Scratching A Seven Year Itch

A Star in the Making

2010-08-17T21:02:00.003-04:00

Daddy and Bryn went on an outing to the mall last weekend while Mommy was getting her hair cut. This video, shot during their trip, marks Bryn's debut into the acting world. I'm sure it will receive an Oscar nod.

6 Months

2010-08-16T22:04:00.010-04:00

Bryn turned six months a couple of weeks ago. We have now moved into the realm of solid food, toes in the mouth and a less than healthy obsession with remote controls.

Among Bryn's favorite things to do are chasing the rubber ducks around the tub, screaming during church services for no apparent reason (then laughing), blowing bubbles and spitting out green vegetables. Here are some pictures of our soon-to-be mobile girl.

Mmmm, those pages look delicious Daddy

Drooling and Jumperoo, Bryn's two favorite things

Bryn sporting her "Bloomer Beret" (courtesy of Daddy)

Bumbo and Daddy

2010-05-29T09:53:00.005-04:00

Here are some recent pictures of Bryn in her Bumbo and with her Dad.

Bryn's Meets GG

2010-05-28T19:11:00.005-04:00

When I was a little girl, my great grandmother was #1 in my book. I spent hours with her drinking peppermint tea and listening to her stories about traveling west in a covered wagon. I loved my GG and looked forward to the day that I would eventually introduce my daughter to her great grandmother, GG's daughter, an equally as wonderful woman.

Well, that moment came a couple of weeks ago when JC, Bryn and I traveled to Vermont. The entire Jones clan was there to spend the weekend with Bryn. I don't think that I held her for more than 10 minutes at a time all weekend. Even Monnie the dog joined in the the fun. She adopted Bryn as her very own and spent the weekend guarding her and licking her clean/dirty.

Mother's Day and The Blessed Event

2010-05-11T21:07:00.008-04:00

Both JC and my mom will tell you that my birthday is a sacred annual event. As a Christmas baby, my mom always made me feel like my birthday was really special, not just an extension of Jesus' birthday celebration. And JC has followed suit (after some belly aching on my part). He always makes sure to purchase birthday wrapping paper for my gifts and sometimes family members are required to wear special outfits.

Having just experienced my first Mother's Day, though, I might have a new favorite day! Not only does JC have to treat me like a queen, but eventually, my future snot-nosed kids will have to as well.

This Mother's Day was especially wonderful, because we blessed Bryn. Nana, Aunt Michelle, Aunt Nikki, Ryland and Jon all came to DC for the blessed event. For those not familiar with a baby blessing, here is the abridged version:

The LDS church does not baptize infants; instead, mormons "bless" their babies. It is a ceremony where a priesthood holder (usually the father of the child) will officially give the name of the baby and bless him or her with wonderful things. After this blessing, the baby officially goes on the records of the church.

Here are some pictures from the weekend. It was so much fun and we're looking forward to seeing Nana and the rest of the gang in San Diego in a few short weeks!

Playtime with Daddy

2010-04-26T20:09:00.009-04:00

It is beyond comprehension. I spend almost every minute of every day with my sweet little girl. I feed her, I tickle her, I read to her and I shower her with a ridiculous amount of kisses. I'm the person who lovingly cleans the earwax out of her ears and the boogers out of her nose.

Why is it then that every time Daddy walks through the door, Bryn's face just glows! She cracks a huge grin (sometimes even an audible laugh) and looks at him as if to say, "Daddy, I'm so happy you're home. This wicked witch has been torturing me all day. Don't ever leave me again."

I'm certainly in trouble ... because Daddy is starting to like her as much as she likes him.

Bryn and Daddy enjoying some Chopin together

Beefing up on baseball highlights

Perusing Politico and Drudge

A Week of Firsts

2010-04-05T18:03:00.006-04:00

It was a week of "firsts" for Ms. Bryn; first Easter, first baseball game, first time sleeping through the night and most importantly, first Red Sox win against the Yankees! We'll recount them in order of importance to her mommy.

First Red Sox Win Against the Yankees!

Bryn awoke early Monday morning to good news ... the Red Sox had won their first game against the Evil Empire, the Yankees. While she hasn't yet pledged her allegiance to any one team, she tells us that both the Padres and the Red Sox are in the running. Uncle Matt and Grandpa Steve are lobbying hard on behalf of the Sox and she does look really good in red.

First time sleeping through the night ...

Yep, it's true! Our 8 week old girl is sleeping through the night! I awoke on Tuesday morning feeling very well rested and ran into Bryn's room to make sure our little one was still alive. And there she was ... sound asleep in her crib. With one exception, she's continued to sleep through the night this entire week. Bliss.

First baseball game

Bryn enjoyed her first baseball game at Nationals Park this week. The Red Sox played only one game in Washington this year and we were there to witness the win. Bryn slept through most of it but she cracked a sleepy little grin as Kevin Youkilis hit a home run in the first inning.

First Easter

And last, but not least, Bryn's celebrated her first Easter. Gifts from Nana and Lee Lee, an Easter basket, a visit from Uncle Matt and a new dress from her Daddy made it a special event. We celebrated with the Sandgren and Brady families and had a wonderful day!

Bryn's First Week

2010-02-08T16:11:00.010-05:00

It is hard to believe that a week has passed since Bryn was born. What an eventful week it was! Lee Lee and Grandpa Steve came for a visit, a huge snowstorm dumped about 2 feet of snow in DC and JC and I found joy in analyzing poop.

Bryn is such a sweet baby. She is a great eater and a good sleeper. We've heard that the first week is the honeymoon period, but I can't believe that our little lady would ever be one of those cranky, fussy babies. Famous last words ...

Here are a few more pictures of our girl.

Bryn Taylor Sandberg

2010-02-03T23:42:00.009-05:00

Bryn Taylor Sandberg arrived on February 2, 2010, at 11:48 PM. A petite girl, she weighed 8 lbs, 8 oz. and measured 21.25 inches long at birth. Mom and baby are doing well, and we hope to bring them home tomorrow. Lauren was a true warrior, successfully navigating a very long, difficult labor while avoiding a C-section.

More later, but many have asked for pictures so I am posting a few tonight.

Many thanks to all for their kind wishes, prayers, and offers of help.

Who knew these babies came without instructions?

