CheeseHeads

Over the 4th of July holiday, we were able to get up to Wisconsin to visit Geoff’s family. We really enjoyed leaving the 95+ weather here in DC for the 70ish weather in Milwaukee (for most of the week, anyway). Here are some of the other things we enjoyed:

*toured Sprecher Brewery, where they make THE best root beer!

*went to a Brewer’s game…unfortunately, they lost but we still enjoyed great ballpark food and fun. I was even chilly sitting in the shade, which was such a nice change from sweating just walking to the car at home!

*ate at Milwaukee Brewer’s player Ryan Braun’s restaurant on the waterfront and enjoyed delicious sandwiches with a pretty view

*visited the botanical gardens, for free, as part of a free summer concert series

*played Sheepshead with Grandma and Tante (well, I watched… and Geoff lost a dollar)

*fireworks in downtown Menomonee Falls

*making scones with strawberries and cream for the Wimbledon final

*relaxing and laughing with family

Apt. 9

Well, it took about a month but we are finally all settled in to our new place in Arlington. Its beginning to feel like home. Here are a few pictures of our new place, as requested:

living room/kitchen our wonderfully huge kitchen counter that tends to collect junk throughout the day...

dining "area". sorry, all company must eat on the couch :)living room
yes, its true. pretty much everything you see is from Ikea.

does this really need a caption?

a poor picture of the bedroom

Bavarian retreat in… West Virginia?!

Geoff and I recently celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary. Last week we were able to escape for a wonderful 24-hour getaway outside the Beltway. In the week or so leading up to our anniversary, I had done some research into inns or bed&breakfasts within a close proximity to DC, in hopes that we’d be able to take a short trip sometime this summer. In my research I came across the beautiful Hillbrook Inn in Charles Town, WV. I made the comment to Geoff that this place looked spectacular and had decent rates to boot, and suggested that we should go there sometime. Upon opening my card from him on the morning of our anniversary, I found a print-out of this very inn with the promise of going away for a night sometime within the next week. So, on Monday the 14th we left our little apartment in Arlington and headed west… enjoying a beautiful 1.5hr drive to our destination. As you can see from the pictures, this inn is a beautiful Bavarian style retreat (circa 1700) on 18 acres of grounds, land that once belonged to George Washington. We booked 1 of the 4 cottages they offer outside of the main house rooms, the Summer Cottage (see Geoff sitting on our porch). The grounds were beautiful and our first day there was rather humid but still bearable to be outside. I’m glad we enjoyed it while we could because the next day was rainy! We walked around the grounds, played a round or two of horseshoes and then played chess. They had a large chess board you could walk on, which is so much more fun than manipulating little pieces in front of you on a tiny board. I of course did not remember the rules or which piece did what since I’m not much of a strategy game kinda girl, but it was a lot of fun even though I lost quite grandly. Geoff was kind enough to give me lots of “help” that seemed to work to his advantage most times…. We later played backgammon, which I had never played before. I picked up the strategy fairly well and managed to beat Geoff the second time, so I’ve come to enjoy that game :) We had a wonderful time just relaxing and being together without the demands of everyday life. So thankful for chances like this to get away, and so thankful for the man God has given me as a caring, loving husband. For more pictures, check out Facebook.

Monuments and Mochas

So of course part of moving to a new place is finding new spots to hang out and spend time. Living a few miles from downtown DC, there are a myriad of options for dining and entertainment, as well as more educational venues like museums and monuments. Geoff is much more the history buff than I am; he enjoys learning the story behind the monument or the facts about a battle, etc… I am more interested in how it looks and if its near a coffee shop, ha. Speaking of coffee shops, we have found a nearby cafe that is quite enjoyable! The best thing is that Buzz Bakery is open almost any hour of the day (6am-midnight), has outdoor seating AND free off-street parking. We have been twice so far and have not been disappointed with our selections. I recommend the “Zebra” which is a half milk chocolate/ half white chocolate mocha. We have yet to try any of their pastries which look oh-so-yummy and include a wide assortment of cupcakes, pies, tarts, and brownies. *mouth watering* So here is your warning that if you come to visit us, Buzz will most likely be included in our itinerary :)

Ok so back to the historical part of this post… early this week Geoff and I took advantage of the unseasonably cool, dry weather and spent the evening at the National Mall. We visited the Washington Monument, then walked over to the WWII memorial from there. The WWII memorial was completed in 2004, and is a“monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the American people to the common defense of the nation and to the broader causes of peace and freedom from tyranny throughout the world.” Geoff made sure I learned some historical facts while I enjoyed looking at the beautiful fountains, and people watching. While I’m sure the monuments are impressive in the daylight, seeing them all lit up at night was a pretty sight indeed. I’m sure that won’t be our last venture to one of the many historical markers in this city, but since we both hate hot and humid weather there’s a good chance that won’t happen until October! For an extra sweet end to the evening, we ventured downtown to a cupcakery where we had a B1G1 coupon. Why else would you pay over $3 for a cupcake, right? Anyway, so this Red Velvet Cupcakery had some pretty delicious choices. Geoff got the Carrot Cake cupcake, and I got the Summertime cupcake (lemon cake with cream cheese icing and coconut flakes on top). I don’t quite understand what all the hype is over cupcakes, and am pretty astonished at how many cupcake joints there are in the area, but this one would probably earn a return trip from me… as long as I had a coupon of course :)

Anniversary Thoughts

As I reminisce about this day 3 years ago when Geoff and I said "I do" and embarked on this journey of life and love together, I can't help but remember the words to the special music sung during the ceremony. Our dear friends, Ginger and Ryan, blessed us by singing "I will be here" by Steven Curtis Chapman while we lit the Unity Candle. I have to admit that the ceremony was such a blur to me that I can't tell you whether the song sounded good or not, but I am sure they did a terrific job! Its funny to me all the hours spent planning and preparing for that day 3 years ago, and how little of the day I truly remember. I’m thankful for pictures and other tangible items, like the lyrics to this song, that remind me of what took place that day and of the commitment Geoff and I made to each other in front of our Father, family and friends. So today I am overwhelmed at the blessing God has given me in a husband, I am reminded of the vows I made to love and to respect him always, and I realize how much growing I still need to do.

Tomorrow morning if you wake up and the sun does not appear
I will be here
If in the dark, we lose sight of love
Hold my hand, and have no fear
'Cause I will be here

I will be here
When you feel like being quiet
When you need to speak your mind
I will listen, And I will be here
When the laughter turns to cryin'
Through the winning, losing and trying
We'll be together
I will be here

Tomorrow morning, if you wake up
And the future is unclear
I will be here
Just as sure as seasons were made for change
Our lifetimes were made for these years
So I will be here

I will be here
And you can cry on my shoulder
When the mirror tells us we're older
I will hold you
And I will be here
To watch you grow in beauty
And tell you all the things you are to me
I will be here

I will be true to the promise I have made
To you and to the One who gave you to me
Tomorrow morning, if you wake up
And the sun does not appear
I will be here
Oh, I will be here