Halloween 2016

Now seems like a good time to join the masses and say, I can't believe Halloween is over, and it's already November! We are deep into my favorite time of year, and while I didn't think it was possible to love fall more, I have found that I do now that there is a baby to share it with. Everything is more fun with kids!

I'll be honest: I wasn't going to get the baby a Halloween costume. Like, at all. He goes to bed at about 6:30 every night, so it's not like he was going to be out and about on Halloween. But at the insistence of my coworkers who showed me pictures of their babies' first Halloweens (some of them many years ago!), I found myself at Target shelling out $20 for a lamb costume (it was that or a terrifying-looking bluebird - the only ones in his size the day I was there!). And truly, I'm SO GLAD that I did, because he was SO CUTE and it was well-worth the $20. Plus, we dressed him in the costume several times and will likely use the same costume again on kid #2 whenever that is so.... whatever. It's fine.

We kicked off Halloween weekend with a trip to another pumpkin patch with my sister-in-law and my niece, and let the babies run around and touch pumpkins until they were sufficiently worn out. C2 didn't care about the pumpkins very much but he did think the dried, hollow gourd was really cool. Whatever floats your boat, my love.

On Halloween night, we fed the baby a quick dinner, then wrangled him into his costume and popped him in his wagon for a pre-bedtime trip around the neighborhood. He was fascinated with the neon plastic pumpkin and the pack of Sour Patch Kids that we let him hold. It was crinkly and amazing and why do I buy toys?! But anyways...

He was the cutest sheep I've ever seen. Truly. Have you ever seen anything better?! Even though we were about an hour too early for trick-or-treating, a couple of neighbors were outside and ready, and they got a kick out of letting the baby "pick" candy. (Mama picked Reese's at every house... not mad about it!) Then we sat on the porch for a few and said hello to the first little kids out making the rounds before heading upstairs for bedtime. Per usual, C2 was tuckered out and promptly passed out, not to be heard from again until the next morning. We handed out candy for a while until our bucket was JUUUUST about empty, and then we headed inside and turned off the porch lights. We had easily over 100 trick-or-treaters again this year - I love that our neighborhood has such a good turnout and has so much fun! 

I'm super glad that I didn't "skip" this holiday because the baby is too young to remember it - we got some great pictures, and C and I definitely made some good memories that we will share with C2 years from now. It was so fun to watch him smile and laugh and try to figure out what the heck was going on. I am giddy with holiday excitement at this point, and can't wait for Thanksgiving and then Christmas! (Though I don't want to talk about the fact that will mean baby boy's first birthday will be right around the corner..... wahhhh). I may or may not have ordered matching Christmas jammies for the whole family yesterday. I CAN'T WAIT.

Things I Might Be Embarrassed to Tell My Son

Right before the baby was born, I ran to Hallmark with a serious need for a baby book. I needed somewhere to put his foot prints when he was born and I was terrified he would come and I wouldn't have a book. (Spoiler alert: he was still a few weeks away!) Anyway, I found a relatively simple one without too many spaces for writing (who has time for novels when you have a newborn? Not this girl) and just enough spaces for pictures and mementos. I did remember to pack the book in the craziness that was "my water broke, we have to go!" And did get a really sweet nurse to put two-day-old foot prints in the book. I die a little every time I see those tiny feet!

So far, I have sat myself down to write in the book approximately every three months - yikes. But thank god for Instagram and Facebook because I can scroll back and remember what he was doing when, and write it under the appropriate month. Mom win!

Last night, I sat down to fill in the "when you were born..." Sections with headlines, prices, pop culture, etc. and... To be honest, I feel a little silly. I can't believe these are the things I will be telling him about 10 or 20 years from now!! What the heck are we doing? I actually had to write "Justin Beiber" in my son's baby book to save forever... Hopefully I'm not embarrassed to tell my son about these popular things later on in life. I can already see myself being 70 years old and trying to validate why the Kardashians were famous. I can't do it now, why will I be able to do it then?! Sigh.

I thought it might be fun to share what I wrote down, and see if anyone has any other suggestions. Here's what I have so far:

(He was born at the beginning of January, so I've tried to keep this answers to that time frame!)

The Cost of.... (we live in Northern Virginia, for reference!)

