by the numbers, vol. I

Meet Madison, aka Dobby, the studious Bryan pup

208. The number of days I have had the privilege of being married to my sweet husband.

122. The approximate number of days it took for me to somewhat naturally introduce myself/sign the dotted line with Berry as my last name, rather than sounding like I chose to hyphenate my name and therefore star as a feminist/wealthy socialite in my new life. 

60. The number of pairs of shoes in this tiny apartment that are mine, including 18 pairs of heels/wedges, 32 pairs of sandals/flats, and 4 pairs of boots. Sorry I'm not sorry, husmate. But have courage: I don't have any intentions of adding to the collection anytime soon.

39. The number of days until Christmas (seems crazy, doesn't it?). Thankfully, other than for each other, this husband-wife team has finished our shopping. To my family who knows that I usually procrastinate to do my shopping until 3 days before Christmas day- be amazed...

24. The number of posts I have miraculously penned so far without quitting this blogging project. Also, my lucky number from high school for no reason whatsoever. 

23. My age despite the fact that half the time I want to tell people that I'm still 22. Also, the age that I began forgetting what my current age is and I quietly do the math in my head while keeping a pleasant smile on my face.

9. The number of pairs of shoes in this tiny apartment that are husmate's. Single digits. Why is it that men need so few shoes? I suppose to make up for their wives needing so many...

6. The number of days until we road trip 13 hours home for my favorite holiday (aka Thanksgiving, aka best meal of the year hands down) and I get to be reunited with the pup above (I'm her favorite, she's not husband's favorite).

3. The number in the Harry Potter series of my least favorite plot line, and most likely least often read. I may love the character of Sirius Black, but Prisoner of Azkaban just wasn't thrilling enough (perhaps because dear ole Voldemort didn't have a hand in it?). 

0. The number of times I've seen Elf, Home Alone, or A Christmas Story. Cue the gasps of disappointment and comments of deprived childhood. 

Old Rag Mountain

1. Old Rag from the road

2. a Marbled Orb Weaver (check out the horned face on his back & his trendy striped legs)

3. Virginia really is for lovers (good call Sarah!)

4.Let's be honest: a puny upper body strength girl like me could never pose as Atlas, but look at the view!

So let me preface this post by saying that this was a first time experience for me in mountain climbing... both in reaching a summit AND in actual rock climbing. This shouldn't come as much of a surprise to most of you, but before the climbing part actually came into play, I thought I was only going to be experiencing the summit portion. Ha, silly me... 

So husband suggests we tackle Old Rag Mountain Saturday morning and preps me for increasingly cooler temperatures and 5 hours of hiking, but slyly leaves out the part about rocks. Crafty, husmate, crafty. After parking our car in a random lot in the middle of nowhere, VA, we follow the half mile road to the start of the trail. We stop for a moment at the trail map, and I notice nothing out of the ordinary with the exception of this small mention of misplaced boulders due to erosion? Eh, that doesn't cause me to even guess what's coming (I can be really naive sometimes), so we start the hike up. 

We randomly come across the crazy colorful spider, the tree for lovers, and even a few pieces of fallen pine that reminded us of the coming Christmas holidays. Things are going swell until we reach nothing but rock, and I overhear this mom telling her daughter that they best turn around because she doesn't think they'll be able to finish the hike... That definitely perked up my ears. So here I am thinking that we're very near the summit... oh how I was wrong. 

5. Just following the blue stripes

6. Before I started testing my rock climbing skills

7. Anybody surprised that husband is downing this platypus of water? 

8. One of the many boulders we got to walk under/over/around

This is about when husmate (husband + roommate = husmate) tells wifey that the remainder of the hike to the summit involves rock climbing and that the summit is still about a mile away. I have to give him credit: he knew that I would fret over this portion the whole way up if he had told me beforehand, so kudos to him. Ha! About a fourth of the way into this alternating climbing and waiting period (the trail is so narrow and the hike so popular that you get to wait in Disney-like lines for your turn to go), I turn to husband and say "They really should tell people that this hike isn't for the faint of heart" to which he replies "They do... I just didn't tell you." Cleverrr... At least my panting is now justified. 

