St. Paddy's Day in Bay City

Every year we have a tradition for St. Patrick's Day...green beer at Mulligan's in Bay City the Sunday of the St. Patrick's Day Parade. This year we all pulled our green apparell (beads, buttons, stickers, etc.) and headed out in the cold to wait in line for our table.

We arrived at Mulligan's at about 10am and waited the 2 hours outside to be the first ones in the bar. Once inside we all drank green beer (probably too much) and sang Irish tunes with the band!

Can't wait to celebrate again next year!

Above picture from left to right: Naryn (Nate's sister), Melissa (our soon to be sister-in law/Neil's fiance), Neil (Nate's brother), Stacie and Brian (good friends), Dave (good friend) and myself!

Iowa here we come!!!

The weekend before my trip to DC, I left Nate at home again for another fun girls trip! Maris, one of my good friends, recently moved to Iowa City to pursue her master's degree. So all of us college roommates decided to make a weekend trip to visit her. Theresa, Karen and I all loaded up in the car and drove the six hours from Grand Rapids to Iowa...not much to see on the way there, but we had fun! It was just like old times...all four of us crammed into a tiny apartment laughing and giggling all night.

Since visiting Iowa in February means you're going to see a lot of snow, we've decided to go back when the weather is little nicer and the car doesn't get stuck in a snow bank. Maris showed us all around Iowa City and the University of Iowa...we shopped, had a few cocktails and enjoyed a weekend without husbands and boyfriends!

(Picture: Regina, Karen, Maris, Theresa)

Trip to Washington DC

I recently had the opportunity to visit Washington DC with my mom, Beth, and my Aunt Jeanne the first week of March (I know...it's been awhile since my last post). So I left Nate at home in the cold and snow and made a girls' week of it! None of us had visited before, so when my mom's company decided to send her to a 3 day training session in DC, Aunt Jeanne and I went along too.

Aunt Jeanne and I spent the days touring around the city while my mom went to "school". We rode the subway, visited many of the memorials and museums and walked miles and miles around the city. The Washington Monument was one of our favorites...probably because whenever we got turned around, we could spot the monument right away! I was really impressed with the Lincoln Memorial and the FDR Memorial also...I was wishing, though, that I had payed a little more attention in US History class. Oh, well...that's what the tour books are for!

(I made Aunt Jeanne hold FDR's hand!!!:)

Luckily, my friend Sarah lives in Washington DC and she was the best tour guide ever! She gave us a driving tour of the city at night, made dinner for us at her apartment and helped us navagate around the city! It was great seeing her as well as my friend Diane from nursing school, who now lives in Baltimore, MD.

Another high light of the trip...we saw Carrie Bradshaw's computer!!! That's right, at the Museum of American History they actually have the lap top Sarah Jessica Parker used on the set while filming Sex and the City. I was thrilled...who knew museums could be so much fun. We had a great time and can't wait to go back soon!