• A gallon of milk: $3.19
• A 2-liter of soda: $1.00
• A loaf of bread: $1.50
• A cup of coffee: $2.50 (regular grande at Starbucks)
• A gallon of gas: $1.95
• A First-Class stamp: $0.47
• A movie ticket: $10
• A newspaper: $2.00 (daily copy of the Washington Post)

The big news events: Joaquin Guzman was captured, President Obama visited Cuba, Zika virus outbreak began, David Bowie and Alan Rickman died

The big world leaders: Barack Obama, Justin Trudeau, Vladimir Putin, David Cameron, Pope Francis

Some popular songs: Hello (Adele), Sorry (Justin Bieber), Hotline Bling (Drake), Stitches (Shawn Mendes),  Die a Happy Man (Thomas Rhett), Burning House (Cam)

Movies on the big screen: The Jungle Book, Deadpool, Zootopia

Some favorite TV shows: The People vs. OJ Simpson, The Americans, The Night Manager, Game of Thrones

Some really famous people: Taylor Swift, the Kardashians, Caitlyn Jenner, Amy Schumer, Prince, Ryan Reynolds, Blake Shelton, Adam Levine

Some sports stars: Peyton Manning, Steph Curry, Alex Ovechkin, Bryce Harper, Lionel Messi

Best-selling books: The Obsession (Nora Roberts), The Last Mile (David Baldacci), The Lake House (Kate Morton)

Some trendy things (styles, gadgets, sayings): Flat screen smart TVs, new iPhones, Apple Watch and FitBit, Snapchat, Instagram

Any categories I should write in? What would you add to the categories above? Do you have a baby book for your child?

Never have I ever...

Do you remember that game we all (right?) used to play in high school and college, called "Never Have I Ever"? In high school, it was pretty tame, but in college, it was a drinking game, and it was always a riot to try to come up with the most outlandish things that people have / have not done... ohhh, memories!

When I saw that The Lady Okie was co-hosting a link-up with Kiki with a Never Have I Ever theme, my interest was piqued. What fun! No drinking here today, unfortunately (apparently they condone that at work??) but I thought I'd play along anyway. Ten fingers up, friends - let's play!

Believe it or not, never have I ever...

Broken a bone.

Seriously. Not a one. Not a finger, not a toe. 

Stayed overnight in the hospital.

The only time I've ever even been to the ER was when I was in high school and had mono, and that was only because the clinics on base were closed on Sundays, except the ER. That's probably a story for another day, though.

Gotten a speeding ticket.

Notice I didn't say "been pulled over" for speeding. That's a different category! I have gotten a ticket for running a red light, and another for an "improper lane change" when I wrecked my car in college (the $35 ticket was just kind of insulting on top of all the damage!). 

Been to a Whole Foods.

Now I'm just refusing to go out of principle.

Taken a hot yoga class.

I want to, but I haven't.

Smoked a cigarette.

Not a single puff, not even just to try it.

What's something you've never done, that lots of other people have?? Feel free to join the link-up fun if you're a blogger!

Break out the cake & balloons!

Happy birthday to me! 

Stick some candles on a birthday cake and sing the song... I'm 27 today! (Fun fact: It's Elvis's birthday, too. The King and I share a day - didja know?? Wisdom provided by my 9th grade English teacher, and I've never forgotten it!)

Let's take one very small second and say this together: twenty-seven. That can't possibly be my real age, right? Actual adults are 27. Ummmm... that can't be me... wahhhh!

Moving on.

Gratuitous baby birthday photos

To celebrate, C & I are going out to dinner tonight (no idea where - it's a surprise!), and then we are in the midst of planning a winery excursion with some of my favorite people for this weekend. Can't think of a better way to enjoy the occasion than food, lovely people, and wine. Cross your fingers that the 50% chance of rain goes away!

In honor of this fantastic day, I've decided to do something BRAND NEW and EXCITING... my first giveaway! That's right - for my birthday, I'm going to give you (or someone) a present! I'm not entirely sure what, yet, but I'll put together a little package of some of my favorite things for the winner: probably a Starbucks gift card, a snack or two, my favorite chapstick and / or nail polish, maybe some fun socks... it'll be a surprise, like all good birthday presents should be!

Entering the giveaway is easy - just use the widget below. No crazy actions required - you don't have to follow me on 17 forms of social media, you don't have to promise me your first-born child, you don't have to paint my toenails on the third Wednesday of every month. Just enter if you want to win! The contest is open until midnight tomorrow, and I'll announce the winner later this week :)

YAY, birthdays!

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2013 in pictures

January 

February

 

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Without a hitch

I'm probably going to jinx myself for the next 1000 years, but I have to say it... our Thanksgiving was pretty much perfect. (Knock on wood for every year after this one!)

The turkey was beautiful, the sides were delicious, the wine was flowing, and my home was full of people I adore. What could be better??

The proof is in the pudding turkey! Look at that beauty.

C had his first experience with turkey-wrestling, and he totally won! He manhandled that 23-pounder into submission (with a little help from his sister!) and we got it into the oven a full five minutes ahead of schedule. It only took four people supervising (two taking photos to document the hilarity) and a few off-color jokes, but C made that turkey his b*tch. Whew!

