Family Fun!

Old Ebbitt Grill on Saturday Night!

What a fun weekend!

Joe's parents, Bob and Jul, came down to visit us for a long weekend! When they were traveling into DC, I was rushing home from night shift to catch a quick nap so I wouldn't be so cranky when they came to visit. (If you're up for over 24 hours, you're bound to be a little cranky, okay?!) After a much needed power nap, we all got together for lunch on Barracks Row.

Barracks Row is where we went to see the President's Band perform (see the earlier post!), and the place is lined with awesome restaurants. Not only that, it's got to be one of the safest places in DC!  It's crawling with Marines-- both off- and on-duty-- who mill around the block all day long.  Afterwards, Joe, the hard worker that he is, had to go back to the office and finish his work day.  Bob, Jul, and I went for a stroll down to the Capitol building. It was a beautiful fall day, there were hardly any tourists, and we enjoyed some of the historic sights that DC has to offer.

Friday night was a nice night in.  I made my much-praised "Country Club Chicken".  I call it the perfect fall meal: baked chicken, onions, mushrooms, cream of mushroom, garlic (lots of it), bacon (lots of that, too), cheese (need I say it?), and the kicker-- apples!  I'm posting a link of this recipe because I cannot possibly keep all this yummy goodness to myself: http://www.kayotic.nl/blog/country-club-chicken

Nurses Memorial at Arlington Cemetery

Saturday we went to the zoo where we saw the pandas!  Unfortunately, this was after the baby panda had already died.  The rest of the animals were out and about, though!  The great thing about the DC Zoo is that it's considered a Smithsonian museum, which means it's absolutely free! We had a great time, and even made a pit stop along the way to make sure our hubbies (okay, mine is a hubby-to-be) get the flu shot! Can you tell the women in the family are both nurses? Lastly, we visited Eastern Market, a place where local artists sell their work and nearby farmers bring their fresh produce. Productive day? I would say so!

Changing of the Guard: Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Saturday night we ate at Old Ebbitt Grill, a famous restaurant right next to the capitol building where countless members of Congress have to eat. On occasion, you might even see a senator or two in there! I saw Senator Voinovich from Ohio there last Winter!

Sunday was as relaxing as the rest of the weekend. We ended their visit with a trip to Arlington National Cemetery. This place was breathtaking, humbling, and awe-inspiring. We were able to see the Changing of the Guard for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Kennedy's grave, and even a tribute to nurses who served in the war.

It was so great to spend some quality time with Joe's parents.  We had a lot of fun and made some wonderful memories. We were sad to see them go!

Miss and love you all!

Keepin' It Cool

Virginia Wine Festival!

It's my favorite time of year! Bring on the hot tea, cute scarves, boots, candles, and everything pumpkin because Autumn is finally here!

It's true what they say; on September 1st, Washington goes from a hot, sticky, nasty summer to a breezy and beautiful fall. As the tourists shrink away, it seems all sorts of festivals come out around the city!


Joe and I went with a couple of friends to the Virginia Wine Festival.  There were over 70 wineries and 300 wines to be tasted. As amateur "winos" we thought this would be a great opportunity to learn a little more about wines, and more importantly, what we like. We packed up a picnic lunch and spent the  day on the beautiful grounds of Great Meadow Park and felt very posh. We found that we prefer smooth, medium-bodied red wines and dry white wines aged in oak, rather than steel. All in all, it was a great way to welcome in a new season!

A Silhouette On Our Riverside Picnic View

Next, a fun fall adventure on Friday night. I decided I was in a cooking mood, so I spent the half the day in the kitchen making a three-course dinner of antipasto appetizers, spinach and prosciutto pasta, and iced pumpkin bars. When Joe came home, I surprised him by having everything packed in a picnic basket with a blanket. He decided on the perfect place, so we headed out to Hains Point, which has a marvelous view of the Potomac River. We sipped wine, ate a fabulous dinner (if I do say so myself!), tossed around the football, and enjoyed each other's company on such a romantic evening. Sigh.

Fall = Picnics!