Arriving at the hospital at 1 AM on February 2nd.

Between contractions waiting for epidural at 4 PM on February 2nd.

The morning after.

The finished product (or fruit of Lauren's labor).

Christmas in Yuma, Birthday at Disneyland

2010-01-16T09:21:00.020-05:00

The Sandberg Family spent Christmas in Yuma this year. Yuma was in the midst of a bit of a cold spell, but 60 degrees felt a whole lot better than the 20 degrees it was in Washington!

Highlights of the week included a trip to Chili Pepper, setting up luminaries, a tearful Christmas morning scavenger hunt and a trip to Disneyland!

Nana treated all of us kids, young and old, to a post-Christmas trip to the Magic Kingdom! We all had a great time meeting the characters and riding the rides. We even got to see Disney's newest Princess! Alexis loves her some princess, so she was pretty psyched. Baby Sandberg enjoyed her first trip to the park, especially since Mommy stayed off from the rollarcoasters. Daddy rode enough for the both of them though!

Can't wait to meet this little one in a week!

This montage of photos truly captures the essence of our trip.

As does this one. Alexis was fascinated by my belly, especially my belly button. "When the baby gonna come out?" she'd ask.

Three Weeks and Counting!

2010-01-12T12:57:00.008-05:00

I'm working to get Christmas photos up on the blog, but JC and I are still trying to figure out our new camera. So, in the meantime, I thought I would share pictures from my fabulous baby shower this weekend!

Friends Teri, Carrie and Heidi threw an amazing party to celebrate the impending arrival of our little one. I was so overwhelmed by the efforts they undertook to make this a such special day for me; one that I will never forget.

It would be hard to express how much JC and I appreciate the love, support and excitement we have received from our friends and family during this special time. We feel so lucky to have such kind and thoughtful people in our lives and are happy that our daughter will be surrounded by such wonderful influences.

Southern Thanksgiving

2009-12-04T14:38:00.030-05:00

This year General Lee (my mom) relinquished her command and agreed to a southern Thanksgiving celebration! JC and I didn't really know how much work we were in for when we proposed the idea. Now I know why Mom was so willing to travel! Luckily, my husband can cook and my brother can clean - so we made out okay. Actually, I think that everyone had a good time. Then again, Thanksgiving is a holiday solely about eating ... who wouldn't have a good time?

JC and Matt preparing our 24 lb. bird

Matt posing with the gizzards

The crew waiting to be fed

The Jones/Sandberg/Buchanan Family

Mom and JC making the gravy

Dinnertime

Thanks to tips from my friends Amy and Megan, I finally mastered the art of dinner rolls. I think even JC was impressed; he said something to the effect of "this is what I remember from my childhood."

Yeast Bread, my nemesis

2009-11-18T12:34:00.005-05:00

I know that I should probably adhere to the "three strikes, you're out" rule. However, my latest and greatest failure has only strengthened my resolve to master dinner rolls and other yeasted breads.

I have tried to produce delicious, light dinner rolls three times now. I've tried the recipes from Williams Sonoma and Lion House Bakery (twice) with no success. Each time, the rolls turn out too bready (if that makes sense).

[insert picture of rolls in garbage]

If anyone has an suggestions, they would be welcome and appreciated! Thanksgiving is coming and I'm determined to figure this out.

Crib vs. Daddy

2009-11-16T13:15:00.010-05:00

JC and I have been working to get "The Bean's" room all set up for her arrival. The arrival of Grandma Lee and Grandpa Steve next week has helped to light a fire. The entire Jones family will be joining us for a southern Thanksgiving next week and we are excited to show off our decorating prowess!

The nursery has been a fun project for us. With the exception of the Tony Gwynn jersey that JC insists is going up on the wall, we have agreed on most of the decorating decisions. Nana (JC's mom) treated us and her newest grandchild to a new bedroom set and we picked up the crib last night. With only 12 screws, this assembly project was a lot easier than our gas grill! He had it together in 45 minutes.

House Renovation 2009

2009-10-16T10:47:00.015-04:00

The money pit has struck yet again! After a year of housal bliss, we bit the bullet and started tackling some bigger projects. While not high on the priority list until the landscaper flooded it, our 250 sq. foot laundry room was probably the worst offender in the entire house. Between the utility carpet and sink, it was pretty bad. It definitely qualifies as (in the words of my friend Ann) "fancy camping."

We had some other projects on the high priority list as well - recessed lighting in the living room and repairs/painting in one of the bedrooms upstairs (future nursery of our bundle of joy, scheduled to arrive on February 7).

We're now on week 3 of the renovation and things are going well, aside from one small issue with our contractor who didn't order the tile for the laundry room on time. All in all though, this experience makes me feel very lucky to have a washer and dryer in my home. Because aside from the mild discomfort of having to haul my laundry down the street and sit there for 2 hours ... the laundromat is EXPENSIVE!

Before the renovation

After the renovation (tile installation aside)

Baby Sandberg's Room

The Jones Family Mourns the Passing of Simon the Cat

2009-08-18T16:20:00.010-04:00

It is with great sorrow that family and friends announce the passing of Simon Jones formerly of Dorset, Vermont. Born around June 1995, Simon and his siblings were found roaming the streets of the Applegate Housing Project in Bennington, Vermont. Simon was noticed and adopted at the Petcetra adoptathon by Kristin Taylor Buchanan and Matthew Edward Jones. Simon spent his life as chief Alpha cat and rodent patrol officer of his Farwell Lane residence and begging for attention whe the family had friends over. He was constant companion to Matthew Jones on the den couch “catching the sports scores” and to Monie Jones who shared the same dog bed to save body heat. His favorite foods were Sliced Honey Maple Turkey from Manchester's Beverage Discount and fresh rodents, but a few hours old were O.K. too. Mr. Jones had a full and happy life in the Jones household and will certainly be missed. He is interned in the back yard behind the blueberries and next to the lilac and is marked by forget me nots.

He will be remembered as a loyal and loving friend to all.

Kristin and Andrew's Wedding

2009-07-24T16:50:00.013-04:00

Last weekend, my sister Kristin got married! It was a wonderful event shared with family and friends. As always, Kristin looked amazing and I think that I caught some tears in the eyes of her new husband, Andrew, as she walked down the aisle.

