Fatness

As I am typing this new entry, I am stuffing my face with microwaved Christmas M&M's (not the peanut ones...that's Paul).  Tis the season to stuff your face, and we have been doing just that.  Although we didn't get to enjoy Thanksgiving at home, we did spend it with some delightful people up here.  Not only that, but I finished a bunch of papers, that I am sure would never have occurred amidst my nieces and nephews.  Upsides and downsides to both, but nonetheless, we were here.

We began the day with Paul making his annual dish for the year: Deviled Meggs.  We should've also brought Paul's big huge corn bucket that we found at Costco and that we do every year for Thanksgiving, but alas we didn't.  Shame on us.  I added to our dishes with Potato Gratin and made Paul's mom's infamous Carrot Cake that everyone loved.  I made it so I could give Paul a taste of home, which I think I did since he hovered over me in the kitchen until I let him lick the bowls.  This he did right when I said "I think I'll make the cake now".  How he loves to try my patience :).

 Waiting on the T with the food

 Thank you Ryan and Kate (Dosses)!

Making some 'taters

We arrived at the Dosses and found that Ryan had peeled part of his thumb and was at MIT medical trying to get fixed up.  Luckily, it was just bandaged up, no need for stitches or anything serious.  Poor guy!  He missed all of the grazing, but at least not the main event.

Ana making the turkey (it was awesome!)

So much... and that wasn't all of it

There are two Rachels!

The meal was so good, it was worth the wait (3 PM).  But Paul and I decided that was for the best because we had another Thanksgiving to go to after and we didn't eat so much there.  So, we think we didn't gain as much weight (this is what we tell ourselves).  After dinner, we played games then went to the next house after dessert.

Games get intense

Males...notice the beard on Paul in the foreground?

So, that was Thanksgiving.  Great success!

It is now almost the end, and only 2 big weeks until we are back in Charlotte for our break.  Christmas is in the air and I'm of course pumped.  I decorated everything!  I changed out my soaps for the holiday ones, put the wreath on the door, and got our Christmas tree!  Will post the finished product of our tree later, but here is our adventure getting our beloved, huge....

CHARLIE BROWN TREE!

I am actually quite certain that last year I said to Paul that I wanted a Charlie Brown tree at some point because I felt so bad for them.  I got my wish!  Next post will be of our tree, as soon as Paul can do it.  He's going on a retreat with the MIT Student Senate (he's a senator...forgot to mention that) this weekend.

Well, that's about it.  First semester of graduate school almost complete.  What have we learned?  Or at least for myself?  

\

Yeah...that's real.  And surprisingly small right?

Don't stress so much, work efficiently, read everything, STUDY STUDY STUDY, do something that you love every once in a while or you'll strangle someone, never get less than 8 hours of sleep, and every once in a while, make Paul snuggle with you, whether he likes it or not.  

:)

  

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3 More weeks to go!

As the title suggests, we are beginning the countdown to the end of semester.  Thanksgiving is this week and I figured, might as well update on our latest happenings before we get into the festivus of giving thanks.

A couple weekends ago, MIT had their annual Fall Ball.  This is when students get together, look nice, and have a pretty good meal.  Every year, there is a Fall Ball and a Spring Fling.  The Spring Fling is much more formal and in a mansion (!!!), but this was a lot of fun as well.

With some friends

My best friend

We do look pretty together.  

Another important event...FIRST SNOW!!  Of course, it was slightly disappointing because it was a rain/snow mixture.  So, after the snow fell, the rain just took it all away.  Sadly, Paul did not get his first big snow.  I guess his first Nor'easter is the big thing here.

Snowflakes

So pretty.  Oh well.  Maybe next time, it will be at least 3 feet.

That's basically been it.  We have been doing the normal things of hanging out with friends and maintaining a very busy life.  But, we are excited to announce that over New Year's, we will be going on a trip to....SWITZERLAND!  Although it is only for a few days, we debated whether to do it or not.  In the end, we said while we are young, we should travel while we can.  It's also our Christmas/birthday gifts to each other, since we no longer exchange presents.  So, AHHH!  I'm too thrilled.

