Chilling In Bristow, VA

Evie And Her Girls

Mitch And Tyler With Cousins, Richie And Vince

Cousin Love

Bristow Sky At 8:00 AM

My son in law and I are up at 6:45, the rest of the family is lucky, sleeping in after a great weekend of partying at my niece Julia's wedding.  It's cool but clear here in Virginia, but it will be getting warmer, alas, with rain, and it's supposed to be 76º on Christmas Eve.  Get out the grill.

Tom, Nick, And Drew At Chief's Game

Yesterday was a sad day in many ways, as most of the family that were in town for the wedding had to head out, either via car or plane.  I was up early, said aloha to my sister and her husband as they left early for Ohio.  Then, my son Tom, his son Nick, and brother in law Drew left around 9:30 the Kansas City Chiefs game with the Baltimore Ravens.  Tom was able to get  good tickets from the Chiefs front office.

Julia, The Lovely, Happy Bride

Brunch At The Columbia Firehouse

Dining Room And Buffet

Device Crazy

The rest of our crew slept in, then got ready for a final gathering of the wedding party and guests, a brunch given by friends of the groom's parents, at the Columbia Firehouse Restaurant and Bar, an actual old firehouse turned into a great venue, just around the corner from our hotel.  It had a great bar and restaurant on the first floor, and we were upstairs, in three or four connected rooms.  They had a great buffet of the usual breakfast items, along with fresh oysters and crab cakes.  Twelve of us sat around for an hour and a half, enjoying the food, the company, and getting to spend time with Julia as well as her parents.  It was a nice way to end the weekend for out of towners as well as the new couple.  They are off to NYC for a brief honeymoon and will take a more extended one later in the year.

Tyler And The Girls

Afterwards, we did some shopping, stopped at a coffee shop that my grandson, Tyler, wanted to visit, then went to the hotel and packed up.  Beth and family were taking a 6:30 flight to Dallas, so we bid her and Tyler, Mitch, and Marisa, a sad good by, and then we drove back to Bristow, what should have been a fifty minute drive turned into an hour twenty minutes because I took a wrong turn out of Alexandria.  Between the unreliable GPS and the numerous signs, I took the wrong outlet onto #495.

Relaxing At Home With Granny

Dad And Hayden, Kicking Back

Anyways, we arrived home around 4:30, the guys from the Chiefs/Ravens game around 5:00, so Tom and Jill's family were able to spend another night together, the girls excited of course.  Tom leaves today for KC late in the day, so we will have some time together today.  Jill had shrimp and appetizers for dinner, and bought a honey baked sliced ham, so dinner was easy, making ham sandwiches as we watched some football.  Around 8:00 we all adjourned to the basement to watch, again, Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation, always a hit and hilarious.  The kids are starting to anticipate certain scenes, which is fun.  Evie finally got the girls settled down around 10:30 when we all went to bed, ending a fantastic weekend together.

Post Wedding Blues As Families Head Home

My Sister Ellen, Her Husband Walt, Parents of Julia, The Bride

 

The Lovely Julia

Beth And Family

Tom And Family

Jill And Family

Same lobby, about the same time, with my son in law Drew, sipping coffee, people and dog watching as the busy Hotel Monaco Lobby gradually comes to life.  It's just after 8:00 and I have been here for a half hour.

Washington Monument

Lincoln Memorial

Korean Memorial

Tyler Albarran

Yesterday was an exhausting but amazingly fun filled day, only ending around 1:30 in the morning when we went up to bed.  The day started slowly, as families slowly filtered downstairs, none of us making the walking tour at 10:00 except for sister and brother in law.  Our side of the family, all fourteen of us, had a big breakfast in the hotel's restaurant around 10:30, fueling up for the day.  The guys decided to take the Metro down to the Washington Mall, to see the memorials, enjoy the day.  It was a twenty five minute walk to the Metro, a twenty five minute ride to the Mall Area.  We then spent a couple of hours, almost walking the length of the Mall, down to the Lincoln Memorial.  None of my grandsons had seen any of the memorials, so it was a new experience for them.  I had not seen the WW II Memorial, nor the Korean, so I was anxious to see them.  Both went beyond my expectations, rivaling the understated but moving Vietnam Memorial.  The WW II was appropriately grand, the Korean moving, as it was mostly life size statutes of soldiers in knee high grass.  We walked back via the White House, took most of pictures from afar, then headed back to the Metro Station.  The Holzheimer side of the family was also enjoying the Mall so we ran into Pat and Courtney and kids.