As her matron (ick)-of-honor, I provided a toast to the newly married couple at their reception, offering her sage words of advice as she entered this new phase of life. High on the list was "say no to XBox" and "king size beds and separate bathrooms are the key to happiness."

As the official escort of my Grandma, JC also had a very important role to play in the wedding. He didn't know what he was in for when he signed up for that gig, because she didn't let him out of her sight. I had to cut in on her a couple of times on the dancefloor just to get him back!

In addition to his role as escort and my role as matron-of-honor, JC and I were tasked with decorating the newlywed's car. All I can say is thank goodness I got married first and can never be paid back for the things we did. Luckily, the newlyweds, still glowing from their reception, laughed it off. I still don't know if they have discovered that dead fish, though.

Unfortunately, I left my camera in the car during the ceremony and reception, but got some photos of the rehearsal dinner which was hosted at my parents house and of us ladies getting ready.

The ladies at Kristin's bridal luncheon

JC and Matt, getting the party started

My sister and Andrew, enjoying their rehearsal dinner

Papa Jones, talking business with my cousin Edward

JC and me, post dinner

Kristin getting ready, I love this picture!

Look how beautiful she turned out once those curlers came out.

San Diego 2009

2009-07-24T16:05:00.009-04:00

I'm finally getting around to posting some pictures of the last few months of our lives. In July, JC and I went on the annual Sandberg (Shields/Hepworth) family vacation in San Diego. It was a great week filled with crazy kids, good books, beach time and this game you play with golf balls.

JC, our nephew Lucas and I took a day trip to Salt Lake City during the week so that the non-Saints among us (me) could check out the new LDS temple that had been built. I think JC was tired of answering my questions and decided that I just needed to go and see it for myself. These pictures were taken outside (no photos allowed inside).

Pictures by Request

2009-05-26T13:40:00.010-04:00

My sister and various friends have asked for some pictures of the inside of our new house. JC and I have been working hard to get it painted and furnished. Actually, our handyman Luis has been working hard to get it painted, I've been working hard to get it furnished and JC has been working hard to keep it all on budget. Here are some photos.

The living room ... still awaiting the area rug we ordered

The dining room.

Matt and JC working hard in the kitchen on Memorial Day. JC made a lemon cheesecake with raspberry sauce. He wouldn't let me take a picture of it though.

Master bedroom.

Note that there are still no window treatments in our home. Remember when I said I had finally convined my husband that fabric on windows is a good thing. I might have overestimated his buy in on that.

Luck of the Irish

2009-05-19T15:37:00.010-04:00

JC and I got back on Monday night from an amazing trip to the Florida Keys. Thanks to Scott and Vicki for a wonderful weekend spent at their beautiful home in Key Largo! It was such a treat to spend a few days away from home repairs and yard work!

JC and I arrived late on Friday evening. First thing on Saturday morning, we fired up the golf cart and went to the Ocean Reef Club per Scott's suggestion for their breakfast buffet. Our next stop was the pool (or one of the three pools) at the club. I must have been high on life, because about two hours after lounging poolside I realized that my legs were lobster red! After this trip I am certain that my husband believes that I am trying to sabotage each and every vacation we take. Last year in San Diego, I had to sit under an umbrella after about an hour on the beach. In Hawaii it was the dreaded heat rash and now, in Key Largo, a horrible sunburn. The best part - it was only on the lower half of my legs (apparently I only thought to apply sunscreen to the upper half). So, my parting gift from sunny Key Largo is horrible tan lines for the remainder of the summer (see below).

We didn't let it spoil our trip though. In between hourly applications of aloe vera, we enjoyed everything the Anglers Club/Ocean Reef Club had to offer.

Thanks so much, Scott and Vicki, for a wonderful trip!

Date Night with JC Sandberg

2009-05-15T10:06:00.013-04:00

While packing for our trip to Key Largo this morning I scanned my camera and realized that I had forgotten to post some recent pictures I had taken. Before the rains came, all of the trees in our neighborhood (except for the one in front of our house that is dying a slow death) were in full bloom and it was so beautiful.

See what I mean? I love spring in DC.

I also found some pictures of a recent date night that JC and I had (pictures are family friendly). My brother Matt is still crashing at our place (he is headed to graduate school in North Carolina at the end of the summer). So I try and take advantage of every night that we have alone. A couple of weeks ago, JC and I came home from work to an empty house. I was all excited thinking that we'd go out for a nice dinner then maybe come back and watch a movie together. JC, however, had other plans for our evening together ...

which involved resealing the tub in the guest bathroom. DISGUSTING.

I have to hand it to him, though. I was skeptical at first, but he did a great job and it cost us less than $10!

JC and I are headed to Key Largo for the weekend. Our friends have generously offered up their house to us for four days! The weather forecast is calling for thunderstorms all weekend long. Hopefully, Scott and Vicki's tubs are in better shape than our tub was. If not, I know what we'll be doing!

Our Trip to the Firestation

2009-04-14T09:16:00.007-04:00

My friend Teri just sent some great pictures of our recent field trip to see Fireman Gregg at the firestation so I thought I would share. Teri and her husband Mike have three great kids, one of whom loves anything that had to do fire (putting it out, not starting it). As luck would have it, I have a friend that is a fireman, Gregg. Gregg is married to my good friend Elizabeth.

As a side note, the story of Gregg and Elizabeth is one of my favorites. They met in a grocery store while Gregg was there buying food for the firehouse. Unfortunately, Gregg got called out on a fire in the middle of their conversation and he didn't get a chance to get Elizabeth's number. My friend is very resourceful, though; the next day she delivered cookies to his firestation and left her number. They've been together ever since.

Okay, back to our field trip. Teri and Mike met Fireman Gregg at our wedding and knew their son would enjoy meeting him. So, we arranged a trip to see Gregg at the firestation a couple of weeks ago. As you can probably tell from the pictures, JC and I ended up being way more into the whole fireman/firestation thing than the kids. We even got to sit in the trucks!

Thanks for the excellent field trip, Fireman Gregg!

