Headed down south to the land of the pines

First things first: Berkey.

Now that that's settled, we went to Nicole's lake house this past weekend. It was everything I needed and then some... I can't express the joy that happened so I will attempt to show with pictures:

So Garry came. People were injured but not too seriously this time, it was all in jest, Garry thinks he's funny.

 There was boating (lake lyfe duh)

 and these guys

 and tubing

 and joy (told you there would be joy)

 and toes pictures

 and reaction over the toes pictures

 and of importance: the cracker barrel golf tee game

 and the usual

 and more joy

 and when the rain came; a lot of this

and community

 and cooking dinner with Ryan again #greenwall

and Four on a Couch (winners!)

 and guys couch... only three.

 and Kate's Birthday at Midnight!

 and taping candy to the cake

 and mimosas with brunch

and joy for James

 and a beautiful place.

Attempts at taking a photograph (this is only half of the photos taken in this period of time when the struggle was so real and the disaster of where to put the arms struck again.)

Success unexpected in common hours.

The boys stood and didn't have this prob.

Thank You C-Girls (and Mr.) for opening up your (Lake) house to us. We had such a fantastic weekend away from the big city.

CUE Joy, END SCENE.

200 Catholics & 200 Mormons go to a baseball game...

Awkward Joke? Or Hilarious Reality? 

Awkward Reality.

(Thanks LJ for your creative hilarity of a Facebook status and letting me steal it for comic effect)

So once again this DC girl goes all patriotic with America's pastime, watching the Washington Nationals beat the Phillies with some bestfrans.

#NATITUDE

So we go to a baseball game a few weeks back and bring a few (150) students from Catholic University with us. We make it up to our seats in the nosebleeds in the 400s climbing stairs for dayz. Finally we arrive and all find our seats as we see people file into the section on our left and directly in front of us. The seem to have something in common and if you read the title of this post I bet you can guess what it is. The Mormons on Mission for the greater DC area were all at the game as some sort of social event. I think us Catholics and these Mormons really bonded on that day. I mean think about the providence. THINK ABOUT IT. we could not have planned this greatness.

I think this section of the game had the most fun. Actually I know it to be true. Stick 400 college aged people who are excited to be at the game and excited to be in DC and have them completely FILL a top section of the stadium and leave the rest sparsely dotted with half-passionate fans. It didn't matter that the majority of us there cared more about the presidents race and cotton candy... we still loved it all. And you best believe when Mormons came on the dance screen that CUA students went ba-cray.

There was some attempted evangelization though... I don't think they really got the fact that we were all students from The Catholic University of America, but I got a prayer card out of it with a picture of Jesus with children so who am I to complain... Actually? Complaining never happened from me, I loved it for obvious reasons.

So we may or may not have asked a Mormon on Mission to take this photo just to start a convo... areyoujudgingme?

Right before this was taken we had about 200 Mormons and 200 Catholics looking for you Annie, we missed ya.

Patriotic Pastime... as I said.

And DENIM ... America.

Quality night with good friends and making new MORMON friends... best night of my life? debatable.

note: as always, I apologize for my run-on sentence addiction.

I have a brilliant beyond brilliant idea!

(Insert Bull Horn Here) "Good morning, ladies and welcome to Camp Walden.  I'm Marva, your Camp Director and this is my daughter and right hand man, Marva, Jr. Girls, please find your duffels as quickly as possible, we've got a big, big day ahead of us.  Marva,'bunk assignments, if you please."

But for real, all weekend long I had this distinct feeling that I was going to find my long lost Britisth twin and have to trade places with her (bummertown) while she went to my vineyard in Napa Valley and I headed off to movie montages in the land of Abbey Road and Wedding Gowns.

Sorry Hallie, You're breaking up! 

I just lived life all weekend long as if I were 1998 Lindsay Lohan in her sane, yet schizophrenic, days.

What actually happened last weekend: Freshman Retreat! We had a long, and freezing, bus ride out to the almost Delaware side of Maryland to a beautiful summer camp and a jovial weekend extravaganza.

The bus ride was long but we totes magotes bonded with our group via song clips, games, and sleeping with our feet in the air (you know who you are)

And all weekend long we had tons o' stuff to do and with the best of the small groups if I do say so myself, and I will because look at us. Look at how much you wish you were part of us.

Where babies are, college girls flock.

And the sisters joined us for free time and they are the most jovial and beautiful of them all so I had-ta snap a few. Fun with nuns? I think yes.

Improv Everywhere- Resident Minister Edition

Living life in the 90s... We took retreat wardrobe to a whole new level and were comfortable doing it

VELOCITY!-The Lost City- Bahamas Beach Resort- Atlantis.

Does not matter what you call us. I had the greatest weekend bonding with these ladies and gentleman and getting to know them a little bit better. They are the most fun and most spectacular and I can't wait for thrift shop/ fro-yo/ Georgetown runs to come because one weekend with this crowd was nawt enough.

And after a long splendid weekend, the sea of orange flocks back toward the bus, back toward the reality of classes and dorm rooms, having made some BFFLs in the process, I'm sure of it. (I don't think there were any hair cuttings or ear piercings, but then again there was no isolation cabin (trust meh I asked) so that probs would have helped)