Adopting in Ashburn

I am apparently the party person this week. My boyfriend Richard's birthday is today (festivities throughout the weekend with a party on Saturday), my counterpart at work has her last day on Friday so there's a send-off for her, and one of my favorite volleyball folks is having a baby shower on Sunday. My kitchen has become a bakery of deliciousness - pictures to be posted soon - and there are various bags of presents and surprises scattered throughout my house. With all of the craziness going on in my life (to be elaborated on AFTER this week of parties is over), it's nice to be celebrating the fabulousness of change. Another year for Richard. School and a new career for SC (Super Colleague). Life, literally for Jen. In other barely tangentially related news, all of the long term setters in my life (that's a volleyball position for you non-sports folks) have been named Jen(n). An odd coincidence for someone who's been playing ball for 14 years. Also, let it be know...

Friday night: Girls Night at Kate's to watch Pride & Prejudice, followed by Bride & Prejudice (Bollywood). All of that was with mojitos, red wine, cookies, quesidillas, and this fabulous goat cheese brie with an apple/nut/cranberry chutney on top. I really need to get that recipe! Saturday I slept in (9:30!) did some stuff around the apartment, filled out and turned in a rental application for the townhouse, and posted an ad online for roommates. Then I made some bean dip casserole and drove up to the ever-exciting choir party. I love hanging out with the folks from choir. I stayed over with a friend so I wouldn't have to make the drive back and forth (thanks!). Sunday I sang both masses at church and read Pride & Prejudice in between (not the whole thing, obviously). Had lunch with Ginny, talked to my host mom (for lack of a better term) from Canada, and then picked up Dana to go shopping at Kohls for new work clothes for her new job (congrats!). Target wou...

So most of my excitement about staying in town this weekend revolved around preparing for the Caroling Party. I baked like a fiend, cleaned the apartment, did some gardening (which no one can ever see because all our parties are at night, but whatever - I like it), and finished my laundry and such. The party was super. Not everyone could make it (which was a bummer), but the people who came were amazingly fun. We ate an inordinate amount of baked goods (and I also made people take tons home) had an actual fire that lasted, drank cocoa, watched the original cartoon version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas , and sang a bunch of songs. Some notable classics were the "Twelve Days of Christmas," acted out respectively by each individual; "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" which was making us laugh so hard Dana had to stop playing piano; and "Thirty Two Paws and Eight Little Tails," which was a song no one had ever heard before, but Dana and I think is hyster...