Jessie & Dustin

Our Last Ball

2012-02-18T18:14:00.000-05:00

Every February the VCU medical campus hosts a winter ball... and there was no way we were missing out on our last one!

On our way out the door...

This year it was held at the Richmond Convention Center (not quite as fancy as the Jefferson but much roomier).

There were friends.

And games (Dustin spent half the evening on the "green".) But no casino (I was disappointed, too.)

And dancing. (Of which I caught a few precious shots, but worried I'd lose a few friends if I posted them.)

And awkward encounters with Dustin's drunk classmates. Loved it all.

*Thank you to Kim for the adorable dress and to my little sis for the cute blister-inducing shoes.

V-day and B-days

2012-02-16T06:17:00.001-05:00

sushi + chocolate + roses + sappy romantic movie

= perfect Valentine's Day.

And Happy Birthday to my parents...

sure loved spending it with you!

6 Months

2012-02-06T19:01:00.004-05:00

27 weeks/6 months... the third trimester has arrived!

Only 3 more months to go... which feels like forever when I think about about how much more time that is for my belly to grow, but a short blip when I realize we'll have a baby of our own. That things are going to change. In a crazy but good way. Permanently.

Excited? Of course. But I don't think you can ever be ready.

So here are some shots taken over the last few weeks. My friends tell me I'm still small and my sister thinks I'm "huge". (Thank you, Brooke. Most days that's how I feel.)

Besides a short bout with the stomach flu, I've been feeling pretty great. It seems like baby girl (we're not going to decide on a name until we meet her) never stops moving around in there. And is it just me or does it seem like the whole world can't help but stare at a pregnant belly?

In other news...

My feet are beginning to disappear:

My family came down for the weekend to continue our never-ending paint project and we noshed* here on some burgers and tots:

*for Dustin, a definition: Nosh: noun/to eat food enthusiastically or greedily

And last week Dustin and the boys took a road trip to Blacksburg to support the Cougars:

things i'm loving in february

2012-02-01T13:14:00.003-05:00

that it's 70 degrees. this has been the most wonderful, warmest winter ever. bliss.

this web site. it's saving me from baby registry-induced anxiety. (as are all my wonderful friends with
endless suggestions.)

knowing where we'll be for the next 2 years (Chicago!!) ... even if we are incredibly sad to be leaving our
friends and family and home we've made in Richmond

baby girl everything. i've been good, but i can't help myself to a few adorable things...

Trader Joe's chocolate covered pretzels. milk or dark. sweet and salty and heavenly.

forever 21 maternity. yah you might have to check their site daily and items fly out of stock instantly.
but 6$ for skinny jeans. 3$ tees. seriously.

reading.
Clockwork Prince (addictive series)
The Thirteenth Tale (currently enthralled)

taking my first few pictures on manual settings. each in-focus, well-lit shot is a tiny victory!

self-tanning cream. i could certainly do with a little faux sunshine... my secret to summer glow in february (it may have forced its way onto Dustin's face once or twice)

and family. love them all. did i mention my little brother is getting married in April? isn't she darling?!

jake + maddy

Matched

2012-01-30T10:47:00.003-05:00

We just found out that we've been MATCHED...

to the pediatric dentistry residency program at

University of Illinois- Chicago!!

Which means that sometime between the arrival of baby girl/graduation and July 1st we'll be leaving Richmond to live in Chicago for 2 years.

We're (very) sad to go, but excited for this new adventure to begin!

p.s. Come June/July my parents will be looking to rent out our townhouse, so if you are interested or know any incoming students who might be interested let us know...

Snapshot

2012-01-18T13:28:00.002-05:00

Our last week in photos... captured on Dustin's phone.

Ranked

2012-01-12T06:16:00.002-05:00

Thank goodness, Dustin's interviews for residency programs have ended and this week we submitted our final rank list!

For those of you unfamiliar with how MATCH works:
Each residency program ranks their favorites interviewees, and each interviewee ranks their top choices of programs, then a computer program matches everyone up nationwide. You could get your first choice, last, or worse, not match at all. So really, besides a preference list, you have little control over where you'll spend your next few years.

Dustin applied to 25 pediatric residencies nationwide and 5 general practice residencies (GPR's) that have a pediatric focus (as a back-up so he can gain experience and re-apply to "pedo"next year). He received interview offers at 6 pedo programs and 3 GPRs.

We've decided not to reveal the EXACT order that we ranked the programs (since this blog is public and we don't want to hurt our chances anywhere), but here are the details...

#1- Virginia Commonwealth University Pediatric Residency (for a multitude of reasons- baby, not moving, family, friends, warmth- we'd prefer to stay put)

#2-5 (in NO particular order, all pediatric programs are 2 years)
University at Buffalo Pediatric Residency
University of Illinois Chicago Pediatric Residency
University of Minnesotta Pediatric Dental Residency in Minneapolis
St. Christopher's Hospital for Children Pediatric Residency in Philadelphia, PA

#6-7 (GPR's, in NO particular order, these programs are only 1 year)
Oklahoma University Children's Hospital GPR in Oklahoma City
Samuels Sinclair GPR at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, RI

*You might recall that we took a trip to Boston for Dustin to interview at Tuft's Pediatric Residency. Due to the cost of the program, we excluded it from our rank list. He was also offered an interview at a GPR in Albuquerque, NM, but because they don't participate in MATCH and would have required an early commitment, we declined the interview.

MATCH day is Jan. 30th. I'm assuming we'll get an e-mail/phone call/something that day and we'll suddenly know where we're going! While we'll be grateful to get matched anywhere, I'm terrified of living somewhere freezing cold. (Considering our list my odds are pretty good that I won't be warm again for a couple years...)

On Pregnancy

2012-01-08T18:50:00.001-05:00

I'm not one to write very much when I blog. I usually treat this space as more of a "scrapbook"-lots of photos, little said. But for some time now, I've been thinking about writing a post with a few more details on my pregnancy (so far). Those of you who have been through this before have probably experienced or heard it all. But I know that as a first-timer I'm fascinated to read about what other girls went through. So I thought I'd share. And I wanted to document the little tidbits that, by the time baby girl is in our arms. I'm sure to have forgotten.

The first few weeks after I found out (that pregnancy test turned up positive about as early as possible, so I knew around day 10):

Couldn't sleep- wide awake at 3, 4, 5 in the morning. Not sure if it was hormones or stress or pure
excitement. Thankfully only lasted a few weeks.

Tons of energy- once again, probably the excitement.

Immediate bladder meltdown. Up going to the bathroom 4-6 times a night.

Feeling great and still loving food.

The only hard part about this period was keeping a secret. You want to tell just about every person
you meet, not to mention your friends and family.

Approx. weeks 6-10. This was when things got rough.

I slowly lost my appetite and then the all-day nausea set in. For several weeks I spent most of my time
on the couch. Several times a week I would drag myself to the gym and push through a light
workout.

Food became the enemy. Nothing sounded good. Nothing looked good. I couldn't cook or read a
restaurant menu. Food Network was banned.

Foods I formerly loved were repulsive. Especially meats and veggies. I couldn't even look at a salad.
Garlic, onions, strongly flavored or spicy anything- horrible.

Not eating made me feel worse, so I managed to survive on the most random occasionally-appealing
things. Annie's Mac and Cheese, pretzels, peanut butter and jelly, pickles (typical). And most sweet
things. I was eating like a picky child. Dustin found it hysterical that I'd come home from the grocery
store with goldfish and string cheese. No more gourmet chef here.

Never actually threw up, just always wanted to. Felt slightly better at night. Anything I did eat during
this period I probably won't be able to ever eat again.

Everything smells. Several nights I made Dustin eat his take-out sitting on the front porch. Food,
animals, people- the whole world stinks! I still can't stand the smell of my own husbands hair.

Other fun symptoms: constant burping (anything you do eat, you'll taste for the rest of the day), hot
flashes, exhaustion, congestion, constipation (drink, drink, drink!), orthostatic hypotension (when you
feel like you're going to faint if you stand up too quickly), headaches, and a few other unpleasant
things. Not all side effects were awful... there was one item of clothing I was thrilled to outgrow
within the first few weeks!

