Susan Campbell (no relation) and the Girlies Come to Visit

So my crazy friend Sue calls me Friday at just about the time I think she'll be getting on a plane in SLC to tell me it turns out her flight is actually the next day.  She's discovered this as she gets to the airport.  Her niece has recently become a flight attendant and Sue has her companion pass, so she's just learning the ropes of this flying stand by thing.  She will let me know when she is coming in.

So Saturday she calls as she is running down the concourse to tell me she is hoping to catch the plane that will bring her into BWI later that afternoon.  After that has been confirmed, I plan to meet her plane at Baltimore.  As I'm sitting in the call and wait lot for her, she sends me a text that says her flight is in and she's going to hop the train to DC?  What?!!!  "Oh no you're not!!!", I text frantically.  She seems amazed that I am there to pick her up even though I have told her I would do this very thing.

She has asked if I wanted anything special from Utah so I asked her to grab me some Real Salt (which is made in Utah and is the most amazing thing ever!) but instead of bringing me a small shaker she brings me all of this.  Flavored, seasoned, kosher, regular.....Gotta love that girl!

So we have just enough time to fix a quick dinner and dash to the Metro to go to Union Station to meet her god-daughter Kate who is coming on the train from Philly.  Because it is the weekend the Metro takes FORever but we finally arrive to find Kate happily sitting in the Great Hall people watching.  Back on the Metro and head home as we've gotten word that Sue's niece (the flight attendant) is on a flight into Dulles Airport in VA.  We get back to the apartment and get Kate settled in before Sue and I hop in the car and drive the 45 minutes to pick up Kealy.  Back after midnight and straight into bed.

Kealy, Kate and Sue

 Tom had to work the Army Ten Miler on Sunday so we got up at 4:30 so I could take him to the Pentagon then I went back for some quiet time.  The girls all got up and decided they wanted to go to church with me so off we went.  Great sermon about how our actions reflect Jesus, and great music so it was wonderful.  Kate's first time in church so that was especially nice.  I was working the Connections Table so between shifts we walked to Eastern Market for some shopping.

Lots of cute hippie skirts to be found so there was some awesome shopping going on.  Auntie Sue was handling instruction of the intricacies of wrap skirts.

Headed back to Barracks Row for a leisurely brunch at the Banana Cafe which is just across the street from church so I could run back and forth.  Plus the Marine Barracks are there so they could check out some cute young men.

Next we opted for a drive through of the District so they could get an overview of the city.  Sue had worked as an intern at the Supreme Court back in the day so we definitely had to see that!  We drove around all the monuments then headed toward Georgetown.  Sue kinda had her heart set on a cafe she used to go to all the time when she was here but turned out it was long gone.  Instead we just drove by the campus and showed them the cute cobblestone streets then headed out on the gorgeous George Washington Parkway which is just beautiful right now with all the leaves changing.  The weather was absolutely perfect!  After several hours they were all ready for a nap so we headed home to rest and regroup.

When these girls nap....they NAP!  They didn't get up until after 6pm so we decided to go to Old Town Alexandria for dinner because there was another place there Sue wanted to visit.....Hard Times Cafe and their world famous chili!  AND they had a headless horseman out front.....

 Had a great time walking up King Street and just peeking in the windows of the beautiful shops before walking over to Christ Church (George Washington's church when he was in town) and checking out the grave yard.....

We left Old Town and headed back into the district.  It's so gorgeous to see the monuments at night and there are fewer drivers.  Tom and I took turns driving and dropping the girlies off so they could go see the memorials.  They were completely mesmerized and thought it was all so awesome!

 It was after midnight when we got home so we all headed to bed.  Monday was Columbus Day so Tom was off work.  The ladies were supposed to be deciding what they wanted to see that day but when they finally got up and saw that it was a gloomy, rainy day....they decided they would take off for the next arm of their trip (driving to NC to look at a college for Kate).  Plus I think they were a little overwhelmed by all we had squeezed into one day!  After our little breakfast bar we drove them over to the rental car place down the street and they took off for their next adventure.

 Bless Tom for being such a great host to three women he's never met before.  Sue and I have been friends for many years through work so though he knows of her, he'd never met her.  But you throw in a twenty-something and a hippie teenager.... that's a lot of talking, giggling, yoga-ing, and hormones floating through the apartment for my dear introvert.  He had a good time though.

