Reminiscing + Sandy Update

I'm just spending an unplanned day at home due to Hurricane Sandy. 

Turns out all of Maryland is shutdown and the D.C. metro is closed. When I called our office hotline this morning, the message said to play it safe and stay at home if we're not able to make it to the city. 

So what have I been doing today?

I baked two loaves of french bread, some banana coffee cake topped with chocolate chips and walnuts and some potato soup. Wish you could come over!!

It's been poring rain all day. I'm thankful we still have power. From the news report, it looks like the winds are picking up and we may be experiencing power outages in the next couple of hours. Fingers crossed everything is okay. I took a long, warm shower this afternoon as that may be my last one for a few days! 

Now on to the reminiscing part - 

Oct. 29. A year ago TODAY, Aaron and I went on our first date in Colorado! (Reminder: we had already been e-mailing and talking on the phone and it worked out for me to go and visit Colorado to see my sis on bed rest and the rest of my fam that was visiting Denver!) 

(Do you love Aaron's ear cast?!) 

Part of the date included going to a haunted house with Matt and Nell. They're the cute couple that got married the day after us. 

 Never in my life could I have guessed that my mission companion would set me up with my future spouse. I'll be forever grateful for her and that I decided to serve a mission! Nothing happens by accident. 

Yesterday as we were getting ready for church, Aaron and I some how got on the topic of past relationships and how grateful we are that we waited for the right person at the right time at the right place. 

My mom shared this quote with me:

"In Jane Austin's time, everything was a production.

Letters took days to be sent.

Balls were highly anticipated. 

In the novels, it takes years before they can even kiss one another. 

Take relish in the little things and savor everything that goes along the way (whether it be the pain, suffering, or glee of it all).

Don't push too much. 

Let your story unfold on its own."

xo xo xo 

Also along the lines of reminiscing, I really miss these cute little family members. 

I Skype/Facetime with my sisters almost every day just so I can tell them hello. 

I about died a few weeks ago when I called Alex and Lincoln answered the phone and said, "Hi Manda. Miss you. Love you." 

I use to get annoyed when people would ramble on and on about their amazing nieces and nephews. "They're not even their own children," I would think to myself. 

And now. I get it. I love them as my own. 

Be safe! 

Finally feels like Fall.

Fall in the east coast is pretty amazing. I wish I could capture the millions of trees that are starting to change colors. I'll toss my camera in my purse this week and try and capture a few shots on my commute to work. It's gorgeous out here! 

In other happenings, the Nicolls came and visited us on Friday night. Brother Nicoll was my seminary teacher back in the day and then he was our bishop. Kansas friends will forever feel like family. 

I wanted to post a pic of the newest addition to our home! We found this beauty on Craigslist. I LOVE having a piano in our home. It belonged to a 91 year old lady that recently passed away. She took great care of the piano and played it until she died. 

Okay, back to the weekend. For the first time in months, Aaron had both Saturday and Sunday off this weekend. We felt like a traditional couple that works during the week and spends the weekends together. We went on a group date last night to a corn maze. 

(I made Aaron stand in front of this sign as we prepared to enter the maze.)

Look at our new friends! We always have so much fun together and we love that they are all military families that recently moved to the area. We'll all be here for about 2-3 years, but I can already tell it will be hard to tell them goodbye. 

After the corn maze, we went on a hay ride pulled by a John Deere tractor and then had dinner and played games. So fun! 

And now, the lovely weekend has come to an end. 

Goodbye weekend.

 I always hate for you to end.

 See you in 5 days and counting. 

Oh how we love them.

Last weekend was PERFECT!

My parents flew in Thursday night for a visit. We enjoyed a double date at Applebee's. 

I was a little bummed that I had to work most of the time they were here, but we still had a great time. On Friday, they drove up to Gettysburg and then we had a delicious dinner at home. 

Saturday morning my parents and I went up to base for a flight display. We rode a bus that took us to the base hanger. (You guessed it. Aaron was working)

Here is Air Force II - plane of the Vice-President. We took a tour inside and when we got to the cockpit, a little 93 year old man was sitting in the front seat talking with the pilot. Turns out this little old man was the former pilot for President Eisenhower. (We took a pic with him, but my mom has it on her phone!)

Here are pics from the rest of the tour: 

This is my mom acting as a boom operator. (A boom operator is responsible for safely and effectively refueling other aircraft while in flight. The operator said it's just like playing a real life video game.)

I took a turn too.

The best part about last weekend was General Conference. (Good thing we just got a new T.V. last week! We were able to hook up the computer to the T.V. so we could enjoy all the sessions of General Conference.) If you wonder what General Conference is all about, you can learn more here. 

Between the sessions on Saturday afternoon and because my parents can't truly take a vacation without constantly working, my mom rolled out the lawn mower.... 

My dad took a turn too...

When the guys were at the Priesthood session, my mom and I enjoyed shopping and finishing up some of the decorating in our home. She made these cute pillows for our bedroom.

Sunday we went to Aaron's parents house for conference and lunch. (Too bad I didn't get a group pic.)

On Monday Aaron and my parents went to Ford's Theater downtown and picked me up from work. I gave them a tour of my office before we headed back to our house for tacos. 

Tuesday morning my mom made a delicious cherry pie and then my parents and Aaron came down to meet me for lunch. I was so sad to see them go. Will saying goodbye ever get easy? I doubt it. 

Aaron's dad gave the group a tour of the Pentagon and then Aaron took them to the train to head to the airport. 

Oh family. It's always so uplifting being around them!