Bean Town Comes to Charlotte

Last weekend, Maureen and Brendan Sullivan came to Charlotte to repeat our BC/Wake football date. And while I'm sad to report, Brendan the BC grad has a 2-0 record, we had a wonderful time filled with good eating (Crisp, Mac's, Flying Biscuit), good Baggo, cold temperatures, and dear friends. We're back to Boston next year - hopefully the Deacs can finally pull one out! We're thankful for you, Maureen and Brendan...


Maureen finally gets her beloved Chic-fil-a




a "portrait" with the Deacon ambulance...




poor Deacons

Wendy

Check out Ellen's make a costume in the office competition for Halloween. Yes, those are coffee filters on her shirt. Well done, Wendy.

braving the wild fires

Last weekend I headed to LA to do a little wedding work with ellen and dad and to meet our new niece. On Saturday, after meeting the Gail, the wedding-planner extraordinaire mom expertly found, we visited the wedding site, listened to ceremony music, and enjoyed the 80 degree temps. Although we did dry through a bit of ash and fog on the way home, we were safe from the crazy wild fires in orange county. Highlights from Saturday night included playing Wii-fit, meeting John's sister Sarah, dinner at OBar, drinks at Hamburger Mary's, dad receiving the bill in a silver, drag-queen heel, and meeting some of smells' friends. On Sunday, we continued the search for the perfect bridesmaids dress (to no avail) and visited with the LA Rietzes. Ivy is precious, Annabelle is hilar, and Bill and Liz are tired, but happy. Bill even made it rain in sunny LA. Dad of the year? I think so!

After a lovely weekend, I took the red-eye home to Charlotte only to find my car battery dead as a doornail...but that's another story for another post. :)






baby Ivy










ellen playing with the humming app on the iphone




dad playing wii fit!


LA sun in the fire fog




wedding site!

Deacons?

WELL...it's been a bit of a rocky road for the Deacons in football this year. We looked strong against UVA but then we lose to NC State the next week - yikes. However, we've been trekking to Winston for the home games, giving our love and support to the Deacs. Here's hoping we take down BC next weekend...


dave and michael in front of the new fighting deacon in front of the stadium - hehe...

election day

Perhaps election day should be called "the day of angst." It seemed that so many people I spent my day with were hyper-emotional. From nervous to nippy to jazzed, the range was loud and proud. I for one am so excited for this two-year long drama to be closing up this evening. The judgment and angst that comes out of political debate and banter is not my cup of tea. If my students are any sort of soothsayers, mr. obama will be our next president. But I have to say I spent the majority of my day breaking up arguments about the "best" candidate.

Yuck. Where is love, faith, and trust? There is no perfect candidate nor perfect country. There is, however, the chance that people choose to be peaceable, to respect the vast differences in ideology, and think about what it means to live in America and to love one another well. That's all from this independent poltico...happy-almost-over-election day!

Trick and Treat

This Halloween was filled with tricks and treats. After standing in line to vote for nearly two hours, which was not so much a treat. I scurried home to pass out candy to the neighborhood kiddos. As I went to wash my hands, I fell victim to the kitchen sprayer taped down trick. Good one, Dave. I loved being soaked as I passed out the first rounds of candy. Hehe.

Then we headed to Laurie's for a good-old-fashioned dress up affair. Dave and I went as mac and P.C. Some of our other favorite costumes were teen wolf and The Man in the Yellow Hat and Curious George. Treats of the evening included dominating with david m in washers and attempting one "30 year old version" of the college classic flip cup...yes, now I can officially claim that I have played flip cup...only 10 years late, right? thanks for a good time, d and l...


mac and P.C.


teen wolf - he even had hairy knees


george and the man in the yellow hat