In the Woods and in the Rain

So a few weekends ago, we drove up to PA to camp? in Sam's family's cabin!  It was fun, relaxing, and the dogs had a GREAT time running around like crazies in the woods!

We went hiking, grilled, played cards, and made s'mores and campfire pies.  A delicious weekend!  We also were forced to give the pups baths when we got back.  They were disgustingly gross and thrilled about it!

After camping, we cleaned the house in prep for this past weekend... people came to stay after we watched JMU play in the rain!  It was cold, windy, and raining and we only made it until halftime before we packed up and left.  But we did tailgate for 4 hours before hand...

We were the first ones in the lot... apparently the rest of JMU's fans are not as hard-core!

It was fun!  We had mimosas and bloody Marys, ate junk food, tried to stay dry, and bought more bookstore clothes since none of us were prepared for the wind!

JMU won (although we didn't see it)!  Instead, we headed home to order pizza, watch football on TV, play games, and deplete our stock of beers...

 

It was a busy weekend and we had a lot of fun with everybody!  Next up: NOTHING.  I am sooooo looking forward to a weekend with NO plans... and lots of naps!

Football Wins and Golf Troubles

My parents came down to visit us this past weekend!  We used it as an excuse to eat delicious, but unhealthy food, drink some tasty beverages, and spend a LOT of time out of the house.  Saturday, we went to a JMU football game!  It was the first of 3 games that we will go to and the weather perfectly cooperated!

They played Albany and although it was a looooong game (due in part to inept referees and in part to JMU's desire to NOT run out the clock at the end), it was fun!  AND they won!

Aaron spent about 50% of our trip down explaining the campus, sharing stories of his college days, and complaining that "when he was there, there was MORE fan participation in football games!"  We had to casually remind him that the stadium was half that size when he was there, so there were probably more people there, they were just more spread out now.  And then remind him that we are old, so things change... that's why we drink.

It was a fun time!  We walked around a lot before the game, to park the car, get the tickets, buy some bookstore stuff, and get lunch, and then we walked some more afterwards to get some  beers at Pale Fire!

The beers were good (we got a sample of everything), but I thought that they were a little bland and boring.  Nobody agreed with me though, so maybe I was just being picky?

On Sunday, we lounged around in the morning, watched the beginning of the football games, and then headed to Blue Ridge Shadows for some golf!  It was an impossibly hard course... there was a lot of searching for golf balls in the tall grass/woods and there was a lot of "golf words" (as Mom calls them).

Mom started out good, Dad ended good, Aaron had a rough few holes, but mostly did really well... and I had a few good shots, but mostly did very poorly.  I shot a 151.  Apparently that's possible...

We started later in the day, so by the time we searched for balls and swung the club a gazillion times, the sun was setting before we reached the end.

So we had to kind of rush the last few holes.  But we had a good time!  Minus the few holes where the fairway was non-existant and you had to hit it over a ravine to the green.  You can guess how many golf balls were lost on that hole...

But overall it was a busy and fun weekend!  PLUS the Browns and the Redskins won!  And now I would like to sleep for 3 days....

Sad for Football, Good for Beer!

This weekend was far less hectic than previous weekends (thankfully)!  Aaron golfed in a charity tournament with his dad, Brent, and PopPop.  Apparently they did well, but because of Aaron's perceived abilities, they got put into the first flight of golfers, which were apparently the best golfers.  Oh well.  They had fun!

While he was gone, I watched a movie and napped with the pups.  I have a rough life, clearly.

When he got home, we cleaned the house and then Sam came over to help us enjoy some fall beers and football.  UK won, even though we couldn't watch them (darn SEC network)!  Instead, we watched MSU vs. Oregon.  I couldn't even tell you who won (MSU did, I looked it up)... I was obviously super invested.  MSU's uniforms were pretty stellar though.

The best part of the evening was the fall beer!  South Street's Twisted Gourd, which had a little too bitter in the beginning for me, and Starr Hill's Boxcar Pumpkin Porter, which was not nearly as Pumpkin-y as I would have liked.  Aaron enjoyed his first Great Lakes' Nosferatu of the season (I'm not a fan, but he likes it).  Lucy enjoyed belly rubs from Sam, when he paid attention to her spread-eagle posture...

Sunday rolled around and it was surprisingly sunny (but cold)!  Aaron prepped the back yard while I finished cleaning the house and then right before the games, Aaron decked out the pups in their new Redskins jerseys.  They hate them, but they make Aaron happy, so...