The Girls At The Torpedo Art Gallery

Ninth Grader Hayden Bissell, Marlena Photobombing

While we were walking at least eight miles, the girls all stayed behind in Alexandria, and explored the area, the shops, the art gallery, having fun.

Beth and Marisa

All of us were back in the hotel around 3:30, in time to relax before the wedding and dinner. Fortunately, the Torpedo Factory Art Gallery, where the wedding was being held was a ten minute walk away.  The wedding ceremony took place at 6:30, and it was properly apt for the bride and groom.  A friend acted as the officiate, the couple wrote their vows, family friends sang 'All You Need Is Love,' and the readings were wonderful, as were the touching vows.  And it was just the right length and as the bride and groom danced down the aisle, much of the gathering was in tears.

Evie, Mary, Jill, And Beth

The Grandchildren

The Four Teeny Boppers

Before Dinner

After the ceremony, we had cocktail hour with delicious appetizers like sushi for an hour while the catering group set up the dining room for dinner.  The Factory/Gallery was a picturesque place for the reception as well, mixing art with factory like structures.  Dinner was again your choice, either filet or chicken, lots of wine, and brussels sprouts, the bride's favorite vegetable as well as mine. At each place setting, Julia and Hampton had hand written a personal note to each of the 183 guests.  

Brooks, Julia's Brother

Julia And Hampton, Listening To The Toasts

Towards the end of dinner, toasts were given by the bride's father, the best man, a funny, comedy like telling of his lifelong relationship with Hampton, the groom.  And the maid of honor wrote a poem to the Night Before Christmas, about her relationship with Julia, the bride.  All three were amazing, took enormous thought and preparation, and were delivered with aplomb.  What confidence in these young people though they are not so young, in their thirties.

Julia And Her Father

Uncle Bob Lange And Wife Carol

Walt And Ellen, Enjoying The Wedding

About 9:45, the music began, a rip roaring band of guitars, sax, trumpet, drums, and a female singer.  They were extraordinary, rocking non stop until 12:00.  And unlike any wedding I have been to, 90% of the guests danced non stop until midnight, old and young, family and friends, all squeezed on the dance floor, having a rock and roll time.  The night ending with one of my favorites from college, but new to our grandchildren, SHOUT, and it brought down the house.  What a night for family, the Albarrans, Bissells, and Davis's, their kids who have been to few weddings or receptions before, let alone a wild night of dancing.  They loved it.

Julia And Hampton With Julia's Cousins

We walked the short distance back to the hotel, and we sat in the lobby talking with our kids, then Ellen and Walt, the bride's family, and finally the bride and groom came in to end the night.  We check out this morning but have a brunch around the corner from the hotel  form 11:00-2:00 which we will go to though Drew, Tom, Nick, and Brooks are going off to the Chiefs/Ravens game at 9:30, leaving early to avoid the inevitable NFL traffic jam.

Wedding Ends, Life Together Begins, For Julia And Hampton

The Morning After

Julia, The Lovely Bride To Be

Julia With Her Cousins

My Sister Ellen, Julia's Mom

Well, it's 8:15 and I am sitting in the lounge area of the Monaco Hotel, in Alexandria, Va, with my son in law, Drew, both of us recovering from last night's partying, as our wives sleep in.  It's a neat, old hotel, in Old Town, seemingly always busy and dog friendly, and patrons walk in and out with their dogs of all sizes.  It's going to be a sunny but cool, with the high only in he 40's which is fine if there is no wind.

Albarrans Arrive

We left for downtown Alexandria yesterday around 11:15,  and it took us little over an hour to find our hotel. Our daughter Beth and her kids were already checked in, having arrived from Dallas at 10:30.  The hotel is great, centrally located, an easy walk to all the wedding venues.  During the afternoon, our other kids arrived, Jill and Drew around 3:30 from Bristow, and Tom and family from Kansas City so by 4:00, we were all together, at Le Madelaine, a coffee shop./bakery right next to the hotel. Everyone looks good, seems happy to be here and could not wait for the fun to start in the evening.

