russo's apple orchard!

no matter how old i am, my favorite thing in the world is going apple picking with my family.  it's one of those things (okay, maybe the only thing) that i look forward to all year. there's something about the crisp air, the crispier apples, and coca-cola in glass bottles.

this year was the first year rob came with us! naturally, dad didn't hesitate to launch rotten apples at him.

this was a nice picture.  before we retaliated against my dad for his apple-bombing.

these are my parents. they're pretty awesome.

this is rob and i: smiling with our pumpkin, before we realized that we got photo-bombed. thanks, dad.

happy fall!

Read more...

pizza night (....again.)

ro and i have gotten so hooked on pizza making! not that i mind...it's my favorite food next to mint chocolate chip ice cream.

tonight was tomato, onion, portobello mushroom, mozzarella, and gorgonzola.

+3 points rob's dough tossing tonight, too.

 magnifico!

Read more...

home (for a while)

i realized that i haven't put up any pictures of our apartment! it's a nice, cozy place just north of philly. i was so happy to move in before school started, because it gave ro and i a bit of time to settle in (and decorate)! here's a few of my favorite things about our little abode:

a scratch map (upper right corner) that was given to me from my lovely friend rudster. seriously--the neatest gift i've ever seen!

my goldfish, ranger, who recently turned 3!

my pop's record player. and how we always listen to a new vinyl with dinner! (except if we want to put on the mills brothers. again.)

wine corks that ro and i have been collecting since march. even though we've got a long way to go..

our little balcony, with clarabelle (my callalily). we overlook a graveyard, and though our leasing agent listed it as one of the "downsides" of the apartment, it's oddly become one of my favorite things about the place. so peaceful!

and my last favorite thing? well, he's not home yet.
:)

Read more...

sunsets

sometimes i get so caught up with checking things off my silly "to do list" that i forget to appreciate the simple things.

ro has been down in baltimore for a business trip this week, so coming back to an empty place has been lonely to say the least. i usually can't wait until 5:30 rolls around--i listen for the elevator ding in the hallway, followed by rob's keys jingling in the door...and then proceed to tackle him with hugs.

but since elevator dings have been non-existent, i distracted myself yesterday by sitting on the balcony and watching the sunset.

it was beautiful.  so beautiful that i actually felt guilty about the fact that i'd only watched it a handful of times.

isn't it amazing how small we really are?  a little perspective can give you such gratitude.

Read more...

she said yes!

sometimes i forget that my sister and i are actually grown up. it feels like yesterday that we were jumping off beds in our velcro-caped supergirl pajamas, playing barbie pool party or, during an intense game of hide-and-seek, squeezing ourselves behind the trunk of the elephant slide for the nth time. it still makes me laugh how we always thought that no one would find us there.

i can't get over that kristy's been engaged for 3 months! the reality of it hits me every now and then, mostly when we're outside and her pretty diamond shines and blinds me.

last weekend, our family threw a little belated engagement party for kristy and chris. it was so nice to take a break from studying, but more so, to celebrate love. with the people i love!

all of chris' nieces and nephews came, so mom was also out in full teacher mode:

and pop was out in full eating mode. (but that's not unusual.)

kristy, 39-5, my sister-skin-and-blister, my best friend:

i love you and am so happy that you found love with chris.
congratulations on the best "happily ever after" i know.

Read more...