Monday, December 10

November in a photo nutshell all at once. My apologies to the chef.



November 1
Office
I think I should kick off every month with a Chipotle burrito. It can be like a hurrah for new beginnings every thirty days or so.


November 2
Office
I used my Anthropologie birthday discounts for some treats on the last possible day.


November 3
Driveway
Andy and Mom arrive! The short story: Andy flew down to Little Rock to help my mom and dad pack up their house. They moved some of it to the lake house, some of it to a new Little Rock condo, and some of it to Richmond!


November 4
Kitchen
There is a bird trying to steal our spices. I guess in all the box shuffling this guy decided to come inside and help himself.


November 5
Living Room
My mom brought me everything I've ever owned. Boxes upon boxes of letters, school work, clothes, pictures, stuffed animals, erasers, pencil toppers, yearbooks, costumes, and this autograph book from fourth grade. I thought some people would appreciate this.



November 6
Lowe's parking lot
My man voted. I voted. And then we went to Lowe's.


November 7
Sunroom
We also inherited Mom's giant pencil plant in the move. This is just the top part that Andy cut off because it was so big.


November 8
Sugar Plum Bakery, Virginia Beach
Molly and I field tripped down to VA Beach to help out the new Whole Foods for a day. We seriously made the most of our twenty-four hours there. Starting with a maple bacon donut.


November 9
Boardwalk, Virginia Beach
We rented a side-by-side tandem bike and took it very seriously. We also stopped at every sculpture to take pictures. Here you go.


November 10
Station 5
Tuc came up for a visit and we walked around Lakeside for Jolly Days (or something like that). Santa requested his photo with the firefighters. Please pardon the glare.


November 11
Thomas Jefferson Highschool
This dog and I watched Andy and a bunch of other dudes play rugby.


November 12
Across the street
These leaves were fantastically red!


November 13
Cyborg
Peanut butter M&M's left over from Tuc and mine's movie night.


November 14
The Schemmel's (Church Hill)
I went over to help pack up some boxes. I filled maybe four and got distracted by this kid.


November 15
Movie theatre
We went to see Skyfall. All these girls went to see Twilight. 


November 16
Station 5
I like to take all my guests to the fire station apparently. This is Jaclynn sitting in the engine with a puppy stuffed animal.


November 17
Canal Walk
Doing Richmondy things with non-Richmonders. On our walk I discovered the Native American coming out of the chimney! 


November 18
Office
One: When Andy is working, I eat dinner in the office more than in the dining room. Two: This night I had leftover tater tots. Can't say that made me feel too hot.


November 19
The day got away from me I suppose.

November 20
Sunroom
We're like old-timey cooking on the wood stove.



November 21
Cyborg
Thanksgiving preparations! This is how I pretend I have my own bakery: bake more than necessary and put the results on display.


November 22
Bob and Elisabeth's
Thanksgiving turkey vegetables! We had a wonderful meal with wonderful family and it was wonderful. Serious giving thanks over here.


November 23
Lewis Ginter
I found an Adah-size leaf. 


November 24
WFM
There was a challah explosion in the cooler. One box (twelve loaves) all rose together so I baked this baby. It was pretty tasty.


November 25
Nate's 
Thanksgiving leftover potluck. I still might have to do a Thanksgiving feast so I can eat some cream corn, mashed potatoes, and stuffing all in the same meal....


November 26
I took three videos today and I have a feeling I meant for at least one of those to be a still photo. 

November 27
Attic
Going through the costume trunk (holy cow am I glad I have that back!) and Z hopped in. BTW, this is my mom's old trunk from when she would go to girl scout camp. She used it, I used it, and now Z uses it.


November 28
Living Room
The sweater. The sweater I have been working on off and on for a year is probably going to be too small. We will all find out soon enough. I just hope I don't cry.


November 29
Gaskins
Five o'clock rush hour. Everyone is going home and I am going to work Round Two.


November 30
WFM
Beers after work at work. How convenient is that?!





Tuesday, November 27

Just yesterday Andy asked, "When did we start up the wood stove?" October 29, as a matter of fact.



October 19
Kitchen
This is a great way to sum up an evening of potluck. Many clean dishes. (Thank you, Mary.)


October 20
Living Room
This was my first night of scheduled solo babysitting. It might have also been my last for a while. I kind of got scolded for the baby tramp stamp. Note that no babies were harmed and all residue was removed before daycare on Monday. I did hesitate while doing it, but then I thought to myself, Aunt Nancy would have done it, and that made me think it was okay.


October 21
Wendy's
After running errands with Molly, we decided we needed a snack. The last time I stepped foot in a Wendy's was probably high school. It smelled funny, but the french fries are still good! So was that giant fountain soda.


