MIMM {Weekend with My Grandparents and Happy Bday RO!!}

Hey friends!!

Long time no talk 🙂 Sorry I was gone for so long… as soon as Grandmama and Granddaddy came into town I decided to use the weekend as a mini vacation so I took a break from blogging! It was nice to unplug for a few days but boy oh boy I have missed you guys!! And I know I have a ton of blog reading to catch up on today.

Let’s jump right into Marvelous in My Monday. I have LOTS to tell ya! As always, thanks to the beautiful Katie for hosting this!

1. I had such a MARVELOUS week with my grandparents!!

They were in DC for 5 days and it was amazing.The first 2 days their sweet friends from New York were in DC and it was so much fun getting to know them! We had dinner at my favorite Peacock Cafe on Wednesday night. I decided not to pull out my camera at dinner and snap picture of my food since I was just meeting their friends.

Thursday night I met them after work and we went to dinner with their friend’s family at a resturaunt called Old Europe. It was definitely the most different and unique place I have ever been to eat but it was a fun experience. Our waiters were so cute and the food was delicious. (It was a German place and I ordered salmon… I know, I know… but I do not know if Schnitzel is really up my alley!!).

Friday we went to Mount Vernon.

This was something I have never done before and it was awesome. I could have spent days there. I loved the house and the view. I told my grandmother that I certainly would not mind drinking my coffee and having breakfast on the porch at this house every morning while looking out on the Potomac River.

I was in love with all of the colors in the house (we could not take pictures). I had no idea bright colors were so in style. AND I had no idea Martha Washington was such a cook and hostess. I loved the Cooking with Martha Washington exhibit in museum that was all about how much she loved to cook for her family… they even had little brochures with some of her favorite recipes. I think Martha and I would have been great friends and bonded over a love of food 🙂

Overall, it was a great experience and I am so happy we went.

This little extravaganza took up most of the day and we met back up for dinner at Sequoia a really nice restaurant on the Georgetown waterfront.

I had heard some great things about this place and I am so happy we went. I decided to stray from the usual order of red wine and started with the Berry Sangria.

Perfectly refreshing and I want to re-create this ASAP. We also had an appetizer of fried oysters which were really good. I hate raw oysters but love them any other way.

For dinner, Grandmama and I ordered the Rockfish with veggies and Grandaddy had the pan seared pepper corn tuna. I had never heard of Rockfish but it is a light flaky white fish. It had a great taste and the sauce was some kind of lobster cream sauce.Oh my gosh, so good. I forgot to take a picture of the bread but I definitely annihilated the basket while dipping it into my cream sauce. For desert we had the key lime pie.

AMAZING!! It was one of the best dinners with the best company I have had in a long time!

Saturday morning we started at the National Cathedral. It was really, really beautiful. We ended up doing a tour which I am so glad we did because otherwise I would have missedthe significance of what everything stood for. And our tour guide was an expert on the place so he had lots to tell us.

While I was there I saw this banner that really stood out to me: “My House shall be called the House of Prayer for all People.”

I know I do not talk much about my faith on my blog even though it is a huge part of my life…I never want to come off pushy and I am usually very private about it. But this really resonated with me and I wanted to share it. A church should be a place where any and ALL people feel welcomed because ultimately it is not our house, it is Gods. I think sometimes we tend to get so caught up in “church” that we forget the reason for being there… and I really thought this summed up what the first and foremost priority of a church should be perfectly.

After our tour we headed to Tyson’s Corner, a mall I have heard a TON about! We had lunch in the little Neiman’s Cafe as soon as we got there. I forget how much I love these dang popovers with strawberry butter. Don’t worry, I had 2 🙂 (I am sure you did not expect any less…) and then had the grilled chicken wrap on wheat that came with a side of fruit and salad. I ate every last bite. Sorry I was haaannnggrryyy.

Grandmama and I walked around for a little while and while we did not have much luck, it was fun just looking! She got the cutest pair of royal blue little jeans… I hope one day I look as good as her in skinny jeans… or just as good as her period. I made her try on this Burberry coat for fun… How CUTE!!

After our shopping trip, I think Grandaddy needed a drink. We headed to the rooftop of the W Hotel and had a drink. It looks out over the White House and all of the monuments/ museums… you can definitely see everything form up here.

View from the roof!

It was a little too sunny and hot so we went next door to the little bar at the hotel Willard. It was perfect! We ordered appetizers (crabcake sliders, spinach and artichoke dip, and margarita pizza) which were so filling it turned into dinner. I left stuffed. Again.

Bar at the Willard

Sunday morning we had planned to go to church but found out there was no air conditioning in the church, and it was way too hot outside so we went and walked around neat the White House instead. We ended up stopping in the visitor center and watching a movie on the White House. I am honestly so happy we did this… we got to see every room in the White House and it gave a description of each room and its meaning. Grandmama and Grandaddy said it was better than the actual tour they had a few years ago.

We headed to Old Ebbitt Grille for brunch/ lunch. It is right by the White House and has been a very happening little place for many years. I was kinda in the mood for something plain since I had eaten SO many rich things over the course of 5 days… so I stuck with the grilled chicken sandwhich (sans the bun) and fruit.

We still had a few hours to kill before they had to be at the airport so we went to the National Portrait Gallery. It was SO beautiful and we did not even get to see half of it… but I am glad we did it and I want to go back!! I could look at art work for days.

I was so sad to see them go. We had SUCH a FUN weekend! It was amazing to get to spend one on one time with them and I am so happy they came. I will always remember it as one of the best weekends. I am a lucky girl to have two sets of such incredible grandparents. I went to bed last night feeling very happy and very blessed.

2. Happy Birthday Ro Ro!!!!!!! I am so so so proud of you and I love you so much. I can not believe you are 19!!!! I am excited to see where life takes you… I know you have a very exciting journey in store 🙂 See more about just how much I love my sister in this post.

Yesterday Rollins posted this about my mom on facebook and I wanted to share it with you guys because this could not be more true. I can not tell you how lucky we are to have the best MAMA in the entire world!! (And Dad too of course!).

Here is the link to the video.. this girl has a phenomonal story: Raising an Olympian – GABBY DOUGLAS

3. I have even more to tell you guys but I am sure you are sick of reading already… I will see you tomorrow!

Have a MARVELOUS, happy, healthy, yummy Monday!!

Question: Did anyone have any fun meals or workouts this weekend?!!!!!!!!