We are sad that this Thanksgiving we will not be able to go to Charlotte to see our families.  Nothing beats home cooking.  Luckily, loads of other people will still be here and we can have a merry time with them as well.  Christmas though is looming and we are too eager to see it.  Even though it isn't even past Thanksgiving, Christmas lights are everywhere in the city, and the ice rink on the Frog Pond is already set up.  I just love this city :).  

The next post will probably be my last one for the semester since it will probably get pretty hectic as we finish up our first semesters in grad school.  Unless I get ambitious over break.  But, I think I will have a lot more to discuss, since it will probably be the holiday post.  Until then.

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Hockey video

For those interested, here is Paul's team playing hockey.  We wanted the new hockey photos to be done like this, but we just haven't had time.  So here it is!

Video click here!

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Hurricane, Halloween, and Hockey...oh my!

Let me start off with the good stuff.

After our anniversary, Paul's parents came up for a visit.  We loved having the both of them up and they had real adventures in the Northeast, with great weather.  On that Saturday, we walked approximately 8 miles with them around town and saw a bit of the Charles Regatta.  The Regatta is a rowing competition of sorts and apparently a big to do...it didn't seem all that thrilling to me.  But, nonetheless, we saw it.  We even got another nice Italian meal in the North End.  I know we are starting to sound like a broken record with how we show our guests a good time, but hey, when you have great places to visit, you don't mind visiting more than once.  Or even increasing your waistline.  So, if you do come to visit, expect the North End.  Because it's delicious.  

Paul and his parents in front of Sloan

I wanted a good picture with BU boats in front of the Citgo sign because that's where BU is.  Success.

Next, is Halloween, which was super fun.  This year, Paul and I were....

HAMBURGLAR AND THE GRIMACE!

I know I wasn't an amorphous blob of purple that is the usual Grimace.  Sue me for wanting to be pretty.  Everybody knew who Paul was and most just smiled at me.  And then I told them they needed more Happy Meals as a child.  I bet you didn't know the Grimace and Hamburglar were best friends?  Well, for those who don't know, here's a video to remind you on who the two are:

Click here

Grimace and Hamburglar

I know, getting fancy with my blog entries...multi-modal. 

Also, with the ushering in of November, it is now hockey time for the LGOs.  Which means Paul on ice.  Which means Rachel sitting in the stands with the camera anxiously awaiting every fall Paul does.  The first game was very disappointing because Paul only fell once.  At least the second game was spectacular.  Paul fell at least twice and the second one was glorious.  I know it sounds like I revel in my husband's pain...and it's true because he's so funny on ice.  The first game, Paul's team lost.  

The second game, the team got their jerseys and won the game!  I will also upload a video of that game on the next post, since it is still in the works.  Paul worked so hard and I was so proud of his efforts (his jersey says Coldbelly).  Good job Paul!

The team (the maroon side...not red)

Coldbelly shoots!! 

Game face

Also, midterms have happened at BU (and apparently still going on at MIT?) and I must say, I survived.  I got a B on Research Methods...I've never been more proud of a B in my life.  I actually never had a formal midterm session at Western, so this whole concept is new to me.  But, we survived with only a filthy apartment.

As for the hurricane, thank you for all those who were thinking of us.  We appreciated it and turned out we got the day off, but no real considerable damage.  However, poor NYC and New Jersey.  They are basically underwater and most of my peers from BU have family and friends in those areas.  Think of them and try to help as much as you can.  We were so fortunate.  

I will have another post soon, as tonight we are having our Fall Ball, where we dress nicely and dance the night away.  So, until then, have a great day!

Also, Happy early Birthday Nichole!  We love and miss you!

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Happy happy

The past couple of weeks have been dark, dreary, and rainy.  I like it.  But not for showing off the town.  Luckily, Boston allowed for a couple of beautiful days for my MOMMY!

Yes, my sweet mother arrived for a few days and we had a blast.  She may have gotten more than she bargained for in terms of seeing the town, but we like to keep things exciting.  We did a couple of tours, like the duck boat with Bill Shakespeare (he was in tights and hilarious) and a haunted tour where Mom not only learned about our local ghosties, but our local furry friends...rat sighting.  I am pretty sure that scared her more than the stories about Revolutionary War ghosts on the T.  

