busy-ness!

Wow, days go by recently and I can't tell if the days feel like they are whizzing past me, or that time is dragging on at the pace of a snail.  When I think about my life moving as quickly as that fast forward button on the old VCR, I feel like I am missing out on the chipmunk voices that real life tends to lack when it goes by that quickly.

Fall is here in DC.  It is beautiful, sweaters and jeans are my (somewhat) daily attire, and every time I drive through my neighborhood I am speechless about the beautiful colors of the trees and how many more leaves are littered all over the street.  The night is falling earlier, and for some weird reason I like the fact that it is getting dark at 7:15pm.  Younglife club is going great, I have met a few great new high school friends this year, and am excited about a lot of different life events coming up soon!  So far we have already gone through homecoming, and fall sports are coming to a close.  Did someone say winter weekend?  Oh yea - because we are going there.  WHOOOOOOOOOO.

Also, I will be posting pictures soon of my living room.  This living room has been transformed in the last few weeks.  It is so exciting to see the little details come together, and see our room transform from a collection of all our stuff into a homey little hang out.  Mhmmmmm..... love it!

The daddy-o came down on Friday, and so we went to go grab dinner with him, and then seester came down for the Redskins v. Eagles game!  Goooooo Eagles - great seats - and SO THANKFUL the birds pulled out a win.  Gives me hope for the rest of the season. 

Work has been crazy, and I believe I am going to Africa for a week.  So all around business and craziness and a lot of stress.  But all wonderful exciting new adventures.  I just need to remind myself sometimes to slow down a little bit!

Life is SO good.  And I do believe it's getting better. <3

September starts!

There are a lot of new things in my life right now.

Last weekend I had the extreme blessing of going to, and being a part of a wedding for two dear friends.  The wedding was really nice and a lot of fun.  They have some great friends and it was so nice to make new friends, and have a great night celebrating their new life together.  The reception was held at the Tidewater Inn in Easton, MD which is this charming, historic town close to the bay in Maryland.  The hotel is extremely dog-friendly, which allowed the couple to put their adorable kids dogs in the wedding, since they really do function like a little happy family.  The bride looked stunning and put each of us bridesmaids in cute short purple dresses that were very girlie and fun.  The best part, was that all the girls and guys in the wedding (bride and groom included!) had their own customized Chuck Taylors.  Greg Keyser was the amazing photographer who captured some of the happy moments here - check em out!  Also, one of the other bridesmaids is a photographer, and even though she didn't edit the picture or anything, I thought I would share the picture she took of Kev and I, and direct you to her website, because she is just THAT AWESOME.  Not only is she a lot of fun, but a great photographer too!



Most likely senario:  Him "blah blah blah, some smart comment."  Me... 2 seconds away from smacking him

Mr. and Mrs. Potatohead CAKE!

THE kiss!

Monday I spent the day with Kev down near the water in Annapolis.  Literally, it was like all we did was walk a few blocks, look at a few places, and eat a salad.  Aside from that we just sat on the pier looking out on the water.  Watching the drawbridge, the paddleboaters, the sailboats, the interesting people decked out in boat shoes, khakis, and polos.  The amazing thing is that he was ok with just sitting there with me, watching the water.  I mean, for me it's water, so freeing, exciting, lovely, wonderful!  For most people it is water.  Sailboat in, sailboat out.  But I could have sat there all day, and it was really nice.


Paddle-boarders out on the bay



View from the pier

This weekend I had a full house dinner on Friday evening.  It was a nice dinner, it's always fun to get old friends and new friends together.  Saturday morning, Inch and I headed up north (almost to PA) for our Church retreat which was relaxing and nice.  It was good to have no cell reception and have no agenda, chores, people to rush around seeing - FOR A WHOLE WEEKEND.  I got to know a few more people, made some new friends, developed better relationships, and really enjoyed myself.  I went for a hike, played some volleyball, and talked with people around the bonfire.  Unfortunately, they served tacos for lunch on Saturday and I scooped in without realizing what I was doing.  When was the last time I ate beef?  Especially fatty, greasy, ground beef?  Yea... I don't think my body wants it anymore, and so I am actually considering going back to being a vegetarian again.  More on that later, along with a recipe post!

Sunday was Football day.  Yes, I know the season officially started last Thursday, but MY season started Sunday.  So from the church retreat, Kev and I and another couple from church headed to Glory Days in Frederick, MD to watch the games.  I love sports bars with at least 15 TVs.  That's  how going out for meals should be on Sundays between Sept-February.  Sam is a diehard steelers fan which was hard since they had a not-so-amazing season-opener, and poor Mandy suffered a loss for her chiefs as well.  I feel bad admitting this since they were so upset, but I had a really good day.  The Eagles pulled out a win against the Rams which left me beaming (they had me scared when the score was 7-0 Rams leading within minutes of the game starting!!) I also met an adorable 'less-than-one-year-old' with a Dawkins jersey on.  True story: he was named Dawkins.  Like, that is his first name.  After the football player.  Now, I admit that I named my Hyundai Sante Fe "Brian Dawkins" at one point, but a child...?  That may be a bit excessive on the fan-front...