We finally got to meet John's family and Sam brought his family (his sisters and their significant others, no children for Mr. Thomas)!  The guys watched football with Sam's sisters while Julie and I went outside to let the kids run around with the pups.

It was a sad day in football land (as my mother says).  The Redskins lost to the Dolphins and the Browns got obliterated by the Jets.  At least it came with more good beer!  Southern Tier's too- hoppy Pumking, the delicious Schlafly Pumpkin Ale, and the rich and yummy Terrapin Liquid Bliss Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter!

It may not be fall yet, but it was only 65 yesterday, so we can drink fall beers now!  And they are the best!  The Browns?  Not so much... maybe they'll get better... hopefully...

Franke Gets Hitched!

And FINALLY.. Part 3 - Where Franke becomes Mrs. Anderson! (unofficially, since it takes FOREVER and so much effort to actually change your name on everything...)

On Sunday, we woke up for the wedding!  I got up early to get ready before heading to the reception hall to help prep all of the stuff... centerpieces, dessert tables, place settings, favors, decorations, drinks... the list was long.

When I got there, I found her family hard at work.  Her parents were running the show and her brothers and aunts and uncles were dutifully completing a thousand tasks at once.  It was awesome. 

Rebecca, Lauren, and Jaime showed up a little later.  Rebecca's cousin had done everybody's hair in the hotel room.

We got everything done, made a list of things to do after the ceremony, and everybody headed in their respective directions to get ready.

Once we were all ready, we waited for the boys to show up.  Aaron and Dave got their early to help with the set up.  They also got a to-do list for after the wedding in case we had to stay later on the mountain for pictures.  They were very helpful.  Lauren also gave Aaron her camera and told him to "take as many pictures as he wanted"... she ended up with about 400 pictures...

The guys showed up with the officiant and we all headed up to the ceremony site!

It was beautiful!  A mountain side alter with gorgeous views!

People decorated while we took bridal party pictures in the FREEZING wind gusts.  In between pictures, we hid in the trees to try to protect ourselves from the wind.

The photographer had to count to 3 before each picture so that we could all breathe, relax, and stop shivering...

Once we were done with pictures, we hid in the (brand new!) minivan until the ceremony started.

We watched everybody arrive, put on jackets, and head to the altar.  I taped and pinned my dress down so that I could hold a bouquet (and 2 when I had to grab Rebecca's) without flashing the guests... it's tough being a girl sometimes...

The ceremony was short, but beautiful.  It was simple... with some violin music, a unity tree planting (with a UK jar from Mrs. Franke), and the usual vows, "I do"s, and rings.

They looked so cute!  And none of us fell on the gravel aisle!

After the ceremony, the families stayed to take pictures and we headed back to the reception hall to finish up the things that couldn't be done earlier.  And then we taste tested the drinks...

The reception was low-key and fun... just like the newlyweds!  There were yard games before dinner, a delicious barbecue dinner (made by Clay's uncle), and enough treats to stuff us all (before dinner).

Luckily, Aaron brought extra clothes or they would have worn identical outfits!

New sister-in-laws!

After we all ate, they cut the cake and Best-Man-Brian and I gave toasts.

The Jalan Crossland band showed up to give them their first dance and then start the party!  They are country, which is not my style, but they were really good!  I was impressed!

There was a lot of stomping, dancing, and cheering... everybody had a great time!

We helped clean up afterwards and then headed back to the hotel to try to get some sleep before leaving Laramie early to catch flights.  We flew home (I slept, so it went very quickly!) and Aaron and I lounged around...

Tuesday, I took vacation to pick up the pups from the kennel.  Gus somehow cut his paw, so I took him to the vet (it was a pretty bad cut, but not bad enough for stitches apparently).  They gave him an antibiotic shot, some ointment, and a Cone of Shame.  He was NOT happy.

It hurts him to walk and he's moping about the cone, so we did a LOT of snuggling and napping.  He pretty much sat or slept in my lap for about 6 hours... thank you to Harry Potter and Sons of Anarchy for giving me something to do while I snuggled with him.  

Lucy is being a trooper.  She's getting neglected a little bit because Gus is so needy (he runs into walls in the cone and can't walk around well).  When Aaron get home, she will need to get some extra snuggles to make up for it!

Overall (besides Gus's issues) it was a great weekend!  Rebecca is now a wife! Congrats to the newlyweds! Enjoy your Hawaii honeymoon!