A brief pause to reminisce...

This doesn't really have anything to do with anything, but I just got this pic from our going-away party for Princess.Aren't we an impressive group of girls??  Now we're all missing our daily dose of Princess out here, but somehow we still get by.

And, this is what it looks like on my campus right now.  I heart the fall out here.  

P.S. I posted some more theme park pics a couple entries ago.

I still heart NYC

What an awesome weekend.  And I have not a single picture to show for it.  I'll see if I can make up for it with artificial renditions of what it was really like...

I took the Vamoose bus up to NYC with my classmate, Caitie, so we could hit up a career fair in Stamford, CT.  This was my second career fair and not NEARLY as overwhelming as the first one.  All in all, I'd say it was a worthwhile excursion.

This was a very laid-back trip to NY for me.  I've seen the sights before, so I was just taking my time and enjoying myself.  

Both Caitie and I have friends in Manhattan, so we spent our nights there.  I stayed with an old friend from the Hawaii days, Kate.  

She's attending Hunter College, and her dorm is in a building that used to be an insane asylum.  Isn't that awesome?  I had a great time catching up with her - she's been on a mission since I last saw her!  

We visited the Frick Museum,

 

and while she was in class, I got to kick it in Central Park, my favorite New York location of all time.  

It's beautiful right now with all the fall leaves, and you just can't beat people-watching in Central Park.  It felt great to be doing essentially nothing, especially in light of the city I was in.

We also got to meet up with Caitie and her mom and aunt to eat at Agave, 

a mexican restaurant that was actually pretty good!  

But that was only the beginning of my weekend.  Once I got back to DC, I played laser tag with some friends, paid a visit to Ben's Chili Bowl, and attended a pumpkin party (everything pumpkin that is edible) and a "call to cake" party for four people who pretty much have birthdays at the same time.  I love my life.

More apples, pumpkins, and family

I love having easy access to major airports. It gives me so many more excuses to see family, because they have to go through me to get to others. I am the gatekeeper!  Such has been the case throughout October, as people keep coming out to see cute little Asher. Most recently, my dad came out and we all went down to Broadway to join the clan that was already there for Asher's blessing. (More face time with the kids?! Okay!!) Look at this face. I just love the little wrinkles.  All together now..."Awwwwwwwww!"

We also went out to an apple orchard/pumpkin patch right outside of Charlottesville. We had every intention of actually picking apples, but it was freezing! So instead we drank some cider, took advantage of some photo ops, yoinked some pre-picked apples out of the barrel, and were on our merry way. (Yep, more apples! Which of course means more apple delicacies! Today Marcia, Kassandra, and I made not one but TWO delicious apple desserts. Hmm...who to share with? Anyone? Anyone??)
I let Mia play with my camera during lunch. In the spirit of the Halloween season, she immediately started wandering around telling everyone to make a scary face, and then capturing it. Look at all these faces! Aren't you scared?  I'm terrified! (Her scary face-making ability is a source of pride for me. Taught her everything I know. :o)

I also got to visit the Pentagon Memorial with my parents (yep, only time I ever see new DC things is when other people come to town and request it). It was just finished in time for the 7th anniversary of 9-11 this year. Here are some shots, for those of you who may not have made it there yet...which I'm guessing is probably all of you.
Each of these represent a person, and there is water in the little trough beneath them, flowing in different directions.  
Yes, I know that the lighting is bad on these last two shots.  It was either us or the memorials that would stand out, and I chose not us.  (See the Air Force one too, in the background?)
That's the Pentagon behind us.  I believe this is the side that was hit.

Apples and Kings

A few weekends ago I decided I just needed to not be in DC.  It's the fall!  Why not!  So I spent the morning in Shenandoah picking apples with Simone and Lauren and some other friends. 

It was a beautiful day, and I got to make brown bag apple pie!  (Big hit with everyone, by the way.)

Maybe that would be enough for someone, but not me.  After I got back, I went down to Kings Dominion with Jocelyn and Jeph.  They haunted it for Halloween! 

 

I'd never been before and I was impressed with the wide selection of roller coasters.  

And of course, we had to play on the bumper cars. 

We made friends with a little 13-year-old girl who was there with her family but kept going on rides all by herself.  We bumped into her a few times throughout the course of the night.  Brave girl!  Her favorite ride is Volcano!  I'm just glad she befriended us and not someone else who was...not us.