my baby sitting in a pile of pumpkins, and I had a funnel cake, so I'll count that trip as a complete success. (We visited the same pumpkin patch last year - definitely looked and felt a little different this time! I loved every minute of it... we are making family traditions, one holiday at a time!)

On Saturday, C2 and I met a girlfriend and her son at Panera for lunch - her baby is 6 weeks younger than C2, and she and I have been friends since elementary school! We live just a few minutes from each other, and I love when we have time to get together. We made an effort to pick a time when both boys would be awake, and it worked. It was so fun to see them scoping each other out and sizing each other up. Babies are funny with other babies!

Saturday afternoon, we packed up our little family of three and headed to downtown Fredericksburg to walk around, window shop, and grab dinner at Vivify, a local favorite. The weather was absolutely perfect, and it was so nice to get out and enjoy it for a bit.

We had a family coffee date at Hyperion on Sunday morning - babies in jammies are just the best, right?? After that, I made a trip to Wegmans, we did laundry, cleaned house, watched football, and cooked a delicious dinner for my parents. If you are looking for yummy fall recipes, try apple-stuffed pork tenderloin with apple cider sauce and pumpkin cookies with cinnamon chips. Both were huge hits (and my coworkers are loving the extra cookies today!).

I had the windows open, the A/C off, and a fall candle burning yesterday. It was glorious. Even though I'm pretty tired today, I am thankful for so much quality family time over the weekend. It was definitely a "fill my cup" couple of days.

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.

All-You-Can-Carry Pumpkins

On Friday night, we met up with my sister and brother-in-law for a trip to the pumpkin patch. Belvedere Plantation is a few minutes from our house, and well-known in the area for it's pumpkins, hay rides, and other fun fall activities. It had been years since I'd been there - I have memories of a trip with a church youth group, probably from middle school, when it was cool to do stuff like that with your friends. Wouldn't you know I was back at almost 30 years old, and we had probably just as good a time as I did when I was 12!

I was mind-boggled to learn two things: my brother-in-law had never eaten a funnel cake, and my husband had (as far as he knows) never been to a pumpkin patch. WHAT?! I was pleased we were able to right both of those wrongs in one trip. I can't wait to bring our little pumpkin back next fall! I am already excited for the memories we will make and family traditions like visiting the pumpkin patch. It's going to be so much fun!

While the non-pregnant contingent of our group raced tractors and swung from a rope into the hay-filled barn, I was on a mission to get a funnel cake. Don't stand between me and my desserts right now - things might get serious. At this particular funnel cake stand, cinnamon sugar was offered as a topping for your piping hot fried dough... of course I went for it, and my funnel-cake eating may never be the same. Delicious!! Plain ol' powdered sugar will never cut it again.

Belvedere offers a great deal on pumpkins: all-you-can-carry for $29.99. You better believe my sister and I loaded the boys up with as many pumpkins as possible, and they each stood in front of the cashier for the requisite 3 seconds. It was a little wobbly, needless to say, but they were both successful, and we walked out with more pumpkins than we could possibly need. I love decorating my porch with pumpkins in the fall - now I just need a mum or two to balance it out.

Like I said on instagram... one of these pumpkins is not like the other!

Case of the Mondays

Happy Monday! It's gloomy and gray around here, but the temperature is not even hitting 80 so I'll take it. These little hints of fall are keeping me going through the muggy heat that seems to be never-ending.

How was your weekend? We had no "plans" for this one, but tons of things we needed to do. Since we've basically been gone or booked solid every weekend since before the 4th of July, our house was in a sorry state and the to-do list was a mile long. I definitely didn't get everything done that I wanted to, since my shoulder and arm are still bugging me quite a bit, but I plowed through a good chunk of the list and still managed to finish my book club book for this month (Station Eleven - anyone read it? Let's discuss!). It was a great "off" weekend (though I have very little photo evidence of such - sorry!).

Friday afternoon, I had a prenatal massage scheduled, which I was really looking forward to. Sadly, though, it was not the best one I've ever had. The masseuse had a very light touch, and I tend to prefer deeper massage, and I kind of forgot that prenatal massages are conducted while you lay on your side... which is not something extremely comfortable for me right now with the whole shoulder issue. The facility was nice and it wasn't terrible (any massage is a good massage in my book) but it definitely wasn't the great experience I was hoping for.