Misery. There were days where I shed a lot of tears. I may have threatened that this might be our only
baby. It was hard to be excited or to yet imagine the end result. I didn't look a bit pregnant (in fact
through the first trimester I only lost weight). It's especially hard to be sick when you're trying to keep
it a secret. At 6 1/2 weeks I had my first ultrasound and a due date was set (May 8th)- all that I could
see was a yolk sac and a little heart beating!

6 1/2 weeks.

Weeks 10-20. Slow and steady improvement into the second trimester and beyond.

While my nausea very slowly subsided, I still had little appetite and no desire to cook. We lived on
take-out and re-introduced frozen foods to our home. Dustin actually started complaining that he had
to buy lunch at school.

The worst part of this stretch was a flare-up of my irritable bowel. As I began to eat more, my
digestive system revolted. In summary: incredibly uncomfortable and painful gas. Nothing helped.
(Years of digestive troubles have not left me shy about disclosing such things- it's life!)

The reveal. Right around 13 weeks (Halloween!) we announced the news. Only a few friends had
grown suspicious by my constant sickness.

This time period was an emotional roller coaster. (Thank you, hormones.) You worry about
everything- not eating healthy, eating too much, not eating enough, overdosing on prenatals (yes, I
accidentally did that one day- I blame pregnancy brain), risk of miscarriage, how big your bottom will
get, what your baby's nose will look like, what gender your baby will be....! It really never ends. I
think the hardest part for me has been the loss of control. You can do your best to be healthy but
ultimately you can't control the outcome of your pregnancy or what's going on with your body. And
that's scary.

Daily bump analysis. Besides a bit of bloat, there really wasn't much to see until between 18-20
weeks when it began to pop right out. (Meaning I could no longer suck it back in. It was there to
stay!)

Flutters. I felt the first few signs of movement inside of me. At first it felt like popping or a butterfly
and was hard to distinguish from gas (more of that, yes). But then just before Christmas I felt the first
gentle kicks on my hand. That was probably my favorite moment of pregnancy.

Weeks 20-23. What relief! Over the last few weeks (best Christmas gift), I've felt like a new me.

My 20-week ultrasound revealed that we are having a healthy, active little GIRL! (Which I was really
hoping for!) She wouldn't stop moving (literally doing flips) the whole visit. The tech said she got
some textbook shots of her and we saw everything- fingers and toes, heart valves pumping. She was
measuring 1-2 weeks big for her due date, so the doctor said she wouldn't be surprised if she arrives
in April instead of May.

Profile shot.

All female.

Another profile. Hand curled up by forehead.

Arms and legs.

The food issues are still lingering, but I've managed to prepare a meal or two. I posted on my recipe
blog for the first time just this week! At this point eating out is my favorite thing. (I enjoy food much
more if it doesn't come from my kitchen.) I've yet to reach a point where I actually have a strong
appetite. (Starting to wonder if it'll ever come back...) But I can happily say I'm starting to like food
again!

Loving working out. I've managed to keep up a modified version of my exercise routine the entire
pregnancy. But now I've never looked forward to my workouts more. I have energy and it makes me
feel incredible! I'm not running much because it's not comfortable but I do all sort of cardio, toning,
and prenatal pilates. Hoping I can keep this up 'till delivery...

Digestive system in repair. Less burping. Less frequent trips to the bathroom. One symptom related to
the milk-producing organs that I totally didn't expect. Let's just say that I'm one of the lucky ones who
gets to invest in breast pads a few months early. Some ligament/stretching pain. Not terrible, but
uncomfortable.

Feeling content. Suddenly I'm not so worried or stressed. Our baby is healthy. I've started to gain
weight and accept my morphing body. I'm ready to embrace the bump. I'm more excited than ever to
meet the little person living inside of me!

Big kicks. My belly literally jumps. She moves nonstop. Lately she's started simultaneously kicking
my colon and tummy. It's a strange sensation, but she likes to jostle things around back there. Both
annoying and awesome.

Looking a little prego. Not a lot. But there's an ever-growing bump. Still not one person in public
has said anything to me. Probably scared that it might just be a gut. Since it's winter it's not hard to
stay covered up. I guess come spring I'll be able to surprise the world with a 9-month belly!

Today.

Grateful. To be pregnant. And feeling better. To get the chance to be parents. To have a few more
months left to prepare. (Besides a few essential pieces- the tutu, hooded fur coat, and summer bonnet-
I haven't gotten her a thing yet!)

A little anxious. Yes, this is really happening. In less than four months you will be in labor. And in
pain. In less than four months you will be a mother.

But mostly so excited!

Random New Year

2012-01-02T18:04:00.003-05:00

A quick summary of the events surrounding our New Year...

Starting with a showing of Sherlock Holmes at the ghetto theater in Manassas. No seats. Just a spattering of couches. Comfy but gross.

Brunch in downtown Richmond at Millie's diner. Worth the longgg weekend wait!

A party to ring in the New Year.

And the bump update.

I don't make New Year's Resolutions, but I enjoy looking back on the past year at all we've accomplished.

Here are our feats of 2011:

I passed my nursing boards and became an RN
I started (and quit) my first nursing job in the operating room
Dustin passed his 4th year boards
Dustin applied to and interviewed with 8 residency (mostly pediatric) programs
I got pregnant and survived the first half of my pregnancy
Dustin survived the first half of my pregnancy
I stopped biting my nails (only took about 20 years)

Here's to an equally awesome 2012!

Cross-country Christmas

2011-12-26T20:10:00.000-05:00

We spent the week before Christmas in Eugene, OR and were able to catch up with the friends...

The Rodmans (above) and the Shaws (below).

And family we haven't seen in far too long...

Nick and Kim and our new niece Leah (above), Jim and Amy and Payten (below).

The Davis family (minus Erik who's serving his mission in Brazil).

Christmas morning/afternoon we opened presents in several shifts (which explains the multiple wardrobe and hairstyle changes). It has been predetermined that baby girl is going to share our BYU/Oregon allegiance.

Christmas evening we hopped on a plane... and flew all night long... to arrive in Virginia for Christmas part two with my family. Different state, different day, same clothes. After hardly any sleep. But never too tired for presents.

My sweet sisters.

And Jake, his professional wrapping job, and his adorable girlfriend, Maddy.

And a few shots of my rapidly-growing belly. I swear it gets a little bigger every day!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Revealed

2011-12-17T09:54:00.003-05:00

It's a...

BUMP!!

And...

We're thrilled to be having a little girl!!

Our "20 week" baby girl is healthy and active and actually measuring 1-2 weeks BIG for her due date. So she may be arriving in April instead of May!

While the bump is still small, it definitely popped out over the last week. And thankfully, I'm feeling the best I've felt in months! (Besides that most food is still icky and smelly.)

Now we're off to Oregon for Christmas part 1.

Grateful

2011-11-28T07:04:00.000-05:00

We had a small but wonderful Thanksgiving this year with my parents and sister.

I think it was the first time in years I didn't cook a thing! I'm so thankful for being close to home and being spoiled by my mom.

And I was so grateful that the worst of my sickness has past so I could enjoy the holiday feast! Here are my first official "belly shots" at almost 17 weeks. Still not much of a bump to speak of (although had I taken these after dinner it might have appeared differently)...