October 22
Sunroom
To counteract the greasy potato snack, I dehydrated apples for our upcoming drive to Ohio. (Wait for it.) Who am I kidding, I don't need to counteract that. I would love to eat french fries every day, especially while driving in the car.


October 23
Whitten's
The ladybugs want out of the cold! I kind of wish we had swarms of ladybugs trying to get into our house. Later that evening we saw hot air balloons and Bruce Springsteen. It was a good day.


October 24
Bed
A rare occurrence: Z in the bed pretending to be friendly.


October 25
Shawnee State Forest, Ohio
On our way to Matt and Claire's wedding in Cincinnati, we stopped for a camp. This is our tent picnic. We do it up right.


October 26
Shawnee State Forest
We accidentally took a drive while looking for a trail head. Luckily there were chickens in cages right by the road. In the end, we did find the trail head and it was at the very beginning of where we started our drive/search. 


October 27
Cincinnati
The band at the reception. They were called The Freddies (I do believe) and were fun and blue-grassy and wrote an original song for the bride and groom. Oh, love celebrations.


October 28
Sgt. Pepper's Pizza
On our way back into town, we picked up pizza. Here's a map of Richmond that we looked at while waiting.


October 29
Sunroom
Yody returns for another season. Thank the hot heavens above. She is my favorite winter-time invention. 


October 30
Kitchen
A giant pot of veggie chili to kick the first chilly fall weathered days in the butt. I love fall. More and more I realize I do not love being cold.


October 31
Schemmel's
Well, I didn't do anything for Halloween. Not a thing. For someone who loves dressing up and even has a costume trunk, I hold my head in shame. I do, however, have this adorable clown niece.









Monday, October 22

nothing says fall like apples



September 30
Cyborg Room
Our jar of guest book stars, all read, cherished, and bottled for safe keeping.


October 1
Living Room
On the floor so Adah and I can share a blanket while she naps and I read. We got a wedding present with a tiny spatula attached to it. Perfect for babies who want to bake!


October 2
Botanical Gardens
Elisabeth took me to lunch and to see the butterflies for my birthday! This guy landed on me and stayed there for a long time! (Also, I'm 30. Wowzers.)


October 3
Cyborg
This is a close up of the handcraft Oma made us as a wedding gift that we got in the mail today. It is a beautiful and detailed runner for our cyborg.


October 4
Lakeside Ballpark
Andy and I took a walk after dinner to the little league field in our neighborhood. I think this guy lives there. The inside is full of leaves and plants. And not like a nice garden.


October 5
So I did take a video on October 5, but I failed to snap a photo. I might have put a substitute here instead, but I didn't even have anything I could use to fake it! I worked at the culinary school this evening for "Edible Arrangements." One woman said, "It must be illegal to have this much fun on a Friday night." I worry about her a little.

October 6
Capital Ale House Oktoberfest
Giant pretzel on my face!


October 7
Martin's
Grocery shopping with Sister and Adah. I get the baby, she gets the food.


October 8
Bedroom
Summer to Winter clothes switch. It's always a little sad to put these colorful patterns away. And then it turns 80 degrees for the next two weeks.


October 9
Carter Mountain Apple Orchard
This little lady was a champion apple picker. This was a first for me and it will probably be a tradition now. We walked away minus one pair of glasses (big bummer) and plus 27 pounds of apples.

All apple picking pictures are here!


October 10
Office
That's the progress of Andy's sweater sleeve. Christmas is going to come fast...


October 11
Butcher Block
What 27 pounds of hand-picked apples look like!


October 12
Botanical Gardens
I went back to the butterflies with Natasha and Molly. This time one landed on Natasha!


October 13
Attic
I had to do a before and after, otherwise it would not be so satisfying. We spent the Saturday cleaning out the attic! 

  

October 14
Richmond Folk Festival
We hopped over for a quick visit to hear Nathan and the Zydeco Cha-Cha's. It was well worth it and I can't believe this was my first time to go to the Folk Festival.


October 15
Sunroom
Z sure wants to drink Andy's beer.


October 16
Truck, Kitchen, Cyborg, Sunroom
The many things to make with 27 pounds of apples: tart, butter, donuts, sauce, cake, dehydrated. I'm a little over apples for the time being.


October 17
WF
I get to watch the sunrise almost every day. Sometimes they are unbelievably neon pink and it makes you stop what you're doing and go appreciate it. It is pretty incredible to see them, only a little less so that it's from inside work.


October 18
Living Room
Adah starting to fall after sitting up by herself!