two Os + more: Weekly Capture LVII

July has been a Full Speed Ahead type month for us. First we had a family trip to Lake George in the Adirondacks to spend time with LegenDaddy's family as accounted in this post. Arriving home for exactly one week, we smooshed in a whole lotta laundry plus packing our household items in prepping to move AND repacking for yet another trip.

As you might have seen, last Friday I had to slow down?(while on vacation - imagine that!) since we forgot the laptop at home. We just arrived home from our epic trip this past Wednesday evening, and it's been nonstop still as we finish up packing and getting ready to receive the keys to our new house this coming Sunday. By the time all this is over, I am going to need a daylong nap. At least.

Our trip was not only epic, but it was so, so much fun. Over 10 days, we stayed in 5 different places, visiting near a hundred family members and bestest of friends, and despite my insane tiredness at this point, I wouldn't trade any of it. I only wish I could have lengthened each stop, so we could have spent more time with each person(s).

First up, we stopped in Maryland, somewhat close to DC, to visit my Aunt + Uncle and 2 of my cousins with a chance meeting with another cousin + her husband - they were about to leave right as we arrived. Fabulous conversation and love abound in this household and it is such a pleasure to always stop in to visit. Plus, they never turn down a good board/card game. This visit included two rounds of the game:?BANG. I like to think of it as Cowboys and Indians meet Mafia in card game form. I'm pretty sure we'll be obtaining our own copy before the year is out.

Next, we traveled south and further east to Chincoteague Island in Virginia. LegenDaddy's parents usually get down there and rent a house for a week or two each year. This is the 2nd time we've been able to join them - perfect this time that we were already planning a trip in that direction on the right dates. It's a bustling vacation town in the summer, but still offers plenty of opportunity to slow down and just enjoy life. And so much beach time - it was very fun to share my love of the ocean with the boyOs. Plus LegenDaddy is a great lover of both water and sand, so he willingly made a katrillion sandcastles for the boyOs to demolish. Many of the photos I shared in last week's?post?were from our 2.5 days there. We were able to stop in Colonial Williamsburg for a few hours in betwixt Chincoteague and the next stop. The weather was God awful HOT, so we only stayed for a bit. Plus it costs a small fortune to actually access the majority of the buildings, so we decided to just eat lunch at a tavern, visit a general store, and stick our limbs in the stocks with plans to visit for a few days sometime in the future.
The climax of the trip (and the reason for picking these dates) was my cousin Janice's wedding in VA. Most of the hundred people I mentioned us seeing were seen in the two days we spent celebrating her nuptials. When my family has a wedding, it's a HUGE affair: rehearsal dinner thrown by the groom's fam including a pig roast, pool time with multiple cousins, wedding mass that was standing room only, and a 350+ person reception at a lovely plantation home overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. In case you were wondering of the awesomeness of my family - in the above photo the bride + groom have joined many members of my family and a few others for a rousing rendition of Gilbert + Sullivan's "Catlike Tread" from Pirates of Penzance.
Of course, the party couldn't end there, so there was an AfterParty complete with port + cigars, crab eating, and live impromptu band playing PLUS mass + brunch the next morning. It was fabulous, and though I know I said "Hi" to everyone, the time spent there was much too short. Thankfully, another somebody or other is bound to get married within the next 2-3 years, and we'll do it all over again.
Sunday post-Brunch, we traveled further south to Norfolk area to see my maternal grandparents. Most of the time was spent with my Nana as my grandfather (affectionately named 'Gandy' by me at age 1) has Alzheimer's and has recently needed to be put in a full care home. I thankfully did get to go see him, and though hard, the moments with him were very sweet and special. My Nana might as well be 25 with all the energy she has bundled up inside her - she was down playing with my boyOs on the floor, taking us out on day trips to the Aquarium and the Zoo, and stayed up til the late hours telling me beautiful stories of family from days gone by. I also was able to do some work on a personal photography project I have wanted to do - documenting their home and my grandfather's personal items in Still Life photos. Another too short visit, but I am still SO glad we made it down there.
Lastly, we stopped in Baltimore, MD area to visit one of my favorite friends and definite kindred spirits. Kaely + I met on a pro-life missions trip to Ireland waaaay back when we were seniors in high school. ?We both were in each other's weddings, and since then we've had our kiddos at roughly the same times. ?However, she is ahead of me right now and expecting her 3rd in the Fall. Once again, I wish we'd had way more time with her sweet family (our husbands happen to get along superbly as well), and our kids warmed up to one another almost immediately.
And home. My house is such a mess. Baskets of laundry. Piles of boxes - packed and half-packed. A still empty fridge - my kids are overly gracious in what they are willing to eat. Thanks for listening to my ridiculously looooong update on our travels. When I next write one of these Weekly Captures, we shall already be on our way to moving into our new house. Pictures shall accompany. =)

Out of the Mouth of Dom

"I'm gonna get married one day, so I need to be Captain America!"
"Janice needs protecting, so she's gonna marry Will?because he is Captain America."

Dom's thoughts the morning of the wedding nuptials?

My B

Soooo, right before the epic trip, B up and popped two molars through. Then he slept through the night twice in a row. The trip kinda ruined that trend, but maybe it'll start up again now that we're in our own beds again. Poor boy was so active and crazy and adventurous on our trip that he got 3 bloody noses. they all stopped as quick as they started, but still we managed to hit several articles of clothing. Most of the time, his shyness kept him back from new people and crowds, but he managed to overcome it once getting to know new faces, and all in all, I'd say he warmed up pretty well.?

With words, he's working hard to articulate sounds and eliminate signing. He now says "Yesh" (Yes), "Puzz" (Please), and "Up." I am pretty sure I've also heard variations on truck, car, dog, and more as well.

Checked off our Summer Bucket List

? Swim in ocean

? Play Mini Golf

Links I thoroughly enjoyed So You Guys Are Done, Right??:: Catholic All Year Big families, all around! A mom's take on what helped her deal with the not-so-nice questions and tips to be encouraged.
Stuff + Nonsense?:: The Hopeful Starfish A post from a friend IRL about not letting the "extra" on the internet take away precious time.

Want to follow my blog??It's easy - subscribe via the RSS or email links in the top righthand corner.?

All rights reserved.??Sarah G. Ortiz

::This blog post may contain Amazon Affiliate links.?

By clicking through to make a purchase, you help to financially support TO+M::

Source: http://twoortizesplusmore.blogspot.com/2013/07/weekly-capture-lvii.html

monta ellis wiz khalifa taylor allderdice mixtape reggie wayne taylor allderdice vincent jackson vicki gunvalson pierre garcon