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?!

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.

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!

I'll be the right hand, you'll be the left hand

September 16

Parent's Dining Room, Little Rock

I pulled out the giant schedule/to-do list that started with the evening of our arrival in Little Rock and did not end until the day after the wedding. These are the welcome bags, packed and ready for out-of-towners!

September 17

Court House, Little Rock

Can you tell we are excited. I felt a little bit like that time my sister and I put on costumes and went to the front door and tried to sell my mom something. We were convinced she didn't recognize us. What I mean is, I felt like a kid trying to sneak something by the adults, like I can't possibly be old enough to be doing this. But we are! We are adults! And all we had to do was pay $65.00! They didn't even ask us if we were related.

September 18

Greers Ferry Lake

Maybe the best thing we did was get to town a week before the wedding to allow for a mini-vacay to the lake with both our parents. It was so special to get away for two days and just be together. This is during a pre-dinner boat ride while the sun was setting and lighting up the rock walls and caves.

September 19

Greers Ferry Lake

We went for a morning canoe ride and the water was still as glass. We saw an otter and followed it for a little while!

September 20

Missy's House, Little Rock

It's the Roller tradition to have dinner with our mothers the Thursday before the wedding. We ate delicious almond and eggplant enchiladas and everyone imparted advice and wisdom to me.

September 21

Parent's Kitchen, Little Rock

Getting the gifts ready for the bridesmaid's luncheon (or breakfast in this case). For someone who likes to take a lot of pictures, I really took it easy. Once the events started, I kind of put my phone away and made myself as present as possible. I'm sure plenty of other people took plenty of other photos that I will eventually see. But I love this party cat wrapping paper and I coordinated the string colors with the dresses they would be wearing. (Not Beth's, but her dress was green and her string was golden, like the sunflowers!)

**If you want to see more pictures from the last six days, click here!**

September 22

Monica's House, The Compound, Little Rock

Again, my pictures, not so many. I do, however, think hair prep photos are always hilarious. The process of getting to the good look is classic and if I were more ballsy, I would have suggested that we just stop right there. 

We did not stop right there, though, and Beth and 
Mimi did beautiful jobs on all of our hair. 

There is no way in tarnation that I could possibly say this (below) is my favorite photo from the day because each one, all 1400 photos that Dixie took, says something to me. This is after the ceremony and we're married and we've been having fun at the reception, and now there is a beautiful sunset 

carrying this perfect day into a perfect night. 

*I also like it because I have a tattoo on my arm. Classy.*

**Here's the Motherload with a capital M, by Dixie.**
Wedding Day: Pre-ceremony, click here.
Wedding Day: Ceremony, click here.
Wedding Day: Reception, click here.

September 23

The Compound, Little Rock

The next day. The canoes are emptied of their booze and the tent is empty of its people. We went out to help divvy up forty pounds of leftover barbeque, slaw, beans, and potatoes and pack up all the decorations my mom provided.

September 24

Seth Parker's Backyard, Vilonia

This is a cherry tree from The Compound. We found a guy to mill it so Andy can make us things, like a dining room table. It was an unexpected and educational (for me) kick off to our honeymoon!

Of course I was thrilled when we pulled up and there were goats and horses and chickens. This guy tried to eat my shorts.

September 25

Cantrell Road, Little Rock

We have our provisions and we are ready to hit the road! I went to Starbucks to get the coffee and Andy went across the street to get the donuts. He saw his parents there getting donuts too! We drove ten hours and found ourselves a campsite in the Great Smoky Mountains.

September 26

Big Creek Trail, Great Smokies

We woke up under a canopy of trees at 9 am! That's late for camping. After we packed ourselves up and had some breakfast, we set out and did this 10 miler. It was such a change from the past few days being surrounded by trees instead of people. It was a nice time to think (mostly about being in the Hunger Games I'll admit) and just be together. Toward the end, Andy went swimming in this crystal clear swimming hole. No way I was getting in. I could hardly dip my toe it was so cold!

September 27

Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC

After our hike we went an hour east and had one night in style at a B and B. The photo is after a day of mountain biking, wine tasting, and ice cream eating. The sun was setting and nearly everyone else had gone home. It really felt like we had the place to ourselves. 

September 28

Biltmore Estate, Asheville

Yes, we spent two days there! The place is huge (8,000 acres). Today we toured the inside of the house and then had a lovely picnic here. Not inside the tunnel, that was just Andy trying to get more interesting pictures, but on the rocks outside of it.

September 29

I-40 East, North Carolina

Some nice symmetry to our road tripping. We got donuts to go after a huge and amazing breakfast at Sunny Point Cafe in Asheville. I also want to point out that this is when it started to rain. Not when we were at the lake before the wedding. Not on the wedding day. Not while we were hiking or biking. But when we were driving, when we didn't want to be outside anyway.

**If you want to see more pictures from the honeymooning, click here!**