I Love a Man in Tights.

Ryan had the sudden urge last fall to audition for a musical production of the play Cinderella, put on every year around Christmas-time by the local Raleigh Little Theatre. And to my surprise, he didn't just talk about it... he actually auditioned. Most of the cast members tend to come back year after year, so Ryan was doubtful on whether they had a place for him. Not only was he called back for a second audition, but he was one of those up for the prince role! God I would have loved that. He ended up being in the quartet and in the ensemble, which he preferred and was perfectly content with. I went to the family preview night, and then a second time with Ryan's family and Aiden, who got to see his dad with a white-painted face, dancing in tights, in full garb. It... was.. priceless. Ryan's always had a love for community theater and has his heart set on being a returning cast member this winter. I can't wait.

Ryan signing autographs for the kids after the show.

Catching up (I'm slow). Vermont.

I feel like I'm being anti-productive with this blog, considering it's supposed to document the most up-to-date events going on in our lives. But there's so much you've missed! Forgive me if I backtrack for just a few posts, but I'll only take forward steps once I've filled this empty hole.

A few posts back, I blogged about our upcoming trip to Vermont (yes, last September). Ryan was finally introduced to the million and one things I've talked (and talked... and talked... and talked) about concerning my childhood home. We stayed at my Meme's house in Hinesburg for four days or so, and were able to spend a night in Montpelier with our friends Josh and Roxanne who had moved up there in the summer. We did as much as you could possibly do in this amount of time: visited the cider mill, toured Ben & Jerry's (with our friend Josh as the tour guide), spent an afternoon in Stowe, got creamies in downtown Burlington, cooked out on the lake in my hometown, went to Shelburne Farms, ate maple candy, visited my elementary school, hiked Camel's Hump, had dinner in Montpelier, went on beautiful drives, and spent some quality time with BOTH sides of my family. In other words, wonderful trip. Well, except for all of Ryan's whining on the hike. He was not a happy camper. But the view was worth it!

Like I always say, something about that place centers me. It's a different way of life and one that I will always long for. Everything moves a little slower, but with that comes the appreciation of your surroundings. My favorite moment of our trip was driving around with Ryan on my Meme's property in one of her golf carts. It was early morning and the grass was covered with dew; the sky was misty and the air was crisp, with the rolling mountains on the skyline. I didn't want to put my jacket on because I wanted to breathe in all the freshness and goodness of my "home." I think Ryan finally came to understand what all my blabbering was about.

Standing in Meme's front yard. Hinesburg, VT

Lunch on Main Street. Stowe, VT

On the top of Camel's Hump after a day's hike.

Ben & Jerry's in Waterbury, VT with Josh, our friend and tourguide.

Ryan, me, and Memere. Dinner at my aunt's house on Lake Iroquois.

Dress Me Up!

I love dresses. I will always wear a dress before a skirt, slacks, shorts, and yes, even before my beloved blue jeans. Maybe it's because I'm lazy and you only have to slip one thing on, but so what; I'll just say it's because I'm feminine. And you know what I love even more than a dress? A dress on sale. Ryan, to my heart's satisfaction, gladly strolled around Anthropologie with me this weekend, and hmm, guess what I found? Looking forward to wearing this silky watercolor dress sometime soon. Kinda romantic, right?

Reflecting Pool Dress, $69.95 (was $138)

By the way (running update)....

I know I've been severely lacking in the whole "keeping my blog up-to-date" thing. So here's a photo from the Tobacco Road Marathon that I completed back in March (lucky #3!). And yes, I survived, short training schedule and all. Every weekend I increased my mileage: 7, 10, 14, 19, 26.2 (race day). Probably not the best for your body, but hey, it worked. And most surprisingly, I got my personal best of 3:52:12 (8:52/mile pace). The course was flat and mostly shaded, which sounds like a runner's dream, but to be honest, I kind of missed the hills. They keep things interesting! Either way, it was fabulous to have both sides of my family there (my parents and Ryan's parents). The course was ideal for spectators, so I had a cheering section throughout the entire race. Ryan's dad even made a video documenting my entire journey (very epically, may I add). Enjoy. : )

Moose, the Cat Popple!

Moose got a haircut. We think he looks like a popple.

Apple's Best Customers

How else can I say it? We Appled out last weekend. iPhone 4? Check. iMac with 27-inch screen? Check. Jessa? Happy. Being in the creative field, as well as having a right-sided brain, I've been bugging Ryan to make the "switch" to all Apple for quite some time. Not only did he cave (score!), but he's a bona fide convert now. However, it does have it's negatives: ie, work productivity.

Also, check out my super cute apple red case for my iPhone, made by elago. Only $11.99 on Amazon! Stylish and unbelievably affordable; the phone and computer were not the latter, however.