David is the new awesome.

So, my husband is awesome. In case you didn't know.

(And if you didn't, where in the world have you been??)

This past weekend, he managed to catapult himself into all new heights of awesomeness. He had a sneaky plan that was so perfectly executed. It was beautiful. It was cunning. It was brilliant. It was so characteristically David.

It was awesome.

I knew he had some fun plans brewing, and that he was really excited about whatever it was. Even if I had tried to figure out what he was scheming up (which I didn't, since I like surprises), he threw off the scent so meticulously. All I ever managed to get out of him was that I really needed to leave work on time on Friday.

Alright, leave work on time. Check. Now what?

"Well, here are some envelopes. Open this one first."

Red Sox tickets? Hmm...I didn't think the Nats were playing the Sox this weekend...wait...

Can you guess what was behind envelope #2?

It wasn't a pony. It was tickets to Boston. Departing in one hour. David was going to be there next week for work anyway, so he decided to bring me along for a bit.

"Ooh, I need to pack!"

"I already did. Your suitcase is in the trunk."

"Did you pack my...[fill in]?"

"Yes. And probably anything else you can think of that you may need, and some extras. And your laptop, and the Conference Ensign. And your Sox hat, and your brown shoes, and your black shoes in case you want those instead."

Turns out, David can successfully pack a woman's suitcase. Aren't you impressed?

And so, in a dizzying flurry of spontaneity, I was in Boston. We dined on hot pots, we spent some time at the temple (which we'd been planning to do that weekend anyway, I just somehow thought we'd be at a different temple. For whatever reason.), we moseyed through a coastal fishing town, we cheered for the Sox and belted out all the words to "Sweet Caroline", and we took a stroll along the Charles River. And we even got to squeeze in a visit with Jonathan.

Verdict: I like Boston. It's charming.

Last time I was in Boston, I was 14 and traveling around with a posse of 9th graders. I got a much better feel for what the place is like this second time around. I think every city has a sort of pulse to it - an overall tone or ideal that defines it. If you're paying attention, you can feel it crackling in the air when you're there. If I had to describe the pulse of DC, it might be "networking." David says Boston is some sort of combination between "academia" and "Sox."

In any case, it was a fabulous weekend. Well done, David. You have truly outdone yourself. Again. The only downside was that I had to leave you behind when the weekend was over.

ACDC World Tour

Well, we're finally wrapping up our tour, and what a tour it was!


You've already heard about the first two stops on the tour, but you may not know about #3 and #4. Our third gig involved a BBQ at our new digs (which gave us all the incentive we needed to put our house together in a hurry), where we got to meet up with our DC-area friends who may not have been able to travel so far to catch either of the previous shows. We treated them to burgers and kosher dogs and a place to gather and Rock Bandify, and they treated us to their sparkling company. Not a bad trade-off!

We had so much fun that we neglected to take even a single picture. So, David and I reenacted a few scenes for you. Just imagine that the tortillas are hamburgers. And that there are other people.




Last leg: Indy!

Special thanks to the Drapers for making our final appearance possible. David and I buzzed on over to Indiana for a whirlwind excursion through his old stomping grounds. It included a pit stop at Steak 'n Shake (I'm told that this was essential to my Indy experience), and a trip to the State Fair, which we realized was going on just after we arrived. I learned that they have a new fried delicacy every year. This year it was fried butter. Last year it was fried Pepsi. Not really sure how either of those work. In any case, we neglected to sample said fried butter, but we did manage to meander through the cattle building, check out the local artistic talent, pick up a funnel cake, and take a ride on the ferris wheel. I'm feeling good about that.

But wait, there's more. We also wandered over to the Children's Museum, which is the largest in the...country? World? Not sure. But it sure is big. And it sure is awesome. We sort of flew through it. I'm dying to go back.



After all that funness, it's showtime! We headed over to the Drapers' and I got to meet all kinds of awesome people that David grew up with. (Pictures will be available on David's blog, probably.) It was a smaller crowd, and it was delightful. What great people. And let me tell you, they love those Chipmans! Lucky me, I get to be cool by association!!