Top Moment from Nashville

I am planning to write an entire post about my trip to Nashville to see the New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys but I had to share my top moment from my 20 hours in Nashville....

Nick Carter...in the flesh...15 feet away.  Made our night.



A Little Confession...

When I was a little girl, a new "band" came out and I fell in love!  I had a bedspread, pillowcases, and curtains with their faces on it.  It was Bieber fever of the late 80's.  Yes...I had a small obsession with the New Kids on the Block.  I have a vivid memory of my dad taking me to the mall to find NKOTB buttons...you know the HUGE buttons with their faces.  If I remember correctly, I had a Jordan button, Jon button, and Joey button.  Sorry Danny and Donnie.  I was a bit discriminatory at that stage.  I used to walk around listening to my headphones (ie. cassette player).  My dream was to see them in concert but unfortunately that never happened.  I was extremely sad devastated when they disappeared

Then!



Now!

 But fast forward 7-10 years...

I can remember my friend, G, bringing over a cd (GASP!) of some group from Florida.  This group would fill the void that NKOTB left.  The Backstreet Boys would be my favorite group thereafter but especially in my high school years.  I didn't go as wild with the bedspread and such but that is when I discovered BOP, Teen Beat, etc.  Nick Carter was my favorite.  Hands down.  At the beginning of my senior year of high school (which happened to be my birthday weekend), my friends, including G and another best named N, and I went to Atlanta to see 'NSync (yeah...the one with Justin Timberlake) and after the concert my sweet friends surprised me with a little birthday party and my present was a ticket to the upcoming BSB concert.  I was ecstatic!!  I saw them in November from the upper section of the civic center and I loved every minute of it.

Then!

Now!

So considering my childhood and teen years was filled with these two groups, you can imagine my sheer excitement for the possibilty of the two groups touring together.  In December 2010, I purchased 5 tickets to the NKOTBSB concert in Nashville in June 2011. So peeps, I will spend next Tuesday evening with 4 awesome ladies (G, N, K, and C) and experience a show like no other.  I literally can't contain my excitement.  I know that as soon as I hear the music to Hangin' Tough or Step by Step that my 28 year old brain is going to revert back to my shy, nine year old memories. 

I am not ashamed.

Well, maybe a litte. 

No.  Wait.  I'm not. 

Full details, pictures, and more next week!  T minus 5 days!

Menu Plan Monday

Hubs and I are working hard to eat better this week.  We hit the gym late last night and look forward to going tonight and at least two more nights this week.  We are aiming for more veggies and less fried foods.

Here is our plan...

Saturday - Cookout with friends.  Grilled hot dogs and burgers and had potato salad and baked beans.

Sunday - Leftovers!  After someone (ok...I did it) knocked over an entire fryer full of oil all over the kitchen and we spent 45 minutes cleaning it up, we abandon our plans and went with leftovers. 

Monday - Popcorn Shrimp (baked), Homemade cole slaw, and Hushpuppies

Tuesday - Italian marinaded grilled chicken, green beans, "brown" rice (white rice baked with beef broth), and grilled squash.

Wednesday - Baked barbeque chicken, roasted potatoes, asparagus, and salad

Thursday - Hamburger steaks (cooked on the George Forman grill), mac n cheese, green beans, and salad.

Friday - Hubs is on his own!  I have a wedding rehearsal to photograph.

For more menu plans, go check out orgjunkie.com's Menu Plan Monday.  Hundreds of links!!

Family Bonding

This weekend was my grandmother's family reunion.  I'll post more about the reunion later but I wanted to share three photos I took with my phone during the "entertainment" portion of the event.  My family has a serious addiction to karaoke (ing?).  My parents have a whole set-up complete with a sound board, multiple microphones, and speakers.  My dad, who is normally sort of quiet, can bust out in song with the best of them.  I love that we all enjoy this together...even if I am not always willing to jump up and sing.

 My Dad...the Karaoke King.
His set-up includes a rolling case to house the mixer and sound board.  It has an attached microphone and a removable desk (seen here) for the computer.  I love it.

When I posted this picture on Facebook, I titled it "My mom is cooler than your mom." 
And she is.  Way cooler.  

My dad and Hubs have a few songs they sing together. 
Their most performed song is Elvis Presley's "Promised Land." 

True Family Bonding.