Visitors

Mom and Dad stopped by. They were in the neighborhood :)

We really enjoyed having company. Our guest room sits lonely most of the time.We had a couple of fun-filled days, with lots of food and some brave driving. I seriously don't know how anyone gets around DC without a GPS.

We took Cole to the zooWhere we saw monkeys "in the sky". The Orangutans cross a really long cable from one end to the other twice a day or so. Cole though it was really cool.We visited George and Martha at Mt Vernon and had a lovely view of the Potomac. Seriously, this guy knew where to build a house!There was lots of hugging, play-doh and a couple of projects for the chief maintenance engineer.We also went and got Cole a pumpkin. It was one of the craziest fall festivals I have ever seen. Think homemade Six Flags :)We had a lot of fun and can't wait until they come next year!

A Note On Grocery Shopping

Dear Fancy Grocery Store,
Seriously, how can you stand to be so great? I love that you have artisan breads, and rolls, so I don't have to buy an entire loaf. You have fresh sushi made in front of my eyes, a buffet line, a salad bar, pizza kitchen, gourmet restaurant, and blood orange European soda-sold in little bottles or big ones.
Your train that goes along the ceiling is a highlight for the little people. Your cheese and olive selection is outstanding. I have never been in a grocery store in my life that sells Le Crueset. Your organic section rivals Whole Foods and is really an entire section...not just half an aisle. The International Section just amazes me every time. I am used to the International section having only things that reference South of The Border, but your offerings just expose me to different ingredients and cultures I never knew I could re-create at home. I bought Indian tikka masala paste the other day-it was delicious!
That little chocolate cake you make, you know the one that is really rich and has two layers and is covered in delicious frosting, but remains just the perfect size for 4 people (or two, if they want REALLY big pieces). Yeah, we buy it at least once a week. Perfect size, perfect dessert. Let's not get started on all of the meats or the ready-to-cook sections. Your "store brand" actually tastes great!
Plus, you have underground parking, if I want it! It really helps, especially with all of the rain around here.
The thing I love the most? Your prices are decent, for this part of the country.
I'm glad that I'm not leaving any time soon, because each time I visit, I discover something different. This time, it was the artisan desserts table. With tastings? Oh, yes!
I am a satisfied shopper. If I can't find it at your place, (which hardly ever happens) then I begrudgingly go elsewhere for the missing item.
Love,
A Food Fanatic

Notes

It's been forever since I have written a proper note on Nik's Notes. I usually just stick to Facebook. Here are a few "notes" that have come up lately:

Dear XXI Forever,
I really appreciate you helping me through this awkward phase I am going through. Have you heard? The teenage-weight-on-a-woman-who-has-had-a-baby-and-rarely-exercises kind of body is hard to dress. I really wasn't even looking for this gangly yet lumpy look. It just showed up thanks to a poorly functioning gallbladder and a hefty dose of stress. I appreciate that your clothes are cheap, Forever 21, but what part of them are meant to be "forever"? I can barely get things to last 3 washes lately! Even laundering on cold/delicate there can be holes, rips, shrinking, etc. Please stop making cute, cheap clothes that don't last. I fall in love with something and then it gets destroyed! Then again, you get what you pay for.
Forever Yours,
The One With The Skinny Waist and The Skinny Wallet

Dear Humidity,
We have never really been friends. Especially when it comes to the havoc you wreck on my hair. Please though, I ask you to consider me when you are thriving at a solid 100% for weeks on end, making the heat index 114 degrees around here. Product alone can not tame this beast. The poofiness! Oh, the poofiness! The general public should not be exposed to the atrocity that are my tresses.
Thanks a bunch!
The Girl Who Looks Like She Has a Bad Masculine 70's Hair Cut

Dear Metro,
Thank you for the opportunity to give me an abundance of people watching, while taking me somewhere. I enjoy that you are clean, fast and house a variety of people from all nationalities. You give me something to look forward to, in between the being smashed into the walls and sharing grab rails with thousands of other sweaty hands. You always give me at least one gem per ride. Yesterday, it was the lady who was at least in her 60s wearing a leopard mini-skirt. Then again, maybe it was the teenager who carried on an entire conversation in Ebonics. She was speaking English, and I didn't understand half of it. Made me homesick for Pidgin bra! So far it's been a delight. However, I don't get to ride very often, so it is still a novelty.
Love,
Avid Human Observator

Zip A Dee Doo Dah!

Turning 80 is kind of a big deal. So we headed to the river to do what we do best...celebrate!

Medical, Legal and Spiritual Counsel. Just in case :)

and Uncle Kurt to feed us. Just in case we might have the opportunity to get hungry (which couldn't really happen). That is another thing we are great at; food, but it usually goes hand in hand with partying!

I miss being surrounded by people who grow things for a living. It's just a part of us. Even a garden box is taken to first class!

and that is what the reunion was (and always is)...first class!

Harmania

This year's skits were some of the best we have ever seen! They deserved their own post. In no particular order, here are some of the highlights:

Who else thinks George played his part perfectly? He must have studied for weeks :)Am I the only one who has visions of "Come on Bessy, give! My baby's gotta live!" every so often? It just makes me laugh out loud sometimes! Hey, If I can't be Grandpa Rob...I'd tell you who I'd be...a PC Harman! They seem to win it every year! I was laughing so hard that tears were literally streaming down my face and my cheeks hurt. SO funny! Love it!
Here we are, before things started to happen.
Things like Meagan trying to hide, regretting she ever married into this family. Things like Mom trying to steal his microphone. Things like Jake realizing that his grandfather really is THAT crazy

What are you going to do though? At least he makes life interesting :)
There was a great showing by every one and I even learned about the only time that Grandpa has ever really lost his temper. Poor cow. However, I think the one thing that has stuck in my head the most was this.

I will never be able to hear Country Road again without thinking of this:

Grandpa Rob, he's our man....80 years in the land! Happy Birthday! Let's us all say, 2 thumbs up...Grandpa Rob! *How appropriate that his head is blocking the shot in the corner? :)

Who Is This Man?

Authorities have reported that a man claiming he is Mick Jagger was arrested for disrupting a family reunion and possibly scarring small children for life.

Police say that the suspect claims that he was, "Just Working the crowd".

*Seriously, best skits ever! Ranked up there with "Man, I feel like a Harman!"* More to come on Bob Harman Family Reunion 2011.

Mawage, Is What Brings Us Togethaw Today....

If you didn't know it...these two got married. For better pictures of them, go here

It all happened here.

Yes, I captured a pillar of light going in to the temple. How cool is that?!

After taking hundreds of pictures. Here are a few of my favorites.

Nat did an amazing job on the flowers (as always)!

This is the only one of our family off of my camera. Even so, not that great. Hope there is a better one out there.

Kate seems to be the only sibling I caught by herself. Who knows where Mand and Mat were? Probably socializing. They're popular. Then again, so is Katie! Good thing she let me sit at her table!

Hi Pearl!

This is what I think heaven looks like. Grandma's house.

I couldn't narrow down my favorite cake one. I was obsessed!

Can you even believe their yard? Grandpa sure works hard on it and it shows!

We had fun.

And another cake one for good measure!