Country Living Ain't THAT Bad

Today, I was gently reminded of how fortunate (yes, I said fortunate) I am to not live in Northern VA:

GeeGee and I went to get our wedding bands finalized. We decided to take the scenic route back through Georgetown. First of all, there is NO such thing as a stroll threw Georgetown. . .including a walk. . . (unless you want to dodge people and cars).

Once we got through Georgetown, we thought we were okay. Now we were triumphantly going to enjoy a scenic view of DC. . .the monuments, Capitol, ect. .. EXCEPT, there was a "National Kite Party" happening. . .

A 3 hour drive from Rockville, MD to Woodbridge, VA (maybe a total of 40 miles) only led to tension and anxiety. First of all, GeeGee drives a Ford Edge. NOT (by any stretch of the means) a easily maneuverable vehicle in Northern VA. After a plethora of cuss words, air brakes (from the passenger seat), and middle fingers, we made it back to Woodbridge in one piece. The highlight of the day? A man drove in the lane ending lane only to cut us off at the very last minute. His license plate read: BLQISME

No comment (at least on this blog).

Hey, at least it has inspired me to make a post!?!

First Day Dress Shopping

First of all, I will say, I got the best advice for wedding dress shopping. Some of it I have to contribute to the mags and some the girls. I went to David's Bridal (yes, I know. . .so not original). I went with the girls. No, not the entourage, but Jules and El-Bel:

(El-Bel with her not twin, checking herself out in the mirror when she saw the not so cute dresses!)

It was like going to Walmart when everyone gets their food stamps! Brides came with entourages of 5 to 7 girls. . . ALL crammed up in one dressing area. . .Advice: Don't bring 50 people to see you try on dresses - Seriously, do you need 50 pieces of advice for each dress??Jules gave some fab feedback and El-Bel just smiled and occasionally giggled! Next step - Headin' to the ALT this weekend with Red and GeeGee to see Aklet. Trunk show for Impressional Bridal at New Natalie's. Should be a blast with two other of my other gals!

We will also get to visit with GeeGee's sister and family(translation - soon to become in-laws!). Hard-core wedding planning, here I come!!

Fortunate

Sometimes I forget how fortunate I am. . .fortunate to have a job, fortunate to have a roof over my head, fortunate to have a fiance that loves and adores me (not to mention puts up with me), and lastly very fortunate to have special friends.
This weekend I traveled to the Outer Banks, and Kirsten did some engagement photos for GeeGee and I. She did an AMAZING job, not that I expected any less. I don't want to share too much. . . .You will see more when you recieve your save the date cards this Fall. . .

I just felt the need to say, I am BLESSED!

LEO's RULE

Happy Birthday Mister Arroz!

. . .I am glad we could share your day with you!

Kirkie, the homemade carrot cake was AWESOME!

As for the kids that got to party with us, I feel bad what they are going to take home to tell their parent. . .wah, wah. . .

Complain, Complain, Complain. . . .

I just went to the Outer Banks with a friend of mine, that also happens to be an educator, and experiences the same whoa is me's as I do:

"All I do all summer is pack and unpack, pack and unpack. . . ."
"It is tough being able to go out any night of the week. . .and drink as much as you want."
"In the summer it is hard to keep a regimen. It's basically just eating and drinking!"
(as we were putting on our bathing suits) "It's difficult to keep a nice figure in the summer, with all this eating and stuff. . . "

After the first couple complaints, we made it our weekend joke! "If someone could be a fly on the wall and hear us complaining they would be PISSED!"

LESSON: Summer's off are SOOO hard!! (snicker, snicker. . .)

SAVE THE DATE

07/10/10

On The Marsh

GeeGee's Birthday ~ Early

GeeGee and I went to Aruba for a week to celebrate his birthday early. He did a great job making sure I didn't get too sloppy, walk home by myself, meet strangers, and disappear (Thanks for all the concerns, my friends. I am glad you have that much confidence in my decision making!)

We had a wonderful time! We understood clearly why everyone looked so healthy and slender. . .The food was OUTRAGIOUSLY expensive (for my taste anyway). We did do quite a lot of the touristy things. . .

* An all day Jeep tour with ABC
* Tattoo dinner boat cruise
* Sailboat ride for brunch and snorkling on the Octopus

The Jeep tour was a little nutty (we shook it like Shakira for 8 hours) going up and down the NO road route. The Tattoo boat cruise was fun. We had dinner, drinks, danced. . .Then, after GeeGee had "enough", the boat anchored for it's last half hour of going down a 3 story waterslide and rope swing into the dark infested waters (no thanks for me. . .no matter how much I have "had"). The sailboat ride was very relaxing. . .sailing, mimosas, breakfast, snorkling, sailing, happy hour, snorkling, lunch, happy hour, swimming, sailing. . . then a nice freshing rainstorm. As soon as the cloud went by, and it stopped raining, the captain played:

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone, I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright) Sun-Shiny day
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)Sun-Shiny day

It might have been cheesy, but it made me chuckle out loud! Good times. . . .

