Whidbey Island: Why didn't Dave go Prowlers!?!

For Memorial Day weekend Dave and I flew up to Whidbey Island, Washington to visit Jeff and attend the Sato-Price wedding. We had a hard time getting out of Norfolk, our flight to Houston was delayed enough so that we'd miss our connection to Seattle. So we brought it to their attention and they were very helpful rebooking us. So we spent and extra night in Norfolk -- which I wasn't thrilled about because I'd rationalized spending all this money on tickets and actually getting to spend some time in WA! But our flights out on Friday were hitch free. This was the first time Dave and I have traveled together via commercial airlines. My attitude traveling is "get to the gate, then we can relax," Dave's is not quite the same and more laid back, "we've got plenty of time." So it was a little stressful. Then when we finally made it into Seattle we had a really hard time getting our rental car. Well not getting the car, but getting TO the car. There were about 50 people waiting for the Thrifty Van to materialize and take us to the lot, but after 25 minutes of waiting and considering taking a cab, it shows up and can only take 5 people! Everyone was frustrated. Then to top it off, it finally comes round again, and by this point everyone has created a line of some sort, and pulls up to the end of the line! We were pissed. Some nice guy called out the driver and he made people get off so that those at the front could get in. So it was a struggle and a half to get there. But it was worth it just to see the snowcapped mountains greet us!

We finally got to Jeff's house 15 hours after we left Norfolk and he had dinner waiting for us and lots of wine :) As usual, his cooking was superb. We had a nice meal with Jeff and his nice roommate Josh, aferwhich Jeff gave us a tour of the abode. It has a ski-chalet feel to it i think - The whole living room area (which includes Jeff's baby, his handmade bar - is all picture windows looking down the hill and onto trees, and you can see Mt. Baker poking over top. The set up is nice for two people, it's almost like they each have their own house and just share a kitchen: bedroom, 3 baths; Josh has the1st floor and Jeff has the basement. Jeff took us out for a night on the town in DTA - Down Town Anacortes. The night was spiced with cheddar poppers, the dance floor and some local beers. An additional point of interest was the fact we met a Captain's wife who was divorcing her husband for cheating on her and proceeded to give us the all the details... But that's all I'm gonna say about that.

Saturday was the wedding. After consulting with the men as to which shoes and accessories to wear, we headed out at 2, driving down the spine of Whidbey Island to reach Langley at 330pm, leaving time to socialize with the groom and his family before the nuptials. The location was BEAUTIFUL and the day was PERFECT: 73 and sunny at a small estate in the woods overlooking mountains and a pond, all from a well kept garden. It was really neat: Cliff had one of his classmates preform the wedding (he's qualified) which made the ceremony really short and unique to them. The Officiant was nervous but spoke very heartfelt words regarding love, marriage, and the military. It was very nice. The reception was right after in a "barn-like" structure on the premises. The reception was wonderful, with the decorations being simply the ambiance. The food was DELISH and beer and wine flowed like water. The best way to describe it is to say "If Cliff were to throw a wedding, it would be this." Which is nice, because it WAS his wedding :) The whole day really encapsulated both Megan and Cliff's personalities.

Sunday was spent sightseeing and prop plane flying. I'll just let the pictures do the talking :) To see all of them, visit http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AbOGLhmzatmLk4


First Motorcycle ride! My mom's gonna freak out but Jeff said we hit 80 mph! Don't worry Mommy, I'm not aching to get one.


The bride and groom exiting the ceremony :)


Family pictures. I remember this time at Dave and I's wedding and although it was awesome, I don't wish to repeat the forced smiles. Luckily I think megan's more graceful in that area than I am.


This photo courtesy of Jeff Pinkerton Photography, Inc.



From R-to-L: Jeff, Dave, Greg. This was their "normal" picture.



This is my throne. Because I'm a princess. Duh.


Proof that Dave's incapable of taking normal pictures. But we're still cute.


Me and the bride, and my sorority pose is noticeable.


CupCakes in lieu of Wedding cake. Although they did have a small cake they cut.


A taste of the locale. That's dave walking toward me. If I turned around you could see the water and mountains.


I turned around. This is the view we had during the ceremony. Nice, eh?


Tourists at High-School-Makeout-Point in Anacortes. Picture courtesy of Jeff Pinkerton Photography, Inc. (Again, with the sorority pose.)


The boys goofing around atop of Mt. Erie, the Highest point in Anacortes.


Yes that would be me at the controls of the prop plane we rented. Don't worry, Jeff gave me instructions before we took off :)


The view from the plane :) Taken by Dave, who was trunk monkey. Hah, booya.


Backseat Dave.

Jefferton and Davis afront the mighty VAQ-126 Prowler on a stick. (VAQ = V-Fixed wing aircraft; A - Attack; Q- Electronic Attack.) (And for reference, VFA, as in VFA 106, which is Dave's squadron, V- Fixed wing aircraft; F-fighter; A-Attack)


Jeff and Dave entering Ferngully.

