2014 -- It's Gonna Be A Big One

First off, it was so wonderful to go home for the holidays and be surrounded by family and friends. This year was especially meaningful since my mom and sisters threw me a baby shower while I was home. It was so great to see all my favorite people and it just made everything seem more real somehow.  I was too busy being in the moment to stop and take pictures (although I don't think that's something to apologize for) so just know that we had a lovely time.

While I was lying in bed this morning after pushing snooze for maybe the third time I realized that it was New Year's Eve today and that I didn't have a single then planned, or hadn't thought about any kind of resolutions.  I guess we've just been busy lately, but 2014 seems like it will be a big year of change for us, whether we resolve to or not.

Brody graduates from law school this year. It's here, finally! Although there were times when it felt like we would never get here, the whole experience has gone by rather quickly (for me at least).  And in a few short months, he will be done with school forever.  I couldn't be more proud of how hard he has worked and what an accomplishment this is. Even though we aren't completely sure what the future holds for us, the last two-and-a-half years have been such an incredible adventure together. There is something about only having each other to rely on in a big, new city, with a totally new way of life that you just can't put a price on.

One other little change that will be coming our way in 2014 is the birth of our baby. Even just typing the words "our baby" seems crazy and so grown up! I guess we are officially entering adulthood this year but we couldn't be more thrilled and excited. We find out the sex this Friday so stay tuned! I'm officially 20 weeks which means we have hit the halfway mark. I guess I should take some baby bump pictures--I think it tripled in size during the two weeks we were home (although that may also have just been some good old fashion holiday weight).

So here we go 2014, let's see what you've got!

Sometimes I Forget...

Or take for granted that we live in Washington DC.  It just became normal at some point over the last few years, and then I see a picture like this one of Brody playing flag football with some law school buddies and notice the corner of the Lincoln Memorial peeking into the photo. Because that's just where you play when you are looking for a field. And I'm grateful for these moments to remember and appreciate our time here. It will be so fun to bring our kids someday if we've moved away when we are old and show them our old neighborhood and apartment and tell them all about our adventures in this city.

The Best

I had a really crappy day last week and came home to these beautiful flowers and a clean house.  I, of course, immediately burst into happy tears in all my hormonal craziness.  He really is the best one.

Two Weeks

Actually a little less...until we go home for Christmas and it's killing me! I'm so excited to see everyone and just do all those wonderful Christmas traditions. It's magical.  After two-and-a-half years of living in DC I don't have high hopes that we will get much (if any) snow this year. And if we do, it's always gone and melted 20 minutes later so I had to make it snow on the blog.

A Little Announcement

As you may have seen, Brody and I are expecting! Due May18th, same day as Brody's graduation!

November

It's November and we go home for Christmas in six weeks people. Isn't that crazy and exciting?! For some reason I am extra excited for the holidays this year. I was even listening to Christmas music on Sunday and I don't care who knows it!

 ...And once we get back from the holidays Brody only has one measly semester left of school!!! Eeeeek!

Salem

The thing about living on the East Coast is that all of these incredible cities are just a quick road trip away. So when Courtney and I were discussing our mutual love of Halloween back in September, it only made sense that we road trip it up to Salem, MA the weekend before Halloween.  It was so crazy driving up through New Jersey and seeing the Manhattan skyline.  The drive was stunningly beautiful, in the peak of New England fall. We drove through Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and finally Massachusetts. Naturally, Katherine had to get in on the action so she flew into Boston where we picked her up on our way.

That big one in the middle is the new Freedom Tower

Salem only has about 3 hotels, all of which are small and get booked a year in advance so we found a room on Airbnb (my first time using it) and it was so great. Seriously, staying with Beth really made the trip. She gave us all the great tips on where to eat, where to park, local favorites, and even gave us homemade banana bread and pastries for breakfast every morning.  We stayed in Marblehead, which is about a ten minute drive from Salem, and it was stunningly beautiful. Everything was so charming and picturesque I felt like we were living in a movie set.

Friday night we had booked our Hocus Pocus tour of Salem. It was really great to get a history on the town and orient us to where all of the main attractions are in Salem like the old jail, the witch's gaol, Town Hall, the old burial hill, etc.  There were a lot of people out and about, dressed up in costume; this Gandalf and Frodo couple killed me as you can see I'm laughing in the picture.  Salem takes Halloween pretty seriously and even had a carnival set up.

Saturday was insane. There were people everywhere, dressed up in costumes, selling all kinds of random stuff, and the main square had so many fun little shops focused on magic and witchy-ness, I loved it. I even tried my first butterbeer in a completely HP-themed shop.

Sunday we walked through some gorgeous New England fall foliage woods to the historic part of Marblehead. You guys. The houses  mansions.... I can't. And the views of the ocean! It was all so gorgeous. We walked through another beautiful cemetery (where Max gets his shoes stolen by Ice) and then ate lunch at a local restaurant on the water.  That night we drove around and found Max and Danni's house (finally, it took a while), the old Pioneer village they used for the Sanderson sister's house, and saw such a gorgeous sunset on the cove, with the Boston skyline in the background.

On Monday morning we ate a big breakfast at the cutest little local place, that was an actual authentic diner car. I couldn't get over how cheap it was! Then we dropped Katherine off at the airport in Boston and made our way back to DC. We got so lucky and didn't hit any traffic.  It was such a fun trip and I can cross a few more things off my list!

Last Day

After a delicious brunch together, Lacey, Lisa and I made a quick trip over to the Capitol before metroing to the airport for their flight home. It was so much fun to see everyone, I can't remember the last time is was just the Wiseman girls together like that.  Sisters are the best!

Girls Trip - Day 3 and 4

On their third day in Washington, I took my mom and sisters to Georgetown to do a little shopping and, of course, make a little pit-stop at Georgetown Cupcake. Later that day we ventured over to Ford's Theater (which was closed), and then walked home past the FBI Building, The Old Post Office and all those lovely govt. buildings that line the mall. We ended the night at Shake Shack, where ironically, the shakes aren't actually very good. It's the burgers they are famous for.

On Saturday, we drove down to Mount Vernon. It was so wonderful as it is privately-owned and was still open during the ridiculous shutdown. (Although the dirty parks department tried to make them close down by barricading their parking lots--gotta love shady, no-good politicians--but the owners just moved them, telling the govt something along the lines of go fly a kite). Mount Vernon was incredibly crowded but so beautiful. We started by catching some lunch at the adorable little Inn that sits on the property. The food was delicious, so down-home farm fresh delicious.

Washington's estate sits on a hill overlooking the Potomac River in Alexandria, Virginia. The grounds are so beautiful and the home itself was really well preserved. I could have sat in the rocking chairs on the back porch for hours, the view is breathtaking. The women that own the estate even got a bill passed in Virginia that any homes on the other side of the river cannot be built above the treeline so that visitor's to the estate see the exact same view that Washington saw. It was a little sad to be there, at the home of easily our nation's greatest leader during a time when the leaders of this country are basically all despicable (across party lines).

On our way back from Mount Vernon we stopped at Iwa Jima (after a rude introduction to the lovely freeway and bridge system here). It was just starting to glow in the twilight. It's one of my favorite monuments.