Our First Holiday at Home

2009-04-13T15:25:00.014-04:00

JC and I spent our first holiday in our new house on Easter! It was a momentous occasion which I celebrated by buying a new tablecloth (ahhh, the little things). JC humored me and only poked fun once :) We invited some friends over for dinner and had a great time. I told my grandma that I would post some pictures of our Easter table so she could see that I was using some of the dinnerware that she gave us for our wedding.

I also took some photos of JC in action in the kitchen. I knew my husband was a great cook, but recently discovered that he can bake too! I should have gotten picture of the chocolate mousse cake that he made for us. It was so good! My dinner rolls, on the other hand ... not so good.

Our New Home

2009-04-13T15:02:00.007-04:00

Some of you have been asking me for pictures of our new house. So, during my recent camera rampage, I took one. Drum roll please ...

This is our new home! JC digs new, modern architecture and I love old colonial homes ... we ended up with something right in between, built in 1955. As with any home, it is a work in progress, but I love it. Our neighborhood is great and we have a lot of room to grow!

I Heart Recess

2009-04-13T13:45:00.005-04:00

Congress has been out on Easter recess the past few weeks which means that my workdays are a litte slower than usual. Couple that with the fact that I swore off exercise (but not dessert) this week after running the Cherry Blossom Ten-Miler, and I've had a lot of time on my hands. So, I've taken up a few projects that have fallen by the wayside recently. The first is to catch up on Season 2 and Season 3 of The Tudors. Sadly, JC was out of town for a good part of this week, but it worked to my advantage because JC and Henry VIII wouldn't mesh well.

The second project is curtains. After six months, I've finally convinced my husband that fabric should not be feared, but embraced. Well, I don't know that he has fully embraced it yet, I think he was just tired of hearing my tearful pleas and relented. Still, I'm going to chalk one up there for me (and my excellent negotiation skills). So, I spent time this week in one of my favorite stores, Calico Corners. JC, in a particulary agreeable mood one afternoon, even went with me! It might have had something to do with the toile and floral fabric samples that I brought home with me the previous day though.

Since I know JC doesn't read the blog ... I'll tell you all what the final project is. I was on Megan Holdsworth's (our wedding photographer) blog the other day and saw that she had used http://www.blurb.com/ to make this great book of all of her pictures and blogposts. So, I decided that it would be fun to make one for JC. Actually, I really wanted one so I figured that I would give it to him for our anniversary and kill two birds with one stone. I learned that little trick from my mom. JC has started to catch on though, especially after I gave him a stocking full of Williams Sonoma gadgets that I had wanted for Christmas. While making the book, though, I discovered that I don't take nearly enough pictures to fill it up, so I took some pictures this week. Check out the next couple of posts to see those.

This game is epic ...

2009-02-16T20:04:00.015-05:00

Happy President's Day! I was inspired to write tonight after hearing a loud and excited voice yell "this game is epic" from the living room. More on that later ...

A lot has happened in the months since Christmas. JC and I took an amazing trip to Hawaii. After two weeks of rest, relaxation and maid service, it has been hard adjusting to life back at home. The 70 degree temperature difference between sunny Hawaii and Northern Virginia has not helped the situation either.

After our recent respite from the "Money Pit," JC and I have decided to get back on the horse and begin to work on the house. We're pretty much resigned to the fact that our home will test our marriage in every way possible. From the leak in the downstairs bathroom to the family of mice living under the kitchen sink, we come home each night hoping that nothing has gone awry during the day. As some of you know, we recently acquired a long-term houseguest. My brother Matthew, a recent college-grad, has moved to Washington to look for a job. Matt has been a great help around the house. He empties the dishwasher, cleans bathrooms and most importantly, waits around for the various handymen that frequent the "Money Pit." It will be a sad day for me when Matt actually finds a job, although I think that it might actually be tougher on JC ... which brings us to the inspiration for this blog entry.

Almost every day this week I have gone to sleep to the sounds of machine guns in my living room. No, JC has not gone out and secured a concealed weapon permit. These are the sweet sounds of games called Ghost Recon and Halo. When I agreed to buy the XBox last year I never thought that it would come to this. It is all consuming. On Saturday, Matt and JC played 4 hours of Ghost Recon, then attempted to cut down a tree in the backyard. I'm wondering what is next ... perhaps the wall in the den will be the next victim of an XBox induced, testosterone-laced project.

Today, JC, Matt and I made a trip to JC's favorite store, Costco. It was my suggestion as I had noticed this morning that we were running out of bottled water. I have come to regret this decision ever since. They are now on hour 3 of a new game, Call of Duty, World at War. Who knew that Costco sold XBox games? This new game inspired the quote uttered by my brother this evening, "this game is epic."

Seriously? Epic? How is that job search going Matt?

Christmas 2008

2008-12-08T16:58:00.001-05:00

Happy Holidays!

Thanksgiving in Yuma

2008-12-03T14:02:00.011-05:00

This year, JC and I spent Thanksgiving in Yuma, Arizona with the Sandberg family! I had been looking forward to our visit having heard so much about Yuma over the past eight years. Most of JC's stories about Yuma are about how much trouble he and his best friend, Jon, would get themselves into. But I had also been hearing about a place called Chile Pepper, one of JC's favorite restaurants. If you know me, you know that I love food so Chile Pepper was high on my list. Now, I grew up in New England, so my idea of what constitutes Mexican food is a little different from my husband's who grew up about 15 miles from the border. I really don't make the distinction between Tex-Mex and Mexican, much to JC's chagrin. Let me tell you though, there is a difference, and that difference is called LARD. Yep, pig fat. At Chile Pepper they put pig fat in EVERYTHING, refried beans, tortillas, EVERYTHING. As we were driving to Chile Pepper, I asked JC what his favorite thing on the menu was, he answered a bean, rice and cheese burrito. That sounded good, I thought, does it come with any vegetables on it, like tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, I asked? He laughed at me. No vegetables at Chile Pepper!

I only took a few pictures at Thanksgiving, unfortunately. They are all of JC and our nieces and nephews building a fort. Rule #1 for fort building, everyone must wear a hat. As you can see in the picture below, JC is wearing a special hat ... Alexis' tutu. Rule #2, no tooting.

Headline: Married Folks Become Uninteresting

2008-12-03T13:24:00.006-05:00

JC and I have been terrible about posting on the blog lately. I'm gearing up to send our our Christmas cards and our blog web address is on the back of them so I thought I had better get some interesting stuff up here. Unfortunately, since we got married, we've become terribly uninteresting. We now spend our weekends doing stuff like picking out paint colors and raking leaves in our front yard!

