oh, right, maryland...

at some point in the past that may or may not have been a week or so ago I went to maryland. it was fun. there was beer and celebrating. I had liquor after beer without even thinking about it, and I didn't like that so much. we went on a quest to find earplugs, which we bought and then I never managed to use. and I almost got in a fight with a girl who is actually really nice but whose personality is WAY in your face. I don't do well when I'm rushed. Especially when *you* just spent at least 30 minutes getting ready and I'm waiting for you to get out of the bathroom so I can wash my face and use the facilities. And when I take longer than 4 minutes you get pissy? Geez. For the record, I took 6 minutes. anyway.

So, we got in the car Saturday AM and collected Taylor and Kate. On our way to Maryland we played with Matt's new garmin (which we really, REALLY like) and I told T&K all sorts of environmental things. It wasn't on purpose, but after I told them what I do for a living and that it's so important to me to be green whenever I can, they asked questions--about ziplock baggies and reusable bags and shoes and cleaners and everything. It was kind of fun testing my knowledge!

We went through POURING rain on and off. During one of these downpours we needed food. We found a Wendy's with the handy dandy Garmin (his name is Jack by the way--Matt wanted to use the girl voice and call it Cleona and I told him that since I want to name a child that some day we CANNOT use it for an inanimate object (other than our fickle star) and so Jack it is. He says his last name is Mehoff. I am displeased. but whatev.) While at the Wendy's I seriously thought the car might die. The water was halfway up our wheels!

Then once we got closer we needed to get to a grocery store--so I typed in the word "grocery" and it took us to this little tiny place that was literally a gas station/liquor store/it has bread and milk. We didn't even go in, and we laughed a lot when we saw it because it had taken us 20 minutes to get there. Around the corner we found an Eckerd that had most of our fixins (ketchup, mustard, relish and hot dog buns) and Matt and I found the summer shandy at the liquor store next door. And got a case. :)

After a quick quick stop at the hostess' house to potty and put on a not-travelled-in shirt, we went to the clubhouse for the surprise. And brought in the shandy! MMMM!

Kristin was SO surprised, it was really cute. It made her SO happy to be engaged and have everyone there. It was pretty funny--she saw me and was like "Is MATT here, TOO?!?" People, Matt is the one who knows the two of them. He's Adam's fraternity brother and they all went to college together. I mean, she's a KD and I consider her a friend, but it was funny. Like, if I went to surprise Renee or Jessica or something and they saw Matt and said "Is CARRIE here too?!?" Same thing. Amused, I was. (thanks, yoda) There was another girl named Carrie (in green dress below), the boys gave adam a crazy condom from the gas store we passed on the way up and I think all of us had to sing "Some Day My Prince Will Come" and dance with Kristin's niece Hope. She kept telling us she wanted us to marry her. It was cute. I made her twirl. :)

also, I have decided that I officially hate it when people choose to discuss how long it took for the couple to get engaged. at least at a celebration. this is not meant to reflect poorly on anyone's friends, family, friends-of-the-family, people they invited out of obligation or anyone else. I just, personally, think it's shitty to not focus on the positive--the celebration!--and instead focus on something that is clearly no longer an issue. it pisses me off. I've heard it discussed a few times recently and it just irks me. to. no. end.

We ate, we cheered, we drank, Matt went to go buy all the Summer Shandy he could since the stores would be closed on Sunday and then we all went out downtown. See? By the way, the picture of 5 people where two of us are holding out two fingers? Yeah, everyone in that picture is a twin. Crazy stuff, no? Two with each other, ps.

We cabbed it home and slept for a while. Like 5 hours? Before getting up to get ready and go to brunch. This little restaurant was CRAZY. suuuuuper skinny place but very long and lots of nooks and crannies. I'm surprised it isn't a fire hazard. And they had bagels hanging from the ceiling!

We walked around downtown annapolis, tooks some pictures, went on a boat tour of the harbor (where allergic-to-the-sun-lil-ol-me had to not sit on the upper deck which greatly disappointed the bride-to-be, but even though I said I didn't mine being in the shade by myself everyone still sat downstairs with me!) and then had icecream. the harbor tour was actually REALLY interesting by the way. And then headed home. There was some serious traffic and I actually *wanted* McDonalds which happens like, oh, once every three years, and I even got a nap. Oh, and a sunburn. rock. matt let us all sleep--we must've been tired, we ended up sleeping while listening to dane cook!