They write songs about this, don't they?

Tom and I are counting down the days until we go home (Illinois and Indiana, respectively). During the year I often wish I lived closer to my parents. At Christmas, I don't mind so much. It means we pack up all our gifts, throw on our scarves and begin our holiday adventure.

In years past we've road tripped. We leave after my husband arrives home from work and drive through the night. It sucks, usually snows and we ALWAYS stop in Breezewood, PA. This year we are flying (easier with Coral). I'll miss our road trip, but I love the airport at the holidays. It's crazy, there are always too many people trying to get a beer at the Sam Adams restaurant and the bathrooms are always full, BUT people are on their way to loved ones. What's better than that?

fa la la la laaaa

We are getting into the Christmas mood at my house. I sing loudly, off key and Coral dances. It's very festive. In years past, I've always handmade gifts for family along with whatever we buy. This year it will probably be more making and less buying. It's the North Pole here and I am head elf.

you capture-sunset

I took these from the Iwo Jima memorial parking lot. The memorial has a gorgeous view and looks out over DC. I thought, hey, that would be a great spot for a sunset. I'd pretty much written off sunrise by this point; I really hate getting up early. Every other spot I know of is in DC and I sure as hell was not crossing the river at 4pm just to get stuck in rush hour traffic on the way back (not to mention that some of the good spots,ahem, Washington monument, close super early). But, guess what? The gorgeous view is facing east. Soooo, you really can't see the sun set. There are trees and apartment buildings. I saw a bit of it when I walked down to the edge of Arlington National Cemetery, but the only way I could get good shots was to go on the army base and I had forgotten my license. It did reflect off of the local office and apartment buildings, though. And it looked amazing.




Check out more sunrises and sunsets at Beth's.

you capture-my real life

My real life is
coffee

feeding

playing

bathing

with some husband thrown in (and nursing and diapers and changing tiny pajamas).

See more real life at Beth's!

I actually like exercising.

I went to the gym on last Sunday for the first time in over a year. My goal is to be skinny enough to not wear a bathing suit with a skirt next year. And be a runner again. And maybe end up with arms like Michelle Obama. So far, it's been AWESOME. And by awesome, I mean funny and slightly awkward.

Some Observations

-As I was getting out of the car on Sunday, a McDonald's bag fell out. Seriously. Clearly, God doesn't count sticking ones arm out of a window for french fries as a form of exercise.

-They have roughly 10 issues of Ebony magazine from 2003-2005 at my gym.

-Yesterday they added a Better Business Bureau index for Essex County. We live in Arlington County. Also? It was from 2003.

-The elderly woman on the eliptical next to mine was reading a large print issue of Reader's Digest, which made me giggle because it's such a stereotype.

-Said elderly woman was moving faster than I was.

-The man that used the machine before me on Sunday was incredibly hairy and wearing a sweatband on his head. I want to have his babies.

-He was there again yesterday. I'm pretty sure it's because he wants me to have his babies, too.

-Putting 2 sports bras over a nursing tank top with a Captain America shirt over everything is not enough for nursing G cup boobs.

you capture-photographer's choice

I was going to post more pictures of leaves, but where is the fun in that? Instead, I want to welcome you to my street.



I can't wait to see what everyone else shot this week! Head to Beth's for a photo free-for-all.

The Halloween that almost wasn't because I was dumb enough to make the costume on the same day

Are we insane because we picked what Coral would be last April?

I made her costume the day of, which I don't recommend.


We went to two houses and called it a night. Sweet merbaby!

dear fairy godmother

Please clean my apartment.

Love,
Me

you capture-autumn

I love autumn. I don't like the part where is starts getting cold, but I love the leaves and the smells and the holidays.






Head over to I Should Be Folding Laundry for more autumn!

hot cross buns

Holy shit, folks. I made homemade pizza, crust included. The domestic sliver of my heart grew three sizes today.

Things I learned:
Kneading dough is hard work.
Kneading dough is also what I imagine it would be like having sex with Jabba the Hutt.


It was spicy sausage and green olive, in case you were curious.

a pretty horse, a pretty day

You Capture-Technology

I am not great at keeping up with technology. I'm sort of bad with computers. So much so, that my husband's stops working when I touch it. It hates me. I'm not sure why. Because I get mad when my husband spends too much time playing games? Is that why, laptop? Whatevs, laptop. I have episodes to catch up on with the TELEVISION.

Here's some of our technology (and it's not the g.d. laptop)


Also, this one. For some reason I found it really funny. The juxtaposition of the hubcab (from a car. technology, aha!)next to the sheep pen in the middle of a predominantly Amish area (because sheep and the Amish don't use technology, aha!) made for a great photo.

And then the sheep stared at me.

Head to Beth's for more technology!

pumpkin patch doll

When I was a kid, we went to the same pumpkin patch every fall. It's a small farm on a county road that leads into the heart of the Amish community.

My mom and I took Coral.

She didn't have much of an opinion.

But, eventually came around to her fellow pumpkins.


I wanted to take this mofo home, but where would I put it? I could make a creepy pumpkin bed out of it for Coral, but I'm sure Delta airlines would have frowned on that and I needed a way to get home.


You can't really beat fall in the Midwest.

a birthday

My darling mother turned 50 last Monday. What's 50 without a little Sally O'Malley?

That pantsuit is fantastic, btw.

Coral and I were lucky enough to spend it with her in Indiana.

You Capture-RED!

First off, I must say that I love the color red. It's been my favorite color for pretty much ever. When I was a kid, I asked my mom what her favorite color was and she told me red. She had red nail polish and I remember thinking what an ugly color it was to paint your nails (Of course, as a kid, I preferred pink and sparkles). I thought my mom was pretty rad (I still do!), so for a few years I told people red was my favorite color, simply because my mother loved it. Ha! It eventually did turn into my favorite color and I love it dearly to this day. I like a nice whorish red for my nails and varying shades for everything else. I even ended up with a red-headed peach of a little girl!









Head over Beth's to see RED!