Home Again

We had a really great time in Maryland.. we even stayed an extra night! (partly because we didn't get enough sleep and by the end of the last day were too tired to drive home.. thank you Aunt Jean and Uncle Al for letting us come back and crash one more night at your place!)

We drove down on Thursday afternoon and made it just in time for what has become a tradition between the Mohr family and Laveroni family. My parents started sending them 'tapes from Minnesota' a few years ago and this is the first one I have had the pleasure of listening to. It was a recording of my parents describing in a story-like dialogue the many salads of Minnesota. (Ya knoow, like you would have at a church paat-luck along with a haat-dish) It was pretty creative and for some reason very funny to people on the East Coast! I'm not sure what topics the tapes have had in the past, but they are all Minne-SOH-ta themed. We spent a lot of time just being together and talking, reminiscing and playing games.  The last time we were together like this was two years ago at Thanksgiving. My cousin's daughter was just a baby then.. now she's a two year old and walking and talking!! Very adorable. 

We spent an afternoon at Baltimore's Inner Harbor where we toured the last Civil War vessel afloat, a ship called The Constellation, and a WWII submarine The USS Torsk. Here's our crew on the way to the harbor (minus me who is behind the camera as always!).

Right after taking this photo I saw something wonderful across the street.. something I haven't seen in over a year! It was quite exciting... 

...at least for me.

After I calmed down from my Panera sighting we headed for the water. It was great to have my Uncle Al with us for the Constellation- he knew everything there was to know about the ship's history and the different parts of the ship. It was like having our own personal tour guide! This weekend confirmed two things for Chris and me.. one being we definitely should NOT get cable television, and the second, the life of a sailor or Navy man is not the life for me; then or now. My feet need to stay on solid ground thankyouverymuch. (Although I would not oppose to a Caribbean cruise!) 

Oh.. and in case you were wondering- I did stop for Panera on our way home from the harbor. YUM! Oh Panera.. wont you please come to New York??

It was great to get away from the City and see family and spend some time together. It was equally great to be able to visit our former pastor and his family in Baltimore on our last day there. It was very cool to see how God has placed them in their new church and how God is working in, with and through them. 

We didn't make it to DC but Chris and I are planning on going this Spring together. We have been told by many people to go when the Cherry Blossoms are in bloom so that is our goal. 

What did you all do for the holidays/weekend? Is it as tough for you as it is for me to wake up early again and go back to work??