Small World

On a tiny little island, off the coast of Venezuela, I found a man, on a tiny little sailboat. On that very day, he happened to be wearing this very shirt:

East Wakefield, NH it said. . . . .

My mother's neighbor gave it to him.

Go to Aruba, and do the brunch/sailing/snorkling cruise on the Octopus! Jethro will take care of you!!

The RIVAH

I spent the weekend at JJ's rivah house this weekend. I followed her up with the twins on Friday. The house is AWESOME!! The views are incredible!! We spent some time relaxing (when the babies were sleeping). . .other than that it was eating, drinking, walking!

I have decided that this trip must have been planned out with GeeGee. I was SOOOO worn out by the end of the weekend, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it! THEN, it occured to me: I've been chasing and carrying babies all weekend

CONCLUSION: GeeGee is trying to wear me out on being around and helping with KIDS! So, GeeGee, what are you trying to say??

SLACKER

Hey All -
So I have been a complete slacker this month, but A LOT has been going on. I figured I just give you a run down of my events:

1. I went to Atlanta to visit Aklet: We had a lovely but short visit in the ATL

2. My sister came down to RIC for a week days (5), and we enjoyed some quality time

3. I resigned from my job (yes, it is true. I am going to try to find another job for September outside of teaching elementary children. Any suggestions??)

4. I refinanced my house

5. My roommate moved out

6. I went to the Bahamas

ALL of this in ONE MONTH'S time!! Can you blame me for not getting sucked into to the computer??

Ice FISHING 101

So, the Cousin showed me up this weekend! She was the daughter my father WISHED he had. Cousin volenteered to gut and clean the fish from the ice fishing derby on Little Ossippee Lake, Maine. We even got it all on tape!!!

NOTE: I am deciding not to provide any graphics for this one. I am having fish for dinner. . .

Valentine HERO

After Cousin and I left our ice climbing adventure, the truck, that my step dad had so graciously loaned us, broke down in North Conway. I'll give you a little geography lesson here: North Conway is an hour drive from East Wakefield (my mom's house), two hours from my sister's, and 3 hours from my dad's.


We were STUCK! The car wouldn't start, my mom and step dad were in Miami, my sister would not even THINK about driving to come get us, GeeGee didn't know where he was, or where he would be going, and my dad was too far away. As I was frantically calling EVERYONE to inform them of our dilemma, my dad beeped in. . . . .

"Dad! I can't talk right now, we are broken down in North Conway. . . . . !" He says, "I'm in Fryburg, 10 minutes away! I'll come get you!!"

Weirdly enough, my dad was in the next town over. He RARELY gets off the "mountain" where he lives, but was there to rescue his daughter on VALENTINE'S DAY. How lucky was I??

Ice Climbing 101

This weekend was QUITE an adventure! GeeGee and I flew up to New Hampshire for the LONG weekend, and met his cousin there (whom had NEVER seen ice OR snow) to go ice climbing with the International Mountain Climbing School in North Conway.

Cousin and I ventured up to North Conway, geared on up, and climbed Cathedral Ledge. It was an AWESOME adventure: we froze our BUTTS off, bruised ourselves considerably, and got a GREAT upper body workout. We were able to climb one side of the ledge twice, and then went and climbed a COMPLETELY vertical ledge as well.

We BOTH decided that we had never spent so much money on a Valentine's date before, but it was worth it.

I think we can officially be called "Mountain Women" now!

Traveling Pet PEEVES

Like many people, I traveled for the holidays. I don't know if it was just because I have been sick, or what. . . .but, man. . ! I REALLY hate stupid people. Here is a list of some of the TOP ten things that made me feel like HAPPY GILMORE:

10. People letting their children run WILD around the airport - I watched a woman let her child run AROUND everyone in line at check-in, over to the counters, back through the lines, and out the automatic doors FEET away from the street - NICE

9. Not having your ID out and ready

8. Having to be reminded of the rules of security. . .Never mind that the airports are at HIGH alert (shoes off, computers out, no more than 2 oz. of liquids IN Ziploc bags. . . .COME ON people. . You DO know the drill!!)

7. Trying to redress yourself after you've gone through security at the end of the conveyor belt. . .so everyone can trip over you as they grab their things from the bins

6. RUSHING to load the plane. . .just in case your seat that you paid A LOT of money for is no longer available

5. Talking while the flight attendant is giving their speech (Come on PEOPLE! You know they don't REALLY enjoy doing it, they just have to! Be POLITE!)

4. Not turning off your cell phones, electronic devices, putting up your seat and tables for take off. REALLY people. . .Do you need to delay the take off for that?!?

3. Landing

2. People rushing off the plane to PASS you when you have been seated in front of them - If your in such a rush, why don't you choose your seats BEFORE you get on the plane??