Making Strawberry Jam

Yesterday I made strawberry jam with two friends from church. Katie grew up in Iowa on a ranch and her family did pickling and preserving a lot. She used her family recipe with Jen and I to teach us their family's technique.



We picked the strawberries that morning. Of course it thunderstormed 2 minutes after we got into the field so it wasn't as leisurely as we had expected. We all got soaking wet and returned to Katie's house for coffee:)



This farm is located in the PUNGO area of VABeach. It is all family run.




Our strawberries :) Fresh off the vine.




Little Maya thoroughly enjoying the fresh jam in a PB&J sandwich.




Some of the jam... We made about 30 jars total. Most were 8oz cans, and some were smaller.

Germany!

My visit to Germany was really great. It wasn't a cultural visit - as in not for sight-seeing - but rather to visit family. We did road trip to Nurenburg, and went to a monastery, and a working organic farm. It was awesome to wake up every morning and have coffee and conversations with Diane, play in the yard with the kids, bike riding around Ansbach, help give baths and read books for bed, and then stay up and have a beer with Diane and Scott. During the day, the kids were at school - with the exception of John - and Scott was at work. Diane and I planned in the morning and executing in the afternoon. We played "Furniture Chess" a LOT. Furniture Chess is when you move the furtiture from one room into a holding-zone room, move furniture from another room into the holding zone, and then rotate it all... The house was so clean and organized before I got there and then I trashed it! hah. But i did try to put it back together before I left. We redid the kitchen nook from a non-functional desk into a fully functional home office. We organized the dinning room so it looks like it's a picture from a magazine. We converted the sunroom/office into a music and craft room. We planned and bought supplies for the beadboard staircase. We weren't very good at taking before-and-after pictures, but here are some...

Photo shoot in the car

Nathan was first


John was in the mix



Connor post baseball, sporting the layering technique.



Tristan sporting the Iron Man glasses



Monastary that's been brewing it's own beer for over 500 years.



Bio-organic cow that thought I tasted good.


Diane interviewing Luzi for potential additions to the family :)


This is the office nook post development, it is missing the computer which moved in later, and needs to be cleared, but before this area held a cabinet with some food in it... It wasn't used a lot because it's so far from the main body of the kitchen. this way the Hamiltons will have a place to do bills, photography editing, and homework.



Imagine it with drawers and the doors closed, and it's meant for a magazine cover. The piece used to be green, but diane and i painted it and "destressed" it by yelling at it, ;)



The shrine to polish pottery. This is the before. We emptied it and organized it. It's much better now..

Leavin' on a Jet plane

Well, i'm all checked in for my flight tomorrow morning! It's scary how much you can do online nowadays. I know I've probably over packed but it's better to feel prepared. This will be the first time I'm traveling internationally all by myself.

This past weekend Dave and I drove up to Arlington for my Dad's birthday. We had an excellent dinner with my dad and my mom at the Melting Pot followed by Irish coffee out on the deck. Slider had his first sleep over - Doolin was very upset his playmate didn't come. Slider stayed at Greg and Becca's. Apparently he was a pretty good house guest. On Saturday Dave and I drove down to Richmond to go to the Richmond NASCAR race. We had a really good time tailgating and grilling out. Matt Dominick even brought his entire grill and made kabobs and grilled corn on the cob. It was all very white-trash-chic and delicious. The race itself was interesting...for the first 50 laps.. I think Dave and I would have enjoyed it more if it'd only been 200 laps instead of 400. And then the group we were with stayed in the parking lot to wait for traffic to die down until 145am! Ugh. We drove back to VA Beach that night and didn't get home till 430am. Oiy.

Dave's sad i'm leaving for two weeks. But he will get to bond with the cat and dog. :) I didn't even go grocery shopping before I left so it should be interesting for dave. But he'll be fine. :)

More from Germany later!

Cutest thing EVER

I saw this on Emily Wrigley's Facebook page. I thought it was the cutest thing ever!



I love all the characterizations! It really made me laugh.

Big News this week is that Dave had his first flight on Wednesday! AND I got to SEE him fly! I just happened to be traveling down Lynnhaven Parkway when I saw a Hornet fly overhead, and then another. I thought it could have been him, and then when i got to talk to Dave, he said there were only 2 hornets in that pattern so it was definitely him! Very exciting. He sent me a text message when he landed, "Landed. So much fun. Jets are awesome."

Dave's other big news is that he got contacts on Thursday. He was pretty excited. Everything was new and crisp. And he didn't have to sit closer to the TV to play Xbox. He was less excited this morning when he had to put them in and it took him 20 minutes. I think the neighbors thought there was some verbal abuse going on at our apartment because Dave was getting... pretty frustrated. Cam also got contacts this week, and decided he's only wearing them to fly in... i think it probably takes him a while to get them in to! Dave was super excited to be able to pick out a cool pair of sunglasses too, non-prescription!