back

jessica@brenandjess.com — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100

It's back to work today. Ugh. After 12 days of not working, I am less than enthusiastic about sitting at my desk.

heirloom

jessica@brenandjess.com — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100

I was hoping that once I finally decided to whip up a batch of viryta (vitatis), I'd get some flashback memory of my grandmother, or even my great-grandmother. Alas, nothing of the sort. At least I will have vitatis.

These pictures are the closest you will get to the family recipe:

Cooking

And the finished product

forgot to mention

jessica@brenandjess.com — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100

WE HAVE NEIGHORS!

Someone moved in next door -- the house that's been empty for over 2 years. Neither Bren nor I have gotten a good look at anyone, but at this point, I'll take anything over empty. (I'll probably regret that I said that later.)

as promised

jessica@brenandjess.com — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100

The Wedding

Geoff and Val's wedding was stellar. Brendan had our camera with him after the rehearsal, so all of our photos are of the boys hanging out the night before

and getting ready the day of.

queue

jessica@brenandjess.com — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Waiting in line to meet the infant Jesus...

tree tomorrow

jessica@brenandjess.com — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100

The title says it all, really. We're off to get our Christmas tree tomorrow. We've switched places officially, too. The place we used to go has gotten much more popular and isn't such a drive into the country any more. So now we go south to Ralph's. We actually met Ralph at the farm last year and he was very nice and so was our tree.

I feel like we're running behind schedule. We just ordered prints to include in the cards, and it just feels like there's just enough time to get them, cu [...]

anticipation

jessica@brenandjess.com — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:00:00 +0100

This Christmas is going to be awesome. Last year was fun, but Bridget was still too young to really fully understand what was going on. This year, she's already squealing over what she calls our "Christmas sings" (translation: Christmas things). She'll get all giddy, clasp her hands in front of her and say "I just can't wait!!" and bounce around. It's the cutest damn thing ever.

If you ask, she'll say she wants a Christmas tree (she loves Christmas trees) anda pink [...]

chill

jessica@brenandjess.com — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

I've been killing myself at work the past few weeks. The project is different from pretty much anything that I've worked on before. I've mostly been involved in Health and Income/Benfits Policy. But I can get on-board with Justice, too.

But the hard parts are pretty much all finished for the moment and it feels good. What feels even better is that this was all mine. I planned and spec-ed it all out myself in addition to doing the actual work. All that's left is a little documentation a [...]

Reyers - The ONLY place I got shoes as a child...

brendan@brenandjess.com — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

I got a frantic call from my mother tonight to tell me to turn on CBS Evening News. This was playing:

Watch CBS Videos Online

(http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4622308n)

When I was growing up, Reyers was billed (still is) as the "World's Largest Shoe Store." I remember when it moved from the little store on State Street that you see in the flash-back footage into it's current location, which used to be a supermarket.

One time, when I was littl [...]

Room rental?

brendan@brenandjess.com — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

With all the hubub regarding the inauguration in January, there have been a lot of news reports about the lack of hotels in the D.C. area.

The question is, should we rent out our guest room? Maybe we could do a package deal where we include transportation to the Metro.

Or we could take in a friend or relative, I guess.

We do have inflatable mattresses, too. I wonder how much we can get for them...

jessica@brenandjess.com — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

In my genealogical research, I've found that I am 7th cousin, 4 times removed (that is hardly related at all) of Emily Dickenson. Just gives me an excuse to pull out my book, and try and recall some favorites.

1383

Long Years apart -- can make no
Breach a second cannot fill --
The absence of the Witch does not
Invalidate the spell --

The embers of a Thousand Years
Uncovered by the Hand
That fondled them when they were Fire
Will stir and underst [...]

handled

jessica@brenandjess.com — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

The bachelor/bachelorette party went pretty well for all persons involved. We had Japanese at a cute little place in the city (emphasis on the little), Zento. Everything was presented beautifully. And it was good, too! Then salsa lessons at a place just down the block. Shockingly, out of 11 of us who went dancing, I was one of the three who finished the lesson. I was not as bad at it as I thought I was going to be.

Plus, I talked to people. And it seemed unforced. So thank god for that. [...]

eats

jessica@brenandjess.com — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

Meat pie is one of Brendan's favorites. I felt like being a little extra-nice today -- you know so he remembers how much he loves me when he's out with the boys tomorrow night -- so we had some for dinner tonight.

It's ridiculously simple to make. Chop up some onion, slice some potatoes, put it all in some very liberally salted water and bring just to a boil. Then crumble in some ground beef and cook it all [...]

Finished (probably, possibly, maybe,...)

brendan@brenandjess.com — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

I probably can't leave well enough alone, but I think we're probably done with the new site. We've completed the import of all of the old blog posts (back to 2005), and I've recreated the travelblog with pictures and tags.

Yes, I know it looks different from this regular blog, but I couldn't use the same application for two areas of the site (dumb, I know, but I just couldn't implement it the way I wanted to, besides, they're different blogs, so why can't they look different?) I also ca [...]

re-publishing

jessica@brenandjess.com — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

I'm working on re-publishing [most] old posts; you won't notice unless you're using the feed.

[Update 13 Nov: FINISHED! and Brendan re-did the old travelblog.]

lucky me!

jessica@brenandjess.com — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

First Paul Rudd, and now Benny! Awesome.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwWFnlCkxY0)

can i handle it?

jessica@brenandjess.com — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100

This weekend is a big weekend of adult fun: Bachelor and Bachelorette activities for Geoff and Val. (The child gets to spend the weekend at Grandma's.) I'm feeling pretty good about it. I know Bren is excited. Part of me is always a little nervous when it comes to social events. Plus, I feel like such an old lady.

It will be fun to get all girlied-up and fancy with Val and whoever else happens to be at her house at the time. I just have to be mindful that I can't hang like I used to. N [...]

he said. she said. a married couple's blog

back

heirloom

forgot to mention

as promised

queue

tree tomorrow

anticipation

chill

Reyers - The ONLY place I got shoes as a child...

Room rental?

related

handled

eats

Finished (probably, possibly, maybe,...)

re-publishing

lucky me!

can i handle it?