My bucket list of fall activities include:
- Apple picking
- Pumpkin carving
- Roasting the carved pumpkin seeds
- Get ready for all the good TV shows to start up again
- Trying (and probably failing) to bake fun fall things
- Buckeye Football tailgating at one of the three Ohio State bars in DC
- See family and friends :)



Love and miss you all!

A Bride's Tale...

Yes, it's that intimidating.

Hello everyone!

Blake here (aka the bride, therefore my tale). I am so happy to announce that after a few road trips, several visits, multiple emails, and endless phone calls, Joe and I get to announce everything we've accomplished for our wedding! We have set a date, have a venue, dress, caterer, photographer, DJ, and we're currently working on the most inspirational officiant you could ever imagine! Much of this I can thank, in large part, to the massive pink binder of "The Ultimate Wedding Planner and Organizer". I can't believe that, in less than a year, I'll get to marry my best friend and the love of my life. We've had so much support from our family and friends throughout our relationship, and they are being even more helpful when it comes to the wedding. We appreciate all that you do; it makes us feel loved!

First, the date: Saturday, September 7th 2013. Please mark your calendars!

Second, the venue: Freeman's Farm in Columbus, Ohio. (For you Cbus natives-- it's about 5 miles north of Polaris mall).

To us, this is just perfect!

Joe and I are really excited! I mean, we're making this so easy on ourselves! We want to do both an outdoor ceremony and tented reception (not tempting mother nature at all, no!), and better yet, we want to do so in the middle of a meadow at Freeman's Farm (oh yes, it's really easy to build a venue from the ground up). But no matter how difficult it might be I truly believe that, rain or shine, our wedding is going to be fantastic! All that matters is that we have our friends and family at our side. Take a peek! We're going to use the surrounding woods as a beautiful ceremony site.


"Wait, Blake! What about the fun crafty projects that come with wedding planning?!", you ask?  Don't worry-- I saved my proudest moment for last! I recently was inspired by Pinterest to create a "Will You Be My Bridesmaid?" invitation. I realized that, with everyone being scattered across the United States, there was no way we could all get together and meet for a Bridesmaids' Brunch. So I thought I would ask my wedding party, as well as introduce them, through a crafty project. I created an invitation, envelope, and paper cutouts of each young woman that will be with me on the big day!

Thank you, Pinterest!

**Please note: You have to be careful when you walk into places like Paper Source. I could have gotten lost and spent a lot of money in there. Thankfully, I had eleven minutes on my parking meter to get in and get out with only what I needed for the project. Take a look at how they turned out!

We've got a lot more of these little projects coming up... probably a lot closer to the wedding. We'll keep you posted! Just look for more "Brides Tale" posts. Again, thank you everyone for your love and support as we make our way to the big day! (Move over, Dr. Seuss!) We love and miss you all,

Blake and Joe :)

We're Big Kids Now!

Hello friends and family!

The day has come! Joe and I both have jobs! Well, Joe has had his since we moved out here in June.  But I've joined the Big Kid Club now!

I'm a real nurse!!!

I recently found a nursing position working on the antepartum/postpartum unit at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, VA. I get to work with new moms and their newborns! Yes, it's the best job in the world.  It's actually the largest unit in the hospital-- and growing more every day! Check out the picture of my badge-- it's got a pink background which means that I have super cool special access to different pediatric floors. Yes, it makes me feel like a special agent. No, I don't always play the Mission-Impossible theme song in my head when I walk through the doors. Just most of the time.

Joe's job is going well, too! He'll have a post about all his fun happenings soon!