I'm sad to say that I didn't get a whole lot of pics from the day (apparently when cooking a holiday meal for 13, you don't have much time to photograph... hmm), and most of them are of C with the turkey... but I'm ok with it, because that definitely needed to be documented for posterity.

C's dad supervised / assisted with the carving of the turkey, and they did a great job. The following pictures are too funny to me, because C & his dad are like carbon copies - and these aren't posed a bit! Check it out:

See what I mean?! Weird. But cool!

I tried (kind of) to keep the menu "small" (by Thanksgiving standards, anyway!) but we still ended up serving a feast! Definitely made good use of our counter and table space. I was pleased to know that everyone was able to have their favorite dish, and that my team of great cooks whipped up some really yummy things. I have a few definite keepers of recipes to share soon!

Biggest bottle of wine ever, courtesy of my uncle. My dad was a happy guy!

All in all, the day was a bit stressful (cooking Thanksgiving is a huge undertaking! And I had a ton of help), but nothing that couldn't be handled. I referred to my lists and my notes and my recipes, and doled out directions as needed. There was laughter and music all day long. I even got to shower and do my hair and makeup before dinner! Everything came together right on time, and everyone was happy - and stuffed by the time we were done. I couldn't have asked for more for the first major holiday in our new home!

"Look like you're owning the turkey." "I AM owning the turkey!"

Pie Night

We take pie very seriously in my family.

In fact, you could call us pie connoisseurs.

[source]

We have been known to turn up our noses at frozen pies, apple pies made with the wrong apples, pre-made crusts, soupy pumpkin pies, and the occasional "weird" pie. (There's no need for weird pie.) I will almost always skip pie as a dessert option unless it's made by us. We have a thing about pie. Sorry, not sorry.

For as long as I can remember, the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving has always been Pie Night (capital letters needed). My mom makes pies from scratch, crust and all, and my sister and I have been helping since we were knee-high to a cricket (I've always wanted to say that). If there's anything you can count on, it's the fact that, wherever we are for Thanksgiving, we will be wrapped in aprons and covered in flour, rolling dough and coring apples. We've made pies in big kitchens, small kitchens, new kitchens, old kitchens. We've made them at our home and at other people's homes. Pie Night. It goes where we go.

This is one of our sacred family traditions, and, this year, I'm excited to say that we are having the inaugural Pie Night at my new house. My mom is coming down after she gets done at school today, and we will spend the evening mixing and measuring. I can't wait to find myself wrist-deep in pumpkin and sugar, standing in my kitchen, baking Thanksgiving pies with my mama. It wouldn't be a true Thanksgiving without it!

And, clearly, I can't wait for pie for breakfast tomorrow morning. Is there anything better than pie for breakfast?!?

Music & football - no surprises here

Looks like I've created a monster... because the Boys Behind the Blog post is officially the only post C is interested in each month. He actually asked me about the questions for this month a few weeks ago! (Sidenote: I gave him these questions FOUR DAYS in advance this time, rather than the morning of... that's really saying a lot for me. Good job, me.) This round of questions is right up my music-loving husband's alley. I'm surprised he didn't write more!

In case you're interested, the BBB link-up is hosted each month by Steph and Mal, and is a great way for bloggers to feature the man / men in their life. In my case, it's always C answering the questions, but I've seen brothers, friends, boyfriends, and even dads get in on the fun! It's one of my favorite posts of the month.

1. Who is your favorite band/musician?

I already hate this questions because people get so touchy about their musical tastes and preferences. Seriously, if you're having a conversation and mention that you don't like a particular movie, the other party will casually point out the strengths and weaknesses of said film or tell you that you're stupid and move on. Music isn't like that. People go INSANE if you casually mention you don't like the baseline from some throwaway 90's Stone Temple Pilots song. Music, in general, is anything you want it to be: soothing, therapeutic, loving, RAGEY, personal. It encompasses the span of the emotional spectrum. It's great. But if you throw people's stupid opinions in the midst, music sucks.

That being said, my favorite musician is Josh Ritter. See this or this. I've seen him three times, and each time, he always seems so happy to be on stage jumping around. I like that.

I can vouch for this one. I've been to Josh Ritter two of the times C has seen him, and he really is great in concert. Also, C totally failed to mention that we chose a Josh Ritter song for our first dance at our wedding... no big deal or anything. 

Also, I conveniently have the picture below on my phone... C in one of his Josh Ritter concert t-shirts, which he loves. (And I love,because they are made of super comfy cotton, not the itchy stuff. Perfect for sleeping in!)

