Cabin Weekend

This past weekend P, Calvin, and I escaped DC and spent a weekend in Luray, Virginia. We rented a cabin along the Shenandoah River and were able to truly disconnect (hello no cell phone service or wifi). We arrived early Friday evening and explored our new home away from home before we went into town. We discovered a great brew house that had a Chipotle-style restaurant upstairs and a bar with lots of local Virginia beers on tap in the basement - two of our favorites! We enjoyed some beers and played a few round of pool before heading back to the cabin.

Exploring the area around our cabin

Awesome little deck overlooking the river. The perfect spot for reading and sipping wine.

Some of the local beers we tried out. I loved the Peachicot!

We ended the evening with board games and more beer back at the cabin.

Saturday we went on a 7 mile kayaking adventure. We had originally planned to do a shorter trip but because the waters were low in that part of the river, it was suggested we changed routes. Once we got through the crowded areas of the river filled with tubing groups and boy scouts in canoes, we had a peaceful ride down the river. We stopped for BBQ for lunch before heading back to the cabin to get cleaned up and relax. That night we grilled burgers and smores and went to bed early.

View from the front of the kayak.

View of the back with my favorite kayaking partner.

Relaxing with a good book and wine post-kayaking.

Sunday morning we were up and out of the cabin by our 11 am check out time and headed to Shenandoah National Park. We chose to hike the Rose River Falls Trail loop which was about 4 miles long. It was a beautiful hike and we even saw a deer family! Calvin did such a great job on the hike even with the steeper inclines and large rocks to climb. After the hike we made our way back to DC.

It was a nice little getaway and I hope we can do it again in the future!

Currently

Eating.....nothing but I am drinking an iced skim chat tea from Starbucks

Wearing.....black pants, blue printed blouse, and black wedges.

Reading.....Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty. I have been hooked on her books since reading The Husband's Secret last year. I think this book is the last one of hers that I haven't read.

Wanting.....cooler weather. It looks like we are in for another around 90+ degree temperatures.

Hearing.....the Gilmore Guys podcasts. If you are a fan of Gilmore Girls or have been looking for a new podcast, I highly recommend these guys. Hearing their take on the show and its girly drama is hilarious.

Watching.....Project Runway. I have been watching this show for years and my friend Jenny & I always send weekly recap emails to each other and talk about our favorite designers. It's an oldie but goodie.

Thinking.....about what to pack for our trip to Luray, Virginia next weekend! We booked a dog-friendly cabin for the weekend and are looking forward to hikes, kayaking, and grilling out.

Laughing....at myself and the clumsy Monday I had. I burnt my finger (for the hundredth time) on my curling wand, broke a wine glass, and spilled lunch down the front of my dress.

Thankful.....for my family. I'm lucky to have amazing, supportive parents & in-laws, sisters (through blood and marriage) who I call friends, and a husband who loves me no matter what. 




What are you currently up to?

Confessional Friday

In the spirit of remembering and honoring Leslie this week, I thought I would do a Confessional Friday post as this was a weekly post that she hosted for many years.


Here are my confessions for the week.....


//1// I confess that I've been a terrible blogger which is not really a confession since it is obvious by the fact that prior to this week my last post was in April. In thinking about Leslie this week and the number of people she touched through her blog and the fact that her blog will be a beautiful source for her daughters one day, I am recommitting myself to the blog. Even if it's just a weekly post to document what's going on in our lives, I think there is value and importance in documenting our life.


//2/ I confess that I have lots of fun things I should have been sharing over the past few months, including a work trip to San Diego, vacation in Hawaii, and the arrival of our twin nieces. It's been a very exciting and fun spring and summer for us.


//3// I confess that I am starting to dream about fall and the cooler temperatures. I am so over these 90+ degree days and the humidity. I am a sweater and boots kind of girl and live for the cooler, crisper weather.


//4// I confess that I am turning 30 (gulp) in less than two months. While I'm not nervous about it, I can't help but be reflective about the first thirty years of my life and what's ahead. Per my request for a quiet weekend away to celebrate, P has started planning a long weekend on Martha's Vineyard at the end of September. I have never been and am excited to spend a couple days exploring the island on bikes, eating delicious seafood, and quietly turning 30. Hopefully with cooler weather too!


//5// I confess that even though we are not planning to buy a house until next spring, after watching a few episodes of House Hunters and House Hunters Renovation, I jump onto Zillow and Redfin and look at houses. I am anxious to have more space and a place that we can make our own.




Happy Friday!

#beblessedlovelies

One of the very first blogs I ever read was A Blonde Ambition by Leslie Sisti. I could not tell you how I stumbled upon her blog but it immediately became a favorite and for the past four years I enjoyed reading her advice on fashion, food, and life.

Even though I have been blogging since 2011 (not very consistently, I may add), I haven't been a frequent commenter on other blogs or entered into contests hosted by other bloggers. But in November 2011 I entered P's grandmother's pie recipe into a little contest Leslie was hosting for Thanksgiving and ended up winning a pretty pair of earrings. Every time I wear those earrings I am reminded about the connections the blogging community provides across the country and world.

Earlier this year Leslie shared with her readers that she was experiencing difficulties with a known congenital heart defect shortly after giving birth to her second daughter and spent several months in the hospital. She was released from the hospital this spring and seemed to be on an upswing. Unfortunately a few weeks ago she had some serious setbacks that were sending her to Cleveland Clinic (one of the best heart hospitals in the world) to explore surgical options and asking her readers for prayers. It broke my heart yesterday to learn that Leslie passed away on Monday. She was only 30 years old and left behind a devoted husband, two adorable daughters, and countless blog readers she has touched throughout the years.