My new "happy hour" :)

After my appointment, C & I took advantage of our local summer Restaurant Week to grab dinner in downtown Fredericksburg. After much debate, we settled on Poppy Hill Tuscan Kitchen, which we always enjoy, and chowed down on Caprese salad, chicken parmigiana, and homemade chocolate chip cannoli. Ummm, yum. We ended the night watching The Skeleton Twins, which was not what I was expecting and one of the weirder movies I've seen in a long time. Awk-ward.

On Saturday morning, I met a (pregnant!) friend for (decaf) coffee at Hyperion, and spent a lovely hour catching up and comparing notes. She's just a few weeks behind me in her pregnancy, so we text a lot about things that are going on and such - it was nice to chat with something who is going through all the same things! After that, C and I had a mission: a trip to Lowe's to get some flooring information and some paint samples. The nursery calls!

We left with several Pergo samples, one of which matches our current main-floor flooring really nicely, so that was a success. We also came home with four paint samples to test on the walls - C got those up yesterday and the verdict is... I like them all. So indecisive! Luckily, I've got some time before I truly have to decide.

My darling husband worked his butt off in the nursery for a big chunk of Saturday and Sunday, and he made really great progress getting it to a point where it's a neutral space and we can actually start turning it into a nursery. I have been basic non-existent in the "helping" category up there, so it's all him and he's doing a fantastic job. I am doing a pretty good job of walking in occasionally and pointing out spots he missed with primer, etc. We all have our strengths!

Beautiful white walls... no more banana yellow!

The rest of the weekend was filled with house cleaning, organizing, and reading. Like I said, I didn't cross everything off my list, but I feel much better about the state of affairs, and hopefully I will get the rest done as the week progresses. I haven't been able to get the to the gym in the last week or so thanks to my arm issue, so I have some time at home to take care of things like doing laundry and scrubbing toilets (ick). A blessing in disguise... or something.

Here's hoping the "severe" thunderstorms they are calling for this afternoon hold off - I hate commuting in the rain. Have a great day, my friends!

The Best Kind of Weekend-ing

First weekend in May come and gone... Wow! We had the kind of weekend that is busy but relaxing at the same time - felt like a lot was going on, but it was quality time with friends and family, which always refreshes me. It also means I don't take many pictures. I am trying to be fully present wherever I am!

On Friday, C and I went to see Avengers: Age of Ultron - C has been anxiously awaiting the release of this movie for months, so of course we had to see it the day it came out! It turned out to be a pretty good movie, and I was actually able to follow the story line amidst all the action! That is not always the case for me with these superhero movies... PS - was anybody else surprised to see Baby Olsen as the Scarlet Witch in this movie?? I totally missed that casting announcement, but I liked it. She's good!

We were up bright and early to clean the house and run errands on Saturday morning before a 12:30 puck drop for the  Caps game. It was my mom's birthday, so my parents came down to watch the game and celebrate. Unfortunately, the Caps didn't see fit to get a win for the occasion - booooo. Post-game, my mom and I headed to the mall to cash in a B&BW coupon & take advantage of the 2-for-$24 candle sale - happy birthday, indeed! We rounded out the evening with a DIY salad bar and strawberry parfaits for dessert while watching The Judge - I wasn't expecting that movie to be such a tear-jerker! 

Sunday was spent visiting another new-to-us winery: The Winery at Bull Run in Centreville, VA. We met up with my friend, Michelle, and her husband, and took advantage of the fact that they are wine club members for some free tastings. Wine tastings = good, free wine tastings = REALLY good!

It was a gorgeous day, and the place was packed - but Michelle grabbed us a great table right in the middle of everything. A pitcher of sangria and a picnic lunch were the perfect way to spend the afternoon. And I managed to keep myself from getting a sunburn! Definite win. 

I really loved this winery - definitely recommend a visit f you are in the area! They completely embrace the historical elements of their location (right next door to a Civil War battlefield), and have a beautiful set-up with plenty of picnic tables, as well as a large indoor tasting room. The parking lot was jam packed, but we never felt crowded within the winery itself. Lots of space to spread out. Also loved the fact that they have two clearly defined areas to hang out: one side for families with kids, and another for just visitors 21+. I've never seen it done that way, but I thought it was a great way to make everyone happy and comfortable. We didn't end up buying any wine to take home, but we will definitely go back for another visit. 

