2nd Installment

Golf.  We are dating our way through the alphabet.  Here is a quick rundown of all that we have done so far.  A) We carved Apples and Ate caramel Apples.  B) We went for a Barefoot Beach walk at Fenwick Island.  C) We went to the Cinema and watched The Help because Michelle had just finished reading it.  D) We went to a Dinosaur park and had a picnic.  E) We went to the temple and did an Endowment session.  F) We ate French Fries and Frosties and looked for Fabric for Family night.  G) We went Golfing (mini) in Gaithersburg and played Games.  H) We went on a Hike at Great Falls National Park (Virginia side).  I) We made milkshakes (Ice cream) because it sounded better than homemade Ice cream.  J) We went down to the Jaynes’ for the weekend and Just had a great time talking on the way there and the way back.  That’s all the farther we have made it so far.  Well, here is a picture of us mini-golfing in Gaithersburg.  They had great landscaping and a very fun course.

This was originally going to be about our hike, but then today, something else came up that is even better!  HAIR.  Today, Michelle went to give me my normal haircut and she did a GREAT job.  She was just putting a few finishing touches on the fade and decided to branch out and try using scissors.  She isn’t quite as talented with scissors as she is with the clippers yet so the result was not very pretty.  We decided it might be better to buzz it off than to have a high-and-tight.  Michelle buzzed my head to a 1.  Since it was so short anyway, I told Michelle I was going to be like my Dad and Bic it just to see what it would be like.  I now have no hair, but it should be back soon.

After the buzz



Getting ready to Bic it



The final product



Insects.  We do live in a basement apartment so they are bound to come up some times.  Michelle knows that anytime I ask, “Wanna see something cool?”  She should say no or else I’ll be showing her another bug or slug.  Yes, we’ve found several slugs on our stove and I’ve even stepped on one.  That was quite a surprise!  We also enjoy regular visits from crickets that like to hang out just outside of our front door and hop in every time the door is opened.  Sometimes I find some really cool centipede like things that have really big front and back legs (like a daddy-long-legs) and little tiny middle legs.  We get occasional visits from sugar ants that are mainly just fun to watch.  Insects make Michelle a little queasy so I get the pleasure of looking at each and every one of them and then the satisfaction of squishing them.

Jaynes’.  We love living by our Jaynes’ cousins.  Rachel lives just a short 15 minutes away.  We have been treated to dinner several times at Rachel’s house as well as invited to participate in sand volleyball and many other activities and we’ve also enjoyed inviting her over to our house for dinner and games.  Rachel and I are the same age and were best friends when we were little.  She only lived a few hundred yards away and when everyone else was at school we had so many adventures.  Ever since then, I have loved spending time with Rachel.  The best part is we can do almost anything together.  During our senior year of high school Rachel came to visit us for a week or so and we got a little bored one day.  I wasn’t worried because boredom never lasts long when you are with someone as fun as Rachel.  That afternoon we created our own “I Spy” picture.  During my freshman year at the Air Force Academy, I went to visit Rachel and Aunt Marcia in Rexburg for Spring Break.  Two years ago while Rachel was getting her Masters at Eastern Washington University, she stuck around Washington for almost a full extra week of her Christmas Vacation so that she could see me.  It is so nice that to see each other now we don’t have to go to extreme lengths.  We just have to go for a short drive.

Me and Rachel (Yes, I am wearing a headband and cat sun glasses—at least I was only three)

Me, Abe, and Rachel hunting for Easter Eggs I presume

Can you find: methane, a hand, five 5’s, a flush?

Rachel and I pretending to donate to the Pike’s Place Market Pig

Levi, Abe, and I grew up doing everything together.  Levi, Emily, Andy, and Addie are only 2 ½ hours away in Tappahannock, VA.  A week and a half ago, Michelle and I went down visit them.  We have loved learning how to parent from Levi and Emily.  They have been very kind and allowed us to practice a little bit with their two kids, Andy and Addie.  Andy is almost two years old and is so cute.  Addie is darling.  She is just over six weeks old and it was fun for Michelle and me to get to interact with a new baby.  It makes us so excited to be parents soon ourselves.  Apart from getting to play with the kids, Levi also taught me how to change oil in a car and we attempted to fix their lawnmower (couldn’t get a replacement part).  Levi and I also schemed up a project to complete during Thanksgiving.  We’ll have to wait and see if the project comes into fruition.

We look forward to their future trips up here to attend the temple because that means we get to see them and sometimes help babysit.  We also look forward to spending a Thanksgiving filled with football, projects, and turkey with them.

I’m so grateful that two of my best childhood friends have done such a good job keeping me in their life even if we lived in different states.  I’m also grateful that we no longer have to live so far apart and that we see each other regularly.

Levi and I rolling on a barrel

Me, Rachel, Ande, and Levi having a weenie roast

Me, Abe, Levi, and Rachel (same glasses and headband)

Ande, Levi, Me, Rachel, and Charlie  swimming at the Nat-Soo-Pah(and some random girl none of us knew who decided to squeeze in the picture)

Michelle and Addie

Andy and I reading