Summer Days

While I am waiting for my amazingly delicious banana bread to finish baking, I thought I'd update the blog. {At least I hope it's as delicious as it was when my colleague baked it the other day. Remember my quest for the perfect banana bread? I may have found it.}

I'm sort of baking it for a World Cup/pool party tomorrow, but let's be honest, I'm really just using that as an excuse.

Life has been incredibly busy so far this summer, as it always seems to be. Country concerts, boating, jazz in the Sculpture Garden, baseball games {Go Strasburg!}, kickball, and both a cousin and a friend in town to visit.

Shae has visited six times in the four years I've lived here, and it's fun to have her know all my friends and rather than sightsee, just go with the flow when she's in town. This visit, we stopped by a Mexican place on Capitol Hill for margaritas and chips and salsa and had dinner at the Waterfront with friends followed by a favorite hangout spot to end the night.



Thanks to a friend, I was able to see Stephen Strasburg's home opener for the Nationals, despite it being a sold out game. It was an awesome night to cheer for the Nats. Fourteen strikeouts!





Our kickball season has come to a close, and I'll really miss those nights with friends as planes flew just over our heads right next to the Potomac. Gorgeous setting, and winning most of our games was pretty fun, too!



It felt great to be back at the lake again with good friends. For some reason chocolate donut holes have become our morning pre-boating treat.



My cousin Joy came to town {in addition to my aunt and uncle} to visit her brother and his family, and I was able to see her each day she was here! We met up at the Nats game Friday night {where I introduced her to Giffords ice cream}, spent all day Sunday with my family for Father's Day . . and I stole her on Saturday for pool time, an Italian dinner with friends and a night at the Waterfront. Being the talented stylist she is, she offered to do a fun rope braid in my hair for the night.



Just a few more days before I head home to Nebraska for the Fourth of July. It's been six months since I've been home, and I couldn't be more excited!

Memorial Weekend in NC

Well, that was quite a hiatus I took.

And it felt pretty good. I don't want to force myself to blog when I'm just not feelin' it. Life has been busy, and I've been enjoying it.

Memorial Day weekend was fantastic.

Our first stop was this beautiful vineyard in the-middle-of-nowhere North Carolina.



All guests were invited to the rehearsal dinner, and this was the beautiful spot.

We took plenty of pictures, drank some wine, and ate great BBQ. KC and I also scoped the tables for cute boys, naturally.



There was time for a quick golf scramble the day of the wedding, and I was lucky enough to have a real competitor on my team. It was no thanks to my poor shots that we won.



The wedding was held at an even more beautiful vineyard, much more expansive than the last. Rolling hills, acres of vines, and mountains in the distance.



I'm guessing this tent wasn't cheap to rent, which is why Sunday weddings are a great idea! Keep the tent from Saturday's extravagant celebration. I want someday, I want!



The wine. The wine.



And the very adorable and happy couple.



After a very late night of celebrating, KC and I drove east to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Five and a half hours east! More hours than I had just slept.

It was worth it when we arrived here.



Oceanfront is where it's at!



However, I almost preferred the house last year. While not as large, it was a private beach with much prettier sand dunes, in my opinion. But hey, I'm certainly not complaining!



I spent most of the time with my Katies. :)



And you know I ate plenty of food, as well.

Crab legs at the seafood buffet



And more North Carolina BBQ



It was a wonderful weekend, complete with a very nice tan.