Our move to the country has been a bit of a tough transition for JC. And if you saw his "Bachelor Pad" before we got married, you'd probably understand why. It was mouse free, bug free, raccoon free and didn't have a leaking roof. There is a bright side to all of this though, packing a pistol in public is perfectly legal in Virginia and JC is ready to protect the homestead.

And that has the potential to make our lives way more interesting!

More Wedding Photos

2008-09-23T09:33:00.014-04:00

Our photographer Megan posted more pictures from the wedding this week! This is the last batch that I am going to post from our wedding. I think that Megan should be putting the online gallery up soon. If you are interested in seeing it, let us know and we'll give you the username and password.

Home Alone!

2008-09-19T18:48:00.004-04:00

Tonight is my first night home alone as a married lady. How sweet it is! I’m sure that after about 2 hours I’ll wish JC was here with me, but in the meantime, I think that I’ll go get myself some crackers and eat them in bed while typing this out.

So, JC and I have had a busy first week back from the wedding/honeymoon (more on that later)! We’ve had to acclimate to sharing 800 square feet of living space, different sleeping schedules and vastly different television programming preferences. But we’ve also learned a lot about each other too …. apparently I kick in my sleep, who knew?

JC spent most of the week dealing with our new home. Today he did the final walkthrough and the closing, so we officially own the house. After the walk through was complete, he called to tell me that the sellers had left an ENORMOUS pile of trash outside of the house on the curb ... and you all know how JC is about trash. JC hates trash so much that he takes his out nightly. So he was less than impressed with that effort. Luckily the trash people don’t come until Wednesday so there is more than enough time for me to needle him by pointing it out daily, for our new neighbors to develop a bad opinion of us and for me to capture it on film so I can post a photo on the blog. Stay tuned!

Our Amazing Photographer .... Megan Holdsworth

2008-09-16T11:07:00.022-04:00

For those of you who attended the wedding or the evening barbeque, you might have seen a beautiful blond lady with a huge smile on her face running around snapping photos. Hopefully some of you got a chance to talk with her, because she is a hoot. Not only is Megan beautiful and fun ... she is one of the most talented ladies I have ever met. I feel extremely lucky to have met Megan through my sister-in-law Nikki and I am so honored that she came all the way from Prescott, Arizona to capture our wedding. But I have to say that the thing I am most thankful for is that she actually got JC to smile like he meant it!!

Below are just a few of her amazing photos. I'm promised that there will be more to come on her blog this weekend and you can find that at www.megaphotoblog.blogspot.com. Maybe I'll even post some of JC too! In all seriousness, I wouldn't normally post pictures of myself but Megan has only posted my bridals so far and I just wanted you all to see what an amazing eye she has.

Thank you so much Megan!

I will have you all know that the above picture was JC's idea. The one below was his idea too, though.

My eyes aren't really that color, but I love Megan's "enhancements."

11 Days to Go ... and Homeless

2008-08-26T17:02:00.002-04:00

It is hard to believe that the wedding is only 11 days away! Equally troubling (due solely to the multitude of tasks not yet accomplished) is the fact that at 2 p.m. tomorrow, I am officially homeless. What's more, is that a mere 10 days after returning from our honeymoon, we will both be homeless! I’m certain this is what every parent dreams of for his or her child ... that they fall in love, get married and move into the nearest homeless shelter.

Tonight, with the aid of my trusty Zipcar, I will be moving my stuff into JC's condo (or rather, the condo that he used to own and is renting). I made sure to pack all of the essential female items for his post-honeymoon induction into the "Lauren Jones Club." Among the items packed are:

A lovely set of decorative pillows for his bed,

The Notebook and Pride and Prejudice DVDs (blu-ray of course),

My TIVO box programmed to record all Barefoot Contessa episodes on the Food Network Channel, and,

A stowaway cat (or two).

I'm looking forward to spending the next 7 days staying at the home of one of my very best friends, Jeanne Haggerty. She and I will be crocheting tissue box covers for JC and my new home while watching HGTV.

The Point of No Return, Part II

2008-07-18T14:34:00.022-04:00

Well, it is official, the invitations are out! For those of you that read the last two posts, you know that we have entered the realm of "The Point of No Return, Part II."

JC and I made our second wedding related trip to Vermont last weekend. On the agenda were various appointments ... hair and makeup (for Lauren), our tasting at the Equinox Hotel, a visit to the rehearsal dinner venue, etc. My Dad had called me earlier in the week, because he wanted to spend some one on one time with his future son-in-law and needed some recommendations on possible activities. JC suggested that they go and get their hair and makeup done as well. Dad opted instead for either a hike or target practice.

Fast forward to Saturday afternoon when the boys, Monnie (the dog) and I set off for a hike on a piece of property my Dad owns in Pawlet, Vermont. The first five minutes of the hike was great ... then the flies came out. I don't know if any of you have ever experienced Vermont deer flies, but they are deadly (Note - fly swatters are an important item to put on your packing list for the wedding). Further complicating the situation was the fact that JC, former Eagle Scout, has an allergy to GRASS. So we are hiking along (swatting flies, itching legs) and Dad is showing us the various building sites when we come to the edge of a cow pasture. Noticing that we would need to climb over an electric fence I decided to test it to see if it was on (standard Eagle Scout training) ... it wasn't. So Dad and I both climb over and continue on when we hear a yelp from behind. Yep, JC had been electrocuted and was clutching his arm, trying to regain feeling. Dad got a good laugh out of that one, he called us "city folk" for the rest of the day.

I distinctly remember the last time I was electrocuted by a cow fence. It was Prom Night 1996 and I has just gotten my car stuck in 2 feet of mud in a cow pasture behind Wilcox Dairy. So, I set off (in my white prom dress) into the pastures to find Adam Wilcox who would help me pull the car out with his tractor. While walking back to the farm, I had my run in with said electric fence. It isn't a pleasant experience, but you haven't really "experienced" Vermont until you've been electrocuted.

Stay tuned, because I think JC is going to post his version of this story ... should be rather entertaining.