2. What was your first CD/tape?

Storm Front and River of Dreams, Billy Joel. Special thanks to Wikipedia, because I had no freaking clue what the album (cassette?) was called. "We Didn't Start the Fire." That's all I knew. My sister and I would jaaaaaam to that song on the way to school. To this day, I'll learn some history tidbit and have a vague memory of Nana's car and singing, then remember that the history factoid is in the song, and whooooooooa. Also, space monkey.

3. Who was your first concert?

Not including Grandparent's Day in kindergarten? I honestly don't remember. HOWEVA, I did get the privilege of seeing the Duchess of Canada at the Patriot Center freshmen year of high school. I'm too embarrassed to type out her name, but if you reeeeeeeally need to know, click the link.

There is a special place in C's heart for Mrs. Chad Kroeger, and he will deny it all day long, but I've seen the contents of his iPod, so I know the truth.

4. What is your favorite Thanksgiving food?

Gravy. I can have turkey or stuffing or mashed potatoes any time of the year, and meh. But throw a gallon of gravy on it and BOOM: Thanksgiving.

What else floats in water? ...gravy! (10 points if you get that reference)

5. Finish the sentence: I am thankful for...

the third football game on Thanksgiving. NO EMOTIONS HERE BLOG-FRIENDS.

What did you really expect from him? Ha! 

When the decision is easy

When I was a sophomore in high school, my mom and I started going on college visits. We spent spring break and several parts of summer break going from school to school, touring campuses, trying dining halls, and exploring book stores. I didn’t know a thing about college, other than that it was expected I would go. I didn’t have an older sibling to tell me about what I’d experience, no older friends to give me a feel for what it was really like to move away for four years. My parents didn’t go to college in the traditional sense – they both got their Bachelor’s and Master’s after being in the military for several years, and did it while working full-time and eventually raising kids. They didn’t have the “four-year” on-campus experience, so they didn’t have much wisdom to share with me in that respect. I was on my own to find the one that fit. Virginia has a ton of colleges and universities, and it was pretty much set that I would go in-state, and so my mom and I went from place to place, trying to determine where I would apply.

I slowly made a list of the places where I felt comfortable – for a long time (read: a few months), I was determined to go to William & Mary, and then I changed my mind and decided I’d go to UVA. Those schools felt alright with me; on the campus tours, the grounds didn’t seem too confusing, and every school seemed to generally offer the same amenities. I looked at the college students with my high-school eyes, and tried to picture myself among them. I could, mostly, and so I assumed that I’d just go to one of those schools I’d toured and eventually it would all be fine.

Everything changed one day in July, the summer after my junior year of high school. That was when I first stepped foot on the campus of Virginia Tech. I took the tour, and it felt right. I stood in the dorms, and pictured myself living there. I saw the students, and felt like I fit in. And then I stood on the edge of the Drill Field, and suddenly I felt like I was home. This was it.

I went back home and filled out my application. I was determined to apply Early Decision – and it was the kind where, if accepted, you were required to go to school there. I was good with that. Much to my parents’ chagrin, I refused to apply anywhere else. I was going to Virginia Tech. I had to. I would not apply to a single other college until I knew about VT.

Early Decisions announcements came out in December. My parents had gone out, and I was at home, sitting by the computer, anxiously refreshing the internet, waiting for my answers. I felt a little nauseous, but mostly just certain. Tech was where I needed to go. I would get in. There was no other school that felt so undoubtedly like home.

As luck would have it, I did get accepted, and I didn’t have to fill out any other college applications. I never regretted my choice for a single second – there was never a time when I didn’t feel like VT was where I was supposed to end up. Obviously, my choice of college shaped the entire rest of my life: I wouldn’t have met some of my best friends, wouldn’t have lived through April 16, wouldn’t have met my husband (or maybe I would have, but that’s another topic), wouldn’t have learned from the professors that I did… That decision to be a Hokie turned me down a path that dictated the course of the rest of my life.

Standing there on the Drill Field on that hot July day in Blacksburg, I stood at a crossroads of life – as cliché as it is. I had a choice to make, but I truly feel like fate made it for me. That very first time on campus, the decision was clear, and I never looked back. I’m pretty sure I will never forget that distinct moment, where I stood (literally) on the edge of everything, and felt like I was right exactly where I belonged.

Today's Blogtember prompt: Describe a distinct moment when your life took a turn.

Memories are funny

 Picture 1. 

August 2010

Taken outside the Top Dog Cafe during my very first family beach trip with C's family.

 Picture 2. 

July 2013

Taken outside the very same restaurant, three years later.

Funny how time flies by so quickly, and how so much can change while so much stays the same.
I couldn't help but think about how different things are now - we're married, working, paying bills, living together, "adults"... At the same time, though, we're still those carefree kids in the top picture. I hope we always will be!
<3