Happy Holidays 2014

As I write this year’s holiday season life update, I have not yet read a single Christmas letter from this year.  And I’ve only heard “Christmas Shoes” twice.  This holiday season is getting off to a slow start to say the least.   (Ever notice how we tend to fluctuate between saying ‘Merry Christmas’ and ‘Happy Holidays’ year to year? We’re a very confused couple)

It occurs to me that in this season when all of us write these letters, many of us take the time to wax poetic or become sentimentally introspective.  So if you the reader would indulge me for just a few lines:

When we take the time to reflect on what we have done over the past 12 months, every year we are more and more amazed and thankful for the things that we’ve been allowed to see, and for the people that have chosen to share their lives with us. We’d like to say a mass thank you to each of you for being a part of our lives in some way.  And to those of you who may have just happened upon this site, thanks to you as well… for….. ummmmm… being alive.

Nothing like Las Vegas at night

In the early part of the year we made a long weekend trip to Las Vegas, which is always a treat, especially when we can meet up with good friends from California. 

RECOMMEND: Mob Museum & horse races at The D on Freemont Street

Noah's Ark - they found it! In Estes Park, CA

The early part of the year also included a trip with Megan and Danielle to see Kilby and Johanna and Stef in Denver.  It snowed 8 inches, we went snowshoeing, and then it was 50 degrees.  Apparently that’s normal out there.

RECOMMEND: Estes Park

Yup. Real Snakes.

Some crazies  we met in the airport

Without question, the highlight of the year was visiting India, riding elephants, and seeing the Taj Mahal.  Words are powerless to describe it and pictures do not do it justice, yet I write about it and post photographs.  It was hot, and an uninvited guide complained that I wasn’t tipping him enough.  Despite having not had much Indian cuisine before our trip, we did develop a fondness for it.  We even saw snake charmers.  Real, actual LIVE snake charmers.  And we were also introduced to the world of Mula Nassrudin. More on that to come.

RECOMMEND: Everything. And Garlic Naan

Taj Mahal - a monument to eternal love.

Selfie with Indian tourists that wanted a picture with a white woman. No lie.

Notre Dame Basilica; Montreal

 Our 2^nd trip to “foreign” soil was north of the border to Montreal, Canada, where we reunited with Tim and Wendy to celebrate their first wedding anniversary.  We made it for the annual mural festival, and we also saw the heart of St. Brother Andre.  And I’m not using religious-speak to say that we “understood his calling.”  I’m saying we saw his actual heart. In a box. On display.   The drive home was just as much part of the adventure, as we saw 1,000 Islands, Mexico, the first ever 24 second shot clock (Syracuse) and Scranton, PA:  home of TV’s The Office.

RECOMMEND: St. Viateur Bagel

Leg Sundial; Nudist, IN

In July, we got to road trip it again, heading to Chicago to celebrate Independence Day.  This trip included locally brewed root beer, a huge candy store, Michael Jackson’s boyhood home; the start of Route 66; 2 tire changes; meeting up with cousin Olo and family; a Twisted House in Indianapolis, IN; a tour of world-famous Wrigley Field in its 100^th year.  We even saw a leg sundial in Indiana…. And had to go to a nudist colony to do so.   Go ahead. Let your mind take you where you don’t want it to go…..

RECOMMEND: Ultraviolet Apocalypse - Munster, IN

Nittany Lion at Penn State

Peach Butt, SC

Fall included a number of other road trips, the highlight of which was our 2^nd annual fall football weekend, where we took in Friday night high school football; Saturday Night College football (an Ohio State overtime win over Penn State at Happy Valley); and Sunday football (Steelers vs. Colts, thanks to former VT great Jason Worilds)

RECOMMEND:  Taking a football weekend trip.

Cherry Blossoms in DC with Terri

Other Recommends:

I love Grilled Cheese & Co. – Multiple locations: http://www.ilovegrilledcheese.com/

Paper Moon Restaurant  - Baltimore, MD

Sixth Floor Museum – Dallas, TX

Graeter’s Ice Cream – Ohio

Penn State Creamery – State College, PA

11 straight years beating UVA!

Carl’s Ice Cream – Fredericksburg, VA

Notre Dame Basilica – Montreal, Quebec

Tennessee Whiskey Trail – Tennessee (Duh)

Neon Boneyard - Las Vegas, NV 

If you're reading this at work and want to kill more time, or if you just want to see more pictures, do it here.

A visit with cousin Scottie

And (this is for you Becca) of course, this year was not without turmoil.  Both Jed and Stacie suffered bodily harm that mangled keratin on each of their bodies.  Jed had a bloody smashed toe; Stacie jacked up her finger.  Lest you think all we do is travel around.  Jed is still toiling through grad school, and still ruing the day he decided to do so. Stacie completed her first ever sprint triathlon in August.  And not to be outdone, Jed completed his first successful support of Stacie in a sprint triathlon.

Finally, for the grand prize sum of money giveaway!  You’ll be glad to know that the winners have already been notified.  The magic of the internet.  Tune in once again in 2015 for your next chance to win.  And check back in July, just to inflate our metrics!

Happy Holidays!

Epilogue:

A tour guide in India was fond of telling us jokes about Mulla Nassrudin. Find out more about his legend here.                  
Mulla Nasrudin was drinking too much. So much that it began to worry his friends. Finally, they figured out a plan to cure him. The plan was for one of them to dress up like a devil, with horns and a pitchfork. They planned to scare the Mulla into giving up drink. Late one night,as Nasrudin headed home drunk, his friend jumped from behind a tree and shouted, "You will have to stop drinking!" "Who are you?" asked the Mulla. "I am the devil," said his friend. "OH, YOU ARE THE DEVIL," said Nasrudin. "I AM GLAD TO MEET YOU. I AM THE GUY WHO MARRIED YOUR SISTER." - For more jokes, click here