The Restaurant Post

2011-11-12T08:27:00.023-05:00

After a few recent requests, I've finally gotten around to compiling a list of our favorite Richmond restaurants. Over the last 3 1/2 years we've tried quite a few local eats and I thought the results of our experimentation might come in handy for someone else. I've included some of our favorite dishes and I'll also include a few favorite spots outside of Richmond...
(click on the names for a link to the website)

Richmond:
Cous Cous- Mediterranean/Moroccan (hummus platter, saganaki, manchego fritters)

Tarrant's Cafe- little bit of everything (mahi fish tacos)

Mosaic Cafe - local/healthy options (gouda bacon mac and cheese, Shem creek pita, cranberry slaw)

Edo's Squid- Italian (eggplant parm, penne with sausage and broccoletti, vegetable lasagna)

8 1/2- Italian (Edo's take-out counterpart)

Ipanema Cafe- Vegetarian (gouda grilled cheese, sweet potato fries)

Palani Drive- wraps/quesadillas (Shenandoah, Hummus tabbouli, Durango, Pesto Chicken)

Baker's Crust- cafe fare

Urban Farmhouse Market Cafe- local/organic salads, soups, and sandwiches (Q-Bleu chicken, roasted red pepper and sweet potato soup)

Garnett's cafe- sandwich shop

Ettamae's Cafe- lunch/bruch (cumin pork manchego)

Osaka (the one on River/Huguenot Rd., not Short Pump)- Japanese, sushi

Cafe Rustica- "European comfort" (crab cake platter)

Cafe Caturra- gourmet soups/salads/sandwiches

Belvidere at Broad- "eclectic American"/organic

Julep's Southern Cuisine- fine dining (bacon-wrapped filet mignon)

The Black Sheep- southern

The Boathouse- American, seafood (recommended for ambiance, the food is just decent and pricey)

Cafe Gutenberg- European influence (I had to include this one on the list even though they recently closed, it was probably our favorite place in Richmond, the Gutenburger was to die for, hoping they someday re-open)

Comfort- southern (lunch prices very reasonable, pulled pork, mac and cheese, squash casserole)

Lehja- Indian (pricey but excellent, tikka masala, garlic naan)

Umi Sushi Bistro- Japanese/sushi (we LOVE sushi and have tried a lot of places in the area, this is one of the few worth returning to, right across from Short Pump mall)

Millie's Diner- American with a latin flair (go for brunch- omelets, frittatas)

Thai Flavor- Thai (favorite pad thai in Richmond, located close to home in the Innsbrook shops, take-out available)

Farmer Johnson's Country Kitchen- down-home cooking, sourced by local farmers

Anokha- Indian (our favorite Indian in Richmond, tikka masala, shrimp tandoori skewers, lunch is a great value)

HogsHead Cafe- Southern/BBQ (pulled pork or chicken sandwich, sweet potato fries, shrimp po' boy, favorite BBQ sandwich in Richmond)

Station 2- American/gourmet burgers, local (one of the better burgers in Richmond, sweet potato tots are awesome, brunch is yummy, too)

Mediterranean Brick Oven- Mediterranean (hummus, tabbouleh, souvlaki, shawarma, skip the Italian half of the menu)

Richmond, meaning to try:
(some of these are on the more expensive side- we're hoping to try them before our time here is up)
Pescados- Caribbean/Latin

Acacia Mid-town- seafood/regional

Stella's- Greek

Azizas on Main- Lebanese, Italian

Mekong- Vietnamese

Pasture- Southern small plates

Sette- fire-roasted pizza/Italian

Charlottesville:
Revolutionary Soup- yes, soup, and a little of everything else (Adam's Apple, butternut squash soup)

Feast!- local sandwiches/soups/salads

Bodo's Bagels- bagel shop/bagel sandwiches

Continental Divide- southwestern

VA Beach:
Mojito Cafe- Cuban

Mayflower Cafe- Mediterranean

Washington DC:
Sushi Yoshi- Japanese, sushi (actually in Vienna)

Mai Thai- Thai (old town Alexandria location, awesome pad thai)

Crepes A-Go-Go- sweet and savory crepes

Market Lunch @ the Eastern Market (crab cake sandwich, blueberry pancakes)

Busboys and Poets- eclectic/local (just ignore the overtly liberal agenda)

7th Hill Pizza- Italian/Neapolitan pizza

Charleston/Folly Beach:
Taco Boy- Mexican (I dream about those fish tacos)

Note that this list is slightly slanted in my favor. Dustin would probably include Burgerworks (I've yet to try it, but supposedly they serve high-quality gourmet burgers) and Five Guys (not local, totally greasy).

If you have any questions for me about prices/size/kid-friendliness of any of these places- I'm always happy to answer or provide suggestions.

And I'd love to hear about your favorite places as well... we're always up for trying something new and I'll update this list as I make new discoveries.

Happy dining!

Boston, etc.

2011-11-06T07:22:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we snuck away to Boston for a little work (Dustin had a residency interview) and a little relaxation. (If you can call driving in Boston and braving a nor'easter relaxing.)

Despite the wind and cold we snapped a few pictures...

The Boston Commons (above), walking the Freedom Trail (below)...

Every other second we were ducking in a shop or cafe to warm up. It's a beautiful city, but the weather didn't exactly convince me I want to live there.

Dustin's grandpa just finished his mission at the Boston temple, so we had to check it out.

Despite a treacherous drive to the airport in the middle of the night (on snow packed zero-visibility roads), we made it back just in time to dress up for Halloween...

Dustin's lack of preparation resulted in his wearing my litte sister's witch dress. A picture too priceless not to share. He freaked out a handful of trick-or-treaters.

This last picture was one of the few we've taken over the last 2 months. (Since I spent the majority of it nauseous on the couch.) But we did get around to cleaning out the office and Dus was thrilled to throw away piles and piles of old school stuff.

November has brought the beginning of my second trimester, and thankfully I'm feeling significantly better. Food is still a struggle though- I'm hoping I find my appetite again soon. Sorry, no belly pictures to share... my baby bump is still nonexistent!

13 Weeks

2011-10-31T09:50:00.000-04:00

An explanation...

of why I've been almost absent around here lately.

and why I haven't posted a single recipe since early September.

and why even the idea of cooking is revolting to me.

and (partly) why I'm still not working.

I've been sick.

But the best kind of sick possible...

because baby Davis is due May 8th!

Recently

2011-10-03T07:51:00.002-04:00

Despite my lack of blogging lately, we've had a busy month (or busy for at least half of us) and so I thought I'd provide a quick update on our lives recently...

Dustin finally finished his pediatric residency applications and we heard back from the first few schools. Over the next few months he'll be interviewing at programs in Minneapolis, Chicago, and Buffalo. (Hopefully we'll get a few warmer options, too....)

After weeks of early morning/late night/every-spare-second studying Dustin took his 4th year written boards this weekend. We don't know the outcome yet but we're thrilled it's over. Now I get my husband back!

We've spent a lot of time with my family (celebrating birthdays, evading hurricanes, and painting). They've been helping us cover up some awful paint colors in the upstairs bedrooms. I swear our house would fall apart without them.

The only event I have any pictures of was a quick apple-picking trip to an orchard in northern VA. If anyone wants apples, I have two fridge drawers full of them. Come help yourself.

I'm still job-less. And the job market is only partly to blame. I happen to be a very picky job-searcher. Some days I feel lame that I'm not using my degree, earning some money, etc. and other days I'm gloriously happy that I have so much free time (so don't feel too bad for me). If the right job comes along, that would be amazing. But I feel blessed that we are being taken care of and I can take my time in this process.

Lastly, I decided to take a break from my recipe blog (various reasons detailed here). Originally I thought it would only last a few weeks and I'd be dying to post a new recipe. But that hasn't happened. I'm enjoying the blog-free life more than expected. After two and a half years of being a constant grocery shopper, cook, photographer, writer, and dishwasher, it's refreshing to enjoy a meal that I don't have to stop to take a picture of first. The blog was controlling my life a little bit more than I realized. There was always the (self-imposed) pressure to post something new. So I'm shrugging it off and I'll get back to food blogging when I feel like it...

Labor Day Baby

2011-09-06T06:48:00.000-04:00

17 years ago my youngest sister was born on Labor Day and this year her birthday fell on the holiday once again. We drove up for the day to celebrate with our half-a-family. I made my baby sister french toast for breakfast.

And then we spent the afternoon at the Newseum. It's now one of my favorite sites in D.C.- despite that it was an unexpectedly sobering experience. Here we're standing next to a portion of the Berlin wall...

Beautiful views from the rooftop deck...

They had stunning yet heart-wrenching exhibits devoted to Katrina, 9/11, and pulitzer-prize winning photography. A monument of twisted metal from the World Trade Centers...

And of course there were cake and candles and presents involved...

Happy Birthday, Brooke!

some of my favorite things

2011-09-04T09:59:00.001-04:00

running with dustin in the park on a saturday morning.

