Greatest Morning Ever!!

This little beauty was waiting for me when I woke up this morning! Don't you just love it when you wake up to something so wonderful and unexpected? You walk into the bathroom all groggy and through sleepy eyes as you mindlessly grab for the toothbrush you notice you can't see your face in the mirror. What's this? Aw, a little love note from the Bear. Doesn't matter what happens the rest of the day, after such a wonderful note nothing can go wrong. It's sunny and cool out today and all is right with the world. I have the world's greatest hubby.

I've got a Library of Congress library card do you?

When I heard my aunt wanted to come and see me for a weekend trip I just knew we had to go get library cards for the Library of Congress since after all she works at the library back home! How cool would that be I asked her? Well of course the idea was greeted with smiles. So we did our homework and found anyone over 18 can get a card. So off we went.

Once we found the little office where they dole out these little gems I stepped up to the counter only to be greeted by what at first seemed to be a cranky government worker type who promptly asked me "ARE YOU PLANNING ON DOING RESEARCH AND STARTING SAID RESEARCH TODAY? THESE CARDS ARE NOT FOR SOUVENIRS." Well the look on my face I'm sure was one of shock and suprise. I stated that I lived in Alexandria VA and that I had family in town with me. Well with that news her face loosened and she smiled and said "OH, YOU'RE LOCAL, WELL THAT'S A HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR. COME ON IN AND LET'S GET YOU ALL CARDS" From then on she was jolly and oh so friendly. I'm sure her job gets frustrating with all the millions of people coming through everyday and all year round. Needless to say we are now proud owners of Reader Identification Cards for the Library of Congress. I can't wait to get my hands on some of those books!
This is a sneak peak view of the main reading room in the Library of Congress as seen through the window of a door. Since I didn't yet have my reader card I wasn't able to go in and take a pic so this one will have to do! What a beautiful building. And as one lovely and close pal said "It's Nerd heaven".

Visit with the Fam!

Here we are on the Metro on our way back to our apartment in VA after our afternoon in DC. I am collecting pictures of people that ride the metro with me. No, I did not cut off all my hair, it's just up for the day since it was so hot out!


Here are a few other pics from there weekend with us. Sculptures in the Torpedo Factory. For those of you who haven't been there with us, it's one of our favorite places to take people who like art.
Step outside the front doors of Union Station and look to your left and this is what you'll see. I just love the shapes and the light coming in.
A view of the capitol as we walk to the Library of Congress from Union Station. It looks so nice in the spring color and light. Too bad not much work actually gets done in there.

The Bear's Birthday Cabin Weekend!

The other weekend I rented a little cabin in the woods on the bank of the Shanandoah River for the weekend as a birthday present for the Bear. Since we work from home most days he never gets a chance to really relax and get away from work. We both love the quiet and simpler way of life so getting away for the weekend was wonderful. Our days were filled with fishing, canoeing, birdwatching and NO tv!!!

I woke up to a beautiful sunrise while the Bear slept in. I grabbed the fishing pole and tried my best to catch something before he woke up but I guess the fish were sleeping in as well.
Each evening we built a fire in the pit and I even roasted some marshmallows. It was lovely to listen to the crackel of the logs and the splashing of the jumping fish just a few feet away. I just know that there was a whopper living in there that we never did catch.
When we first arrived the Bear took my picture in my huge "Gone With the Wind" hat. I just love that hat. This is the same outfit I wore out on the canoe to go fishing. Just cause you're fishing doesn't mean you can't be fashionable!

Cherry Blossoms, Blue Bells and Easter Eggs, Oh My!

I haven't posted in some time but I have been taking pictures as the season gets underway. The leaves are out and everything is that fresh green that makes you hungry for a salad. The cherry blossoms came and made our world a wonderful pink color for about two full weeks before the storm came and blew them all away. The petals floated on the breeze and gathered along the streets and sidewalks in little pink petal drifts making you want to pick them up by the hand fulls and blow on them like fairy dust.

The bear and I took a stroll some time ago through the Bull Run park in Manassas on a trail called the bluebell trail and they were just starting to bloom. That's the bear in the background with his buffalo plaid jacket. What a beautiful day it was. The floor of the woods was carpeted in green with fresh little flowers everywhere.
I have talked about coloring eggs every year for as long as we have been married (8 years May 16th) but never got around to it. Finally this year I did it and the Bear was eager to help! We spent a lot of time figuring out how and what colors to use. The bear was so pleased with how they came iut that he insisted on me taking a picture before we ate them all! So here is your dose of color for the day, enjoy!