Red cups

Such an exciting time of year when the red Christmas cups arrive at Starbucks. I may have made Ben go just for the cups!

While there we ended up having a little fun. (Sorry about the blurry iphone pictures.)

Christmas is coming!

Lynchburg Symphony

On Friday night, Ben and I went to see a quartet from the Lynchburg Symphony perform. We had a blast listening to the music and enjoying each other's company. They played a wide range of  music starting off with classical music and ending with Queen.

Our campus pastor's wife Amy played the viola during the performance and she was fantastic! A lot of friends and family from church were there to cheer her on.

After the performance we got together with some friends and went to Macados for a late night dinner. Ben ordered a reuben sandwich that ended up being a big disappointment,  but I ordered a chocolate chip cookie and we all know those never disappoint! 

Such a great evening!

Pumpkins and apples

I love traditions of any kind. Starting traditions in my own family has been one of the things I have been looking forward to the most, but for some reason, Ben and I could not find a time to carve pumpkins this fall! We tried to plan a time to get together, but something seemed to always come up. 

Halloween came and passed and our pumpkins remained untouched. 

November arrived  and we had pumpkins needing to be carved! Maybe the Spivey tradition will be carving pumpkins the day after Halloween. I feel a new trend coming on.

November is for pumpkin carving and caramel apple eating!

Ben hard at work

What a cutie

Ben's groundhog. He is so proud.

Caramel apples!

Here's to many more years of pumpkin carving and caramel apple eating!

The simple life

Life lately in Lynchburg...

Surviving Hurricane Sandy

How to survive a hurricane:

                       - Bundle up

                       - Get out your Smartwool socks

                       - Make pumpkin cookies

                       - Paint your fingernails

                       - Cuddle in bed

                       - Watch a movie

                       - Listen to the rain

The Avett Brothers

The Avett Brothers were the first concert Ben and I ever went to together. Ben surprised me with tickets and the event quickly became on of our favorite memories.When the opportunity came to see them again, we jumped at the chance. 

The concert in Charlottseville was incredible. Better than the first time. Needless to say, we are already looking forward to our next concert with them on New Year's Eve in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Falling into fall

A weekend ago, Ben and I decided to make the most of this time of year and fill our whole day with all things fall. I had been wanting to go to an apple orchard all season, but we just couldn't seem to make it happen in any of our weekend adventures. 

I had been dreaming a little at work and hoping that there would still be an orchard open in Virginia this late in the season when I stumbled across Gross Orchard Apple Harvest Festival. I convinced Ben Saturday morning that this would be the most productive way to spend our day, and we packed up our car and headed toward the Blue Ridge mountains and the festival.

The drive was absolutely beautiful with all of the leaves changing color and the festival was fantastic. Between the food (fresh fried apple pies, homestead creamery ice cream, hot apple cider, and pumpkin whoopee pies), live bluegrass music, local vendors, and the perfect fall weather, the day couldn't have been any more perfect. 

After the festival, we were so close to the mountains that we just had to hike. Ben couldn't possibly be so close to the mountains without visiting and exploring. We decided to hike Flat Top since I had never done it before, and let me tell you, there was nothing flat about it! After huffing and puffing (at least on my part), we reached the top and the views were stunning. Hiking in the fall is beautiful.

After we returned to the bottom of the mountain Ben and I headed home to take a quick nap before our friend's birthday party. 

Overall a very successful day filled with all things fall. The only thing left to do is carve pumpkins and roast the seeds!