We put our heads together and thought up a few lessons that you learn once you join the Adult World:
- You dread going to the mailbox. It's just filled with things that will drain your money. And that makes you sad.
- Always have a back up set of scrubs, shirts, ties, or pants at the ready. Inevitably, you will spill the coffee that you are too tired to pour into your tumbler on yourself.
- There will be the day where your alarm from your cell phone is on vibrate. Then you run around like a crazy person and still get to work late.
- Drive slowly when in a parking garage. Otherwise, you'll hit a speed bump so hard that you think you have run over a deer. I even stopped to look!
- Make big dinners, then freeze the leftovers. Cooking is fun and all, but it's also tiring. Freezing is a great lazy way to ensure you have yummy foods all through the week; not just on Monday when you have the energy to make something.  
- When on your work commute in DC summer heat, always leave enough time to get to work early. That way, once you've hiked your way to the metro, hopped on a crowded train, and walked the rest of the way to your office you have time to stop by the bathroom and air out the sweat stains. Joe's everyday reality. 
- Be careful when you attempt to multitask. If you try to take out the recycling, garbage, grocery bags, and overdue library books to the car at the same time your heel might just get clipped by the door on the way out. Then you won't realize it's bleeding until you're well on your way into downtown traffic, and so the only thing you could do is use a tampon as a gauze pad to staunch the blood. Yes, this is my true story. I should star on a reality show.

Now share your tried-and-true Adult World lessons! We'd love to hear them. Clearly, we need all the advice we can get!

Love and miss you all.

Had to throw in the first day of work photo.... Props to Joe for waking up at 5:30 to take this picture.

Blake and Joe :)

Campground Fun

The view from our campsite!

While we're out here in D.C. we've got easy access to a bunch of fun.  Besides the entertainment within the city itself, we've got a short drive to the coast if we head East, and great camping if we head West. Our first excursion was to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. 

This was a huge test for Joe and I.  Though we had been camping all our lives, this was our first camping trip where we had to have everything. Even in college, we relied a lot on our families to bring the essentials: tents, tarps, food, coolers, etc.  So this was our trial run and I think we learned a lot along the way.

Lesson #1: Always put up your tent BEFORE you leave for your trip. This way you can see if there are any holes, missing pieces, or more importantly, enough room for you to sleep. Joe and I found this out the hard way. As soon as we assembled it, we realized that we would have to curl up into a ball to sleep since there wasn't enough room for us to actually lie down.That also meant that the air mattress we packed wouldn't fit inside, either. Hello, back problems!

Lesson #2: Always pack in advance.  When you don't, you end up throwing whatever clothes you can find the half hour before you have to leave. If you're like me, you forget an extra pair of socks and sweatpants and so you freeze your butt off in the night. If you're like Joe, you forget a second pair of shorts and so you have to walk around with that mustard stain all weekend long.

Lesson #3: Look to the BOTTOM of the firewood pile.  If you just grab the first one you see, as Joe and I did, you realize that the wood was cut just the day before and you find yourself caught in a smoke storm when you make your fire. Believe me, no amount of lighter fluid will help make that fire catch on. Seriously, we used 3/4 of a bottle.

One of the two waterfalls we visited on our hike!

Even with all that, it was a fantastic trip. We took the scenic drive and arrived to our campsite around one on Saturday. We went on a 7 mile hike, partly on the Appalachian Trail! We came across some beautiful waterfalls, which we played in.  It was the most refreshing water I have ever tasted!






It was great to get out of the city for a while. Life is just better when you're surrounded by nature and it's bewildering beauty. It truly shows you your own insignificance, in the best way. We both said it felt like we were getting back to our roots. For us, camping comes with wonderful memories of family fun, hopeless failures, and great adventures.

Adventure caption: hiking up the waterfalls (see above) and playing!

We bought a pass for this season, up to next August. If you ever feel like coming out to Virginia for a camping trip, we'll be happy to meet you!

Life After College-- Do YOU See A Difference?

 Hello everyone! This is Blake again! As promised, here are some photos of our humble abode.  I put a little twist on this average show-and-tell by highlighting all our quirky touches. As new graduates, we definitely didn't have the money to furnish an entire apartment. With the help of our family and friends, we ended up filling our little space with almost no money spent! The only thing we had to provide was our couch (which came with an extra chair!) and a few essentials from good ol' Wally World (aka Walmart). There are still things to be added-- curtains, end tables, bookshelves, a dining surface of some sort-- but we make do!  Take a peek and see how we make the most of what we have; and have a few laughs!

Our kitchen! The view out the window shows nearby RFK Stadium!

