It's been almost 4 years since Alex and I started dating and we have yet to go on an actual, scheduled, just-us vacation. We've taken some weekend trips to the beach and snowboarding with friends but that is the extent of it. A combination of medical, job leave leniency, and financial issues have prevented us from doing much for the most part. I'm trying to make this year different. I want to focus more on having fun and getting rid of some of this stress. Because I am full of it and turning into a crazy person!
Our first vacation is finally planned (I'll take credit for doing all the planning, ahem.) At the end of May, we are going to Williamsburg, Virginia for a 4 day trip. I'm planning a day or two in the historical areas, a day in Busch Gardens, and maybe a day touring and tasting at some of the local vineyards. The hotel is free thanks to Alex's parents generously letting us use their timeshare credits. Although the timeshare has locations all over the country, I wanted to find a location that was driveable and accepted Saturday check-ins. (I'm still trying to use as few vacation days at work as possible. I'm stock piling for future plans.) Our options were Williamsburg or the Poconos Mountains in Pennsylvania and we ultimately chose Williamsburg because there are more options in the area. The Poconos sounds fun, but the only thing you can do there in May is hike and I don't think I can take four days of intense hiking in a row. My butt hurt enough after one afternoon of hiking. And what if it was rainy while we were there?
I'm still wishing for a week somewhere warm and tropical but I'm hoping we can do that sometime next spring. I haven't gone on a vacation like that since college! And for those who are counting, that was just about five years ago. Man, time really flies. I need some all-inclusive resort fun. We also might finally take a trip out to the San Francisco area together later in the year. If that doesn't work out, it might just be me again. Oh well, I'll just eat In-N-Out burgers for two! That would not be a problem at all.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Life Lately
We've been enjoying some free time these days and it has been a welcome change from the normal busy-ness of life. Tax time is over and we're currently taking a *ahem* break from home repairs, painting, and any non-routine house work in general. We've been enjoying a lot of little things. I've been listening to a lot of Avett Brothers and Alex has been applying to a lot of jobs. Things have been going well as they are.
This weekend we finally made it out to Sugarloaf Mountain for a few hours of hiking. It was one of my first times hiking so I have no comparisons for the trip, but it was a lot of fun. Tough. We only did a three mile hike but ended up taking a few of the steeper inclined paths. It was quite a leg workout for me. Today, two days later, my legs are still killing me but Alex is completely fine. Story of my life.
Where's Waldo? I stayed safely at the bottom. Falling rocks! We made it to the top after a quick, steep scramble for some beautiful views of the farms and and hills below.
We (I) have already planned our next hiking trip on the Billy Goat Trail in Great Falls. We're definitely going all the way and doing trail A! I just have to get a little more confident in my rock climbing skills.
After the hike, we had a quiet lunch at the Comus Inn located near the bottom of the mountain. I've come back to this place a few times even though it's about an hour drive from our house. The food is good, but the hospitality, views of the mountain, and location among farms keep me coming back. On our way to the restaurant, we had to stop and wait for a chicken to cross the road. Love it!
We made one last stop for a tasting at Sugarloaf Winery and bought a few more bottles. I wouldn't say their wines are at the very top of my list, but they're decent if you stay away from the sweeter end of the spectrum. And it's nice to support local businesses. They are so inviting and encourage you find a table outside and stay for a while. I like to see friendly places being successful.
The next day we awoke bright and early with a long list of to-dos. We washed our yellowish green cars and discovered that yes, at one point they had actually been silver. Sadly they are once again covered in a yellow film. Oh well. I never really cared about the cleanliness of the exterior of my car. I just care that all that yellow stuff has also found it's way up my nose and I haven't stopped sneezing for weeks.
Summer Ale makes the work go by faster! Never mind that it was barely 10am. I spent a lot of the afternoon getting the backyard together and putting in my herb garden. I still have to get a few more plants but those are soon to come. Our neighbor recently replaced his fence and gave us a few extra inches of yard, so I'm taking advantage of it!
We closed the weekend out by making another round of flatbreads. We still had more of the same leftovers so why not? Don't judge my lack of variety! They are tasty!
This is how I now feel after such a busy weekend. And isn't this picture of my little buddy adorable?
This weekend we finally made it out to Sugarloaf Mountain for a few hours of hiking. It was one of my first times hiking so I have no comparisons for the trip, but it was a lot of fun. Tough. We only did a three mile hike but ended up taking a few of the steeper inclined paths. It was quite a leg workout for me. Today, two days later, my legs are still killing me but Alex is completely fine. Story of my life.
Where's Waldo? I stayed safely at the bottom. Falling rocks! We made it to the top after a quick, steep scramble for some beautiful views of the farms and and hills below.
We (I) have already planned our next hiking trip on the Billy Goat Trail in Great Falls. We're definitely going all the way and doing trail A! I just have to get a little more confident in my rock climbing skills.
After the hike, we had a quiet lunch at the Comus Inn located near the bottom of the mountain. I've come back to this place a few times even though it's about an hour drive from our house. The food is good, but the hospitality, views of the mountain, and location among farms keep me coming back. On our way to the restaurant, we had to stop and wait for a chicken to cross the road. Love it!
We made one last stop for a tasting at Sugarloaf Winery and bought a few more bottles. I wouldn't say their wines are at the very top of my list, but they're decent if you stay away from the sweeter end of the spectrum. And it's nice to support local businesses. They are so inviting and encourage you find a table outside and stay for a while. I like to see friendly places being successful.
The next day we awoke bright and early with a long list of to-dos. We washed our yellowish green cars and discovered that yes, at one point they had actually been silver. Sadly they are once again covered in a yellow film. Oh well. I never really cared about the cleanliness of the exterior of my car. I just care that all that yellow stuff has also found it's way up my nose and I haven't stopped sneezing for weeks.
Summer Ale makes the work go by faster! Never mind that it was barely 10am. I spent a lot of the afternoon getting the backyard together and putting in my herb garden. I still have to get a few more plants but those are soon to come. Our neighbor recently replaced his fence and gave us a few extra inches of yard, so I'm taking advantage of it!
We closed the weekend out by making another round of flatbreads. We still had more of the same leftovers so why not? Don't judge my lack of variety! They are tasty!
This is how I now feel after such a busy weekend. And isn't this picture of my little buddy adorable?
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