It feels like we jumped straight from winter to summer around here - it was in the 80s yesterday, and is supposed to stay that way all week! I definitely didn't mind the sunshine and warmth, but I'm hoping the humidity stays away, at least for a few more weeks! I need a couple of weekends where it is still bearable to be outdoors. There is nothing I enjoy more than some laid-back time with the people I love most, though, and this was weekend was such a great example of that. I know the official start to summer isn't until Memorial Day, but this weekend almost felt like it could have been it. We'll be sweating our buns off and hiding in air conditioned places before we know it.

How was your weekend? Anything fun planned for this week? 

The Best Way to Wait for Baby

The day that my sister-in-law went into labor, I had plans to spend the afternoon at a winery with my parents. I knew my choices: go sit at the hospital for hours just waiting, or spend my hours in the beautiful sunshine, enjoying some wine and some family time. Please tell me you know what I picked.

The winery was just 30 minutes from the hospital where my niece was being delivered, so I told C that I'd check in with him throughout the day and to call me when the activity started. Then, my mom, dad, and I hit the road! We stopped to gather a picnic of sorts at at farmer's market then made our way to the winery.

Pearmund Cellars is located in Broad Run, Virginia, and is tucked away down a winding dirt road. The tasting room and barrel cellar are very pretty, but the grounds are the star of this winery. They have a large outdoor patio with lots of tables and chairs, and dogs are welcome to enjoy the fun, too! There are several fire pits, as well as picnic tables and corn hole boards for general enjoyment.

A standard wine tasting at Pearmund is quite affordable at $10 / each, and includes a wide variety of wines (I think we tasted 10?) The woman conducting our tasting was very knowledgeable and friendly, and she knew the answers to just about all our questions. We had a nice time sampling the selection, then picked a few to purchase before heading outside to settle at a table.

I greatly enjoyed soaking up the Vitamin D on the patio with my mom and dad, sipping some wine and people-watching. By the time C called to say that the baby was actually on her way, I'd gotten sufficiently burnt (even sitting in the shade most of the day!) and was ready to go join the family and welcome the new addition. It was such a nice way to spend a Sunday, and way more fun than sitting in the hospital all day. I considered it quite a success!

I picked up a gift for my sister-in-law and brother-in-law
to celebrate the birth day of their first baby!
Tucked into my purse for the hospital :)

Hockey bookends

Well hellloooooo there. Happy Monday! How are things looking in your neck of the woods? It was still pretty chilly when I left the house this morning (34, I think), but they are saying it could wind up in the low 70s this afternoon!! We are soooo close to Spring, I can almost taste it. I did spend a good part of yesterday with the back door open while I cleaned and lounged, which is always nice, but it was super windy yesterday and my wind chimes were clanging like crazy. I am ready for the long days of nice weather!

This weekend started and ended with Capitals games, with all kinds of things packed in between. The home team ended up with a win and a loss, so that's not so bad, I suppose. A nice set of hockey bookends for the weekend!

Friday night, we headed into DC with our friends, Stephanie and Chris, to catch a Caps game in person! This was only the second game of the season that we've been to in person, and it is always so much fun to be in the arena. We started with a quick dinner at Penn Quarter Sports Tavern, where we braved the wind and opted to eat al fresco. Might not have been our smartest decision, but it was where there was a table open, and we all had jackets... so we made the most of it and kicked off outdoor-eating weather! (PS - I had the Guacamole burger, with guac, cheddar, and pico de gallo, and loved every bite. Highly recommend!)

Hockey games are always way more fun in person than they are on TV, and I love the atmosphere of being at a game live. Unfortunately, the Caps couldn't get us a win this time around... but we still had a great time with friends and enjoyed our night in the city.

On Saturday morning, Stephanie and I went over to a local event that was going on: the Weecycled Children's Consignment sale! We had no idea what to expect when we got there, but it turned out to be really well organized, and the prices were pretty good, too. I told myself that I was just going along as moral support, but once I got inside and saw all the tiny baby girl clothes... I couldn't help myself! I have so far avoided buying anything clothing-wise for our niece (due next month!), but the dam finally broke. Once I gave in, it was really hard to stop!