Bissells And Davis's Arrive

Tyler, Nick, and Mitchell

Most Of The Family

We did take a brief walk but the wind was brisk, so it was not much fun.  So we just hung out, some took naps, like me, and got ready for the rehearsal dinner, as we were leaving for the Gadsby House at 6:45.  There were 16 of us, ready for bear, the girls all dressed up in their new clothes.  The dinner was at a famous Gadsby Tavern, dating from the 1700's.  The host gave an interesting history of the tavern, mentioning that George Washington had a birthday party in the room we were eating and Thomas Jefferson's inaugural dinner was in the same place. Wow.  We had an hour of cocktails, packed in a room with all the wedding party and friends from out of town.  I stood near the shrimp, oyster, and clam table much of the night with the rest of us who love seafood.  The oysters were amazingly fresh and delcious.  My sister's family from Euclid was also there, all 21 of them I think, so all my side of the family and grandchildren were there.  Some of the grandkids had not seen each other in four or five years so it was fun for them.

The Boys Dressed Up

The Girls

Cousins

Dinner was marvelous, either a vegetarian or meat or gluten free option, with salad and dessert. It was a really wonderful night as throughout dinner, we had at least 20 well thought out toasts by family and friends from both the bride and groom's side.  It made dinner really fun and the evening went fast even though we were seated for over two hours.  The seating was also interesting as couples and families were split among different tables, so both sides of the family got to know each other rather than sitting with friends and family we knew.  Julia and Hampton, the soon to be bride and groom, were so happy, excited and had just as much fun as the rest of us, no nerves there.  They are ready for marriage.

Cousins, Kirsten, Richie, Jill

Julia, With Her Brother Brooks, Friend Virginia

Mitch And Nick With Their Favorite Aunt Jill

After dinner, we adjourned to the tavern, with our grandchildren and the rest of the group and enjoyed an open bar until midnight.  The kids seemed to love it, even the boys, and I think everyone from the dinner stayed until late.  It was a marvelous evening, great friends and family, new friends, good food, and lots of grandchildren.  Admittedly, I have not been to many rehearsal dinners, but this was by far the best, the most fun.  I cannot wait for the wedding tonight.

Chautauqua To Bristow, VA,To Alexandria, VA For The Weekend

Glad To Have Her Dad Home

With Mom

We all have to be up early because the cleaners are arriving at 8:00.  I was awake at 5:00, got up at 5:45 and Drew was already up, filling out his bowl picks, watching CNN.  Jill got up soon, as did Hayden who has to be off to school around 7:00. Halle and Evie are the lucky ones, who get to sleep in some.

Hayden, A Freshmen, Ready For School

We left the lake behind, in a drizzle, and had some form of precipitation for the next seven hours through Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, into Virginia.  It was either raining or foggy, especially into the mountains or hills.  Thus, what was a breath taking ride through fall colors in October was a blur, literally, as the hills and trees were often hidden by fog.

The Fog Of Late Morning

Our Favorite City, Breezewood

We arrived just after 3:00, our usual seven hour drive, to a empty house as the girls were getting picked up from school and getting their hair cut for the weekend.  We were happily greeted by Coco, their dog, and everyone started to arrive around 4:00.  And Drew got home after two long two flights, from Kiev, about 5:00, happy to be back after two weeks in the Ukraine,  So we were all together by 5:00 and had time to sit down, enjoy a drink, and catch up on both the girls lives and Drew's weeks in Kiev.  The girls are both doing well, excited that school is ending, the wedding is happening, and Christmas is less than a week away.

Halle And Coco

We brought dinner, a pork stew, with beans, so Evie made up some brown rice, braised some Brussels sprouts and we had a nice dinner.  We also picked up a lemon custard pie at vegetable stand just before Winchester, VA, where we always tend to stop because they have all kinds of neat things, as well as fruit and vegetables.  The evening was spent trying to figure out what the girls were going to wear to the wedding,  And Halle had a big science test so we all worked with her, helping her memorize some terms.  A typical night at the Bissells I suppose, getting the girls to get their work done, then trying to get them to go to bed.  Things don't change as I remember us doing the same each night with our kids.  We were all tired, us from the drive, Drew from his two weeks in Ukraine, so we all went upstairs to bed by 10:00, except for Evie, who stayed up with the girls till they were organized and in bed.

We will leave for the Monaco Hotel in downtown Alexandria this morning around 11:00, hoping we can get into our room early.  Beth and family arrive from Dallas at 10:30, so we want to get there to see them.  And our son Tom and family arrive from KC at 2:30, so we will all be together before the rehearsal dinner which starts at 7:00.  It's going to be a couple of fun days.