Today I felt compelled to join other bloggers who will be remembering her today with #beblessedlovelies (as that's how Leslie always signed off her blog) and #rememberingleslie.

A fund has been set up for her daughters college education at http://www.gofundme.com/d53bgd5p8s 

Five on Friday

Happy Friday! This week has dragged on.

Here's five things I'm looking forward to this weekend:

//1// Warm weather - it is supposed to be warm and sunny all weekend which is a welcomed change after the chilly and overcast days we've had this week.

//2// Working out - I have a training session tomorrow morning and a five mile run planned for Sunday morning.

//3// Reading - I hope to finish a book that I have been trying to read since mid-March. I haven't read nearly as many books this year as I had by this time last year. I'm hoping to change that in the coming months.

//4// Quality time with my mom - she is coming down to keep me company on Sunday and we are planning to go to mass, brunch, and hopefully seeing some cherry blossoms.

//5// Our 2nd wedding anniversary - technically it is on Monday but since I am taking the day off it is part of my three-day weekend. P will be out of town for work this weekend but we have dinner plans on Monday so I am looking forward to some quiet time with him before he leaves again on Wednesday.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Four

I've seen this little questionnaire around other blogs lately and figured it was a good way to try to jump back into blogging again (famous last words).

Four of my nicknames:
1. Em
2. Emmy
3. Bean (one of P's nicknames for me)
4. Minion (joke with my younger sister)

Four jobs I've had:
1. Sales associate at Eddie Bauer
2. Assistant at the Penn State Alumni Association during my junior year of college
3. Summer associate at a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy office
4. Cost analyst (current job)

Four movies I've watched more than once (yes, they are all "Chick Flicks"):
1. Love Actually
2. Notting Hill
3. When Harry Met Sally
4. 27 Dresses

Four things in my purse:
1. Car/apartment keys
2. Notebook
3. Pens
4. Chapstick

Four places I've lived:
1. Adak, Alaska
2. Virginia Beach, Virginia
3. Azores
4. Wahiawa, Hawaii

Four places I've visited (outside of the country):
1. Paris, France
2. London, England
3. Munich, Germany
4. Montego Bay, Jamaica

My favorite picture from our trip to Paris this past fall

Four places I've visited (inside of the country):
1. San Francisco, California
2. Boston, Massachusetts
3. Denver, Colorado
4. Phoenix, Arizona

San Francisco in February 2014

Four places on my travel bucket list:
1. Denmark
2. Norway
3. Greece
4. Alaska (I don't remember anything from living there)

Four things I don't eat:
1. Mushrooms
2. Asparagus
3. Cottage cheese
4. Eggplant

Four TV Shows I watch:
1. Amazing Race
2. Games of Thrones
3. Mad Men
4. Real Housewives of NYC/BH/OC (P would say probably anything on Bravo)

Four things I'm looking forward to this year:
1. Hawaii in June
2. Turning 30 in September
3. Seeing Penn State football in Baltimore this fall
4. Meeting my twin nieces this summer

Weekend

Happy Monday! The alarm clock went off a little too early this morning and overcast skies and drizzle outside have not helped me to wake up.

We had a great weekend - a good combo of relaxing and having some fun. Friday night we both had to work later than expected so we just ordered in and finished watching The Fall. It is a BBC crime drama that takes place in Northern Ireland. Despite being initially creeped out by the plot, I was surprised by how much I ended up liking it and am looking forward to Season 3.

Yes, that is Jamie Dornan, a.k.a. Mr. Grey 

Saturday morning P and I went to the gym and got smoothies (despite the windchill of 9 degrees) for our walk home. That afternoon we met up with Jeff and Amanda to check out two of DC's breweries, DC Brau and Atlas. We liked DC Brau better because it was a bigger space and they gave four free samples. Admittedly I am not a big beer drinker, but am always up for trying new ones. One perk at Atlas was they were doing a cheese tasting so we got to sample some delicious cheeses and even found a few new favorites.

Inside of DC Brau

After a couple of drinks we headed over to Union Market for some food. It is always fun to walk around Union Market to see what new food stalls they have. P, Amanda, and I chose sandwiches and fries from Red Apron Butchery and Jeff had tacos from TaKorean. While the boys split oysters from the Rappahannock Oysters Company, Amanda and I enjoyed amazing milkshakes from Trickling Springs Creamery. Before leaving we stopped at Righteous Cheese to pick up some of the cheeses we had sampled earlier at Atlas. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and I finished reading Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. 

I didn't think it was as good as Gone Girl, but has some of the same great plot twists.

Sunday was spent getting ready for the week - laundry, grocery shopping and tidying up. Then of course watching the Super Bowl! We opted to stay at home this year and made nachos with black beans and chicken. P's dad's family is from Worcester, Massachusetts and my step-mom is from Rhode Island so of course we were cheering for the Patriots! I thought it was a great game between two really strong teams but was happy to see the Patriots win. I also liked the halftime show. I thought Katy Perry was really entertaining and loved seeing Missy Elliott. The most disappointing part were the commercials. There weren't any memorable ones this year and overall they were pretty depressing. Only six months until pre-season football starts!

Here's hoping this week goes quickly - I'm ready for another weekend!