To be Kids again

There are something in life you are never too old to do....and decorating Valintine's cookies and making Valintines are two of them.

Too bad my camera died (that seems like a common theme recently...maybe I should invest in some new batteries or keep the ones I have charged :)) There were some amazing decorating jobs I didn't get photographed. Next time.

"Lost" in DC

Mel and I found ourselves wanting to go for a ride. we ended up going down George Washington Parkway. Our original plan was to go up to Key bridge and come back, but being the smart one that I am, I insisted that we go down the Memorial Bridge. We were never really lost, we just went a different way then originally intended. Of course we had to document the moment

Despite the oldness of my camera and being in a moving car, Mel got a decent picture of the Washington Monument

Good times :)

Teddy Roosevelt Island

Weather of 50 plus degrees on a Saturday, in the dead of the winter simply begs to be taken advantage of by a 'constitutional' in the park. Mel and I had been talking about visiting Teddy Roosevelt Island, off of George Washington Parkway for well over a year and decided that Saturday was the day.

It was beautiful outside. You still wanted a sweater, but you didn't need to be covered with several layers from head to toe. Apparently many other people had the same idea. The roads were busy and nearly all the parking spots gone. I think we all might be suffering, just a little, of cabin fever.

Me and my friend Teddy :)

Swamplands: There are 3 basic trails. The highlands, lowlands, and swamplands (disclaimer: These are not their real names, but I can't remember what they are called). At my insistence we visited the swamplands. I love swamps :) The park services graciously built a boardwalk to keep our feet dry and mud free (the muddy part came when we visited the lowlands) It was wonderful. (I have to confess that all of these pictures have been pilfered from Melanie (giving credit where credit is due). My camera died shortly after we arrived)

I've always loved Cattails. They remind me of visiting my Grandma Maren. She had a swampland type area behind her house and we would help to pick cattails and wildflowers and she would dry them and spray them with something (my 7 year old memory isn't that great) and make them into flower arrangements. Happy times for me.

Mel likes ivy, she confessed so to me while we wandered around. I love that it's still green and growing even as all the trees are leafless

One of the most interesting things about this island is the feeling of isolation and being in the middle of no where it creates, but suddenly the reality of DC is thrust upon you by a passing plane or coming around the corner and seeing the Key Bridge with Georgetown beyond

or the Kennedy Center.

I recommend Roosevelt Island. Even in the 'dead' of winter it was beautiful. I look forward to returning later in the year when the trees have leaves and the flowers are in bloom.

Listening to the Ice Melt

On Saturday during our visit to Roosevelt Island we stood for several minutes simply listening to the ice melt. Melting ice is one of life's simple pleasures we so frequently overlooked. We tried to capture the sound of it with Mel's camera, however amazing technology it maybe, but not amazing enough to counter the noisy cars and airplanes.

Like the nature shows, the ice dripped, cracked and the grass rustled as the broken ice fell. Watching it made me imagine fairies flitting around. As the ice pieces fell, the sun glinted off them creating an illusion of something flying out of the corner of your eye, but if you tried to look at them straight on you couldn't see them. I'm sure this is all sounding a little cheesy and trite, but it was beautiful and unexpectedly satisfying experience.

Superbowl Fun

I've never watched the Superbowl. I love football, but prefer the college level. Despit my insistance that I didn't need to go, I was 'dragged' to Reed & Brian's superbowl bash.



The main attraction was the Twinkie Stadium created by Cat and Keeley.





Brian definitely did his part to help eat it. (doesn't this picture make him look a little vampire-like?)

Here are the spectators...Reed and I stood in back pretending that we were there the whole time.

The real spectators

Playing games....what some of us really did during the game.

I had a good time, even with my reluctance to go. Go Steelers!

New Look

Mel has been talking about cutting her hair for a long time and finally did. My co-workers were looking at hair cuts they wanted and it reminder me that Mel wanted to cut her hair, so I emailed her the reminder and the hair cut I thought she should get. See below:

Mel found it kind of interesting that I pick Julia Stiles' hair style since, when people tell her what actress she looks like they usually say Julia Stiles....

So here's the result. Cute no?

I have envisioned it a little shorter, with more layers, but I like. It looks great on her.