Summer in DC

I am incredibly behind in blogging. It's a bit ridiculous. That said this was a good summer in DC and here are a few of the highlights.

Cafe Rio is in the DC area. And since this picture, there is now a 2nd location in the Greater DC area. Yes I've been to both many, many times. Let's just say I've earned a couple of free meals already. Oh Pork Burrito how I love thee...
A few of my favorite DC gals enjoying Cafe Rio with me. Kat, Meradyth & Amber.

Melissa and the boys came for a visit over the 4th of July and that was just perfection. Vince has got an eye for photography. The kid is pretty good. Ansel Adams better watch out.

Me! Haha. This is Vince's shot. Not too shabby.

Hello sunshine! Baby Clyde (don't you love how they're matching?!) is all of his beauty.

The boys were actually with Al and Melissa came up for visit, so this is a shot of them seeing her for the first time in a couple of weeks. It was such a great moment.

Melissa and I after a Capitol Tour. My friend Joe gave us a great tour of the Capitol and it was such a perfect day, grabbed some great grub at Good Stuff Eatery and enjoyed the sunshine.

President's desk in the Capitol. Thanks Joe!

Roommate photo! My roommates and I went out for Julie's birthday and walked around the monuments as the sun was setting. It was a perfect night. I really do love this town, especially in the summertime.

Fried Chicken & Waffles. Delish. For Julie's dinner we ate at Founding Farmers. A really popular restaurant in DC. It definitely lived up to the hype. It was amazing!

Enjoying Founding Farmers.

Summer isn't complete without at least one baseball game. I didn't get to as many games as I'd have liked, but I did get at least one and it was the perfect night for a game. I'm telling you this town is a dream in the summer. Love it!

The whole baseball crew.

Sunset from our seats in the Nationals stadium. Gorgeous!

Go Nationals!

Kate. I love her. This girl just makes me happy. She got married the weekend I was in Pittsburgh for work. But we did throw her a heckuva a bridal shower and here she is enjoying it :)

It was a yogurt bar. It turned out wonderfully and was the perfect food for a summer shower.

All of Kate's ladies enjoying the shower. What would summer be without bridal showers?!

More of Kate! I told you I loved her :)

It really was a good summer in DC. I look back and can't believe it's already over and there are moments I feel like I didn't do much, since there was no real "big trip." But I did get some quality time with my city and in the end, that's exactly what I needed. I do love this town, but we'll see how I'm feeling come the dead of winter!

Pittsburgh

Take me home country roads. John Denver really did sing it best.

I was able to check off one more state from my list.

West Virginia (leaving only Alaska and Vermont). We had a workshop back in June in Pittsburgh and so we made it a road trip through ET's hometown. We really were listening to "Country roads" as we drove these roads. Pretty surreal.
View of West Virginia.

Gorgeous.

Me & ET. I adore this kid. We have so much fun together. I can't tell you how much I miss him at the office. NACCAS just isn't the same without him.

The whole Workshop Crew.

Pittsburgh! I love this town! I have never seen so many manly men in one place in my whole life!!I loved it! Haha. Seriously though, there were men everywhere. It may or may not have something to do with the fact that the Pirates were playing the Red Sox the weekend we were there. Either way, it improved the overall view ;) The Beer House. Not quite as fun as the one in Munich, but still a pretty dang good time.

Our farewell dinner for ET.

The gang on our last night in Pittsburgh.

Yes I work with some crazy people, but it really is so much fun! I love doing these workshops. I get to travel with my colleagues and I get to teach, which I really do miss doing. It is a lot of hard work but it is so much fun. Pittsburgh was no exception.

The Prince is 5

5 years ago I became an Aunt. It has been the single greatest joy of my life. Hands down. I didn't do anything to deserve it and Melissa did all the hard work to bring this little man into my life, but it has been such a wonderful and incredible experience.

On May 20th Vincent Raymond Deleon turned 5.

Here is what he looked like the first time I saw him 5 years ago.

He was so tiny!! And he had so much hair!
Here is our first photo together (can we just make a sidenote about how ridiculously short my hair was then?! Woah.) I haven't stopped cuddling him since...well atleast when he lets me. The kid never stops running.

And here he is now. Our little Vince the Prince, 5 years old!

We had a big party for him in Tallahassee and it was such a good, good time. My parents were there and so was Nathan. I love being with my nephews and family. These babies bring such happiness into our lives. What the heck did we do before them?!

I know every Aunt thinks her nephews/nieces are the cutest. But seriously? Look at these faces? Pretty sure it's no contest.

I know that Mothers always talk about how they can't believe they have enough room in their heart to love anyone more than their first child and then they have another baby and it just muliplies. Well it's true. Life is so much sweeter with Baby Clyde around who just turned 2, now that I've taken so long to blog this post. Our babies are growing so fast. I honestly cannot get enough of these two.

Aunt Mimi is pretty much my favorite person to be at the moment.