ohhhhhh say can you see

Last weekend Steve got free tickets through work to go to the Baltimore Orioles game. So we packed up the munchkin, picked up our friends Skye and Cody, and made a weekend out of it!

We got to the stadium and it turned out that we had GREAT seats.

Like, we got to go up the small escalator with a guard checking tickets and then enter through a door into an air conditioned hallway filled with lounges, food vendors and all the private company boxes. No, we weren't in a box, but it was pretty much the next best thing.

Jaden was a star at the game. I think he was the only baby there.

Maybe because everybody else was smart enough to leave their five month olds at home for a Friday night game? Right when we got our tickets scanned, the guy working the door asked us if Jaden was a first timer. Um, yep. So he told us to go to the fan appreciation center and pick up a special gift. Jaden got a certificate and a bunch of Orioles propaganda-schedule of the season, a poster, some vintage baseball cards, etc. Lucky boy! Then on our way to our seats, SIX more employees asked us if he was a first timer and if we had gone to the fan appreciation center to get his gift. They're good at what they do, that's for sure. :)

I was a little worried about how Jaden would do at such a late night game. With an hour long rain delay before the start of the game, it was looking like we would be there pretty late. But he did just fine--right up until the Star Spangled Banner. Apparently Orioles fans shout "Ohhhhhhhhhhhh" really loud at the line "Oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave"--yeah it totally scared me and our poor baby completely freaked out! So after that, he was done. Every cheer, especially for the home run at the beginning of the game, totally did him in. We were really lucky to have such great seats because I took him out into the air conditioned lounge, sat on a comfy seat and watched the game on TV. Then Steve and I ended up switching places every other inning so we could each see some of the game live. I sure love that hubby of mine.

It was a great game and we had so much fun, even with an incredibly tired baby. Then we all crammed in a free hotel room--thanks to our Marriott points--in the DC area that night so we could make the long drive home the next day. We woke up and headed to the mall for a couple hours to kill some time before going to, ahem, CAFE RIO. Skye and I were SO excited.

Thank you, Cafe Rio, for bringing my pork burrito to the east coast.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. :)

Such a fun weekend and--almost--completely free!

on a white sandy beach of hawaii

It's hard to believe this time last year, Steve and I were in Hawaii with the fam.
(Nine-ish weeks prego and queeeeeasy...)
It's already been a year?!
It's even harder to believe that it's been FIVE years since I was living there as a student for the summer.

Hawaii, I miss you.

I owe a lot of my life to that little island.
It's amazing how such a short period of your life can affect you in so many lasting ways.
My first time really being away from home was actually really hard, even though it was "paradise." I didn't go to party, rather I went for school and to work and it was a struggle in a lot of ways. But you learn the most and grow the most from your struggles. I grew to love Hawaii not because it was fun or paradise (which it still definitely was), but because of how I changed as a person. I became a lot more daring, adventurous, independent and comfortable being by myself. I grew to love different cultures and the way people communicate. For the first time in my life, I lived as a minority among the different races around me. I realized how unique it really is to have blonde hair. :) I did fun things and dumb things--a few I'd take back, but most I'd do again in a heartbeat. I made lifelong friendships and I realized that the United States is not the center of the universe.

Fast forward two years.
I honestly think I owe my marriage (at least in part) to Hawaii.
Steve took me out on our first date in June 2008 (he didn't know he asked me on a date, but that's a story for a different day) and while he was cool and really fun to hang out with, I wasn't interested in a serious relationship. But he surprised me with a little bit of intrigue--he was leaving the next week to live in Hawaii for the summer.
Um, hello?!
I wanted to hear all about his experiences. I gave him my list of everything I'd done, along with everything I wish I had done, and told him I wanted a full report with pictures when he got back. He actually texted me a couple times while he was there, which I think I ignored (oops :)) but then when he got back, he asked me out again. I was totally turned off to dating and boys at the time, but I really wanted to hear how his summer was, so I agreed to go.
The rest is history. :)

My memories of this island are pretty much summed up in this song:



So thank you, Hawaii.
Thanks for changing my life.
I can't wait to see you again.
I hope it's soon.

Howell Family Trip 2010

Spring/Summer Term 2006
(I don't know where my summer term pics are so these are only spring...oh I hope I didn't lose them....?!)

Memorial Day Weekend

We were so excited for a three day weekend that we thought we'd cram as much as possible into every minute!

On Friday night, our friends Cody and Skye came up to our house and we had an evening of pizza, Bananagrams and a movie.
They stayed over in our guest room and early the next morning
(after Steve's gourmet breakfast of stuffed creme brulee french toast)
we headed out to the beach!

Jaden has been to the boardwalk several times, but this was his first time out on the sand.
I think he was intrigued with it.
Maybe he's still too little to care... :)

On Sunday we went to church...

...then had a game night at Devan and Cassie's house with Cody and Skye.
We played Power Grid--kind of like Settlers but a lot more fair. :)

Monday was our CRAZY day.
Steve got to drive to the church (which is 30 min away) THREE times to take care of the flag.
In the morning he did a flag raising ceremony with the scouts,
then we got to go back in the afternoon to raise it from half staff to full,
and one more time in the evening to take it down.
So we just planned our Memorial Day activities around it!
We went to a state park close to us to do some, ahem, nature walking.
It can't be considered hiking if there's absolutely no change in elevation.
But we'll take what we can get!
We found a five mile trail around a pond and it ended up being really fun.
Jaden did really well in the backpack, aside from having to stay in his long sleeve jammies because Mom didn't want him to get sunburned.
It took him a little while to get used to being carted around, but then he slept for most of the way.
But holy moly, was it ever hot.
I don't know if I'll ever get used to this humidity...

It was a great weekend and I'm already gearing up for the next one! :)