Ready for another exciting season!

My bible study group started this week and Younglife starts up again on Sunday.  Between Younglife, bible study, football, church, fall, and marriages, I am just so reminded that we have new starts all the time.  We have seasons of newness and seasons of staleness.  I am excited for new things, new starts, and the freshness that comes with summer storms and changing leaves.  It's all so romantic I can hardly contain myself.  Soon it will be time for sweaters, orchards, pumpkin patches and corn mazes, boots, footie pajamas, and then ugly christmas sweaters!  Muahaha.  GOODIES TO COME!!

Best friend and I at Butler's Orchard

Mid-20s going on 4

A little lost in the corn maze!

Ugly Sweater Christmas Party!

Life is so good.

Philly Phootball Phrenzy!!

Pre-season has begun.  

My birds pulled out a clutch win against my 2nd favorite NFL team.  

We have stolen the spotlight from every other team in the NFL during this free-agent frenzy.

We have stocked our deck with aces, and put on our game faces.

We have been deemed 'superbowl favorites.'

We have been hated by fans of other teams who want what we have.

We have realized a trend that Philly is happening.

So... I have kept my mouth shut.  I live deep in Redskins nation, I get hated on for the Phillies stickers on my car, my Eagles shirts, my passion and fanage that has only been building for the last 25 years of my life.  I get labeled as "the Eagles fan" and get all the love and hate that comes along with that.  (Including the overused, under-researched insult 'You guys throw snowballs at Santa!'  - FYI - if you are going to hurl an insult at me for something fans did two decades before I was born, look up the story.  Here I'll make it easy for you -> Philly Loves Santa!)

But this is the most excited I have ever been for football season.  I am not going to lie.  I know that my life does not revolve around the Eagles, and that if there had been a lockout this year, I would have moved on with my life, probably gotten in more running, and less munching on wings and beer, but my weekends/occasional Monday nights would have been just a little bit emptier.  Missing something.

The last three years I have been PROUD to be an Eagles fan.  We may not have won the superbowl, and we may have lost in the first game of the playoffs last year, but we have been exciting.  Three years ago we had a seasoned team and were definitely superbowl contenders.  Over the last three years, we have lost (keep in mind all these people have been pro-bowl players): the core of our defense and leader of our team - Brian Dawkins.   The man who was booed in 99 but came in to be one of the best quarterbacks in the franchise - Donovan McNabb (and to a division rival - ouch).  And this year - one of the best kickers in the NFL, and hands down the best kicker in the history of the franchise - David Akers.  We have gained: a cocky rookie who loves being an Eagle, and even better can sock it to the Gmen and Cowgirls by scoring a touchdown on a game -winning punt return - Desean Jackson.  A reformed criminal who was not given a second chance by any other team, and is now walking the good path and making plays in his life and on the field - Michael Vick.  And now a plethora of defensive and offensive players, ready to hit this season with fervor and passion.  When the Eagles have looked like they lost their chance, BAM.  There we are again ready for a power season.  And that is what made the last three years exciting to watch.

So I have to speak to the hype going on right now.  

Am I beyond excited that we have signed some of the best free agents in the league?  YES.

Am I almost squealing for joy that Asmougha followed in the footsteps of Cliff Lee by turning down a higher paycheck in NY for a dream and team that Philly could offer?  YES.

Do I think that the Eagles have been one of the most exciting teams to watch in the last 3 years, and am very excited that again it looks like another exciting season?  YES. 

Do I think that we could win the superbowl this year?  YES.

However, the danger is that Eagles fans always hope for the best and expect the worst.  This year the expectation is big, and we all know that.  Even with all the hype going on, I hope that my birds can realize that they will need to work hard for a superbowl.  They will need to stay healthy, and realize that just because they "have the dream team" does not mean anyone is ready to hand them the dream.   Andy Reid will need to push his guys.  He will need to be more efficient this year with calling plays that compliment the game clock.  We had had some great moments due to talent, and we have had some great moments due to luck.  And while I will take luck from time to time, AReid has to realize that he will not win the superbowl this year on luck.

I do expect a serious run at the superbowl.  And come February if my boys are playing in Indianapolis, I might consider selling my soul for a ticket, and will absolutely most definitely be crying if we win.

"To whom much is given, much is expected."  Luke 12:48.  Let's play like it my Phine Pheathered Phrends.  "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:24