Quarterly Report

Figured that was as fitting a title as any.  Wedded bliss is keeping this girl happily occupied, but not so much that I can’t snap some photos along the way.  Here are the major updates before we get into the photos.

• My brother is getting married!  Actually, I may have already mentioned this, because they’ve been engaged for some time now, but the big news is that he asked me to be his best man!  And his engagement photographer.  And his baker.  It’s daunting work, but I’m extremely honored that he picked me, and I so very happy for him, Evelyn and the kids.
• My dad and step mom are coming to visit a week from today.  This will be their first time meeting Chris, and my first time seeing them since I moved to DC almost two and a half years ago.  Don’t get me wrong, my dad and I have a great relationship, it’s just mostly over the phone.  I don’t like going to Arkansas, and he doesn’t like to fly, but he decided to suck it up for a trip to the east coast this year.  I’m super stoked!
• Chris and I, Rob and Evelyn (and the kids), and my mom and step dad just booked a vacation home in the Outer Banks for a week in August.  I never in a million years would have imagined taking a family vacation like this, but mine and Rob’s relationship with mom has really evolved in the last couple of years, especially in the last six months.  It’s a long, involved story as to how this all came about, a story involving guilt and fear and religion (or rather, lack thereof) and alcoholism and therapy, but maybe one day I’ll be able to form the words into a single cohesive tale.

Aside from that, Chris and I have really settled into our new home and into married life.  We have a wonderfully geeky and productive routine, and our house accommodates our needs and hobbies perfectly.  And I don’t really know how to describe this feeling nor do I really understand why I have it, but our relationship now feels like more than just a partnership and a friendship.  Chris is my family now.  And it’s not just a title… it’s a feeling.
 

January

These are the kind of pictures that happen when you give your husband your phone.  Taken at about 2:30am in a bustling little eatery called Crepeaway, after a night out partying at the goth dance club. 

We might have a small problem.

And I might have a separate problem.

February

Spent my birthday making the thank you notes for our wedding gifts.

And Chris got me the most awesome birthday gift ever!  This was coupled with a sweet new easel for the studio.

Christy got me these sweet earrings for our goth parties.

My new go-to quick meal — tortilla pizzas!  Watching the cheese bubble up through the oven glass made them look like they were breathing.

Manicures!

Various concerts — Overkill, Testament, Devin Townsend, Garbage, Gojira.

My favorite capture from the Testament concert.

Just a photo of a lighting board at Ram’s Head Live during the Gojira concert.

Had my first glaucoma test done, and I found the process of dilating my eyes extremely weird and fascinating.  Crossing my fingers I’ll be a candidate for Lasik this summer.  My eyes are weary from wearing contacts since I was 12.

<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8522/8494379697_a52932f911.jpg&quot; alt=”Blaggards” />
My buddies from Blaggards came to DC to play a set at Ri Ra Irish Pub in Arlington.  So happy to see them play live after two years!  I miss these boys!

I felt like a total nerdy hipster that day.  Enough so that it warranted a picture with my 8-bit flowers that Chris gave me for Valentine’s Day in 2011.  That’s right, ladies.  My flowers will never wilt and die.  Muahahahahaha!

March

I feel like you can totally see my Irish heritage in this photo.

Found out there’s a place walking distance from our house that serves a happy hour drink called the "Rum Bucket."  I don’t know what I was expected, but I certainly wasn’t expecting to receive an actual bucket of a drink.  I was toast after just one.

Remember me saying I am Rob’s baker for his wedding?  We decided to make a bunch of different flavors of cupcakes a couple weekends ago for some taste testing.

Twelve dozen cupcakes to be exact.  But my god were they tasty.

Took Christy to Piratz Tavern before the Garbage concert.  This is her with her little taste of grog.

Um… well, that was unexpected.  I thought it was March.  March 25th to be exact.

Bruce is not a morning dog.  He sleeps like this until I force him to get out of the bed after I’ve already showered and gotten ready for work.

Last weekend was the first Spring-like weather we’ve had, so of course, we were excited to break out the bikes.  First ride of the year!  This was taken from our driveway looking out over the Potomac River to Alexandria, VA, which is where we were headed.

Of course we did have to take a break for some Mussels and Rum Punch!
 
 

That’s all for now, folks!  Until next time…

Cheers!
Felina