Ye Olde Maryland Renaissance Festival!

Lindsay and I had a great day at the Maryland Renaissance Festival near Annapolis. The festival is 25 acres of medieval mirth and merriment in the forest. Lindsay has fond memories of a renaissance festival she went to in Massachusetts many years ago so we thought we would check this one out. This knight in armor offered us a friendly greeting.  

 Lindsay in one of the many plazas throughout the forest. It is a very expansive place with lots of cool buildings.

Here's one of the main eatery places. Lots of fried festival fare.

A cool bagpipe band playing in the jousting arena.

I forgot to put sunscreen on at the beginning of the day...here's your sign.

Lindsay ate too much for lunch...here's your sign. She's the cutest glutton I've ever seen.

If I didn't go to law school, I might have been a Shakespearean actor. Lindsay says I play a wicked Romeo...

Anyone tried fried macaroni and cheese on a stick? Lindsay and I can now say we have...kinda tasty, actually.

Funnelcake fries!

The jousting tournament was my favorite part...I believe this knight's name was Ulrich von Lichtenstein.

Officially known as the "Squire on the Wire", this guy did a fun comedy/acrobatic show including crossing a wire stretched out over the audience. The people underneath this kilt-wearing comedian weren't laughing though. I wonder why...

Blue Moon Cafe!!!!

Today Lindsay and I ventured up to Baltimore to partake in one of the true delicacies ever introduced to mankind's tastebuds...CAPTAIN CRUNCH FRENCH TOAST!!!! This culinary delight is only available at Baltimore's Blue Moon Cafe, of Diner's, Drive-ins, and Dives fame. Imagine it...three slices of Texas toast saturated in a special cream, covered in crushed Captain Crunch, fried in butter, served with homemade whipped cream, fresh strawberries, bananas and blueberries, and a dusting of cinnamon...That's go visit the bishop goodness! Nothing so divine has ever graced my test buds...except Lindsay. After one and a half slices I was down for the count. The richness took me over. Overall, it was well worth the drive north. The pictures can never adequately portray the srumdiddlyumptiosness of the food. Maybe you can lick your screen and get the slightest hint. 

Outside the Blue Moon Cafe

Happily waiting for our food

Sha-zam!! There it is. Captain Crunch goodness!

We also ordered their special biscuits and gravy!

 

 

Christmas Decorating

 Lindsay enjoying some hot chocolate!! We miss having Stephen's hot chocolate out here, but Swiss Miss is just fine. Don't you love Lindsay's presents pants? Awesome!









 Me also enjoying some hot cocoa!

Setting up the tree!

 Lindsay, the star of my life, placing the star on our tree.

 Me placing one of our cool Disney ornaments on the tree! We decided to go with ornaments we had purchased over the time we have been married on the tree this year rather than our nicer red and gold ornaments. It reminds us both of Christmas growing up.

 Lindsay placing another Disney ornament on the tree.

 Lindsay looking cute by our tree holding an ornament.

 Here's the finished product! O Tannenbaum!

 The stockings were hung by the computer with care in hopes that St. Nicholas comes to apartment buildings.

 Garland in the kitchen.

 A wreath on our front door. Lindsay made the bow!

 Here's the view as you walk in our front door. Our apartment feels very Christmasy and cozy! We love the holidays!!!

Labor Day Weekend in Williamsburg, VA

Lindsay and I spent Labor Day weekend in Williamsburg, VA!! It was an awesome weekend. We started out at Busch Gardens! It has 4 or 5 different themed areas centered on different countries in Europe. The park has consistently been voted the most beautiful theme park in America, and Lindsay and I can attest to that. This picture is us in front of the Italy area. 

 Here's Lindsay reconnecting with her German language skills. We had an authentic German dinner in "Das Festhaus". Very yummy!

Colonial Williamsburg!! This is the Governor's Mansion at the head of the main street. 

 You can see the Governor's Mansion at the end of the main street mall area. But the most beautiful part of this photo is Lindsay!...

 Lindsay on a replica of one of the three ships that brought the first English colonists to the Jamestown Settlement.

 Me on another one of the ships. We actually learned that the sailors, and Englishmen generally, drank ale mostly instead of water because the alcohol content kept the water clean enough to drink at sea. But they didn't offer any ale to us. Must be the BYU shirt...

 This is one of the bunks the sailors would have slept in. The ships were all quite small and they crammed up to 70 men on them. Tight quarters!

 Lindsay and I in a carved out canoe! The local Indian tribes would hollow out large tree trunks by lighting controlled fires on the trunk. The hollowed out trunks made for nifty canoes!

Me donning some colonial armor...I'm no John Smith, but Lindsay says I'm cuter...that's all I need!

Islands of Adventure and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!!!

This is the view you get as you first cross into Harry Potter world. It's Hogsmeade village with the Hogwarts castle in the background! It is truly an amazing sight.

The Hogwarts Express has arrived!

The castle they have built for this park is unbelievably cool! So realistic! We couldn't get enough of it.

Another view of the castle as you enter the queue for the Harry Potter ride. The queue takes you all the way through the castle!

Perhaps the coolest thing in the whole castle are the talking portraits. You obviously can't see the effect through this picture, but the portraits look amazingly realistic.

 Lindsay and I savoring our butterbeer in Hogsmeade! It was a caramel-flavored ICEE kind of drink. Delicious!

Another awesome shot of the castle.

Watch out! T-Rex has arrived! 

Spider Man was our favorite ride at Islands of Adventure, with the exception of Harry Potter of course. We're getting our Spidey on before we go riding.

Channeling some Hulk before going on the Hulk coaster.

 Outside Poseidon's temple. This ride was really cool as well.

Lindsay forgot her invisibility cloak in Hagrid's hut. Oh well, she is so beautiful that it's better this way.

Lindsay casting a spell with a wand from Ollivander's: I believe the spell was "Kisserium the Cameramaniosis"

 

Voldemort is shaking in his boots at my magical prowess!

The Beauxbatons and the I-Dont-Remembers are getting ready to engage in a magical duel!

Outside Honeydukes...we passed on the Every Flavor Beans and the Chocolate Frogs.

 The Hogsmeade village again as we are about to leave the park.

I'll board the Hogwarts Express any day if Lindsay is conducting!