... followed by a trip to the farmers market for fresh baked bread, tomatoes, corn.

nail polish.
(for years i've tried to stop biting my nails. then one day i got a manicure and discovered that as long as i keep them polished i won't bite 'em. Voila!)

how happy dustin gets when byu wins a football game.
(the opposite could be considered one of my least favorite things)

fall.
(boots, sweaters, scarves, apple picking, pumpkin candles)

the way Virginia looks in the fall.
(it's coming!)

sunday mornings.
(sleeping in- or going back to bed if you're like me and always wake up by 6am, pancakes, reading)

ice cream.

and sisters.
(i'm lucky enough to have 3 of them... and can't believe that the littlest one turns 17 tomorrow!)

(i found these pictures taken of my sisters as my bridesmaids only 5 years ago... before make-up and contacts, sporting braces... so adorable!)

Durham

2011-08-24T06:15:00.000-04:00

On our way back from the beach we stopped in Durham for a short stay with the Sanford's (who left Richmond just a few months ago for a medical residency at UNC). We started our weekend off with a delicious brunch...

Then we visited a local farm to sample the fresh milk and ice cream... amazing!

And on Sunday morning we took a stroll through Duke gardens...

It's hard to part with friends, but awesome to have them only a few hours away!

confusion.

2011-08-23T04:47:00.041-04:00

you're supposed to get an education.
you're not supposed to stay in school forever.
you're supposed to work to support your husband.
you're not supposed to hate your job.
you're supposed to get experience so you have a career to fall back on.
you're supposed to be a mother.
you're supposed to be able to get a job anywhere as a nurse.
hah.
you're not supposed to lie on your job application.
you're supposed to move across the country in eight months.
you're supposed to know what to do.

it's exhausting being pulled in so many different directions.

sometimes my favorite solution is to do nothing.

(or at least for today.)

Beach Bliss

2011-08-22T05:43:00.007-04:00

Our own little slice of ocean...

Not sure why the frowns.... it was gloriously warm and sunny and we soaked in as much summer as we could.

There was lots of fishing...

With some success.

Dustin's best catch was a sting ray (which was immediately released).

Amber is an expert with the net and provided a steady supply of bait. (The girl wasn't afraid to manhandle a fish or stick a hook in its head. I was impressed.)

And Jake reeled in a shark. (A little disturbing to discover what you're swimming with.)

The shark unfortunately became dinner. Better him than us, I guess.

And after a blissful week we said goodbye to the half of my family who is returning to school and we won't get to see again 'till after Christmas.

Amber, Katelyn, Jacob, and beautiful bit of beach... you'll be missed.

Retreat

2011-08-18T07:40:00.003-04:00

This is where we've been all week...

...crammed with family and friends into a beach house- fishing, swimming, sunbathing, eating, and thoroughly relaxing. (But more on that later.)

On Monday we snuck away to Wilmington to celebrate our anniversary.

USS North Carolina

Downtown Wilmington

For the night we stayed in a bed and breakfast in Hampstead. Really we were just sleeping upstairs in a sweet woman's adorable home (with breathtaking views of the waterway). It felt like a stay with a grandma we'd never met. In the morning she left us a wonderful breakfast and afterwards we went out for a paddle.

(Or rather Dustin paddled while I snapped pictures.)

Getaway complete.

Just 5 years ago...

2011-08-15T06:25:00.280-04:00

August 15, 2006.

Salt Lake City.

It's crazy how fast 5 years can pass and how much can happen in between.

Since then...

we've lived in Provo, Portland, Connecticut, and Richmond.

we graduated from BYU in 2008.

Dustin applied, reapplied, was accepted, and has almost finished dental school.

I decided to become a nurse, completed nursing school, and am now an RN.

Dustin decided he wants to stay in school forever... and become a pediatric dentist.

Also unexpected...

Jessie started cooking. A lot. And this little project came about.

We became an aunt and uncle. Twice.

We doubled our square footage and gained a backyard.

We grew a garden.

We fell in love with Richmond.

But a few things haven't changed...

I'm still blonde. (Quite surprising considering my history.)

Dustin still complains that I steal the covers and crank up the heat.

We're still together.

Just the two of us.

Still in love.

It's funny how on that day you hope, but you have no idea...

of the joyful, sometimes painful, yet absolutely beautiful life that awaits you

and how in five years you'll look back and think about what a rewarding decision you made.

Weekend

2011-08-08T07:54:00.005-04:00

Back to "the district" for the weekend, with friends.

The U.S. Botanic Garden (right next to the Capitol). We took half a tour and it was fascinating. We wanted to make off with few exotic plants to glamorize our own garden (but then we decided it might not be worth a visit to federal prison).

Some of you in the medical field might recognize this one...

Did you know that black, white, and pink pepper pods all grow on the same vine? Have you ever seen a cocoa tree in blossom? Or how about a root beer plant?

Then on to our favorite lunch spot on the Hill. I dream about Market Lunch crab cakes.

And our first visit to the National Cathedral. Stunning and huge. Inside and out.

Due to some unforeseen car trouble, I got to spent an hour laying on the front lawn with this view.

Now I wish we could rewind and do it all over again.

Growth

2011-07-26T07:30:00.002-04:00

In April I planted my mini garden and crossed my fingers that it would grow more than just a hundred jalapenos this year...

Come July it looks like a jungle back there. It's loving this hot sticky mess of a summer.

Can I interest anyone in some basil... or perhaps parsley?

The best reward... tomatoes galore.

Well Spent

2011-07-17T21:30:00.001-04:00

There are few ways I'd rather spend my weekend than...

at a crowded Food Truck Festival in D.C.

sampling the city's best curb-side cuisine.

Or strolling through Historic Old Town on a Saturday morning.

The farmers market = my heaven.

Or standing in a line that trails out the door of the newest Cafe Rio. In Manassas. It's a crazy wonderful miracle.

Happy 30

2011-07-14T11:28:00.008-04:00

Yesterday Dustin reached 30.

So we celebrated with a few of his favorite things...

Starting with rock climbing. Despite his years, this boy is still very lithe and agile.

And then we tubed down the James...

With my super-tan family. (I chose not to appear next to them in this photo. The contrast is frightening.)

And since Dustin adores pasta, we dined on platter-fulls at Edo's Squid. The food was amazing.

Happy Birthday, guapo.

Bonsais and Firearms

2011-07-05T08:18:00.007-04:00

On Friday afternoon we snuck into D.C. to explore the national arboretum, starting with the bonsai gardens.

And the national herb garden (which you can't really see). The arboretum has miles of driving/hiking trails through a dozen different gardens. D.C.'s hidden gem!

Afterwards we stopped in Capitol Hill for pizza and gelato.

On Saturday the boys took me out to the shooting range... (I'd never shot a gun before.)

And taught me how it's done.

I might have left with a sore shoulder and partially deaf, but as suspected, I loved it!

And on Monday we were back. With a new arsenal and a few more friends.

We felt it was an appropriate way to celebrate our freedom. And embrace our inner redneck.

Dustin beat me by a single shot!

Jake insisted that I include this photo of him "planking" (some Australian fad) on the tree swing. Here you go, little bro.

And while Amber and Katelyn missed the real shooting because they had to work over the 4th, we celebrated together by playing an obnoxious amount of Bang!.

Family Photo Shoot

2011-06-23T19:02:00.002-04:00

Mid-May my family came to Richmond for a photo shoot by our friend and photographer, Danielle. My mom had been looking forward to doing this, as it was the first, and possibly last, time all of us would be together for a while. When my family arrived it was pouring rain on Montfort Loop, but when we reached the river downtown it was perfectly dry! It turned out to be a beautiful evening.

Here are ~~a few~~ (ok, lots) of my favorites...

Just the two of us.

Jacob, 22. (Sorry siblings if I got any of your ages wrong. Sometimes I get confused.)

Amber, 19.

Katelyn, 19, too.

Baby Brooke, 16.

Just the girls. (The guys refused pictures together. We're prettier anyway.)

Thank you, Danielle. We love them!

Photos by Danielle Hone (http://daniellehonephotography.squarespace.com/)

Lately

2011-06-20T10:23:00.005-04:00

Saltville

Dustin's first away rotation was in the tiny town of Saltville, VA. He worked on patients at the clinic during the day...

And ventured into the country in the evening...

Riding in lawn chairs in the back of a pick-up truck. I feel a redneck joke coming on...

