New Paint Job

Drew and I are thinking about taking it back to have them re-do it. :) If you were wondering, it took me about 20 minutes to chizzle out my car, as you can see from the top picture it was a slow process.

One December Morning

So what if it makes driving trecherous, it sure is pretty!

Christmas Snow!

I'm not kidding, this is the 3rd snow of December! It started snowing this morning and kept snowing and snowing, but then around 1 or so it started to freezing rain, so we shut down and got ourselves home. It's really been beautiful seeing the snow everywhere, I love it!

I Passed!

On Monday I travelled to Richmond to take the "Life & Health" Exam for the state of Virginia, and I'm pleased to report that I passed! I needed a 70 and got an 88!! So now I am a fully licensed insurance person. Life insurance anyone?

More Snow!

I'm sorry I can't help myself, I just had to share more snow pictures! It snowed Monday thru the night, and gave us 3-4 inches (bottom picture), the snow melted on the south side of the house, but a good amount remained on the north side. So when Thursday nights snow came we had a good base. Unfortunately after it snowed it decided it should do some freezing rain, so that innocent looking blanket of snow on the car (top picture) is actually hard packed ice, and since who knows where my scraper is, I decided walking to work would be in order for the day...we got to come in 2 hours late anyway!

If this doesn't say "Christmas" I don't know what does!

Let it Snow!

For almost 24 hours they kept warning us that snow was coming, and we waited, and waited, even woke up to a winter storm advisory, but no snow. Finally around noon today, just like they said, it started snowing! I don't know if we're going to get the 6 inches they predicted, but it was still nice to see. The bottom picture is at work, and the top picture is our townhouse, isn't the little tree adorable?

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas!

I thought I'd taken a beautiful picture of our Christmas tree last year, and I was going to post it as this year's and you'd never be the wiser. Unfortunately I apparently only took "people & tree" pictures, so I have to admit it...we're not having a tree this year. Oh, there is no need for a lecture, I'm devastated seeing as the Christmas tree is my favorite of holiday traditions. The excuse is as follows, Drew left this last weekend (for Louisiana), and may or may not be back by this coming weekend, and we leave our home December 23rd, and after a 10 day trip away, would come home to a dead tree needing to be taken care of. Bottom line -- no Christmas tree this year. But wasn't she a beauty? Too bad the picture cut the poor Angel out!

Finished Product

Turns out Drew actually knew what he was doing, and my table looks better than before! I only had to wait 19 months for him to get started and 1 week of my house smelling like stain and polyurithane. Good job Drew! However after he was all done he realized he'd forgotten the leaf, I guess in 19 more months I'll have that done too!

What Have you Done?!

I came home from a weekend trip to Northern Virginia to find my table looking like this! After over a year of prodding, Drew had finally taken it upon himself to refinish my table. The question is, how long before I get my table back?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Now, I know it might be a little late, but the sentiment is still true! We spent Thanksgiving in Washington D.C. with fellow transplanted Oregonians, Nate & Heather Gonzalez (Heather is actually from Indiana, but we let her in the "group" anyway), Stacy Proaps and her brother Chad, visiting from So. Cal. and of course Andrew & Jessi! Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Finally, new pictures!

Sorry, I've been away so long, but here are some new pictures! Drew & I went hiking the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and it was perfect autumn hiking weather! Cool and crisp with that wonderful fall smell in the air, plus it was just a 15 minute drive from our house!

Harper's Ferry, WV

I know what you're thinking, "I thought Drew was in Alaska?" Ok, you're right he is, but I was getting bored with my blog, so I decided to put in pictures from the past. Afterall they're still new to you right? This weekend last year, right before Drew was to leave for Cambodia, we took our first trip to Harper's Ferry, and we weren't disappointed. Harper's Ferry has much to offer and is beautiful, a must see on your next Virginia vacation.

Oh yeah, we were there too..

Dark Hollow Falls

A beautiful little hike along a creek ends up at this waterfall, Dark Hollow Falls. (Bottom picture view from above, top picture view from below)

View from Blue Ridge Parkway

If you're wondering, yes that is snow on the ground. What was left of Hurricane Wilma collided with a cold front from Canada over western Maryland and Virginia, and in the upper elevations they got snow!

In Search of Fall Colors

On Saturday Drew & I went up to Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park to see if we could find a good fall showing. We were a little late for peak season, but this tree definately stood out, infact it was right near a lookout point, but no one was looking out, they were all checking out this perfect fall tree!

Washington National Cathedral

Not too shabby from the outside either.

Inside the National Cathedral

On a recent trip to the Cathedral the sun was shining perfectly through the many stained glass windows, creating the most beautiful mirage of color throughout the nave. (I believe that is the technical term)

More Biltmore Estate

Mr. & Mrs. Vanderbilt

Enjoying the view from the veranda.

Biltmore Mansion

"Boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy..." for those "Private Eyes" fans out there! Otherwise you can just appreciate the fact that this is the largest residential home in the US, and owned by the Vanderbilt family in Asheville, NC.

View of Lake Lure and Waterfall

Chimney Rock, North Carolina

For our anniversary Drew & I went to Asheville, NC for a little weekend trip. This is Chimney Rock Park, there's actually an elevator that goes through this granite so you can get to the top of the "chimney", and don't worry for you hikers out there there is also great hiking, we hiked a loop to a waterfall. And for the movie buffs this is where part of "The Last of the Mohicans" was filmed.

Oregon or Virginia?

Believe it or not, this is Virginia, just about 30 minutes southwest of H'burg in the Geo. Washington National Forest, part of the Appalachian Mtns.

Sept. 11

Stacy and I walked in the first annual Freedom Walk, from the Pentagon (you can see a part of it behind my right arm) to the Mall. It's to support the troops serving overseas and to remember those who died in the 9-11 attacks at the Pentagon. We even got protested, but there were thousands of us, and a handful of them.

Latest trip to Oregon

We came home to Oregon over Labor Day weekend for Drew's brother Aaron's wedding. Like always the trip was way too fast.

2nd from the Right

Ok, I'm new at this, so you'll have bare with me until I get the hang of this. I thought I'd start at the beginning, here is where we live, the 2nd townhouse from the right.