Here’s a quick look at recent adventures I’ve been meaning to post about. Thought I’d wrap all of this up so I can get to what I really want to write about: My day at the White House earlier this week.

Besides the marathon, October was full of fun stuff!

I attended the Mount Vernon Wine Festival with Jenny, Tricia, and Tricia’s mom, whom we affectionally call Lulu.

Angie invited me to join her at a conference in Las Vegas. I’ve never been there before and enjoyed touring around each day while she worked and then rubbing elbows with notable attorneys (and Joe Theisman!) during the cocktail parties each night.

Hi Gary! (Check out those SuperBowl rings!)

Angie had great luck – she won even more after this!

Next up: a trip to New York City and Baltimore with Tricia I dubbed my “Victory Lap” since it was the week of the marathon. What a whirlwind: we attended a taping of Late Night with David Letterman on Halloween. Harrison Ford was one of the guests; he told a joke so inappropriate they had to start over! Afterwards we had dinner with Tricia’s mom and aunt and then we saw the Broadway Show Pippin. It was excellent!

And the real reason for the trip: a few Matt Nathanson shows! Here’s our Matt-related Instagram Halloween Costume:

He and his band dressed up and performed a few songs as the group Poison:

And when we posted a selfie…

We toured around DC when our good friend Gary visited. I’m so glad his time here coincided with Veterans Day.

The Arlington Cemetery Amphitheater

November also brought my birthday, and with it: a visit from Rachel and a Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers concert!

We attended a Mexican Moonshine tasting (Roger’s tequila) even though we were feeling the effects of some birthday celebrating from the night before.

Later in the month, Big D and I took a trip to Oklahoma to visit family and to see the progress on his Shelby Cobra – its a work in progress that’s almost complete.

And before I knew it: Thanksgiving snuck up on us. We celebrated with Big Ds family in Kokomo, Indiana, where we kicked off the holiday morning with a 5K.

If the 20° temperature didn’t keep us from running, it sure wasn’t going to keep us out of the hot tub!

As usual, there was plenty of card playing, napping, and laughing.

And that brings us to Christmas! I can’t believe its only a week away. Some sights so far:

Our view of last week’s snow (a letdown after what was predicted!)

Old Town Alexandria hosts a Scottish Walk – its a Very Big Deal (which I did not really know.)

Stay tuned for a Christmas related post from the most famous house in the country! But for now: holiday wishes from our house to yours!