Twas a fantastic weekend! We spent Friday evening tasting all that Union Market has to offer with Jill. I even ate (2) oysters and slightly enjoyed them. I probably would have no photos of this outing, but Jill kept insisting, “Take pictures for me so I can blog!” Uhhh, someone is addicted. Just as I told her she would be. It reminds me of many, many years ago how Jill said she would never listen to country music and that she would always hate it. I urged her to give it a little liten, but she adamantly avoided it and refused to see the light. Then one special day I came home to Jill, alone, sitting in front of the computer signing this song at the top of her little lungs, knowing all the words by heart. THERE IS NNOOOO ARIZZOONNNAAAA… Such was her entry into the blogging world, and now she can’t stop.
On Saturday morning, Matt took me on a little surprise shopping excursion as an early 3-year anniversary gift. I know, I was shocked too. Where did we go? Only the greatest place EVER! I got to pick out some sweet new cowboy boots and I cannot think of a better “leather” gift than this. omg I’m so excited for my Dan Post boots to arrive!! They didn’t have my size in stock at the store, but they will still be here soon :):) YAY
Today we have been working our butts off to put the house back together after having the floors redone. All new hardwood upstairs!! It’s been a bit of disarray in the process, with my office stacked full of all our junk… but things are finally getting back to normal. Just in time for Monday. Going to be a great week!
This weekend consisted of family time at the cabin! We went riding in the truck, hiking, cave exploring… Also, Nora tasted a lemon for the first time!!! So so cute. Pics:
David’s truck tours, ready to go
littlest rider
Bowsin’ through the woods
where the pond used to be
DOUBLE CAVE
cave portrait!
cave party!
cave hiker mom
hello matt!
cousins!
wagon rider
the Jill, elusive and difficult to capture in the wild, pensively eyes the double cave
After 32 years, my parents finally sold the house we all grew up in. Yesterday we said goodbye to 3737 Ivory Road.
one last cheers to Ivory Road!
the woods. I think I climbed, at one time or another, every tree in this picture.
goodbye back field! i have many memories of hours and hours spent cutting your grass on the ride-on mower, wearing my bathing suit, getting a tan and listening to my walkman mixed tapes recorded from the radio. ohhh yeahhhh!!!
a last family walk through the backyard.
The firepit, a later addition to Ivory Road, but we had some good memories here, usually centered around holidays and celebrations. I (vaguely) remember chugging Parrot Bay here at my high school graduation party, while David jumped over the flames… then years later singing and listening to the guitar being played a few nights before our wedding… and then another bonfire send-off party for Jill, with S’mores, before her departure for south america world tour part 2.
the shed. Most of our summers revolved around all the toys and things held inside here — basketballs, jump ropes, kickballs, bicycles, baseball bats and gloves, garden tools..
all that is left of the poor willow tree…
so many games of Bob Ball.
measurements on the wall. dad kept track of our heights every birthday. we all grew pretty fast, when you look at it like this. is that Howard the fish drawn in at the bottom??
one last slide! until my hips got stuck at the bottom, that is a pretty good indicator when you’ve literally outgrown the swing set.
We spent Christmas weekend in Maryland and Delaware: window shopping, eating family meals, drinking wine and talking, watching a light snow fall outside, catching up with friends we haven’t seen in forever, exchanging gifts, posing the doggies for pictures, scarfing down cookies and fudge, and playing team Scrabble. Just perfect.
My little neice!! Nora Emily was born in Anchorage, AK on October 9th. How cute is she!!!???? I can’t believe I am an aunt!! We got to Skype when she was only about 12 hours old, and she is just so tiny and chunky, I wish I could squeeze her through the computer. Welcome to the world, Nora! I can’t wait to meet you.
Jill and I had the most amazing dinner last night. It was even pleasant enough to dine outdoors! we sat and ate and ate and ate, for 3 whole hours, and yes, we consumed all of this. Aren’t these dishes beautiful?! Artwork almost too perfect to eat… Having a pastry chef sibling is just about the best thing ever. Nom nom nom.
Besides all the wine and the food and the people watching and meeting Jill’s coworkers and chefs and the outdoor air, we also got to watch a squirrel bury a nut pretty close by to us. Like a foot away in the flower bed we were sitting next to. Perhaps we showed our total unsophistication by laughing and squealing as this process was going on. But if you’ve never seen a squirrel with a nut in it’s mouth scampering through a flower bed, digging a hole, burying a nut, and then fluffing the flowers back around it to hide its treasure… I can assure you this has to be the most comical thing in nature.
These pics are from our Wednesday night family trip to the ballpark last week. I am a little slow getting them posted. We had great outfield seats right above the Mets bullpen, and the Nats won the game 4-3. A huge rainstorm came through about an hour before the first pitch, taking (most of) the hot air with it, making it a great summer night to be out watching a game. It was originally supposed to be a belated father’s day present, but somehow turned into my early birthday celebration, haha, sorry Pop! Jill even brought us some delicious mini cupcakes in her purse to enjoy at the ballpark. Cupcakes + peanuts + stadium food = good birthday dinner.
We just got back from a 4-day visit to Iowa to attend Matt’s Grandpa’s burial and spend some time with family. Trip highlights: stopping in Pella for Dutch letters at Jaarsma Bakery, taking a long walk at the Vanderlinden farm at sunset, Matt’s first motorcycle ride, visiting the Historical Museum open house, an early morning Flower Power 5k race in Des Moines (I think we had the largest family of participants there!), walks around the square in Centerville, ice cream, poking around in Possum Lodge, reading on the patio swing, the storm clearing and the sun emerging right as the burial ceremony began, playing Horse in the park in Confidence, a late night bonfire with S’mores and scary stories, taking over a whole row at Sunday morning church, and an intense game of Dominoes with cousins. good times!
bike art in Des Moines
decisions, decisions at Jaarsma Bakery in Pella
Tulip Time in Pella
CORN!
the Vanderlinden Farm
Uncle Steve giving a motorcycle lesson on the farm
hey COWS
silos
Roselana looking cool and tough
tractor
family
Seth’s purple ride!
pretty sure this was my shot since it’s going in
crazy clouds after a summer storm
a sale in Centerville
bonfire! and a small sliver of the moon
sunrise on the way to Des Moines for the 5K race = sooo early
Yesterday I played some hookey and spent the day at Sandy Point State Park with my mom and sis. It was a perfect day – sunny, though slightly chilly — great beach sitting weather without getting roasted. We were practically the only people out there, save a few other dog walkers and another family, so we felt like we had the place to ourselves. We packed some blankets and a picnic of fruit, veggies, and chips and just relaxed, looked for beach glass, and watched the cars and trucks endlessly cross the bay bridge. We spotted a beautiful heron trying to catch fish at the edge of the surf, a few big black buzzard-looking birds (stalking cloesly behind the heron), plenty of seagulls, and a giant ship passing under the bridge span with the words Wallenius Wilmhelsen painted on the side. I made some beach art out of the white oyster shells that were littered all over the sand… hopefully someone came it across it after we left.
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Jill, the ever-intrepid photographer with her new camera, took a million photos, paparazzi-style. I hope she feels honored to have made it on Justaexposed. Here are a two of her shots:
In the afternoon, on our way home, we stopped by Freedom Bakery in Severna Park for some cupcakes and cookies to take home with us…. Perfectly indulgent way to cap off a lovely day. Can we do it again tomorrow? And every day after that?
:):) YAY
