road trip: Baltimore

Seriously, the road trip just never ends, huh?  We're coming to the end of the road trip recap, then can move on to things like Easter, and someone's birthday in the middle of the week (perhaps I should plan something?).

So after another night back in Virginia with Jimmy, Angela, and Moriah, we headed up to Baltimore to see Tim and Ellen.  We stayed at their lovely home. Their backyard would be like a dream come true for Kyalo - rocks, sticks, dirt, etc - but it was too cold to really spend any time out there.  Next time!

When we go to their house, we pretty much headed right back out to a local dairy for some really yummy ice cream. I'm a big fan of supporting local establishments, especially ones that don't use hormones in their cows, and who produce something as yummy as ice cream.  I look forward to getting down there again when it is warmer and we can grab a blanket and sit out in their fields.

Dessert taken care of, we headed home for dinner. . .steaks on the grill!  To say we were well fed on this trip would be a major understatement! To have steaks two nights in a row was excessive and wonderful.  While we were eating dinner, Tim was telling us about the "small spread" he would put together for us for breakfast:

- bacon, pancakes, Belgian waffles, eggs Benedict, fruit, fresh squeezed juice

Um. Yeah.  It was awesome.

Not so awesome was working out to the smell of bacon cooking Saturday morning (but hey, at least I did my workout - all week!).

 Tim, the Master Chef

 Tim, looking through his mother's recipes

he has the original binder, which is so awesome; I have photocopies of some of her better known recipes

and I have her Kitchen Aid 

 Ellen, making Hollandaise sauce

asparagus, ham, avocado = perfection

Aaron, Rachel (my cousin) Ellen

"The Tims" as we call them:

Rachel, Aaron, Tim, Elisabeth, Ellen

What amazed me was how effortlessly they through this all together, and then when the meal was over, it seemed like I turned around to do something with Kyalo and turned back it was all cleaned up.  I guess they're like a well oiled machine!  We're only four hours away, so I've told them to let us know by 6 if breakfast is going on the table, and we'll be there by 10.

After breakfast there was also a ginger-infused smoothie to help wash things down, and then, because I was talking about how much I love popcorn, (and even make it to take on long road trips) Tim whipped out the Whirly Pop and we had a batch.

Yes, I was born into the right family!

And then, we were on the road again, back up to Belleville and to real life.

We have three months of classes, projects, exams, reading, stress, etc, and then NO MORE CLASSES for Dexter...just clinical work and preparing for his big licensing exam which will be in March 2014 (I think).  The next few months won't be very fun but I assume will go quickly enough.