So after about four summit fake outs on my part ("Husband is this it?" "No, not yet... See that even higher point? That's where we're headed"), we finally make it to the summit. The past few hours have started to make me feel 20 years older (hello hamstrings! I hear ya, I hear ya), but it was so fun! However, let me clarify: I was not going back the way we came as I was fairly certain that I might have rolled off the mountain due to some of the rocks being so smooth. So after a light lunch on top of our rock, we escaped the crazies and hiked back down a longer and less adventurous way to our car. 

9. The view from the REAL summit

10. Both excited to have finally found it!

11. Our reactions from some of the things we saw/heard from other hikers

12. Leftovers for dinner

This side of the mountain cut down on the number of hikers significantly (probably because it was double the length) which finally allowed us to have some pretty fun conversations (much better than wifey panting up the mountain while husband was totally fine during the first half...). I think one of my favorite things that husband said during this part was sharing his excitement over potentially going to sleep at 8:30. Old man wannabe, but so adorable all the same. 

We eventually started to follow a brook back to the beginning of the circuit, which made for a nice change from all the dead leaves. Plus since all the loud and annoying groups decided to be dare devils and return from whence they came, we got to see and wait on two sweet deer to cross the trail as they looked for food.

And speaking of food, since we hiked almost nine miles and burned off over a day's worth of calories, we were totally justified in ordering a Papa John's pizza on the way home as our aching muscles began to talk to us. Right? Right? Right. Thanks for agreeing with us. At least we enacted the reduce, reuse, recycle bit by drinking the rest of our hiking water at dinner rather than wasting it. We're so granola. 

the perfect weekend

1. The Christmas candies already on display at Wegman's (and attempted to be ignored until post-Thanksgiving, despite spotting some Reese's Trees)

2. Our bed made with its new addition of a heavenly down comforter from The Company Store (like sleeping under a cloud, you guys)

3. Our first introduction to Old Rag Mountain from the road in the middle-of-nowhere, VA

4. Skyfall Sunday matinee tickets

5. Perfectly justified (and delicious) chocolate cheesecake after hiking #3. please note that half of it is already missing...

6. Our potential new love seat

Since we now live in the Land of Government Holidays, this weekend got to include a Monday off with husband, and it was simply wonderful. It was the perfect blend of low key and activity, errands and fun. We're trying to prep as much as possible for our move in December, which includes losing some furniture and gaining new replacement pieces. We're having to make some adjustments due to floor lay-outs and size, and it's been quite the process of locating a love seat/settee and an armchair that are both attractive AND comfortable. But fingers crossed, we think our search may be over! Hallelujah!

We also finally made a decision on a winter comforter (much needed for an area of the country that actually experiences 4 seasons and a couple who tries to use their heat sparingly during the winter). It may have taken awhile to come to that conclusion (so many choices and stores, it's unreal), but totally worth the wait. And that comforter was very much appreciated after our hike on Saturday and the soreness that ensued...

For all you Bond enthusiasts out there, and perhaps even a few skeptics, the newest installment is incredible. It reminded husband and me of The Dark Knight in a few ways, so you know it must be good. Definitely reinstated the Bond dynasty for several years to come. 

To our parents who might be concerned that we won't take care of ourselves as well as we would if our sweet mothers were closer to remind us of things, be proud: yesterday, husband made his own eye doctor appointment (on his own initiative) and has finally ordered new eyeglasses. He looks dashing in them by the way (no, I'm not biased). And husband forced me to stop delaying on getting a flu shot by driving me to the nearest Walgreens. I even had to drop the act of being a wimp about it when a brave 6 year old showed up to get hers as well. FYI this year's vaccine doesn't burn like last year's did, so if you readers haven't gotten yours yet, go do so! No pain at all, thankfully. 

Tyler after his first birthday party this weekend (picture sent from his smitten grandparents)

And finally, today is this precious little boy's first birthday. So adorable, can't wait to play with him during the holidays! 

P.S. The post of our hike up Old Rag will be up tomorrow, so be sure to check back! 

Breathe in, breathe out

After what seems to be a wacky few weeks around here, I'm thoroughly looking forward to a weekend of being still. And strangely, I don't think I'm the only one who feels this way. 