It was an eventful weekend to say the least. Below are some pictures we took on the trip.

JC and I visited the rehearsal dinner venue, Mio Bistro

The wedding site, Equinox Pond Pavilion

Fourth of July at the Beach!

2008-07-17T16:50:00.013-04:00

JC and I haven't been tending the blog much recently. Between finishing graduate school, planning the wedding, selling houses, looking for a new house, work and travel ... we haven't had much time. But my future sister-in-law's blog inspired me. I figure that if she has three wild and crazy kids and still finds time to post new entries on her blog, so can I!

JC and I were in San Diego with the Sandberg family for the Fourth of July. JC had flown out a few days before me. While left to his own devices, he and his nephew, Ryland, hatched a little "Welcome to San Diego" surprise for me. I started getting nervous when Ryland told me repeatedly while waiting for my baggage in the airport that he and Uncle J. had a surprise, but that I had to be in my bathing suit to get it! The next day I came out of the bathroom, swimsuit clad, to a spray of super-soakers. Welcome to the family Aunt Lauren!

Super-soakers aside, we had a great time in San Diego! JC thought it would be fun to bury Ryland while were at the beach one day. I think Ryland thought it was pretty fun too! Here he is completely buried ...

The Point of No Return, Part I

2008-07-16T10:59:00.013-04:00

I’m a firm believer in pacing myself, but Lauren has informed me in her kind and loving way (translated - threatened with a large stick) that blogging once a month is not acceptable.

Much has happened since I last put my long digits to the keyboard. On June 21, 2008, our dear friends hosted an incredible engagement party for us. Lauren and I fondly refer to this event as the "Point of No Return, Part I." According to Lauren, we are now "really committed" to getting married. The "Point of No Return, Part II" is the day the wedding invitations go in the mail (this happened last Tuesday), followed closely by the "Point of No Return, Part III," the actual wedding day (remember to stand with knees bent to avoid fainting).

As we've observed our married friends, we've also become aware of another momentous day in a couple's journey together known as the "Day You Completely Lose Your Mind" or "Serenity Now!" more commonly referred to as the day child number one arrives.

We are grateful to our families and friends, some of whom traveled a long way to attend, for celebrating this special occasion with us. I'm especially grateful my other girlfriend Lady Jane (aka the Bronze Goddess) came. Here she is with Lauren ...

It was a wonderful evening, creating memories for a lifetime. And best of all, no one fell in the pool. Special thanks to Tom and Linda for hosting the event.

Our "Invitation Situation"

2008-06-23T20:20:00.007-04:00

JC and I have worked with quite a few wedding vendors over the past four months. Some of them have been good (our cake lady) and some have been not so good (I'll dish on that offline). There are a few, though, who have gone above and beyond the call of duty and Megan Bailey with Pink Piggy Design is one of them.

Let me preface this post by admitting to you all that I have a full-blown obsession with stationery. Card stock, monograms, envelope liners … I LOVE IT! In fact, a few years ago, I gave personalized stationery to the members of my association’s political action committee as their annual gift. I’m quite certain that they all (especially those old-school railroad guys who work in Safety and Operations) rank it among the greatest of gifts ever received! So, knowing all this, you can only imagine what a painstaking process the wedding invitations were for me (and JC too).

"Pre-Piggy," we combed through book after book of invitations, dealt with more than a few snobby salesladies and stared in disbelief at the estimates they provided. Finally, JC, my wonderful down-to-earth fiancé, suggested that an evite might be the way to go!

By the beginning of April I was starting to get really nervous and I could tell that JC's patience was thinning. My future sister-in-law, Nikki, and our wedding photographer, her friend Megan Holdsworth, got wind of our situation and suggested that I check out Pink Piggy Designs. Owner Megan Bailey is the sole designer for Pink Piggy. You can check out her fun and creative designs online at www.pinkpiggydesign.com. I was pretty smitten after looking at Megan's gallery, so I called her and she assured me that we could do all of the designs for the save the date annoucements and the invitations via e-mail. The added bonus ... she said it would take her only THREE WEEKS from start to finish! I'll admit, I was pretty skeptical after being told by countless invitation people that it would take them six to eight weeks! But, true to her word, she delivered the save the dates in three weeks and the invitations in two!

I want to thank Megan for working so tirelessly on the save the dates and invitations for our wedding. She is a very talented (and patient) lady. For all those that are interested, Megan has a wonderful blog, www.pinkpiggydesign.blogspot.com, that has all sorts of great ideas for brides. Here is a little preview of the invitation she created for us. They should be in your mailboxes by mid-July!

Paper, what paper?

2008-06-17T12:21:00.023-04:00

JC can attest that this semester, my final one, has been all about procrastination for me. It has gotten to the point where I call him on Friday afternoon and he refuses to make plans until he knows how much of Monday’s paper I’ve finished … overachiever. In fact, while reading this blog post, he actually looked up the word "overachiever" in his trusty Merriam-Webster's dictionary (that he never leaves home without) then called to tell me that there is no hyphen in the word which I had originally hyphenated. He then read the definition aloud. I’ve tried to co-opt Mr. Smarty-Pants into “helping” me write these short 15 page papers I have due every week, but I think he can see through that guise (I may or may not have had my swimsuit on when I asked the question).

Tonight is another evening of the same … paper due tomorrow (currently almost/somewhat/more than half written) and no sense of urgency on my end. I think part of the problem is that my graduate program doesn’t offer any “last semester” type classes. I’m imagining something along the lines of Underwater Basketweaving, Shuffleboard with Dean Arterton, or maybe even Wedding Planning for Political Managers.

Anyway, this blog is providing a nice distraction for the moment. Poor JC sat trapped in a 5 hour ethics class today that was required for all those admitted to the DC Bar. I imagine that his demeanor was much like that of a caged animal awaiting his eventual release while attempting to conduct business via blackberry.

On another note, we are looking forward to having both the Sandberg and Jones families in town for our engagement party this weekend. I’m sure we’ll have some great stories and photos to share next week. In the meantime, I thought I would post the picture below for your amusement. JC and I went to a baseball game a couple of weeks ago with my very good friends Brooke and Brandon Oak. During the game Brooke was able to capture this little gem which is fairly representative of every picture that JC and I take together.