Walking through Beacon Hill with my Mommy

Frog Pond at the Boston Common

Duck Boat Tour

We also visited the North End for some delicious Italian food for Mommy's birthday at the end of the month.  Apparently when Mom visits, that is every excuse to throw any sort of diet out the window and to stuff your face with wonderful things like cannolies, Boston cream pies, and huge eclairs.  Although we loved having Mommy, I'm not sure our immune system can keep up.  Either way...Happy Birthday Mom!  We love you!

Next is this past weekend a.k.a Anniversary Extravaganza!  Our 2 year wedding date is Tuesday, but during the week we are so busy that we can't stop.  So, we took the weekend for ourselves and celebrated us.

Saturday morning, bright and early, we went to Blue Hills Reservation and hiked approximately for 5 hours.  It was quite cold, but after some moving, clothes start coming off.  Anyway, here are some pictures:

Beginning of the trail

Shadows

Boston skyline

Trail marker

Neat Bridge

  

More Boston

It was nice to start our day off early, come home, and nap.  I apparently ignored the alarm and just growled at Paul when he suggested we wake up.  Naturally, like the great husband he is, he left me alone.  But our anniversary doesn't end there!

The traditional gift for 2 years is cotton.  We don't give gifts anymore but experiences.  This year was my year to plan and I really thought cotton was a dumb gift.  I felt it would be a touch of a letdown to give Paul a shirt...so impersonal.  So, I thought of a clever way to tie cotton into our experience.

COTTON CANDY! 

WE WENT TO THE CIRCUS!

Instead of a normal gift, I gave the joy of the circus to my PM.  I loved his original guess at the surprise: sheep sheering...'cause cotton comes from sheep :).  Precious.  (He was joking.  He knows where cotton comes from).

Anyway, now we are relaxing and trying to gather ourselves before this week of midterms for Paul and just a bunch of stuff to do for me.  Our life together gets crazy, but I'm sure glad I've got Paul Meggs to share it with.  Happy Anniversary to the greatest love of my life!

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That Autumn feeling

Phew!  It's been a couple of weeks since I have updated.

It's been a lot of school.  A LOT!  Monday through Thursday is basically Paul and myself constantly on the go.  We say hello and good bye, kiss each other in passing and say how nice we look on our way to classes.  But the weekends are very much worth it.  We spend time with our new group of friends, relax on the couch, and really enjoy our time together.  I guess I'm getting sentimental because in a couple of weeks it's our anniversary.  That's a post to be.

BU is great, although some classes are definitely more difficult than others.  My research class...Paul has become my tutor, which is good because I'm studying and spending time with him.  Two birds, one stone.  I had a gathering of the girls last weekend, which was nice.  We are really starting to bond and come out of our shells.

MIT is, of course, out of control fun.  Paul has joined the flag football team and loves it.  It gives him a chance to exercise but have fun with his buddies.  Here's a cute picture of the team

Not the greatest picture, it was with my phone.  So, it will do.

I got into the a capella group at MIT so now I get to sing once a week.  This is something I have been missing so much.  I'm really excited about it and maybe I'll post a video in the following months of my group singing.

The highlight of the past couple of weekends though has been the long awaited apple picking.  For our southern brethren, a must-do item in the fall up North is to go apple picking.  Paul resisted saying how it was "manual labor" and that he wasn't "interested".  I think I changed his tune.

We went with a group of people from MIT and got so many goodies including two bags of apples (I gotta make something soon!), apple butter, pumpkin butter, and apple cider (we already drank it all...four days later).  Here are some pictures of this fun trip.

Taught Paul about apple cider doughnuts.  I'll admit we ate three each.

The group

Paul ended up liking it after all...especially the doughnut part.  

Next post should be an exciting one...October always is!  My mom comes up!  Paul's parents come up! IT'S OUR ANNIVERSARY!  MIDTERMS!

As for our new picture, I will probably change it once the leaves change colors and we can get a beautiful New England photo.  But for now, enjoy the pumpkins.

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