Being in the lucky portion of the northeast (Northern Virginia), we experienced the days off in anticipation of Sandy without any of the consequences. I still cannot fathom what those poor people in New Jersey, New York and the surrounding areas are experiencing. Being from the south, I know what hurricane clean-ups entail, but they usually are accompanied by 70+ temperatures immediately following. Imagine losing everything you have (or even just losing your power for 2 weeks) and also receiving freezing temperatures + a 2 foot blanket of snow from a sister nor'easter at your feet, too. 

To add to the mania, we have half a country in jubilation over the re-election of our president and the other half who is still steaming at the ears and spouting out hateful comments. I have even witnessed a few saying that this is the end of times and crediting the Mayans for their portrayal of December 21 as the deadline of sorts. You guys, breathe. 

Now that we live in a world that hides behind social media as a way to speak for ourselves rather than by our actions (and I'm not talking about actions like the riot at Ole Miss), we forget that our integrity stands to lose by the 140 character tweets we send out and all the like buttons on Facebook that we click. 

As Americans, we should be so lucky to recognize that we have the best democratic process in the world. We had a record turnout at the polls (to which I am so proud), and the decision was made. Now, we as Americans need to respect that decision, even if we don't agree with it. We need to come together as a country, rather than remaining divided in our trenches; if not to state the obvious, what good will come of such negativity anyway?

As Christians, it's not our place to judge another's Christian belief. I'm astounded by the flagrant remarks berating our re-elected leadership, including the occasional use of the phrase "antichrist." Whoa, buddy. The Lord has a greater plan, and we have to trust in it. Rest in that. It is all we have ever had in this world anyway. Hope in Him, and his plan for us. Besides the fact that our words truly are precious, and since we are called to bring others to the light, remember that the same mouth is speaking words of love for Christ and hate for others (Matthew 12:33-37).

So back to how I started this soapbox of a post, I'm quite looking forward to just being this weekend. I'm hoping to hike with my sweet husband and experience some of God's glory in his creation this weekend. Nothing recharges the spirit like some two-on-one with the outdoors and the Lord. 

A tidbit for a Thursday

Yesterday at the gym, I'm totally struggling with this machine that is kinda broken, and being the enginerd that I am, I'm trying to fix the machine without drawing attention to myself. This nice man walks by (I'm pretty sure he thinks that I'm befuddled by this situation) and starts to help me. Alas, the machine cannot be fixed, and I thank him kindly and move on to another. 

Here's the best part: he asks me if I'm British. Boom. My day is made. Heck, my week is made. 

Naturally, I start to blush as this is one of the best compliments of my life, but I set him straight and tell him that I am actually from the sweet state of Alabama (my thinking is that I could win some education points for our state for not sounding anything like the people in Here Comes Honey Boo Boo). Lo and behold, this man used to work for UAB for 20+ years and loved Birmingham and Alabama so much, he still has his house there. And wants to retire there. He even went on to say that Alabama is a far better place to live than the UK (I'm not exaggerating). Yes, as you could imagine, I was filled with gooby pride and carried on a conversation with him for a few minutes while my sweet husband is quietly laughing at me from across the gym.

I would like to take this time to credit the two straight days of rain and wind from the not-so-sweet Sandy hurricane that encouraged me to watch Downton Abbey Seasons 1 & 2 and thus sound more polished and therefore British for a day or two. Husband had his own Brit invasion the past few days as he finished Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and requested that we watch the movie version as well. Only one more book in the series to go for a boy who never thought he'd read HP before we got engaged (it might have been heavily encouraged... I'm just looking out for his best interests).

My only hurdle to overcome in order to become a posing Brit (other than the US birthplace and lacking an accent issues): I'm not terribly fond of tea, whether it be hot, iced, or sweet. So really, I'm at an identity crisis because I can't properly become British, nor do some find me fully Southern. But I suppose it's alright because I live in Virginia now, and they don't always offer tea. It's a healthy middle ground, I suppose. 

And in more pertinent news, if you're friends with my sweet brother, Blake, in facebook land or in real life, be sure to wish him a wonderful birthday today! I know he'd appreciate it :)