I texted my sister-in-law to find out what items they actually still need for Baby Girl, and tried to limit myself to only those categories. All those tiny ruffles and adorable dresses are so tempting, though!

Yes, that is a tiny onesie that says "I love my auntie" - !!!!

After several hours of shopping, I stopped at home to grab C, and we headed to Wegmans for lunch and grocery shopping. We are really exciting, aren't we? In case you've never been to Wegmans (I'm sad for you!), they have a huge prepared foods / hot & cold bar area, and you can get all different types of cuisine. We each piled up a container with the foods of our choice and enjoyed a little lunch date in their upper dining room. It was a good rainy afternoon activity!

Saturday night consisted of binge-watching season 7 of Parks and Rec - we are halfway through and I never want it to end! #saveJJsDiner

On Sunday, I did the taxes - whoop, whoop! Not. But our taxes are quite simple at this point (two steady jobs and one mortgage, done) so it only took me a couple hours to have them completed and filed. No refund for us this year... just handing over more money to the IRS. Cry. That was a depressing-enough way to spend the morning, so I let myself lounge for most of the afternoon. Yesterday evening, we headed to our local Buffalo Wild Wings to meet up with C's cousin and his family to watch the second Caps game of the weekend! The outcome of that one was much better, and it was fun to catch up! C's cousin and his wife have two super cute little boys, and we love getting to see them. Plus, babies in Caps jerseys! So cute!

I ended up with a horrible stomach ache by the time we got home, and pretty much put myself to bed immediately. So that part kind of sucked... but the rest of the weekend more than made up for it. We are about to have a solid month of booked weekends, so it was nice to be able to enjoy one that was spent mainly at home before the madness starts. Everyone needs a little time to rest and relax - it's good for the soul!

How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun? Have a great week!

Just around the river bend... local adventures!

My original plan for Veteran's Day was to do laundry, clean the house, and maybe go see a movie. However, my mother texted me a few days before, and told me that we need to do something "fun" with our day off, and to save the chores for the weekend. Don't have to tell me twice - I was in! The question was, what should we do with our day?

It was slated to be gorgeous weather, and the cold was supposed to come rolling in the day after (and it did - full on arctic blast! yuck) so we wanted to do something outdoors. A little brainstorming led me to a local treasure: Ferry Farm, George Washington's Boyhood Home.

Ferry Farm is approximately five minutes from my house, just on the other side of the river from historic downtown Fredericksburg. It's the site where the home that George Washington grew up in was located - the house is no longer there, but archaeologists have located the foundation, and there are plans in the works to rebuild the home.

Having lived in this area for over 20 years, as the daughter of a teacher who always used days off for educational purposes, I've been to a lot of historic sites around here. We'd never visited Ferry Farm, though - so it was new for the whole family. My mom packed a scrumptious picnic for us, which we enjoyed at a picnic table under the trees, and my dad greeted me with my first Starbucks Red Cup of the season. What more could a girl need? (Hint: to not be dressed like it's fall when it turns out to be 75*! I was sweating. Beautiful.)

Included in the price of admission at Ferry Farm is a self-guided iPad tour - they hand you an iPad loaded with an app designed for the site, and you follow the path all around the property looking for numbered flags. When you find a flag, you touch the corresponding number on the screen, and each one has videos, pictures, and facts about the area where you're standing. It was a pretty neat way to take a tour, and nice that we could take as long or as little at each spot.

We spent a little over an hour walking around and learning about George Washington's childhood... and when we'd had enough, we headed back across the river for a round of drinks and appetizers at one of our favorite local restaurants. It was a great way to spend a day off, and enjoy some quality time with two of my favorite vets (thanks, Mom & Dad!).

All about the mon-ay - and a good cause!

When I am deciding whether or not to run a particular race, there are a number of factors that go into my decision. Surprisingly enough, I am not only concerned about the bling (though very important), the course (more important, I suppose), or the option of a post-race beer (most important, if I’m being honest!) – I’m also thinking about the time commitments required and what the money looks like.

