A Visit from the Becks

A recent visit from the (soon to be) Beck trio sure did spark some memories. There are a few things that used to be staples in our routine that just don't happen much anymore. Rarely do we go to Ocean City...at least not during the summer...damn tourists!

Buffalo bites and burger nights are long gone! Honestly, we really don't get out much, compared to what we used to do. It was great to have a weekend with some good friends to kick back, relax and do some things that we really don't get to do much of anymore.

We packed up and took Jules for a trip to Ocean City. This girl just loves the beach. She's such a good kid and I think she would sit and play in the sand and surf all day long! I've also noticed that she seems to be developing more of her mother's complexion. When you compare some pictures of her from last summer to this summer...home-girl is getting a little tan going!

Next, we got back from the beach and busted out the grill for some burgers and brats. Always helpful Julia was right there to shuck and eat the corn. By the way, she prefers to eat her corn raw!
It's clear to see here that I am further along in my pregnancy than Amanda. Actually, I'm pretty sure I'm having twins!

It was great to see Kenny and Amanda and we can't wait to hopefully visit them this fall and meet Baby-Beck! Julia was ready to ride her bike there right now, but someone put that darned fence in the way!

-Andy

Thanksgiving '09

This was Julia's first "real" Thanksgiving, just as a month from now we will celebrate Julia's first "real" Christmas. I am SO excited! I feel like we have years of awesomely fun holidays ahead of us!

This has been a crazy week. First Aunt Amanda came to visit on Wednesday and we hosted a modest welcome home gathering for her. Julia likes Aunt Amanda. She doesn't see her often enough but always has a good time with her.

It was great to spend a day with our good friends Kenny and Amanda (sans Kenny...damn work!). Hopefully we'll be able to spend a little more time together when they visit this summer.

At some point Wednesday night I began preparations for the Thanksgiving meal that we were hosting. I wanted to host...especially when I heard that Ma' Jones was probably going to have to work on or around Thanksgiving. That's a lot to take on either coming off or going into a night of work. She does so much for us that it was good to be able to offer to give her a break.

But I never realized how much stress is generated when one offers to host a major meal for Ma' Jones. Add to that the fact that I had never cooked a turkey before and I was second guessing myself and my cooking strategy for about a week! Finally, I took my 23 pound turkey (which I wasn't sure would fit into my oven), use as much butter and seasoning as I could, cook it nice and slow and hope for the best.

Now I need to let you know that our oven is about 50 or so years old...seriously! I knew our oven temperatures were off, but I decided to buy an oven thermometer for this meal, in order to be able to cook more precisely. Precise was an impossibility. I could hit 350 and 300, but 325 was impossible! Furthermore, I don't have enough experience with turkey to say that if its 15 minutes per pound at 325, then it should be 22 minutes a pound at 300. Before too long, I was just taking a shot in the dark and a 23 pound ball of salmonella!

So the juices ran clear and I served it. In carving it, I definitely discovered portions undercooked, but we cut around them, nuked them, etc. and I think everyone remained in good health. That is what I was most thankful for this year!

I also tried making my Nana's pecan pie...a quality Rhino Recipe that come out GREAT! Julia loves pecan pie...never mind that momma says that she can't have nuts yet!

Now I miss my family. I do everyday, but really it is what it is and we need to make the most of when we are together. We had loads of fun with the Jones side and especially our nieces and Nate (poor guy has no idea what he will have to deal with at family gatherings later on). Julia loves her cousins and is having fun with everything right now...and that's the most fun that I've ever had!

Bring on the fat guy in the red suit!

-Andy

At the Corner of Cloverhurst & Cloverhurst

I'm not really sure what happened to Spring, but it seems that we went straight from Winter to Summer. It's ridiculous to think that we took a seven hour (in each direction) road trip on one of the hottest weekends of the year...and it's still APRIL!!!

We did hit the road to see Kenny and Amanda (Aunt Amanda and Uncle Kenny, if Julia is reading) down in Winston-Salem, NC. I realized a couple things on the ride. First...it still kinda cracks me up that when you cross into Virginia on the Eastern Shore, there's a big Confederate Flag Billboard that reads, "The South Starts Here"...just to prove to all of you that we actually live in the Northeast.

The other thing that gets me is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. I've now been over it probably 6 or 8 times and I'm never any less in awe. I always have the urge to stop, fish off the pier, take lots of photos and watch the ships go by. That bridge is truly awesome. I'm waiting for two opportunities. I can't wait until Julia is old enough to share my awe of the bridge and I really want to take my dad over it.

So travel across that Bay Bridge-Tunnel and take a right at Virginia Beach. Travel west-southwest for a while and eventually you come to Winston-Salem, NC in the heart of ACC Country. As a Big East guy, I felt like I should be doing something to sabotage the ACC, like Luke Skywalker visiting the Death Star, but I refrained.

When you get into W-S, NC you will come to the Cloverhurst neighborhood. Seriously...every street is a Cloverhurst. You start our on Cloverhurst Way and take a left onto Cloverhurst Blvd. Follow that to Cloverhurst Avenue and then a quick left onto Cloverhurst Street and there you will find Kenny and Amanda!

Julia made a new friend this weekend. He's just her size and boy did he like her. His name is Ripken and he's a Shorkie. It was absolutely priceless when Julia went upstairs to get a bath and he sat at the bottom of the stairs and just barked. I guess he missed his new buddy.

Julia and Ripken hung out, played, chased each other and even shared toys. At times it seemed that anything Ripken put in his mouth, Julia would too. (And sweetheart, when you read this, I hope you are as grossed out as Daddy was this weekend). They shared a beanie turtle, squeeze toys, ice cubes and probably most hysterically...a pacifier!!!

We hoped that Julia would be taking her first steps in NC this weekend, but sadly she's still not quite ready. She was taking half steps at one point, but never did follow through with the other leg. We have tempted her with everything...food, toys, cans, bottles and TV remotes, but she's just not quite there.

All in all, the trip to visit the Becks was in a word...short. I think I can speak for Courtney in saying that we really miss having them around. I'm just happy that things are going so well for them. They have a beautiful home in a great area of the country. Amanda has just gotten a new job and they have a super cool puppy (and that means a lot, considering that I'm really not a dog guy).

Uncle Kenny and Julia seem to be pals now too. We knew that Aunt Amanda would do just fine, but I wondered what Kenny's interaction level would be like (having been recently petrified of infants/toddlers myself). Well he took to Julia like the Red Sox taking to Yankee relievers. He did great!

All in all, we had a wonderful trip. Many thanks to the Becks for their hospitality and friendship! We didn't get the chance to play Settlers, but there is always next time. In fact, I would say that the only downer from the whole trip was the fact that I'm actually sore today from our Bocce World Series yesterday!!!

-Andy