The relationship that started across an ocean has made a full international circle. After Paris, we spent almost every weekend together in the States visiting a different city, culminating with a wedding in Chicago. Will flew back to Italy on Monday and we are back to organizing our lives based on international time tables and interrupting sleep schedules. A big high five to Skype for letting us see each other thousands of miles apart. It is such an incredible gift for the two of us. Here are more pictures from Busch Gardens which we visited a few weeks ago, a tour of Chicago, a wedding in Springfield, and a motorcycle tour of northern Virginia. That's right. I'm a Harley girl now!

Busch Gardens has gone 3-D. We don't know what the ride was about....something along the lines of dungeons and dragons, but it made for a cute picture.

Stomping the grapes Lucy style

The teacups were actually a big hit. Exhausting, but fun. In the end, we decided that we shouldn't have to work that hard to have fun after we paid for tickets.

Best. Popcorn. Ever.

We made it to Wrigley field. Note to Denver, build stadium seating on top of the apartments around the ballpark. Genius.

Harry Karry...and something about hot dogs eating themselves..

The Chicago skyline from Navy Pier. It was freezing!

And this is the famous view from the women's bathroom in the Hancock building. Will snuck a peek on a cloudy day when there weren't many visitors because he didn't believe me. The men's bathroom doesn't have a single window! We went back the next day to take pictures. I was the only one in the women's bathroom that day.

Riding on the back of the Harley. So exhilarating. I'm hooked!

Bikers!

At the Greek wedding. What a show. We were definitely the entertainment on the dance floor.

This year, the Charlottesville Ten Miler wasn't so much a running race as it was a social event. No PRs were set by this set of tired legs, but I did run the whole way, chatting through the whole course with my friend Courtney. We were salty when we finished - proof that we broke a sweat. And we almost shed tears when we tried to walk down a flight of stairs after the race. But a late afternoon hot tub session soothed my aching muscles and let me enjoy the runner's high long enough to plan future races this year

Will and I have been so lucky to spend lots of time together during the last few weeks. His parents hosted a "going away party" for him last weekend and then he came down for a tour around Charlottesville and Williamsburg. Two gorgeous days in the 'Burg made me remember how magical it is in the spring. Not to mention all the work they've done to bring the city up to the 21st century - it might actually be a fun place to live these days! We loved walking down DOG street, crossing the Crim Dell and drinking MUGS at the Leafe! Then we spent an absolutely gorgeous day at Busch Gardens. In Charlottesville we actually did a touristy thing and hiked up to the Monticello visitors center. I guess it's not that touristy if you don't ride a charter bus. We went for a run through grounds and caught a movie (his first in a theatre in 3 years) to cap off the day. Next week we are heading to Chicago for some epic wedding dancing and a deep dish pizza pie. More pictures to come when we consolidate and organize...somehow we ended up with pictures on three different cameras.







Oh, and then we ran into Nina and the girls after her run!

Fondant travels amazingly well....Will's going away cake made it from Charlottesville to Williamsburg to Clifton in one piece!

As promised - perfect self portraits!

At first glance, it's just a cute army green purse with a hot pink interior. But the best part about my Valentine's Day present from Will, is that he used to wear it. This bag was handmade from one of his old flight suits. Now it's like I have a little piece of him to take everywhere with me. I'm thrilled about the bag but I also requested the remnants of the flight suit just in case the Martha Stewart in me figured out how to make something else with a needle and thread, or maybe just hot glue. This little gem only rivals the quilt my mom made out of all my old t-shirts for "best gift ever."

I couldn't be more thrilled about my most recent purchase....a digital camera with an LCD screen on BOTH sides! I've always been a fan of the self portrait and recently, that's all Will and I have taken when we get together and have a camera in hand. I don't know how many self shots I've butchered by cutting of his head or missing the key element in the background, etc. This is sure to make all our self portraits one hit wonders. Why didn't anyone think of this sooner?! It is the most genius idea I've ever seen (except of course for all the creative inventions that Katie B. Nauman and I plan to develop and launch). The next blog post is sure to be filled with picture perfect self portraits - just you wait!