It might be the middle of nowhere, but it sure is beautiful.

While Dustin has been away on rotations I've spent a lot of time in Northern Virginia with my family. Swimming, shopping, cooking, and enjoying being home with my brother and sisters. Dustin joined us for the weekend after working hard in Norfolk.

Great Falls Park

Saturday afternoon we took a hike through Great Falls. I've lived in Virginia (on and off) for the last 18 years and didn't know about this little gem. (Or can't remember having ever been.) Great Falls is a national park situated along the Potomac River- which divides Maryland and Virginia- right outside of D.C. (very close to Tyson's Corner if you define locations by shopping, like me).

We encountered a bunch of deer. They didn't run when we got close. They just stared.

It was a beautiful hot and sweaty day.

The park has trails for hiking, biking, and even horse back riding. You can fish, picnic, kayak, canoe, and rock climb. We'll be back!

Father's Day

Then we celebrated Father's Day with my family. The patio set was our family gift to Dad.

So we had dinner outside around the grill...

My dad had begged the family to see Gnomeo and Juliet with him and then hated it. So we thought it would make the perfect gift!

Dad, we love you!

Disclaimer: Dustin is not, although probably should be, getting paid to advertise for RVCA. He does happen to have a lot of their t-shirts and it just seems as though that's all he wears!

Backyard BBQ

2011-06-02T07:46:00.000-04:00

Memorial Day.
Our backyard.
Crammed with friends and good food.

(Those pictured here are the brave ones who stayed outside despite the sickening heat. It was nearly 100 degrees and humid, too. Please excuse all the sweaty red shining faces. Not our best look.)

The Montfort Loop (and Queensland) crew. We had to get a few shots with our fourth year friends before they left us...

I can't tell you how much I'll miss these girls.

Ordinary

2011-05-25T18:10:00.001-04:00

Dustin has complained that I only ever blog about fun and interesting events and that they're not an accurate representation of our everyday lives.

So I made a point to capture a few pictures of an "ordinary" day.

He's been wearing these green scrubs for three years now and this is the first picture we have of him in them (kinda sad)...

An early morning on my way to the hospital....

I was sent home with gowns and gloves to practice "scrubbing in" for procedures.

So I put them to use in the only place where I feel like I actually know what I'm doing.

As you can see we don't get dressed much during the week. We study, work, exercise, cook, relax and sleep in sweats or scrubs. Welcome to our reality.

All Together

2011-05-09T16:45:00.001-04:00

This weekend we drove to Maryland and stopped here (it was such a beautiful day)...

on our way here...

to stand in this longgg line...

and eat this...

Welcome to the East Coast, Cafe Rio! It tasted just like the original.

Then we made our way to Manassas (which is getting the very next Cafe Rio in July!!) to celebrate Mother's Day.

Katelyn and I cooked dinner (apron + sweatpants- my favorite outfit) while Amber fetched Mom and Jake from the airport (they had been in Texas at our cousin Brett's wedding).

We love you, Mom!

All back together again after almost two years.

Quick Trip

2011-04-11T13:31:00.002-04:00

Last week I flew to Utah to visit the friends and family I don't see often enough. This was my first trip back since we left BYU three years ago. (And since I'll be working non-stop for the next 6+ months I had to take advantage of my dwindling free time.)

Amber and Katelyn were gracious enough to let me stay with them for few days.

I have missed those mountains. But not the SNOW. Yes, it snowed the last two days I was there. In April.

Since I recently turned 25 I was old enough to rent a car! It felt very grown up to drop myself off at the airport in my own rental car. The Versa and I got along swell.

I got to spend time with Kristin and her husband (not pictured). This was a dessert shop in Orem, not the Louvre.

I visited my cousin Coral and met her adorable two year old daughter, Halle! I've missed out on a lot...

And we caught up with Nathan and Amy (cousins x 2) over sweet potato fries at Guru's.

Grandma and Grandpa Goodfellow took us out to dinner at Los Hermanos. We love them so much!

My sisters and their roommate Laura. Thank you, Laura, for allowing me to take over your couch and invade your bathroom and kitchen. You make some killer rosemary bread.

Here we all are...

My girls.

It was a wonderfully relaxing trip and a much needed distraction from what I'm about to begin. I didn't realize how much I missed all the places Dustin and I had spent our first four years together. So many memories, so much fun!

Home

2011-03-25T10:10:00.000-04:00

My bigger younger brother made it home from his mission in Ukraine!

Amber and Katelyn, we wish you could have been with us.

I included this random picture because it is a good side-shot of my short hair. (Still loving it!)

He managed to smuggle us each a Ukrainian fur hat through customs... to include real lynx (Jake), red fox (Dustin and I), arctic fox (Mom and Broke) and beaver (Dad).

Jake, we're so happy to have you home.

What I Did

2011-03-24T07:21:00.008-04:00

Or rather what I consented to have done to my hair.

8 or so inches gone.

And Dustin keeps looking at me funny.

But so far, I like it.

Southern Escape

2011-03-21T15:58:00.001-04:00

This year we gave up on the Outer Banks and headed father south for spring break.

Hilton Head Island, SC. Coligny Beach...

We shared a gorgeous house with dental school friends.

This was our view from the back porch (situated on a world-class golf resort.)

Dustin enjoyed the palm trees.

We celebrated our birthdays...

And danced with Wii.

It was sunny and warm and windy. And some of the ~~crazy~~ brave even swam.

We divided into groups and went on dolphin sight-seeing tours. We spent an hour out on the water being captivated (and startled) by bunches of dolphins.

And on the last day we took a side trip to Savannah.

Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah. Dustin contemplating death.

Wormsloe estate. The driveway. It stretched for a mile.

Stepping back in time...

So much fun and warmth. I love this little slice of the South.

Birthday

2011-03-19T06:54:00.002-04:00

A quick recap of how we celebrated my 25th... starting with a trip to Maymont with my family on the weekend before:

Exploring the state Capitol...

Then dinner at Cafe Gutenberg (always delicious)...

And home for a self-baked cake and ice cream. (At least I didn't sing to myself.)

There was also lunch with friends (Urban Market Farmhouse Cafe)...

And Dustin took me to dinner at Cous Cous (probably my favorite restaurant in Richmond).

Does it surprise you that my birthday revolved around food? I wouldn't have it any other way.

So Many Shades

2011-03-09T17:16:00.003-05:00

On this the day of the completion of my 25th year of life, I thought it might be fun to reflect on a short history... of my hair. Most of you know me as a blonde, but you might be surprised by the spectrum of shades my do has traveled through.

Let's start at the beginning.

Not sure if you can call this hair at all. So I started bald.

By my first birthday I had light fuzz. We're getting somewhere.

By three I had the most beautiful blonde mullet. Thank you mom.

Big bangs. Bad teeth. Remnants of a perm. Awesome.

Now we'll skip a few years. For a while it stayed pretty calm. 'Till I hit freshmen year at BYU, when I met Dustin and also became acquainted with hair dye.

So I was about every shade possible of brunette. I even once went red (although failed to find a picture of it). I also couldn't find a shot of the one time, in the midst of all this nonsense, I bleached my whole head platinum- or rather orange- for a few days.

I even went black. (I regretted that.)

Then shortly before we got married I had this crazy idea that I wanted to be blonde. So within a week or so before the wedding, I went for it.

Partway there...

And ta da!

And I've been blonde ever since. (Or at least a shade of it...!)

And I think it'll stay this way. But I'm open to suggestions- perhaps bringing the bowl-cut back?!

OR Intern

2011-03-03T06:31:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I got the phone call that I've been hoping/wishing/praying for...

I got the job as an RN in the operating room!!!

I'll be working for Richmond's HCA hospital system. It begins with a 6-9 month internship (paid and fully benefitted, thankfully) rotating through each of their hospitals and the different surgical services, learning to both scrub and circulate (here's an explanation of what that means). And after the internship I'll have a permanent position in one of their ORs.

(Except in reality we'd all be wearing proper eye protection.)

Most of you know I fell in love with surgery during nursing school (or perhaps it started long before that with Grey's Anatomy- but don't worry I didn't mention that in my interview!) And I knew that this is where I wanted to end up. I just didn't imagine it would happen so soon. I feel so lucky and truly blessed.

