Trip to the States

In June we took a two week trip back to the States stopping in Columbia, Philadelphia, Erie, and Buffalo.  We hit up all of our favorite restaurants in Maryland (we got Vietnamese twice in two days!), and I shopped until I dropped (literally, from jet lag) with my friend, Liz.  The humidity and 105 degree weather were rough but it was still good to be back. 

We had a great time in Philly for Chris & Lily’s wedding.  We saw lots of friends we hadn’t seen in years, enjoyed delicious Philly cheese steaks at the rehearsal dinner, and really enjoyed seeing two great friends celebrate a very special moment in their lives.  The wedding was beautiful, the food was phenomenal, and the dancing was non-stop!The highlight of our time in Erie was a very relaxing two days at Don and Rita’s lake house on Lake Chautauqua.  The whole family was there.  We ate a lot, did a wine tasting at a local wine cellar, took a couple of boat rides, went tubing and kayaking, and played with the kiddos. So much fun!

Dan and I hadn’t seen Chelsea and Ryan in a full year, since they visited us in Germany last spring, so we were super excited for Buffalo.  Mom planned an awesome picnic at Niagara Falls where we also did the Maid of the Mist and other activities that involved multiple layers of ponchos!  Cori and Leo had their wedding ceremony on a Navy cruiser, the USS Little Rock, and we got to see family from Colorado, Hawaii, and California.  The bride was stunning, and it was quite the celebration!  Our trip went way too fast but we’re so glad we got to spend time with family and friends and enjoy some of the comforts of home!