I hope and pray that our wedding photographer, Megan, can get him to do something other than this in our wedding pictures!

The Vermontster Challenge

2008-06-04T17:07:00.044-04:00

For all of our prospective wedding guests who are faced with traveling long distances to foreign lands for this once-in-a-lifetime event, I’m feeling the need to boost your spirits. So, I thought that I would share a few fun facts about The Green Mountain State to keep your level of enthusiasm high for the arduous journey that lies ahead.

Facts about Vermont, the unpublicized version ...

Vermont has a cows-to-people ratio of 10 to 1;
The National Rotten Sneaker Competition is held in Montpelier, Vermont;
Vermont's Lake Champlain is rumored to be home to a sea monster named Champ;
Killington, Vermont has twice voted to secede from Vermont and join New Hampshire; and
Remember Howard Dean? He was our governor for 12 years.

Now, if you were on the fence about coming to the wedding before reading this … I’m certain that you are online buying your ticket as we speak!

In all sincerity, Vermont does have some wonderful and unique attributes we hope you will all take time to enjoy. At the very least, you should know that Vermont is home to both Ben & Jerry’s and Cabot Creamery, so you will find no shortage of low-fat treats during your visit. Your Vermont experience really won't be complete without a Ben & Jerry's Vermonster Sundae ... 20 scoops of ice cream, hot fudge, a banana, cookies, brownies and all your favorite toppings served up family-style in a bucket! For those of you who are lactose-inally challenged, here are some slightly less daunting recommendations for the weekend.

Manchester, Vermont
Nestled at the foot of 3,816-foot Mount Equinox, Manchester, Vermont is a shopper's paradise (you think I'm kidding, but I'm not). A trip to Vermont is never complete without our requisite stop at the outlets!

Hildene
Manchester, Vermont is home to Hildene, Robert Todd Lincoln's 412-acre summer estate. Robert, the son of President and Mrs. Lincoln, first visited Manchester as a young man in the summers of 1863 and 1864 when he came to the Equinox Hotel with his mother and his brother Tad. He was so taken by the beauty of Vermont that some forty years later he returned to purchase 500 acres of land to build what he would call his ancestral home. Make sure you plan a visit to the property which has one of President Lincoln's Stove Pipe Hats on display and great views of the entire Equinox Valley.

The Orvis Company
For those fishing and hunting enthusiasts among us, make sure you stop by Orvis' new retail store. Charles Orvis founded the Orvis Company in Manchester, Vermont in 1856. The Orvis’ flagship retail store is still located here and offers a huge array the finest fly fishing equipment as well as fly fishing classes.

The Southern Vermont Arts Center
Located in Manchester, Vermont is the Southern Vermont Arts Center, a non-profit art center for visual and performing arts. The Arts Center, which exhibits both classic and contemporary art, is housed in a beautiful National Historic Trust Mansion on the slopes of Mount Equinox. A traveling exhibition featuring the work of Time Magazine photojournalist Diana Walker will be on display during the September 6th weekend. SVAC's Garden Café serves wonderful lunches as well.

Dorset, Vermont
Approximately five miles north of Manchester is the town of Dorset, a well-preserved community with a charming town green bordered by painted white-clapboard houses with green shutters. Home to the first Vermont convention in 1776, Dorset now draws visitors with its much-respected Dorset Theatre Festival, swimming areas and deluxe gourmet fare restaurants. Should you be looking for some bedtime reading visit the website of the Dorset Historical Society at www.dorsethistory.com for a nailbiting history of the Town of Dorset.

J.K Adams and Company
J.K. Adams has been designing, manufacturing and distributing wood products from Dorset, Vermont since 1944. My sister and I will attest that we never leave home without a visit to the Kitchen Store! Located on three floors, the store has a huge variety of kitchen gadgets, gourmet foods and J.K. Adams signature products.

Stay tuned for more information on great restaurants in the area and a rundown of the weekend's events. For more information on things to do during your stay, please visit www.manchestervermont.net.

Grandpa Howard, Knee Pads and a Mean Air Guitar

2008-05-22T08:59:00.029-04:00

This past weekend Lauren and I traveled to Utah to visit my 100 year- old grandfather, Howard Sandberg. Born in 1907, Grandpa Howard still enjoys reading the newspaper and eating. A little disconcerting to Lauren was the color of Howard’s feet when he walked into the family room (using his trusty walker). At 100 years of age, his circulatory system isn’t what it used to be. To Lauren’s relief, after a few minutes with his feet elevated they returned to a normal color. But ask yourself, is there a normal anything when you’ve inhabited this planet for a century?

Grandpa Howard is a wealth of family history, and if asked to regale with family stories, he will oblige—of special interest are stories of my father.

We had a very pleasant visit, and I am grateful Lauren had the chance to meet Grandpa Howard.

We also paid a visit to my friend Josh on Saturday morning. We had some tasty bagels and watched his son's soccer game. At the game, the intense Utah sun quickly roasted the top of JC's bald head, but Lauren's quick thinking and some sunscreen averted a major disaster. Editorial Note inserted by Lauren - The sunscreen may or may not have had some sort of self tanning element to it.

The rest of the weekend we spent with my cousin Scott and his family. A brief editorial note on Scott...To the consternation of many, Scott didn’t marry until he was 35. No one in the Sandberg family thought breaking Scott’s family record was possible—until I took up the challenge. With Lauren’s help, I will beat Scott’s record by a few months. Scott has looked down on my accomplishment with no small measure of disdain because of my insignificant margin of victory— part of Scott’s “Go Big or Go Home” philosophy (more on that momentarily). A win is a win is a win—but I digress.

Editorial Note inserted by Lauren - The following picture is not for the faint of heart ...

Eight weeks ago, Scott suffered an unfortunate snow skiing injury. While setting out on what he thought was his last run of the day and the season (a truly prophetic thought), Scott hit an icy jump, went way too “big”, missed the landing zone, and landed in the flat breaking both heels (calcaneus bones for you medical wunderkind). I’m wincing as I type this. Needless to say, Scott has not walked since the accident two months ago. His current mobility choices consist of a wheelchair and a set of kneepads.

