Tiny Post.

I'm supposed to be working.

Writing up observations.

But Andrew has (no joke) already worked 55 hours this week, and I've worked somewhere near 30, and I just got home from our RS Christmas Activity and thought I'd write a little tiny post.

This lady has become really attached to me. I don't know if it's because I've been working more (she goes to some really good friends from the ward while I'm away (I'm away for about 1/3 of my working time. The rest of it is while she's sleeping), and they do are so wonderful with her) but I think she's just more aware that I could leave.

And so I'm trying to really cherish the time that wants with me. Rather than let it drive me crazy. The sling has helped A TON, in allowing me to still get things done and hold her.

She reaches up to grab my hand and pull me where she wants me to go. All the time. And it kind of just melts my heart. Most of the time.

She's got such a little personality. She has really opinions about what she wants, and we love her long, drawn out whisper,"Yeeeeaaaah," when we ask her a question.

We're so excited to come see more family over Christmas. Now that she remembers people a little bit better, and can interact a little bit more. We loved Thanksgiving with Will and Sara. We just wish we were closer to more of you, so you could watch her grow, and she could know you better.

That's all for now. Off to work. Just a little bit. Just wanted you to know we're alive. Mostly.

4 Years Ago

Four years ago this weekend we got engaged! I think I tend to remember the anniversary of the weekend we got engaged better than the weekend we got married. We were supposed to go look at rungs, then go to the Book Festival. I really thought we were just looking. Andrew knew we were buying.

And so ring shopping took longer than I thought. And we never made it to Book Festival. 

But I think it was worth the trade off. 

And so this weekend, as we head to the Book Festival, I always reflect on that weekend we didn't make it.  And how fun that weekend was. 

Camping!

We went to Assateague Island this weekend. Always so fun! September is the best time to go. Warm enough during the day. Cool enough at night. It should be noted Lydia wasn't a fan of sleeping during the night, (which is code for she was hysterical) which was frustrating. But she was happy as a clam come morning. And she slept the whole way home.

Birdland!

A few weeks ago Andrew surprised me and took me to a Ravens Preseason game. It was ugly, but we won! And we went with fun new friends from our ward!

The next night was Mormon Night at the Orioles! We didn't win that game, but still had a really good time! Did you know that at any MLB game, you can move seats after the second inning. We always buy really cheap tickets, and then move down to REALLY good seats. It makes it way more fun. :)

These are our post-second inning seats. 

Andrew is good at everything he does.

I play on a co-ed indoor soccer team. We are decent. We don't win much, and every week as I leave to play Andrew loving says, "Have fun! Don't lose!"

A few weeks ago, our goalie pulled a muscle and was out. I volunteered Andrew to come play for us. 

He's kind of amazing. 

I knew that. But my team didn't know! And they loved playing with him! We won 4-3. And at the end of game, they said things like, "We played better because of him. He's just so positive!" And I agree, I totally play better when I'm playing with him. 

The other thing about Andrew is that he does things about 110%, no matter what they are. Which means he played really hard, and I'm pretty sure he cracked a rib on one dive/being kicked. So I think that was his only game for a while. 

Maybe someday we'll play on a team together. 

Warming up. All by his lonesome. 

MVP Picture. 

So happy to play together! We even had babysitters come over!

Proof that we won! And I even scored!

Lydia Lately

Playing at Storyville (the worlds greatest library!)

Reading in her room.

Sleeping. 

Dog-pile on Mom. It's just so fun.

She's been WAY more cuddly than she ever was as a baby. That's been really fun. 

Loves to slide!

Loves to climb!

Thinks she's pretty funny sitting in the toy high-chair.

Playing while we wait for car to get an oil change. 

Playing in a river mid trail-run.

Reading at the library while we wait for story time to start.

She loves to carry around this little bag and a beanie baby. 

Watching the dogs at the dog park.

Playing at the Reservoir. We went out for a Sunday walk, and unexpectedly decided to take a splash. 

Post Splash. 

Our mini vacation

We were going to go to the beach. But it rained 7 inches on the two days we planned to go. So we altered plans and went to DC instead. We realize it doesn't look rainy in DC. It wasn't! It was gorgeous! Too bad the beach didn't look like this....

First stop: The National Portrait Gallery and Museum of American Art. We went on our first date here, and hadn't been back. It's so fun! Above, the preamble on license plates. 

Lydia loved climbing. She did a remarkably good job for being a kid who loves to touch everything. (I think that's all kids...)

Me and my BFF.

The floors in the American Art side were gorgeous!

We took a really similar photo on our first date. :)

After the museum, we hit up some Jazz in the Sculpture Garden. Lydia really liked it. :)

And then wandered over to The Mall. End of Day One. 

And now for your random photo of the post: proof that Lydia likes her chair. 

Andrew took another day off the next week, but it rained again at the beach. (It's tricky to say, "well, let's just go tomorrow," because Andrew schedules about 50 meetings a day. So if he wants to take a day off, he'll hold that day a few weeks in advance and not schedule any meetings. So we have to look pretty far in the future to reschedule things.) Rain, meant that we went back down to DC. In all the years we've been here, we'd never been to Mt. Vernon. We are now annual season pass holders, so let us know if you want to go! We'd love to join you!

7-11 stop for the drive home, on 7-11.

Another adventure, and what do you know? More rain!

This time we decided to try to go for a hike. It wasn't pouring, and it was pretty cool, so we figured this weather was better than 100 degrees and 100% humid. 

We got out to the State Park, and they were filming "House of Cards" (a Netflix original :)

Proof it was raining.

The crew behind us. 

On overlook at the falls.

Extras from the filming. I'm totally confused about the need for 19th century civil war extras. I was pretty sure House of Cards was set in modern times? But when we tried to ask questions, they couldn't answer because of non-discloure agreements. 

And then we played some games, to round out our rained-out vacation. Seemed like a fitting thing to do. :)