We'll start with my favorite room-- the kitchen! We were lucky to have found this place.  Our entire building is newly renovated. We are the second tenants to live in our apartment, so everything is basically new! The kitchen includes granite countertops (good for hiding the mess I make while cooking), stainless steel appliances (which prove to be a pain in the butt to keep clean-- they show everything!), and TONS of cabinet space. Oh, and did I mention that those pantry doors hide our own washer and dryer? Maybe that's my favorite part-- not that I like doing laundry or anything like that-- but it's nice to do it in the comfort of our home rather than a laundromat or complex-wide laundry room in a creepy basement.

Kitchen Detail

 As you can see, we've utilized the extra cabinet space and put our office right there next to the stove!

Hooray for Office Space!

Bathroom Organization is a MUST!

Ah, the bathroom-- this comes with a funny story.  The first day Joe and I moved in we realized the potential awkwardness that might ensue if people were to see us bathing through the huge window taking up half of our shower wall.  We ran out to Home Depot to purchase a roll of the foggy window stuff (didn't you know that was it's technical name?!) that is supposed to obscure the view from the outside.

The Infamous Window

Two days later, I'm walking home after running some errands and realize that I can READ, not just see, the words on our shampoo from across our front courtyard. Yes, for two whole days, we could be distinctly seen through our window and we were the laughing stock of the neighborhood. Back to Home Depot we went, to purchase the lovely blinds that you see there.  No further nudity incidents have occurred since, thank you for asking!

Bedroom

The bedroom is like any other-- until you note the lovely makeshift curtains in there as well.  We hung a fleece blanket there so it would keep out more light.  We found that this was needed because a floodlight streams into our room at night. Don't get me wrong-- we appreciate the security precautions that if offers-- but my goodness, it gets bright!

Living Room

Our living room is where we spend most of our time. We own exactly eight movies: Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Pride and Prejudice, Twilight, The Reader, Sommersby, Frost/Nixon, and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Oh! and 7 seasons of Friends, which we're making our way through slowly but surely. To answer your questions, yes, Joe sometimes does have to suffer through Twilight every so often.

More Curtains!

As you can see, curtains are a luxury item for us. Instead, we use some old bedsheets. No, we're not ashamed. They work pretty well!

Reading Area

The next view is of our reading area, just on the other side of the living room.  The blue chair is my (Blake's) reading chair and the leather recliner is Joe's lounger. Yes, he sits there in a robe, slippers, cup of coffee and butter pecan ice cream in hand like the old soul that he is and makes fun of me for reading vampire books. Again, I'm not ashamed.
 

Library? Yes, Please

In between those chairs you'll find our nifty end table.  My favorite part of this old tub is that it functions as a library! Inside you'll find a collection of assorted books, mostly some of my favorite novels.  You'll also find three separate stacks next to my (Blake's) side of the bed: Must Read stack, Must Read Again stack, and Currently Reading Simultaneously stack. Reading = LOVE!!!








 That's all I have for now. I'll keep the blog updated with house projects as they come around! Love and miss you all.

Blake and Joe

Take me out to the BALLGAME!

We took another step towards becoming Washingtonians by going to see the Washington Nationals play. They are one of the best teams in baseball this year and the city truly has embraced the team over the past several years. The Nationals were established as a new MLB team in 2005 -- they were previously the Montreal Expos. DC has a number of good sports teams and we are determined to see them all! There is the Washington Wizards (basketball), DC United (soccer), the Washington Redskins (football), and the Washington Capitals (hockey).


After buying a couple cheap tickets off Groupon we were ready to enjoy America's past time. Joe was even sporting some home team gear. His office bought him a jersey and he haggled his way into a $4 hat outside the stadium.



The only thing left was a bag of sunflower seeds and of course the sun. The latter of which we were not lucky enough to get. There was a light drizzle all day, but not enough to call the game or keep us from yelling insults at the Atlanta Braves.


Luckily our cheap seats paid off. We were pretty high up, but we were also under an overhang that kept us dry.

Even with our rally caps in the 9th inning the day ended with a 4-0 loss, but we still enjoyed the tradition of a fun baseball game. We chewed sunflower seeds and sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at the 7th inning stretch. We will definitely go back and hopefully the next game will include some sun! Oh, and it's Blake's new bucket list item to make it onto a KissCam. Embarrassment is sure to come.