Happy Birthday Bear!

Wishing a quick happy birthday to my favorite Bear. 

This year has been crazy, but so much fun! 

I am so glad this Bear has shared another awesome year with me.

I am So grateful that he was born! I can't imagine life without him. 

Here's to another awesome year! I can't wait to see what is in store ahead of us!

I Hope You Make the Best Of It

I couldn't not share this quote from the amazing F. Scott Fitzgerald. It so beautifully spells out how I have been feeling for about a month now. 

I have been feeling so stuck and am so sick of it. I just want to move forward. I don't know how, or where to, I just want to be moving. In a direction I am happy with and proud of.

I think part of what has been holding me back from everything, anything, is the not knowing. Who knows what's to come? Who knows what the future holds? We can make plans till we are blue in the face, but things don't always work out like we want them to, things don't always go our way. So should we just not do anything at all? No, of course not. 

But that's what I've been doing. Not planning, because I don't feel like I can plan for the unexpected. But I can't be scared with the not knowing. We just need to go with it. Whatever makes us happy, whatever It is. 

I think often I get stuck in my head trying to plan out the what-ifs. 

But there's not a lot I can do to prepare for the unexpected. 

Other then maybe expect it, and be okay if/when it happens.

And in changing my thinking in that manner, 

I am feeling better about moving forward with the thought, 

It doesn't hurt to try

So what if I go to school in something and end up not loving it? 

So what? Is that the end of the world? 

Do I just stop living and say, 

"Oh well. I tried, now I give up." 

No.

You say, 

"Oh well, let's try something new and move on."

We have our entire lives ahead of us. Why not make an adventure out of it? Explore the unknown. Do something new. Do something you have always dreamed of. Don't let dreams just be dreams. Don't let wishes just be wishes. And if we find something isn't working, let's have the courage to change it. Let go of everything and move on to something new, even if it's scary. Don't just take the punches, roll with them, and keep going. Always growing, always moving forward. Never stagnant. 

Arlington National Cemetery

Last week we had the opportunity to attend a funeral for my Great Aunt at Arlington National Cemetery. I had never met her but I was told,

"She was hardcore. She was awesome"

"She was known for wearing pink laces with her combat boots"

Despite not knowing her, attending her funeral was such a awesome (is it okay to say that about a funeral?) experience. I was so impressed with how the funeral was conducted. It really made me very proud to be an American and grateful for all those who have served for this country.  

Fall in VA/DC is so so so so so so lovely! Seriously. Please make sure you come back East for fall at least once in your life!

Doesn't Uncle Chuck have the best mustache? 

And lunch at Good Stuff Eatery. The place is really Good Stuff. I enjoyed their Good Stuff Melt; Melted Cheddar & Muenster, Caramelized Onions & Mushrooms With Good Stuff Sauce - with chicken instead of beef. OMG Amazeballs. I DEVOURED it and have been craving it ever since!

If you get the chance to go, do not miss out on their Village fries- seasoned with Rosemary - my all time favorite seasoning! And dip them in their amazing Mango Mayo. Trust me.

Skyline Drive

Dave and I got to enjoy the national park, Skyline Drive. We had hoped to go a little sooner, but it had been closed due to the government shutdown. Most of the leaves were gone, but it was still a fun pretty drive.

At the first pull off we stopped at there were tons of little bugs flying around in the air. A few started landing on us. Turned out they were all ladybugs! They were everywhere! It was so cool!

A few even followed us into the car!

Can we take a moment to be impressed by iPhone camera quality. I mean seriously.

Halloween

Due to all the family drama out here in VA - I haven't gotten myself a job. But I have done lots of babysitting. There is one family in our ward that I babysit for all the time that I have just fallen in love with.

We never really do anything exciting for Halloween. The T family that we have been babysitting for got tickets to go Trick or Treating at the White House, but you have to be 3 or older to attend, so we babysat their youngest. It was such a blast! She is such a little cutie, we just love her.

Of course lots of people just assumed we were her parents, but what was really interesting was how many "adult beverages" we were offered. You certainly wouldn't have that happen in Utah! Although I think, to some degree, it's a great idea! Why not have something for the parents too? If it's cold you could totally serve hot chocolate and hot cider. Ideas! Ideas!

She is just the sweetest thing and is dangerous to be around because she makes me so baby hungry! 

She helped me unload the dishwasher the other day!

Flirting with Davey

She loves when her brothers come home from school!

She has the best brothers! They love her to bits and are so good with her.

These pictures just crack me up! Harassing her brother as he is trying to watch a movie.

Little ones grow up too quick!