the cheese shop, stuarts draft, va.

though i do not always have time to enjoy all of the travels my job takes me fully, i still try and make it a point to try the local cuisine.

small towns that act like veins in the appalachians, tucked away and nestled in their own comforts, it is wonderful to step inside their world for awhile.

i went to stuarts draft today for retakes & i always make sure to stop by the cheese shop's sandwich shop located right by the schools i work in.


offering the simplest of sandwiches on freshly baked bread this place was exactly what i needed after a trying day. the staff and interior easily makes you feel at home. though located in a mini mall i find myself breathing a sigh of relief when i walk in the door.

i plan to visit the actual cheese shop which carries organic and bulk foods when i return to this little town but for now i am leaving with a happy belly and a warm cup of coffee for my drive home on this chilly november day.

lights & buzz

as winter quickly approaches and the rain drops start to crystallize, things in our little home are settling too. coats are bundled a little tighter, snow boots are dug out from behind closet doors and bed time cuddles with the fur babies become more frequent.

winter used to be something i despised, feeling like autumn (my favourite) was turning it's back on me every year to it's cold and frightful cousin. however since our little family has come along i now look forward to cold nights. i look forward to starting our fireplace, the kitties terrified at first, then slowly curling up in the warmth.

soon my hours at work will dwindle and i will be starting a new adventure in photography portraiture. nights will be longer and days shorter, with even more coffee necessary but regardless i feel the buzz of something new coursing through me.

hello winter, it will be nice to see you again.

{halloween.}

halloween is pretty much a favourite holiday for everyone in my family. the niece and nephews pretty much start planning their costumes in the summer and spend the next few months changing their minds several times over, finally driving their mother crazy in trying to scramble with last minute costume adjustments.

after pumpkin carving with the kids and with mike too, needless to say i had lots of yummy roasted pumpkin seeds for roasting. i am going to try (fingers crossed) to grow my own next year, but knowing our silly puppy, they may end up getting eaten before they even see daylight.

and as always i used the kids as an excuse to dress up and go trick or treating with them (no i didn't get candy, except for what hannah shared with me later on) and enjoyed the sights of wasena drive, as every year.

aaron, of course being the freshman he is was too cool to be seen trick or treating with his younger siblings, but rode dutifully in the car with his dad and snuck candy from his sister's bag when the opportunity arose.

mike's mask was a $6 target find and my makeup took a total of a half hour to do, but hey on the sly i think we did pretty well. even if i did look like a clown and mike scared a few toddlers.