One of my favorite medals - OBX Half

Race registration fees tend to be… uhh… not cheap. So when I see the $$ signs next to the name of a race that I’m interested in, I’m immediately curious as to where that money is going. Is it being pocketed by the company sponsoring the race? Is there a really cool medal or nice T-shirt in it for me? Are they going to feed me post-race? What, exactly, are you doing with my dollars once I register?

Nice bling from the Marine Corps Historic Half

Ideally, I like to run races where some or all of the registration money goes back to the community – I like races that support charities, and it makes me even happier if the money goes to a local charity or cause. When a representative from Carpenter’s Shelter in Alexandria, VA, reached out to me and asked if I might be willing to talking about their upcoming Run for Shelter in a blog post, I was more than happy to oblige.

Per the representative from the shelter, here is some info about Carpenter’s and the race:

Carpenter’s Shelter and Pacers Events is proud to bring back the Run for Shelter 10K, 5K & 1 Mile Fun Run, an event dedicated to ending homelessness in the DC area. 

The race, scheduled for 8am on Saturday November 22nd, will be an out-and-back on Eisenhower Avenue (Metro accessible on the Yellow line). 

Carpenter's Shelter has been helping homeless individuals and families achieve sustainable independence through shelter, guidance, education, and advocacy since 1988. 90% of the shelter graduates never again return to homelessness. 

Registration is $35 and all runners will receive a technical shirt. Fastest overall men and women for the 10k and 5k will receive the following prizes: 1st place - $100, 2nd place - $75, 3rd place - $50.

Homelessness is a major issue in our area, and something that, because I work in the city, I see personally every single day. I am faced regularly with people asking for money, for food, for help of any type. It is heart-breaking, and I don’t begin to know nearly enough about the topic to truly do it justice here – but I do know that when I can help in some way, I do. All proceeds from the Run for Shelter benefit Carpenter’s Shelter, which is actually the largest homeless shelter in Northern Virginia. That’s a race I can get behind.

I was not compensated in any way for this post; I just wanted to spread awareness about a local cause and a local race, for any of my readers nearby looking for their next challenge. I’ll be paying my $35 registration fee from my own pocket, and I’ll be running the 10K on November 22nd – I’d love to see you there!

Register now for the 2014 Run for Shelter! 

I've created a group named Typically Late on the registration page - if you decide to run the race, register as part of the group so I can see who's going to join in! Maybe we can organize a get-together afterwards or something :) It'll be fun!

A little wine, and I'm feelin' fine

On Saturday evening, we went out to one of our favorite local wineries, Old House Vineyards, for their Summer Sunsets concert series. C & I packed up a picnic and met our friends, Stephanie and Chris, out in Culpeper for an evening of live music, gorgeous views, and delicious wine. Could there be anything better? Methinks not.

I first learned about the Summer Sunsets concerts back in January when we went wine tasting at Old House for my birthday, and I'd made a mental note that it would be fun to attend. I'd only been to the winery in the winter, so hadn't had much of an opportunity to see the beautiful property. It was well worth the wait!

We brought a variety of snacks for dinner, and munched on guacamole, hummus, chicken salad, veggies, crackers, and the like while listening to a guy with a guitar serenade the crowd all evening. It has actually been decent weather around here lately (rather than sweltering hot and suffocatingly humid, per usual), and we were perfectly comfortable sitting outdoors for a few hours, watching the view change as the sun went down.

The event at Old House is free to the public (awesome), and most glasses of their wine were $5 for a very generous pour (more like 2 glasses, if you ask me!). It was a cheap date for sure (minus the bottles of wine we bought to bring home), and we had such a great time! There were a good number of people in attendance, and we saw everything from fancy picnics with gourmet food to families with little kids and buckets of fried chicken. We fit right in with our appetizer-dinner, and it was quick and easy to transport.

Our first official photo.. this makes us real-life friends now, and not blog-friends, right? :)

This was easily one of my favorite nights of this summer - there is nothing I like better than sitting around chatting with friends over food and drink, and when you add music to the mix, it's just about perfect. I am looking forward to the next time we get to visit Old House for Summer Sunsets - which I actually think will be next weekend! Because why not. Summer only lasts so long!

So tell me...

• Do you like to visit wineries? Do you have a favorite?
• What's your favorite low-key summer activity?
• Red or white wine? I generally lean towards red in the winter, and white in the summer.