1. Waiting for your bags at the conveyor belt, giving ample room for people to step in front of you IF they see their bags, and for STUPID people to step in front of you (yes, in that 2 foot personal space - and believe me, under my breath I say loud enough for them to hear - " Excuse you when I see my bag and WIPE you out with it as I take you out when I grab my bag off the conveyor belt)

Hog Heaven - REALLY

NOTE: The following may contain graphic content, especially if you are sensitive to the killing and eating of animals.

I was fortunate enough to be asked by Red, to attend a family Pig Roast (fortunate meaning, she thought that I was appropriate enough to bring around her family). Our adventure started Friday on our drive to KEEENNNTUUCCCKKYYYY!! Once we arrived (10 hours later), I was able to witness the process of a pig roast. Red's mom was the director of the activities:


1st was the killing of the pig - ONE shot to the head (well, it was suppose to be one. . it took four)

2nd was the beheading of the pig (I bet you are thankful that there are no pictures at this point). This was done with nothing but a pocket knife (The small knife allows for minimal error. You want to be sure not to cut any of the inside system.)

3rd was the draining of the blood

4th was the scrapping of the hair - This was done with boiling water and knives










5th was the gutting (at least at GeeGee's lamb roast, we didn't have to do ANY of this)
This was done by hanging the pig from the Kuboto, and letting farmer Fred take care of business (he gave us a VERY descriptive summary of how he "kept all the system parts together" in order to not "pollute" the meat - I actually did NOT witness this part)

6th Next, they rinsed out the pig, and stuffed it with fresh herbs, pears, and onions
This is when the girls opted for a photo!!














AWAY from the PIG

7th Now, it was time for the pig to be sewed back up. . . .

and time for me to get another adult beverage!

8th The pig was now ready to be wrapped in chicken wire, and put on the handmade smoker (Thanks Dave, for the perfected design!!)

9th After TWELVE sleepless hours of keeping the smoker at 250 degrees (of course, this sleepless was NOT referring to me. . .), the pig was ready to be removed from the smoker and prepared for EATING

10th THIS is pulling pork

11th This is EATING pork (yes, I did. . . )
And yes, THEY did. . . .

The pig roast was held in a large field (ONE of the many fields on this farm). The hosts had also acquired a bluegrass band (and later, a Karaoke machine). Red and I helped conduct the games:

HIGHLIGHTS -

balloon toss: the winners carried around their balloon the rest of the evening (I am not sure which one of the cousins got to actually take the balloon home)

three legged race: I got to witness children dragging their partners across the grass

wheel barrel race: Red laughing her butt off while trying to keep up with the kids!

Although I am in the dog house for being a party pooper (I did not hang as long as I usually do. . . ), I feel like I have experienced something that not everyone gets to experience authenically.

Special Notes: bring LOTS of cold medicine for road trips in which you are not driving,
experience is knowledge, don't take TOO much cold medicine when you arrive to
where you are visiting, seeing what you are eating isn't really that bad, understanding
someone else's family dynamics is always complicated, cute guys with cowboy

hats don't always end up being cool

Cookbooks GALORE!!

So, I went to my Nana's again the other day. . . .I helped her with some cleaning she could not do on her own. I got up on a ladder and helped her clean all the dead bugs and cob webs off of the lights. Needless to say, this project only took a half-hour, so I decided to tackle another project:

HER BOOKSHELVES

I started with taking EVERYTHING off the top of them and putting them on the table. It consisted of loose recipes, recipe books, magazines, and keep sake materials from her children and grandchildren. I was there for NINE HOURS. I had a great time talking and finding cool old things. . .dating back to the early 1900's. . .. HOW COOL??? In the end, this is what her shelves looked like:

The Meaning of "Old Fart"

So, I am visiting my family in New England for the next couple of weeks.

Last night, my sister and I went to my Nana's house for dinner and to spend the night. Nana would NOT stop passing gas (and a LOT of it, if I might add).

She said, "Well now I know why they call us older people old farts! You just don't have control of it any more. . . . What can I say? I'm self-propelled. . ."

TOO FUNNY!

Did I Win?

So, the other night, I was actually a DD (I know that is hard to believe) for GeeGee's birthday. He had a friend in town, and we were with his cousin as well.
As the night was ending (and intoxication was taking its win on the others), there were a few miscommunications.

That night, GeeGee tried to pick a fight with me about the miscommunications. Surprisely, I reacted in a calm tone (or really, a "I am not willing to discuss this" tone). Fortunely, it worked, and there was no heated discussion. The next day, I asked GeeGee about it. He admitted to trying to pick a fight with me.

Does that mean I won?

Family and MORE Family

So, I just got back from Florida with GeeGee. We also managed to drive to West Palm Beach to visit my cousins, The Hera's:



The majority of our time was spent with his family for his dad's and HIS birthday (he is getting closer to his 30's. . .which makes me feel better about already being in my 30's). It was very beneficial since they were MORE than willing to give me splenty of dirt on him (something my family will probably not do. . . .right, family??). The good thing is, I still like him just as much. . .

Meet and Greek

So, I meet the parents this weekend. . . Wish me luck!!