Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was a lot of fun this year even though we had to quarantine for all of it. Eric and I hosted our own little get together with one of my friends from DC and my sister Stacey. We cooked Thanksgiving food, played games all night and went on a dozen walks around the city (because what else are you going to do?!?!?). We thought we might be able to go out a little bit during the Thanksgiving holiday, but Philly really started to shut down again because of Covid-19. Restaurants even had a lot of restrictions the night before Thanksgiving -  so people had to make their own fun at home. We zoomed my family back in Utah and played virtual games!! And I am learning there are a lot of fun virtual games out there. 

Throwback Thursday

Well it's Thursday and I am updating my blog! And as always I am weeks behind so I am going to go ahead and title this post as "Throwback Thursday." Throwin it back to October when there was no snow and you could still eat outside at restaurants. 

Trip to Cali

There is one good thing about being behind on your blog posts...when you finally get around to posting it is like walking down memory lane. One of my favorite things to do is to go through photos - it makes me so happy! And now that I am posting about our trip to California, I am remembering how fun it was and how despite Covid-19 this year really has been a great year. It was different than we all expected! And there were definitely adjustments, but it was still a good year nonetheless. 

Due to the pandemic, Eric's friend Kyle had a very very small and intimate wedding in California. When Kyle asked if Eric and I wanted to come down for it we were like "uh YES!" we didn't want to pass up on an opportunity to vacation to Cali. And by the time the invite came around we had yet to get out of Philly and our apartment. We really have spent so much of this year being quarantined - so we were really antsy for a trip. The first stop on our trip was to Utah to visit my family (per the post before this one) and then we flew to San Diego just a few days later. It was seriously such a fun trip. Eric and I stayed one night at a beach side resort that had a pool, a beautiful view and restaurants located onsite. One good thing about staying at a resort during Covid-19 is that there was hardly anyone there! Haha it felt like we were staying on our own private island. After one night I was so sad we already had to leave!! But we were there for the wedding... not for our own personal vacation... haha so after one night we were off to our Airbnb for Kyle's wedding. 

When I originally heard that their wedding was going to be small, I was like "that's so sad for Kyle and Sarah to have to condense their wedding because of Covid-19 and make all these adjustments" but once we arrived I quickly changed my mind and it turned me onto the idea of having a small wedding. It was still so special and so sweet!! Large or small, a wedding is still a wedding and it is special no matter what.

Trip to Utah

Even though 2020 has been the year of quarantine, Eric and I were still able to take a trip to visit my family in Utah. Of course the entire visit was "social distancing" style and I wasn't able to hold my cute nieces :( but something is better than nothing!!! It seemed like ages since I was last in Utah so I was really excited to be back. We were only there for a weekend, but we really made that weekend count. Right when we flew in on Saturday afternoon, my sister Stacey picked us up from the airpot and it was non stop activities after that. We went boating Saturday evening and the sunset on the lake was gorgeous (per the above photo). I had forgotten how beautiful evening boating rides are. We also went hiking and had a family swim party with my cousins and their kids. Eric and I were forced to quarantine at the Marriott in downtown SLC so we didn't even stay at my parents house!! This year has been the strangest year. Who would have known Covid-19 would have last so long. But like I said, something is better than nothing. Eric and I were extremely grateful to see my family even if it was under strange circumstances.

Engagement!!

Throwing up some pictures from mine and Eric's engagement in August! Why it has taken me so long to post these...I do not know. My goal for 2021 is to get better at blogging again! But even though it has been months since I said yes, I can still remember the engagement like it was yesterday. Some people had "quarantined like" weddings this year - well Eric and I had a "quarantine like" engagement. It was done within the four walls of our apartment. It was super simple and super sweet and I was more than surprised. Eric gets 10/10 on the surprise because I literally had no idea.  

Here is how the engagement story goes: 

The week leading up to the engagement - I did notice that Eric was unusually busy (clue number one). We had made plans that weekend to make hard shell crabs in our apartment. So in my mind it was just going to be a weekend like any other. The Saturday morning of our engagement Eric wakes me up at like 7am (clue number two). He is like get up we have so much to do today!! I am like what do we have to do today...it's Saturday and Saturdays are my sleep in days!! But he persisted and I gave in. We went to the crab shack to pick up our hard shells crabs, and as we were driving by the wine store, Eric goes "do we need any champagne?" I am like "for what?" haha (club number 3). I was like "no we don't need anything" and he was like "yes we do" and then he quickly drove into the parking lot of the wine store. I feel like I was sitting in the car for like 30 minutes before he came back out (I am sure it wasn't actually 30 minutes but it felt like he was gone for an unusual amount of time). Then after the wine store we proceeded to the grocery store. When we got home from our errands, I was unloading groceries and I was like "what are these strawberries doing in our grocery bags?" haha (clue number 4). Even though clues are adding up, at this point I seriously did not think he was proposing. I mean we had picked up the ring and I had always teased him about proposing, but I was always just teasing. I didn't think a proposal was happening anytime soon. 

So....after we unload groceries, Eric is like I have to work. I am like, ok that is nothing new, I am going into our bedroom and watching Walk the Line. Thirty minutes later Eric walks in and is like come out in the front room I have a game for us (clue number 5.) I was like oh how cute and romantic!! Eric has planned a game for us - what a sweet boyfriend. Well that game was a questionnaire about us and our relationship with questions like "where did we first meet?" "who said I love you first?" "where was our first date" etc. etc. on the last slide it said "will you...." and then my face dropped and I was like OMG Eric is proposing. And then he moved to the last slide and it said "read a book with me." hahaha I was like AGH! jokes on me! this was never a proposal....good one Eric!! 

And then... he pulled out the book we'd been reading together and inside the book was my ring. 😊

So it wasn't a joke after all. 

And I said YES!

Sailing in Maryland

I am about 3 months behind on my blog posts....so these entries are not happening in real time. But... I want to make sure that I always keep a record of life, even if sometimes I fall behind. Our good friends Ben and Alex took us for a really nice weekend on their sail boat. We sailed from port to port, docking and doing different activities at each stop. I have never been on a sail boat before but Alex and Ben are experts and they taught us the ropes. I hope they invite us back again next year!! 

 

Outdoor Seating in 90 Degree Weather

This weekend was our attempt to have a "normal" weekend during Covid-19 times. But sometimes you just can't force it too soon. I told Eric that I needed to get out of the apartment - because I was having major cabin fever. But 90 degree weather plus humidity is no condition to have an enjoyable restaurant experience. We were melting!!!! Not to mention we were melting and and trying to eat hot plates of food haha As soon as our meal was finished - we were like "let's go home now and get into some air conditioning immediately" haha.  

We did have one good laugh when Eric mistakenly thought we were at a Mexican restaurant - when we were in fact at a Peruvian place. He ordered "chips and guac" and the waiter was like "we aren't that kind of place"....... lol...oh Eric.

As Per Usual

There are so many memes floating around social media that joke about everyday blending into one. It's so funny, because it's true. Since March...everyday has sort of blended into one chunky bit. I have to say that summer has been nice because it has offered some variety in life. Now restaurants are open and the weather makes it nice to spend time out side (social distancing style of course.) Eric and I have found ways to still enjoy life with regular walks around our neighborhood, outdoor seating at our favorite restaurants and face timing with all our close friends / family!! 

Life is boring if you make it boring - it's all what you make it.