April 18th will be my first day of work. I'm going to relish in the boredom until then.

Winter Ball

2011-02-27T08:09:00.004-05:00

MCV holds a Winter Ball at the Jefferson Hotel every February. The perfect excuse to dress up, enjoy a fancy dinner, and dance the night away. Thanks to Nick and Jenna for snapping a few shots of us on our way out the door...

Did I forget to mention there was gambling? (No real money involved.) Dustin enjoyed some blackjack...

And I was hiding at the poker table. I have an ongoing love affair with poker.

I can thank Dustin's college roommates for my gambling skills (it's ironic what you learn at BYU). I'm pretty sure I've never told my parents about this but here goes....

Several years ago I won a (free-entry) Texas Hold'em tournament on our Mexican cruise (and a small sum of money). (And seriously ticked off a large group of experienced gamblers.) But that wasn't the beginning...

When we were little my brother and I would sneak into the basement and play poker where my Dad couldn't find us. (Candy was the preferred currency.) Then he caught on and confiscated the cards and chips and we had to become even stealthier. It started young.

Once I got the gambling out of my system, we hit the dance floor.

Yeah, it was fun.

RN

2011-02-07T10:00:00.002-05:00

I took my boards on Friday morning and had to wait all weekend...

This morning I called the board of nursing (hands shaking as I held the phone) and confirmed that I have an active license in the state of VA!

I'm an RN!!

Graduating was a big deal, but this feels a whole lot better. I'm a nurse for real.

Now a job would be nice.

Celebration

2011-02-07T07:45:00.003-05:00

This weekend we snuck away to celebrate my parents' birthdays. Saturday night we dined at a Thai restaurant in Old Town Manassas. Dustin was distraught that he was going to miss listening to the BYU basketball game on the radio while we were out. Just by chance we were seated at a table right in front of a large screen TV where he got to watch the whole thing! (If you haven't heard, BYU is doing really well this year. It's refreshing.)

Brooke and I planned and cooked Sunday dinner...

...and dessert (to include cake and homemade ice cream)! Don't mind that I'm photographing my food on the kitchen floor. This spot had the best lighting. I have no idea why Dustin is there though.

I had to show off my adorable apron that Kristin made me for Christmas. I'm always wearing it!

Definitely not enough candles on that cake. Let's just say there would have been over 100 cumulatively...!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mom and Dad!!

Love you so much!

Graduation Again

2011-01-30T09:20:00.002-05:00

Here are the professional pictures taken at graduation... better late then never! I went through a lot to get these photos... I had to order them online, wait for their arrival in the mail, and bring our old printer back to life and figure out how to scan them into the computer (hence the poor quality).

This shot was worth all the trouble... as we were running off the stage we coerced the photographer to take a group picture. I'll never forget these girls and the crazy/stressful/fun experiences we had together in nursing school!

Inner Harbor

2011-01-16T07:27:00.004-05:00

Good morning, Baltimore! The view from our hotel...

We took a trip to the Inner Harbor (the only few blocks in which I feel relatively safe in Baltimore) this weekend.

Our main goal was to visit the National Aquarium. (It's the multi-colored building behind us.)

I hadn't been since I was a little girl... but I think I loved it more this time! I was fascinated. I couldn't stop taking pictures of ugly fish. The boa constrictor was deceptively cute.

And look who we encountered in the shark exhibit...! And tagged along with to the dolphin show.

The next morning we visited the birth place of Babe Ruth.
Dad couldn't resist.

And last of all, we stopped by our country's first dental school (University of Maryland) and toured the National Museum of Dentistry. Can you believe we were the only people there?

As much as I like Baltimore, I'm sure glad we ended up in Richmond for our four years of dental school. We love it here!

A Christmas Carol

2010-12-30T20:22:00.003-05:00

After Christmas we attended a matinee of A Christmas Carol, presented annually at Ford's Theatre. We took a few pics before leaving for D.C.

My stunning sisters.

If you've never been to tour the theatre and museum I highly recommend it (it's FREE and one of my favorite sights in Washington).

I didn't take this picture. It was too dark to get a good shot inside the theatre. But this is what it looks like. The box on the left is where Lincoln was shot. The theatre is small and makes for an intimate setting.

Not my shot either. From the theatre web site. Marley haunting Scrooge...

The play was wonderful. We loved it!

Afterward we dined at Old Ebbitt Grill across from the White House. Supposedly popular with several presidents.

And made a short stop at the D.C. temple to see the lights. (We never miss a year.)

P.S. Dad came too. He just got stuck taking all the pictures!

This Christmas

2010-12-28T08:35:00.040-05:00

This Christmas we stayed in Virginia with my Family. We had a dinner of Italian soup, bruschetta, and cookies on Christmas eve.

And lined up oldest to youngest down the stairs on Christmas morning...

Mom gave Dad an ax for Chrimstas...

And Dustin gave me knives...
Kind of morbid, I know.

Onion goggles. Where have you been all my life?

We all got matching pajamas and totally spoiled.

Ending with the usual picture 'round the table during Christmas dinner. Dustin must have liked the rolls.

And one more thing... just before Christmas Kristin came for a visit. We only remembered to snap this one picture together before our guided tour at the VMFA. But needless to say we had such a fun weekend together. Miss you already!

Graduation Getaway

2010-12-18T07:17:00.000-05:00

As a graduation gift, my parents gave us tickets to Universal Orlando. So naturally, as soon as school ended, we took off for the Florida sunshine.

The first few days were FREEZING. I didn't know Florida could get so cold. So we did a lot of shopping and movie watching. It was a little disappointing...

But then it warmed up. And I fell in love with Florida winters.

What we really came for... Hogwarts!

And Hogsmead...

And butterbeer!

And the who's weren't bad either...

And of course we scoured Orlando for all the best food...

And in the process we found the temple...

On our last day we stopped in St. Augustine (the oldest city in the United States, founded by the Spanish in 1565)... it was beautiful. And warm and sunny. I didn't want to leave.

The Graduate

2010-12-11T08:05:00.002-05:00

Last night we got all dressed up....

And we went here...

And this happened...

And then we celebrated...

Yeah, it's really over. (Well, except for passing boards. And getting a job.)

At least I've got another diploma: B.S. Nursing.

To Friends

2010-12-11T08:00:00.015-05:00

To the girls who made nursing school so much fun...

And the ones who kept me going...

I love you all!

Minus One

2010-11-27T17:03:00.002-05:00

This Thanksgiving we hung out with my family... minus one. Jacob will be coming home in March from Ukraine. I think Dustin is more excited to see him than anyone. Too many girls around.

My dad likes to follow us with the camera and snap "action" shots. This was the best he could come up with (our weekend was wonderfully uneventful)...

Amber and Brooke knitting.

Dustin sitting.

Jessie... cooking (of course).

And taking pictures of pie (not unusual).

And Katelyn salivating over rolls.

We also watched movies and played games and ate, too.

We loved Thanksgiving.

Family of Two

2010-11-09T06:50:00.005-05:00

It's been 4 1/2 years since we did this last... and it did somewhat feel like another engagement session! We might still only be two, but I decided that I shouldn't let that stop me from documenting our little family. It was a gorgeous fall day in Richmond. Thank you Danielle, you're awesome.

Photos by Danielle Hone (http://daniellehonephotography.squarespace.com/).

Circulation Issues

2010-11-01T11:31:00.003-04:00

This weekend we took a trip into D.C. to visit the Museum of Crime and Punishment. We got to fire fake guns, read about the cleverest crimes in history, and learn about torture tactics. We took a short trip through colonial time and posed at the pillory (not to be confused with the stocks which secure your feet and/or hands and not your head). Quite the appropriate activity for Halloween.

In one room at the museum they had thermographic/infrared cameras. Essentially, they detect body heat and anywhere warm shows up bright yellow on the screen. Here's an example of what it looks like (this is a snake wrapped around someone's hand).