I don’t think there’s anyway to adequately paint a picture of Scott crawling around on all fours up and down stairs, into his kids’ room, or mowing the lawn (don’t ask). But I can safely say no one has a better attitude while recovering from a serious injury. And there is no more attentive caregiver than his saintly wife. Editorial Note inserted by Lauren - This saintly wife not only runs a marathon in 3 hours and 15 minutes, but also makes this transcendental banana cake that I will forever crave.

Cousin Scott has two sons. Son #1, age 7, is an accomplished Guitar Hero player (his mother is world class). Son #2, age 4, aspires to someday play Guitar Hero. In the meantime, Son #2 is a precocious, make that prodigious, air guitarist. When I visited last year, he played his battle axe. This trip he transcended the battle axe and graduated to the pantheon of air guitar immortals. He didn’t just play the air guitar, he was swept up in the moment, feeling every note— floppy curly hair covering his eyes, head gyrating, sound effects emanating, fretting, strumming—the complete package. He paid homage to the great rock guitar gods—picture Eddie Van Halen meets Nigel Tufnel.

Thanks to Scott and family for a wonderful weekend of great memories. We look forward to seeing Scott and his wife at the wedding...without the wheelchair or the kneepads.

Accommodations in Manchester and Dorset

2008-05-07T13:20:00.006-04:00

During our trip to Vermont we also looked into accommodations for our guests. This proved to be more difficult than either one of us had ever imagined. With the exception of the Equinox, there are no large hotels in the Manchester/Dorset area. Lodging is comprised mainly of small to medium sized family owned inns. Some of these places we consider to be very “country” and some of them are a little more contemporary. We suggest that you visit the websites of these inns or call Lauren to figure out which style you would prefer most. Also, September is prime time for tourism … so remember to book early!

The Equinox Hotel (Manchester, VT)
www.equinoxresort.com
Rates from $399 plus a $25 resort fee per night

The Dorset Inn (Dorset, VT)
www.dorsetinn.com
Rates from $350 per night

* Both the Equinox Hotel and the Dorset Inn have undergone major renovations in the last year.

The Barnstead Inn (Manchester, VT)
www.barnsteadinn.com
Rates from $110 per night

The Inn at Willow Pond (Manchester, VT)
www.innatwillowpond.com
Rates from $198 per night

The Manchester View Motel (Manchester, VT)
www.manchesterview.com
Rates from $115 per night

The Wilburton Inn (Manchester, VT)
www.wilburtoninn.com
Rates from $150 a night

The Inn at West View Farm (Dorset, VT)
www.innatwestviewfarm.com
Rates from $110 per night

The Barrows House (Dorset, VT)
www.barrowshouse.com
Rates from $145 per night

The Dovetail Inn (Dorset, VT)
www.dovetailinn.com
Rates from $85 per night

The Marble West Inn (Dorset, VT)
www.marblewestinn.com
Rates from $125 per night

Wedding Planning ... JC and Lauren Style

2008-05-06T10:46:00.030-04:00

JC and I visited Vermont in April to kick off the wedding planning with my parents, Steve and Lee Jones. We met with our florist, had our cake tasting and my Dad treated us both to a special Steve Jones' mud-season off-roading adventure (please keep at least one eye on the road at all times Dad).

JC has been really involved in the whole wedding planning process. Here we are looking at flowers and linens with our florist Nancy ...

Hmm, I'm sure he was just using that computer to get ideas for floral arrangements.

Actually, I have to give credit where credit is due, JC has been very involved in the whole wedding planning process. He picked out those pink "Save the Date" notices you all received and is looking forward to never living it down with his best friend, Jon.

Getting to Vermont ... Planes, Trains and Automobiles

2008-05-06T09:56:00.008-04:00

Getting to Manchester, Vermont is no easy task. It often involves multiples modes of transportation and deft driving abilities. For those traveling by plane, the recommended airport is Albany International Airport (ALB), New York. After reading this some of you might be wondering why you are flying into an airport in another state. Take my word for it, Albany, New York is the closest airport to Manchester, Vermont. The drive from Albany to Manchester is about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

From Albany Airport to Manchester, Vermont

Leave the airport and take I-87 North (2.8 mi);
Merge onto NY-7 E via EXIT 7 toward TROY/ COHOES (29.1 mi);
Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto the BENNINGTON BYPASS (Crossing into VERMONT) (1.2 mi);
The BENNINGTON BYPASS becomes VT-279 E (4.6 mi);
Stay STRAIGHT to go onto US-7 N (20.9 mi);
Take the VT-11 W/ VT-30 N exit, EXIT 4, toward HISTORIC VT-7A (0.3 mi);
Turn LEFT onto VT-11/ VT-30/ DEPOT ST (1.5 mi);
End at Manchester Center, Vermont

From Manchester to Dorset, Vermont
Continue on VT-30 N (6 mi)
End at Dorset, Vermont

Curly Hair and a Red Sweater (but not Mr. Rogers' sweater)

2008-05-05T17:05:00.003-04:00

Every story has a beginning, and the best stories we hope never end. So the story of Lauren and JC (the Seven Year Itch) begins in the summer of 2001 with curly hair and a red sweater. Summer 2001 was an interesting political time in Washington, DC. Throughout early 2001, a moderate Republican Senator from Vermont was growing more and more disillusioned with the direction the newly-elected President was taking the Republican party. On May 24, 2001, that growing discontent boiled over and Senator Jim Jeffords left the Republican party, giving Democrats control of the United States Senate.

This event became an important footnote in our personal history. Lost in the political earthquake that day in May was a newly-minted counsel to the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Jeffords assumed the leadership of that committee from Harry Reid and, given the opportunity, I decided to stay on the committee staff and work with the new Chairman and committee Democrats.

The day after the switch, Lauren, fresh out of college, joined Senator Jeffords' personal office as a staff assistant. For some reason, I have never forgotten the first time I saw Lauren. It wasn’t that sparks flew, because they didn’t (that would come years later), but I distinctly remember her curly hair and red sweater sitting behind a desk in the Jeffords’ reception area answering phones. We wouldn’t begin dating for several years, but that first introduction began our story. And seven years later, after many twists and turns, a profound friendship, and a little cajoling, our story, like the best stories, has no end in sight.

So, I thank Jim Jeffords for many things, but most of all, I thank him for Lauren.

Put simply—no Jeffords’ switch, no Lauren and JC.