Simple Saturday

Today after the laundry was done, the house was cleaned, and the yard had been mowed and edged, we decided to get out for a couple of hours. We ended up at Reston Town Center, a cute outdoor mall of sorts with a skating rink in the winter, a fountain in the summer, and always something going on year round. Today they were having an interfaith children's fall festival with a hay maze, face painting, and other random activities. We stood in line for the hay ride for a couple of minutes, but when we realized it was a 45 minute wait and a $5 ticket for a ride around the block, we decided Calvin would enjoy watching the horses just as much from the side. We played in the fountain, hit some of our favorite shops, ate lunch at Potbelly, and just had a really great fall day. The boy is at such a fun age right now and we enjoy any chance we get to have these magical little outings.

Walking to the festivities

The hayride - someday when he's older we'll have to tell him it's the hayride we were too cheap to let him ride.

Here he is busy checking out all of the dogs

Ready to plunge into the fountain

Diving head first...

Happy Birthday Andrew!

All women gush about how they married the perfect man. They can't all be right, but I think it makes them feel better to say so. I, on the other hand, know I married the best of the best, and here's how I know:

• He makes me laugh all the time.
• He acts like the most important thing he can do in life is make me happy.
• He is incredibly intelligent (sometimes it's annoying, but mostly it just comes in handy).
• He makes wise decisions and thoroughly thinks through everything he does.
• He is incredibly attractive: the face, the lean, tan, muscular body, the thick dark hair... I could go on.
• He is so great with our little guy. He never EVER acts too busy to spend time with him.
• He is sweet and kind and giving.
• He loves life and trying new things and is supportive of whatever I want to try.
  
• He has just enough cynicism and sarcasm to keep life interesting. He swears he's just a realist.
  
• He is romantic and poetic and a fantastic kisser.
• He lets me eat all of the chocolate covered pretzels he got for his birthday.
  

There's a lot more to celebrate when it comes to Andy, and today we had a great time doing it. Here are the highlights:

Happy Birthday, Andy! I love you!

I swear this blog has no desire to be a political one...

We watched parts of the debate last night and I have to say that this election has been, in my memory, the most bizarre ever. Andy calls it (among other things less suitable for internet posting) an "election of gross exaggerations and mud-slinging." Honestly, I can't wait to just fill in my bubble sheet in November and then hunker down for whatever the next four years may bring.

One thing I do not tire of, however, is how much fuel this election is giving to SNL. I love their new Thursday night show. It makes me happy with their talk of Herbert Hoover and Joe the Plumber. Also, instead of mocking Palin, why can't Tina Fey just run for office? I'd vote for her in a heartbeat.

Young Republicans

Our adorable niece Ariana went with some friends today to see Sarah Palin in Scranton, PA. Sarah actually talked to Ariana and even signed the back of her cell phone. It sounds like she had a really great time. Earlier this year Ariana was quoting her dad and said that "if Paris Hilton wins this election, we're moving to Australia." She meant Hillary Clinton, but it's an easy mistake to make. They're both blond, self-centered, and tiresome.

I think it's really great that she's interested in politics at such a young age. She's a smart girl. It's been fun to watch her over the last few years as she has been in plays and done well in school and sports. Now she is in the fencing club and is trying out for the dance team. She's the kind of girl that makes me feel like our future is in good hands.

An Autumn Walk

Adorable snuggly fall outfit compliments of Auntie Bekah.

Everything is less fun when Daddy's gone. Calvin and I try to keep the routine - after dinner we go on a walk, play on the swings, have bath time, read 2 stories, and go to bed (without Daddy growling and chasing Calvin, who screeches and bounces in my arms in anticipation of being caught and tickled. We do this every night. It's kind of a depressing bedtime walk without it).

Tonight while we were on a walk there were dozens of clouds of gnats and mosquitoes hanging low over the trail. They would swarm around Calvin's head, so I would swat back and forth, trying to shoo them away. He watched me like I was crazy the first two times, but before I could do anything at the next swarm, he started swinging his little arm over his head, swatting them away on his own. The next cloud, his arm went up again and this time was accompanied by his head shaking back and forth. Soon after a few groups of bugs, he just went to shaking his head vigorously back and forth any time he saw anything flying.

About half way home, I think he forgot why he had originally started, and just continued swinging his head back and forth all the way home. I was afraid he was going to knock something loose, but he seemed to be having the time of his life.