Minus One

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

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

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

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

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

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).