Turkey Day & Ten Years and Counting

November 27th - November 30th

Thanksgiving week is always crazy. Just like everyone else there, there is always so much to do and never enough time to do it.  This year was no different than any other year. Our awesome friends, Mathis & Nicki made the trip to Virginia for Thanksgiving week. We had a great time hanging out, catching up and being silly for the first part of the week.

On Wednesday, we kicked them out of the house so we could have our Annual Video Thanksgiving. We absolutely love hosting Video Thanksgiving and I am so glad that all the students made it.

Thanksgiving morning was relaxing and low key. We slept in, watched The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Mathis and Nicki made us a great big breakfast. Mathis had gotten up at 4 am to start smoking the turkey for our Thanksgiving dinner.

We spent the rest of the afternoon in the kitchen cooking, watching football and fixing appliances.

Around 4pm we headed over to Joe and Lisa's for Thanksgiving dinner. Jed fried the second turkey out back while everyone was busy with final touched for dinner.

It was a successful Thanksgiving and I think everyone had a great time.

 

Friday we spent at a basketball game, shopping and getting ready for the big game on Saturday.

Saturday was game day and Derley, Mathis, Nicki, Danielle & I got up and out early on Saturday morning so we could do a little tailgating before the big game.

It was probably the most stressful game of the season for me this year. I am so glad that we got to go, we won and Mathis and Nicki now truly understand the Tech-UVA rivalry.

 It is so crazy to think that we have bet UVA the past 10 years straight! That is a long freaking time. Here is to another 10 + years with the Commonwealth Cup.

After the game, we went to see Jed before we all headed back to Blacksburg. I love going to see him after this game. We both have so many memories that surround this game and I love seeing him so excited and remembering all the games and stories that go along with this game.

Congratulations Hokies!

Surprise!!

November 22nd - 24th

We had our last football bye weekend this weekend and in typical Castro fashion, we hit the road. This time we headed north to Washington DC. Jed and his siblings planned a surprise birthday party for their mom. We got in Friday night in time to go to dinner with Emlie, Zoe, Noel, Kerry, Emma and Nancy at Otello near our hotel in Dupont Circle. It was great to see everyone and the food was great.

Saturday morning we spent time just hanging out and catching up with everyone.

The big surprise party was set for 12:30, Saturday afternoon at Boqueria Tapas Bar and Restaurant. There were about 30 people that were able to make the trip to surprise her.

It was so great to just hang out and laugh and celebrate. Jed did a fantastic job on a video that left many in tears.

After the festivities, we spent some time hanging out with cousins and family we haven't seen in a long time.

Kerry, Zoe, Emma, Jocelyn, Jed and I decided to go on a cupcake pilgrimage that early evening. The six of us took off on foot in the freezing cold in search of a cupcake - off. The original goal was three different cupcake places but only two were realistic.

We made it to Sprinkles and Georgetown cupcakes.

It was so much fun to go walking in the freezing cold, laugh and be silly with family. We brought back a ton of cupcakes for everyone to taste and Georgetown cupcakes was the overwhelming winner.
 After cupcakes the girls started playing with lip stick. It was too cute.

And what is a family gathering without the guys wrestling...

We spent Sunday morning with family at brunch one last time before everyone headed home.

After everyone got packed up, Nancy, Mom, Zoe, Emlie, Jed & I had sometime before we had to take Emlie & Zoe to the airport so we braved the freezing cold weather and headed to lunch at GBD.

How doesn't love fried chicken and doughnuts!

It was such a great time hanging out with family. Can't wait for the next time.