When I popped up on screen I was yellow everywhere- except my fingers and nose! They were as black as the background. (It looked like I had a hole in the center of my face.) Dustin and Brooke could leave a thermal hand print on the wall. Mine was only a palm. The guy working at the museum seemed kind of freaked out. Now you know I'm not lying when I say my fingers are always cold (hence the gloves in the photo above)! (Note that 21.6 C = approx. 70 F.) Scary.

And now for a few random photos that weren't worthy of a post of their own... A couple weeks ago we met my family in Charlottesville for the evening. That's when we took these:

For My Sister

2010-09-05T15:22:00.000-04:00

What's left of our little family stopped by last night (on their way back from the beach, can you tell?) for some cake and ice cream...

I've always been jealous of those lashes...

HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY BROOKE!

On the Farm

2010-08-29T13:25:00.005-04:00

On Saturday Dustin and I took a trip to Shenandoah to visit Polyface farm (famous from The Omnivore's Dilemma and Food, Inc.), nestled amongst the blue rolling hills. Most of you know that I'm passionate about eating food that's healthy, local, and naturally grown. This farm is a great example of natural, sustainable farming (everything that industrial feedlots and agriculture is not). Good for the animals, good for the environment, and good for you!

(Please forgive the glares- I wasn't angry, it was just really sunny!)

I made instant friends with the farm dog. He really was as big as me!

The pig pen (the rest of them were out in the woods).

Who knew a tractor could be so sexy?

This is what happens when you use one arm to take the photo.

Beautiful, but stinky.

I'd say those turkeys (and hens and cows) look happy.

I came home with a cooler full of fresh eggs and chickens and can't wait to taste them! (I've had VA-grown meat and eggs before and they are amazing!) On our way home we stopped at one of my favorite spots in Charlottesville for lunch (they feature some of Polyface's ingredients on their menu).

4 Years

2010-08-15T14:00:00.076-04:00

To celebrate 4 years of marriage we spent a gorgeous weekend in D.C. Our hotel was right next to Chinatown... (This is what happens when you only have each other to take photos- a lot of posing alone!)

We made it to the temple (I can't tell you enough how beautiful this day was!)...

Our first trip to the national zoo...

Where we made lots of friends... my favorite was Mr. Meerkat (top left)- I wanted to put him in my purse and smuggle him home!

Dining at Busboys and Poets, now a D.C. favorite...

Finishing the night with a D.C. National's game... they got pummeled but it was still a perfect evening. (Dustin got the T-shirt and tickets for his birthday).

Dustin's Family Visits Virginia

2010-08-06T10:56:00.035-04:00

Dustin and I debated over what to title this post for a whole 5 minutes. Nothing we could come up with adequately described this whirlwind week we spent with is family. Dustin's parents and little brother, Erik, flew in from Eugene, OR and spent 10 days with us experiencing DC/Virginia.

The trip included Williamsburg...

The Ford Theater (they spent two 100+ degree days sweating in D.C. while I studied for finals)...

Cooling off across the Potomac from the Jefferson Memorial...

Aww...

Scary, huh?!...

Near the state Capitol in Richmond...

Virginia Beach...

Mount Vernon...

Sunday dinner at my parents...

Their trip included visits to just about everywhere in DC/Georgetown, Charlottesville/Monticello, Jamestown/Yorktown, and all around Richmond! They got to experience the most horrible humid hot days ever (and a whole night and day without power thanks to a wimpy thunderstorm) and a week without a washing machine! Despite the discomforts I think we all had a splendid time. We'll miss you guys.

29

2010-07-19T09:20:00.002-04:00

Dustin turned 29 on Tuesday. I took him to a Brazilian Grill so he could eat ridiculous amounts of rice and beans and meat.

We BOTH had the day off so we treated ourselves to a movie- Dustin chose Despicable Me (which was funny and clever and adorable all in one)!

And then my family came down to celebrate. We went to dinner. And I baked him a cake. Which we shared with friends.

Overgrown

2010-07-10T06:27:00.000-04:00

Zucchini is taking over our yard (our patio may soon disappear). The tomatoes are falling over they're so tall. I have more herbs than I can handle. If you can't find us come Fall, we may have gotten lost in the squash. I'd say the garden is doing well.

We didn't even see this mutant zucchini lurking in the overgrowth!

Backtrack

2010-07-05T11:27:00.005-04:00

We visited my family to celebrate the 4th of July this weekend, and I finally got a hold of some old photos. A few of these go way back. But better late than never.

These were taken before my brother left for Ukraine. Life is significantly more boring without him around.

This was taken this year on Mother's Day. The Goodfellow girls.

Sometime last month we went to the Greek festival in Richmond. Good food but crazy crowds.

And now we're caught up to the present.... watching fireworks set off in Old Town Manassas last night.

River Fun

2010-06-28T17:28:00.002-04:00

We spent a beautiful Memorial Day afternoon tubing down Richmond's James River. There were a few rapids, and a lot of paddling. (I did some strenuous math to figure out that since we went about 3 miles in 3 hours, we were flying down that river at 1 mph!) I managed to not topple out of my tube and I got a tan. Dustin loved it- he would be floating down the river every day if he didn't have dental school.

For Katelyn and Amber

2010-06-17T18:27:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to my two little (twin) sisters! They graduated from high school Monday night (both in the top 10 of their class) and are on their way to BYU in the fall. I love you girls!

May Vacation

2010-05-23T13:22:00.002-04:00

It's not yet summer, but this was the only week that Dustin and I had off of school together (until I graduate in December). We wanted to spend it somewhere warm and sunny, so we went South.

Last year we visited Charleston and found Folly Beach. We couldn't get the waves and sand out of our minds and I had been craving a particular fish taco shop ever since, so we went back. We stayed one night in Charleston just to spend the day on Folly and eat fish tacos- twice!

From the Folly Pier.

Downtown district historic Charleston.

Note the progression of skin tone from ghostly pale (or vampire-ish as my sister described us) to slightly tan. Yes, we used sunscreen and still got a tan. Sunblock is your friend.

Next we spent some time in Historic Savannah. We consulted Trip Advisor and signed up for a highly rated walking tour with "Savannah Dan". He guided us around the streets and squares of downtown Savannah for an afternoon- it was informative and fun! Trip Advisor came through.

That house is famous for something... I just can't quite remember what!

With our tour guide Savannah Dan. He was a large and funny man.

Paula Deen's restaurant The Lady and Sons. Savannah is obsessed with her. I'm not much of a fan so we didn't eat there, but I had to take a picture of course!

After tiring of the city, we drove out to Tybee Beach for an afternoon. This is where they filmed The Last Song. Yes, I saw that movie- Miley Cyrus and all. And yes, I liked it. A quaint little town and a pretty, wide beach.

Our last few nights were spent on Hilton Head Island. It was our favorite part of the trip. Mostly we slept and swam and read sitting on the beach or by the pool. Can't forget all the awesome fresh seafood and Southern fare. A whole week of no cooking! It was unbelievably relaxing.

Sitting on the beach. I thought that my sunglasses would hide the fact that I had my eyes closed for this shot. You caught me.

My pink toes by the pool.

In front of our resort- I already miss those palm trees.

Decapitated

2010-05-06T14:52:00.004-04:00

This is how I found my beautiful Gerbera Daisies this morning. Severed at the neck and soon to be dead. And I know exactly who did it. The homeowners association hired painters who have been touching up the paint on the exterior of our townhouse for the last few days... popping up in random windows and doorways, invading my privacy, and trampling through my garden. Even propping ladders up in front of my front door for hours on end, making me feel like a hostage in my own home. (All this after power washing the house several days ago and practically taking out my herb garden in the process.)

I can deal with strange men peering through my bedroom window (because I can close the curtains) and climbing around in my front bushes (because I can lock my door) but I really don't appreciate them ruining my newly potted plants. It's quite obvious they knocked the whole pot right over... because they didn't even bother to clean up the carnage! Since I'm too timid to march out there and speak my mind (which would probably be useless since they don't appear to speak very much English), I'm complaining to you. I can only hope that the fellows creeping around outside will at least leave my poor vegetables alone.