Army Ten Miler 2014

So while I was spending Sunday morning with the girls, Tom was riding in the media truck and handling the press covering the Army Ten Miler.  I don't know what that means exactly but he did have the best seat in the house out in front of the runners.  I was able to go last year and watch these amazing runners and those who are unable to run.

 These people are fast!  Like the dude who took first did in just a few minutes more than it takes me to do 3 miles.  Brother!

Tom's team at the Pentagon

Play Date

So my friend Beth suggested we have a play date since she watches her grandson Ryan, and I have Dylan.  So we met on a gorgeous day at a park in Alexandria.  There we were with all the other grandmas and had a blast, as did the baby boys!

For some reason, poor Dylan had the runniest eyes and nose that day....and who knows whats up with that hair!  Still had a good time!

5K with Mauricio and Other Stuff

Our friend Mauricio is in DC through December going to school at National Defense University.  We met him in Alabama when he and his family were here from Columbia while he went to school with Tom's class.  He's right on base with Tom now so they can get together for lunch occasionally.   One of the girls in our tri group invited us to run in a 5K her company was participating in so we asked Mauricio to join us Saturday morning.

 It was a little rainy but not bad.  Slow time for me and even slower because I had to stop and use the restroom along the route!  Lots of great recovery goodies for us at the finish line!

Tom took first place in his age category!  Got a $75 gift card to the restaurant at the National Press Club!  Cool!  We left there and went to Barrack's Row to have a yummy breakfast then took a walk through Eastern Market.

Spending my days hanging with Dylan.  We play, cuddle, he plays on the floor at the gym while I work out, we go for walks and cuddle.....or did I mention that?  Never seen a baby who can be so alert and awake then nod off within a few seconds!  He's a doll.

Had our small group at Kim's apartment Monday night.  We made pumpkin bread with chocolate chips.....more like pumpkin CAKE.  So we did the preparation then got them in the oven while we discussed the week's chapter in ONE THOUSAND GIFTS, then bundled them up to take home.  I wrapped mine up with the cute card and ribbon Kim provided and gave it to our maintenance guys.  They were very happy!

A Sunday and Monday

Me, Kristin, Alexis and Michele

Our weekends have been super busy lately and this one was no different.  We went to church Sunday morning and it was nice to just relax and enjoy the sermon before working the second service.  I had to take off early because I was meeting the girls for lunch in DuPont Circle.  Kristin's mom was supposed to join us but when they got up and looked at her ticket to fly home that afternoon it was actually 2 hours earlier than she had thought.  We had a lot of catching up to do since they've all been very busy with school and work.  Had a great time though.

In the mean time Tom left after the third service and met Randy at the Waterfront to go sailing.  We met Randy on the Metro one day not long after we moved to DC.  We were talking to someone else who was wearing Utah Jazz swag and then Randy joined in.  Turned out he's from Utah as well and he was on his way to church at NCC.  He took sailing lessons this summer and now can go out on his own for a few hours at a time.  I wanted to go as well as the day was absolutely perfect but had already made plans with the girls.  But Tom said they had a great time.

 So we've been trying to have the Fuhrmanns over to our place all summer but between our two schedules it's never worked out.  So Sunday night Dalliss and I decided to be spontaneous and just meet up at King Street Metro the next morning.

We took the free trolley down King Street in Old Town to the Waterfront and walked along there for  a bit before heading back up the street and enjoying some of the cute shops.  It's great fun for just window shopping.

 They've started to decorate for fall and everything looked so festive.  We stopped at a place called John Strongbow's Tavern that is new and has a British theme.  We opted for the buffet which was good.  I always love my time with Dalliss.  She's just very wise, and hysterical and we're always able to solve the problems of the world. Plus she gives great advice.

Monday night was my new small group at Kim's apartment near Nats Stadium.  Mostly younger women but Kim, Beth and I are nearer in age.  We're reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp and each week we make a little something.  One to keep and one to give away.  Last week we made the little notebooks to keep with us as we're supposed to be keeping track of 1000 gifts or blessings we enjoy every day.  We also made a decorated caramel apple but for some reason it didn't set up right so wasn't really presentable as a gift.  Hence, Tom and I shared it.  This week we decorated a small candle in a pot and then made a Cowgirl Cookie mix in a jar to give away.  I gave mine to Rachel and Ernest when they brought Dylan over.