Is It Still Brunch at 12:15?

This past week - is it really over already? I don't think I can wrap my head around how quickly these last few weeks (days really...just 17 days...) of this year are flying by! Granted, as I type this late on a Monday afternoon, a part of me can believe it.

This day has whipped by so quickly that I look down at the clock and cannot believe it's already after 4 PM! What in the world?

And now it's Tuesday morning - so obviously Monday went ahead and got away from me and I didn't have time to do this. The past week was filled with so much good though and I guess I didn't want to skimp on the week's delightfulness...which, you're welcome. Also, apparently delightfulness isn't a word. Well - it is for me today.

Certainly not the worst way to start a Monday morning...the view is NOT bad at all.

Tuesday work excitement....of a sort....

Monday was business as usual but Tuesday was where things got interesting...especially after lunch. I returned from lunch and only minutes later, a cop came into our office and asked if anyone would be going in and out the back door because it was currently marked off as part of a crime scene!!! What. I didn't think to ask what kind of crime scene because I was too busy processing that part of the office had been marked off as a crime scene... So. That happened. We spent the rest of the afternoon trying to peer out the window(s) of the office and see what unfolded...in a way that was inconspicous. I'm sure we were completely obvious and we became more so when we realized there was a hearse parked outside the office. The crime scene excitement came to a halt when we watched a body bag being loaded onto the hearse and things got a lot less exciting and a lot more stressful/upsetting when we realized someone had lost their life.

Trying to be a member of CSI - although I'm 99.9% certain this is chocolate...or something...

Up until Wednesday morning, we were under the impression that someone had been murdered because we didn't see any other way the area would have been marked off as a crime scene. We all imagined up a million different scenarios but sadly, the reality was that someone in the house next door to our office took his own life. We all felt pretty poorly for watching everything unfold the day before....so...there's that tale.

The biggest (little) bum I've ever seen in my life.

Because what do you need less than a week after a cookie swap? More cookies!

Thursday was my Mom's birthday (happy birthday Mom!) and I scooted out of work early so we could head into DC and witness the gloriousness (also not a word) that is Trans Siberian Orchestra. Let me tell you, with all the lights and sounds and things...I wasn't sure where to look and sensory overload is probably a pretty accurate description of what to expect if you attend a Trans Siberian Orchestra concert. Having said that - it was pretty much one of the most epic things I've witnessed in my life. I'm so glad we went...even though, eehh...DC traffic y'all...especially at Christmas, that stuff is no joke. However, we survived the traffic, ate some delicious pulled pork in the Verizon Center (hehehehe) and then rocked out to Trans Siberian Orchestra...and then navigated the traffic back out of DC and home. Victory! I took about eleven thousand photos...but I spared you and only put about five below.

Being dazzled by all the lights...oooh....

So much to take in - where do you look? When do you look at what?

And when the ceiling looks like this...is it better just to stare up?

Wave your camera lights in the air...

Absolutely dizzying effect....sometimes literally, ha-ha!

Friday was a loooonnnggg day - mostly in part to not getting home from DC until almost midnight. Whoosh! Happily, the day passed pretty quickly...or maybe I should say the work day...the day itself seemed long. I don't mean that in a bad way, but you know - it was a day. My wonderful boss let us head out from work at 3:45 and so we were able to get going to dinner earlier than planned and found the most delightful hole in the wall called Sweet Nola's that has some of the best Cajun/Creole food I've eaten in a very long time. Oh my, it was tasty and the decor was all very...New Orleans-ish and the bearded waiter was also a delight. Ha. We finished the night out with a Christmas concert where I was tempted to throttle a toddler that decided to whack me in the head over and over with his program while his Mother whispered "don't hit the nice lady..." over and over. My Christmas spirit held me refrain - but y'all, it was a challenge to be sure. We got some Starbucks at 9 PM; I proceeded to pound mine like nobody's business and then we bought luggage at Belk and clothes at Old Navy...

See - long day.

And let's be honest - if it's not a bad view to start the work week, it's certainly not a bad view to end the work week.

Seriously - you'd think this bed belonged to him. It doesn't.

Some of the most delicious food I've eaten in a while. Yum.

My very own London Fog....to roll through the London fog...

Saturday was another one of those days just filled to the brim with things to do - but isn't that always the case with the Christmas season? I think it is...and while a part of me would like to just declare one year that all I'm going to do on the weekends is watch Christmas movies and not go to every party, event and outing...another part of me knows I'd miss it. I did get to start my Saturday sipping coffee and snuggling with Watson in the recliner, so that's always a good thing. Puppy cuddles are the best. I joined my Mom for the ornament exchange that her church's ladies ministry puts on each year and the food, games and company were all delightful - and I came out ahead on the whole ornament thing because I got two ornaments, not just one.

We do enjoy our Saturday morning snuggle sessions....

Outfit of the Day - because I love(d) my outfit, ha!

Ornament Exchange goodness. I got the two for one deal!

We spent Saturday afternoon doing the Strasburg Heritage Tour of Homes and while we were initially a little concerned; seeing as the first home was basically a little old ladies' house with one wee tree and lots of old pictures, the tour picked up from there and we were glad we'd decided to tool around town for the afternoon. A couple of the houses were absolutely amazing and I tried to convince my parents they needed to find a way to steal one from the couple that owned it and make it their own...I don't think they bought my suggestions though. I even made a friend at one of the houses - in the form of a cat, which is not the creature I usually gravitate toward but this particular cat reminded me of my very first and much beloved cat, Misty...and plus, it made it's way right over to me when I said hello - so there's that. The evening ended watching Holiday Inn and Two Weeks Notice...such random choices, I know.

Scenes from around the Strasburg Heritage Homes Tour

I made a new friend. His name was....no clue....

I personally think I need this house - minus the creepy little children pictures...

Taking it way back to the late 1700's for some decoration inspiration. 

I went to the early service on Sunday morning (why do I keep doing this???) and in tandem consumed about 24 ounces of coffee before 10 AM. I also went to Target twice on Sunday and if that doesn't mark a day with greatness, then I don't know what does. I met my parents at Wayside Inn for brunch (although we met at 12:15 and is it really brunch by that time?) and it was delicious and perhaps we'll go again in the New Year to see what other delightful things they have to offer. The chocolate cake was to die for - as were the potatoes and macaroni and cheese. They also had pretty impressive gingerbread houses...so, a good time was had by all. I took a Sunday afternoon nap, which I haven't done in a coon's age (hehehe) and then rounded out the evening by having dinner with my friend Katie at Hunter's Head Tavern. I'm like an old woman, so I was asleep by 9:30 because well, that's how I roll. So - yep!

Sunday brunch at Wayside Inn, complete with gingerbread houses!

A delicious peppermint martini to end the weekend....

Watson says "till later....pfffftttt!"

See - such a week! So many things happening and activities and what not. Can you believe there are only 10 days till Christmas (and London...if you're me...)??? I cannot. I feel like I have lots to do before Christmas Eve and just thinking about it makes my head spin... But alas, it will all get done, there will be goodness thrown into the mix and the days will keep passing at warp speed, I'm sure! So, until next time!