Visiting my dad in Tennessee

While Autumn was on her way to Guatemala (or at least trying!), I flew over to Tennessee to visit my dad over President's Day weekend. We hung around on the boat, went for a snowy ride around the river and to the "Lost Sea", aka the world's second largest UNDERGROUND LAKE! Where is the world's largest you may ask? Read on to find out...

 

Me and dad on our ride around the lake.

Beautiful Tennessee in Winter

I was just glad to get away from all the snow in DC!

Thanks to Michelle for the wonderful accommodations aboard the SS Wildly Tamed!

It was also a pleasure to meet George Dickel...

...one of my new dear and personal friends!

  

Just a bit of an icy morning after the snow started to melt.

We were having a bit of trouble with TV reception!

Dad and Michelle at the Lost Sea.

  

Inside the cave...

The "Devil's Hole"

If anyone needs to make a call, I've got a phone!

Hmmm....was George Dickel here?

  

Until next time...!

Oh yeah....Where is the world's largest UNDERGROUND LAKE?

*ANSWER*

Lake Vostok in ANTARCTICA!

Surviving Snowpocalypse 2010...

It is completely bright and clear this morning in Northern Virginia, which is a welcome change from the 36 hours of blizzard like conditions that ended last night.  Wow do we have a lot of snow.  Beings that we're all stuck here since the roads are not plowed (even one of the Interstates is closed), we had some friends over last night for tamales, a riveting game of Pit, and some Wii Winter Olympics.  It was a fun night, which ended in usual form with our neighbor banging on the inside of his door to let us know he cares...or that he thought we were being too loud (which we weren't!!!!).  Not sure which. ;-)

 

During the blizzard yesterday, stay out from under that tree!!

 

Can't go outside...might as well bake!  These are Chocolate mini-cupcakes with homemade salted caramel sauce filling...delicious.

And homemade tamales for dinner...made up a little Horchata too, and pretended we were already in Mexico!

 

Bright, beautiful morning.  There is not a cloud to be seen.

Maybe we'll get ambitious enough to dig our car out today.  MAYBE.  I hear we're going to have another "snow event" on Tuesday...so maybe not.

 

Eric with the right idea.  That is how a snow day should be spent :D

"Skiing" Weekend!

We headed up to Wisp Resort in western Maryland this weekend with Virgile & Sterling for Virgile's birthday. The mini-mountains were really fun. We skied on Saturday and had a "Bear Claw Adventure Day" on Sunday with tubing and a "mountain coaster". We opted to skip out on the ice skating since the rink was about 10' x 10' and filled with toddlers! (Which incidentally was the same situation on the ski hill! haha!)

 

8 degrees and pouring down snow on day 1!

Ahhhhh! A much warmer (20 degrees) and sunnier Sunday morning.

Happy Birthday Virgile!

  

Look at the HUGE mountains!

Go V & S!

Mountain coasting! 

A tiny cart balanced on two frozen rails plus a handbrake...

....definitely not a deathtrap....

(Plus the skiers on the chairlifts were heckling us!)

Lunch in Cumberland, MD....great BBQ!

(But the town doesn't let you leave....or pump your own gas!)

US Botanical Garden & C-A-P-S!

Rainy Day...We grabbed a bite to eat at Eastern Market first thing this morning, then headed over to the United States Botanical Garden. It was really cool, with tons of plants and flowers...and of course CACTUS! Afterward we met up with friends for a hockey game. Back to Falls Church for a quiet evening of Tivo and Netflix.

Cousin It

Orchids! Orchids! Orchids!

Autumn and her true LOVE

Cactus Room!

Pink and spunky!

Us in the "Jungle"

Cupcake Day!

Lazy day around the house. I made cupcakes, and I dare say that they are almost Trophy-worthy!

Vanilla-Peach Cupcake with Dark Chocolate Frosting, Sprinkles and Mr. Goodbar Toppers

(and two experimentals with some tiny jellybeans that might break a tooth! Fingers crossed no emergency dental visits when we try those ones)

The Mexican Table

Tonight we went to the Mexican Table at the Mexican Cultural Institute for their food celebration of the Dia de Los Reyes (Wise Men Day) with a few friends. It was spectacular with tamales and a big desert that was like a king cake. I found the baby in my piece of cake, so, as tradition states, Autumn and I have to throw a tamale party for all of our friends. I think that we'll do it soon...we got two bags full of ingredients included with the dinner. It was super fun!

Happy New Year!

My New Year's Resolution:

To keep up on this blog!

...Oh yeah, and to get in shape and update our wardrobes to blend in while we're in Mexico!

Now is my fanny pack in storage, or did I bring it with me...?