Garden Girl

2010-04-27T16:24:00.005-04:00

I guess it was inevitable that when I started seriously cooking I would eventually take an interest in gardening. One naturally inspires the other. There's satisfaction that comes from making a meal from scratch- from a pile of raw ingredients. And once you surround yourself with loads of fresh grown foods you start to get the itch to actually make a meal all on your own- from the ground up! This spring I actually got around to it. Or rather, I finally convinced my dad to come visit and teach me what he knows. We spent Saturday building my mini garden and shopping for all the beautiful plants I would fill it with. I was more excited to pick out vegetables, flowers, and herbs than I was to spend my birthday money on a pile of new clothes! (I get giddy grocery shopping as well. Don't get me started on the farmers market!)

So now, thanks to my Dad, I have a garden patch filled with tomatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, and jalapenos. I also started several pots of herbs. And already since Saturday, several more. I'm an herb addict. (Fresh herbs are sooo expensive in stores, so I figure I'll save a significant amount of money this way.) Will anything grow? Best case, come summer I will have an endless supply of salsa! Worst case, I realize I'm better suited to preparing produce rather than raising it. Already though, I'm loving the much improved look of our previously bleak (and weed-wrecked) backyard.

P.S. I really am going to try to be better about posting (and photographing) about our lives. At least I finally took a picture of something other than food (oh wait- it's future food). Well, at least it's a step!

Catching Up

2010-04-01T09:44:00.003-04:00

It's only been 3 months since I posted anything. So here's a quick catch up...

We managed to get one snapshot of the MCV Winter Ball in February-

My Birthday in March- I went out to lunch with friends...

And had a birthday dinner with my family (minus 3-the twins were in Utah and my brother in Ukraine) at Tarrant's Cafe (I highly recommend it!):

And I baked my own birthday cake and I'm not ashamed! It's the only time of year I don't feel guilty about making something loaded with coconut (which Dustin hates). Surprisingly, he loved and adored that cake. Gobbled it right up!

Then spring break! Outer Banks, NC. 18 adults and 14 kids in one very big house. I forgot to take a picture of that. The weather was pretty crummy but the company was fun! He we are bundled up in the adorable town of Manteo:

Christmas Part 2

2010-01-05T07:50:00.015-05:00

Our Christmas continues... The whole Davis family:

All of us at Cafe Yumm... I was meant for Oregon. Eugene is an organic hippy town and I fit right in! So much delicious healthy food everywhere!

The Monday after Christmas we flew back to D.C. to spend some time with my family. My little sister Brooke, the sweetest girl in the world...! (Sorry Brooke, I'm too lazy to edit the red eye!)

Round 2 of presents! We couldn't take all our gifts on with us, but I can't complain about 2 days of Christmas!

We stayed several nights with my family on the Eastern shore of Maryland. We visited Assateague Island (the Maryland half of Chinquoteague) and got up close with the wild horses...

It was beautiful but it was COLD. The lovely Atlantic...

Of course, my one request: that we dine on Maryland crab! Even with the help of my mallet skills (I have none) it took Dustin twice as long as everyone else (who were too wimpy to try crustacean) to finish his dinner. Such a stubborn tasty crab!

And that concludes our Holiday rendezvous. So sad it's over!

Oregon Christmas

2009-12-25T20:06:00.005-05:00

Christmas in Eugene...

At a Duck's game...

The Davis family...

Dustin topping the tree...

Beautiful Payten, our 1st niece...!

Christmas morning...

Kim and Nick and their Snuggies...

Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving and Mount Vernon

2009-11-28T15:38:00.009-05:00

Here's a snapshot of our Thanksgiving holiday:

Gathered around for turkey dinner.

Visiting Mount Vernon with Dad, Jacob, and my Goodfellow Grandparents.

Anything to get inside from the cold- including dancing! Thanks to grandma and grandpa who captured these shots!

From Washington's Back porch... a view of the Potomac! Yes, we were freezing.

We (oh, excuse me, Dad and Jacob) had to wait in line for an hour out in the cold before we got in to see the actual house. But we got lucky because we got to tour the 3rd floor- which they only open 1 day a year! Sorry, no sneak pictures of that. But it was a fun experience!

It all ended way too fast. Now we're back home and one of us has begun studying for finals, while the other wastes as much time as possible doing anything besides homework (hence the blog post)!

More Apples

2009-11-12T12:39:00.005-05:00

We took a second trip to Charlottesville, this time with my brother, for more apple picking and to catch a free movie at the Virginia Film Festival.

Have I mentioned that I love Virginia? I know I grew up (mostly) in this state but I've fallen way more in love with it since coming back!

Halloween

2009-11-02T10:33:00.005-05:00

Happy Halloween! Carving pumpkins...

Jessie scoops the guts.

Dustin does the carving. His dental skills come in handy!

Ta dah...!

Dustin was going to be a scarecrow but due to a costume malfunction he turned into a cowboy! (And I'm his pumpkin!)

White Coat Celebration

2009-10-18T10:05:00.007-04:00

As a second year dental student, Dustin is beginning work in the clinic. On Friday afternoon they held their White Coat Ceremony. Here is the BEST photo we got (camera being lame)...

Dustin, Andrew, and Josh...

Dinner at Kuba Kuba to celebrate... (We should have taken a shot of Jacob's dinner. That was the biggest bowl of chicken and rice I've ever seen! It would have fed a family!)

Apples and Eighteen

2009-10-12T18:40:00.004-04:00

Autumn mandates that we must pick apples. So we took a trip to Charlottesville (one of my favorite places) this weekend and brought home bushels of apples. We took a few of these pics along the way...

And earlier this week my sisters (plural) turned 18! Can you tell which two? We celebrated with a feast... that included lots of apples and of course cake!

Boys Gone Wild...

2009-10-12T18:18:00.007-04:00

...Wilderness style! Dustin had last week off for fall break so he took off to the "mountains" with Jacob. This is the type of thing Dustin is always wanting to do and I'm just not that excited about it. Thank goodness for little brothers. While I did moan about how unfair it was that he had absolutely nothing to do for an entire week and my life was insane, roughing it Appalachian style is not my idea of a "break". But they were absolutely thrilled to haul all their belongings for 16 miles, camp in the middle of nowhere, and leave the world behind.

Dustin cooking?... (this never happens at home)!

Virginia starting to look beautiful this time of year...

Looks like I missed out.

Camping/Hiking

2009-09-20T21:14:00.005-04:00

I've lived in Virginia for 15 years (minus 4 spent at school out West) and it's amazing how little of my state I know. Like Lake Anna- I'd never heard of it 'till we spent Labor Day weekend camping there! Who knew there was such a beautiful place only an hour from where I grew up!? Funny I'm discovering these things now. I guess when you know your time somewhere is temporary you are extra motivated to explore your surroundings.

Special thanks to our friend Doug who willingly dove in the lake to take our picture on shore!

Anniversary in Alexandria

2009-09-03T08:30:00.004-04:00

On Saturday August 15th we turned 3. What better way to celebrate an anniversary than with food (how fitting, right?). So we took a mini-trip to Old Town Alexandria for a walking food tour. We spent an afternoon touring the streets of this beautiful historic city and making stops at local restaurants for samples of the chef's best dishes.

The city is rich in history, full of fabulous food, and is the perfect place to take a nap in the park along the Potomac (we were quite worn out after all that eating).

Inside the church that George Washington attended...

A very old building (I can't remember details. Let's be honest, I was there for the food.)...

An 8 foot wide townhouse (that probably costs 5 million dollars)...

Last weekend we crashed with my family at Holden Beach, NC (a summer trip that they have taken without me for the past 8 years)...

Brooke turned 15! That's my baby sister... all grown up!

And we dined on Thai food (we're actually in Wilmington, not Thailand).

Thus sums up the last bit of August. We're both unwillingly back in school and missing those carefree summer days.

Caught in the act...

2009-08-10T18:53:00.005-04:00

I found this photo posted on Facebook by one of my little sisters...the caption read "doing what she does best"! Yes, I ~~sometimes~~ often take my dinner to the middle of the lawn to get a decent photo (apron included). Food blogging is hard work.

I was completely oblivious to the fact that she was taking my picture. Payback is due.

Two Weddings

2009-08-09T08:11:00.000-04:00

The summer of weddings!
Congrats to Katie and Tanner who got married in D.C. last weekend....

Kristin tied the knot the weekend before...

And I got to be a bridesmaid for the first time!...