Time for Pumpkin Carving!

Did you know that most people don't make a tradition out of pumpkin carving? I am learning that now. My dad always said it was important for our little nuclear family to have its own traditions, and Pumpkin Carving at Halloween was one of them. My parents still do it if any of us kids are nearby - this year Christine was the only one close enough to participate.

Pumpkins by Mom, Christine & Dad

But even though Theresa & I were not part of the actual family event, we both called home (and each other) to live vicariously through the others. Back in the day Dad would take us to William's Nursery and each of the three girls would pick out their own pumpkin. I always wanted the biggest pumpkin I could find. Christine took the longest, searching for the perfect pumpkin. All I can remember about Theresa's pumpkins was that they were always small - she informs me that in fact she was looking for a pumpkin with one flat side, and "They had to be small, Dad made us each carry our own, and I was always smaller than you guys!".  Dad always picked out a pumpkin too - usually something with some personality.

When we got home Mom broke out the newspaper to cover the table, dad took a huge knife to cut the tops off of our pumpkins, and we all got to scooping out pumpkin gook. We collected all of the seeds in a big metal bowl in the middle of the table - and Mom worked on cleaning & baking the pumpkin seeds. 

It's so easy to make a family tradition, and it lives with you forever. Dad told me last night the he had called William's Nursery before he & Christine (25) went to pick up pumpkins, he wanted to be sure it wouldn't close before they got there. Upon learning that they would be open until 6 my Dad said to the woman on the phone: "Oh good, because my daughter really wants to pick out pumpkins so we can carve them tonight." The woman on the phone responded "Well, how old is your daughter? The pony rides stop at 5, and I wouldn't want you to get here as the last pony ride is ending and have your daughter be disappointed."

The "Piece de la Resistance"  was always the candle inside the pumpkin ... We might do this as soon as we finished the pumpkins, or just in time to put them out for Halloween night. 

I'm keeping the tradition alive in VA: This year I am determined. Ryan and I have already bought our pumpkins, now just to find the time to carve them ...

What is Your Strength?

At the gym last week there was a giant poster that I actually stopped to read. It said "What is your strength?" and it was covered in handwritten notes.

"My strength is my daughter"

"My strength is that I will never be fat again"

"My strength is God"

It was inspiring to see what gives other people strength, and it got me thinking about where my strength comes from. I think some of my strength comes from me - and from 'formative' experiences that I've had. But a lot of credit for formative experiences goes to my parents as well.

Simple Pleasures

On the radio this morning people were calling in about the things in life that are their simple pleasures. People talked about their old cars managing to start up in the morning, and their children, and other things that I can't remember. But I do remember that I enjoyed listening to it. It helps put things in perspective again, especially with the way I have been ridiculously stressed for the last two weeks. So here are some of my simple pleasures:

• Carving pumpkins at Halloween (more on this soon)
• dressing up - I've worn skirts & boots & makeup & jewelry for the last few days, and it always makes me feel good
• Crisp fall weather
• making plans with friends
• calling my family when I'm driving
• cuddling

I love Outlets

Outlet Shopping, I mean. Ashley & I went outlet shopping today, I discovered that the Outlets at Hagerstown are significantly more awesome than the ones at Leesburg. So there's some useful information, for all those of you who live in the DC area, like shopping, and read my blog (probably no one :).

It's a Love Story

"Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone,
I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince, I'll be the princess
it's a love story, baby just say yes.
. . .
This love is difficult, but it's real, don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess.
. . .
I got tired of waiting
wondering if you were ever coming around.
My faith in you was fading
when i met you on the outskirts of town

and I said Romeo, save me, i've been feeling so alone
I keep waiting for you but you never come
is this in my head, i don't know what to think

He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring
and said, Marry me Juliet you never have to be alone
I love you and that's all i really know
I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress
it's a love story Baby just say yes"
-Taylor Swift "Love Story"

Even after everything, I'm still a romantic.
I like this song. I like how it starts out hopeful, turns nervous & questioning, and just then becomes elated.

Speaking of Love Story - that's one of my favorite books. :)

When to Stop Reading

Some important advice from my Aunt Lynn:

"So the advice is read 50 pages to see if you like it and then quit if you don't? Or some people say, read 100 pages minus your age. Older people don't have as much time left to waste on bad books."

I learned (again) how valuable her advice was, after I forced myself to read all of Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway".

Are you a reader? Check out goodreads.com - it's a social networking site (sort of) focused on books. You connect with your friends & write reviews for the books you read, then you get updates whenever any of your friends read a book, or add a book to their list. I'm loving it. I love tracking what I read, and I love seeing what my friends are reading - I've added a lot of interesting books to my list based on friends' recommendations. Goodreads came along at just the right time for me, when I was fed up with reading mediocre books because I just didn't know what to pick up next.

Whitewater Rafting

Last weekend I went with a group of friends to raft the Upper Gauley. It was pretty awesome.

pictures :)

Here's Ryan and I in our AMAZING rafting gear:

Sexy Sexy!

and a sample Action shot:

I'm second from the back, on the near side.

The Upper Gauley is supposedly the 2nd best river for rafting in the US, and the 7th best in the world. There are 5 class 5 rapids. And, to give you some perspective ... a class 7 is a rapid that no one has ever ridden and lived, a class 6 you can ride with extreme skill & luck ... and then there's class 5. So, it was pretty intense. I was definitely freaked out before I went, but it was one of those things that was on my list, and I've wanted to do it for years... so there's no way I was backing out. The guides really do a good job of keeping you in line, even if they do have fun dumping you in the river on purpose here and there. :) I highly recommend the experience!

Baltic Cruise: Bath, United Kingdom

Ok, so Bath wasn't technically part of the cruise, but it was part of the cruise trip. We took the bus back to london from Dover, and then the train out to Bath. The path took us through Reading ... look! there's proof!

Reading Train Station

I was really hoping we'd have time to stop in Reading and send a postcard to Ryan & his parents ... but we didn't have time. 

Bath was absolutely beautiful. The weather was nice, and the town was really cute.

View from the Bridge, on the way into town

Mom, Glamour Girl

At Lunch

We saw Portrait of a Lady at an old theater

We went to the Fashion Museum - which was pretty cool. There happened to be an exhibit on a designer who designed clothes for Marilyn Monroe. The best part of that exhibit was the fabulously gay tour guide - he was so enthusiastic and absolutely in awe of the clothing.  

Trying on corsets and hoop skirts at the Fashion Museum

Marilyn Monroe's Dress

The baths, of course, were a required stop. The exhibit was pretty extensive, with a lot of information about how they were actually used, and what life was like at that time.

Drinking the famous (gross and warm) spa water

Good thing beer rinses out the mouth ...

On our last day, we drove 

Yes ... Mom was totally nervous to have me driving on the left

to Stonehenge for special 'Stone Circle Access' tour. That meant that we actually got to go in and among the stones, which was really awesome. There were only about 10 of us in there at the same time, and we actually got to touch the stones. It was really cool.

Kissing the 'Face' Rock

Picking up Mom

The last stop before the airport was Salisbury

Salisbury Cathedral

I love cloisters :)

Another view of the cloisters

I guess this is it for this series of posts ... it was a pretty awesome trip.