Our Weekend and Day One of Staycation

Each year we take a week's vacation in May, usually near Hubs' birthday (May 7th).  This week is our vacation and we decided to have a staycation this year.

Our vacation really started on Saturday.  Hubs worked around the house all day and then met me at a wedding. I spent the day decorating and getting beautified for the wedding of my one of my oldest friends. 

I met up with my friends at a local winery and event venue called Vizzini Farms Winery.  We decorated early for the evening wedding then headed to a local hotel to get ready.  It was a nice, busy day full of laughter and good company.  They introduced me to mimosas.  Wow I was missing out! 

 Forgive the blurry pictures.  These were the best I could get in the crowded hotel room.  But above is the bride herself and me before we dressed. 

Above is the maid of honor and my dear friend G and I after we got ready. 

The wedding took place at 6pm.  The weather was picture perfect.  N chose navy blue and gray for her colors.  Instead of tuxedos, the groom and groomsmen wore gray pants and vests with navy blue ties and each bridesmaid had a different style dress in Davids Bridal in marine blue.  Instead of traditional bouquets, the bridesmaids carried white lanterns.  After the ceremony, guests enjoyed to wines made the property (the green apple Riesling was my favorite) and a buffet of chicken Parmesan (with white alfredo sauce), potatoes, mixed vegetables, and rolls. There was dancing and some pretty amazing cupcakes (made by the bride).  We gave the newly married couple a candle-light send off.  It was a great evening for a wedding.

The only bad moment came on the way home.  There was a bad wreck and traffic was down to one lane.  As we approached the wreck, a cop stopped us then asked us to pull over.  We were very confused but I pulled out our registration papers and proof of insurance.  When the officer came to the window, he said they had received reports all evening that we were joyriding drunk, running people off the road and being reckless.  We were stunned.  We both said it couldn't have been us and that we had only gotten on the interstate a mile back and had been at a wedding for hours and hours.  I was still wearing my bridesmaid dresses and we still had the candles from the send off.  The candles were still warm.  I was even prepared to call the bride's family.  He didn't exactly believe us and had Hubs do an eye test.  He concluded that he wasn't drunk.  Well of course not.  I informed him again that I promise it wasn't us.  He sort of apologized and let us go on.  It was the weirdest 5 minutes of my life probably.  Being accused of something pretty horrible and yet we really couldn't defend ourselves without coming across as being disrespectful.   He never asked us for identification or anything.  I hope that if the "reports" were real, that that person was caught.  It was quite scary and just strange.  We drowned our nerves in burgers and chocolate shakes from Steak and Shake.

So for our first day off, we slept in late.  10 am.  We never do that!  We ran errands and enjoyed some Mexican food for Cinco de Mayo.  Hubs worked outside a bit more and I visited with him while he worked.  Now we have been enjoying a Dr. Who marathon for the past 4 hours.  A very nice staycation day.

Aunt Mel

I have four adorable kids in my life.  They call me Aunt Mel.  I am truly blessed to have them all in my life.  I currently do not have any children but these special kiddos make my world a little bit brighter.  They are the children of mine and Hubs' best friends.  Two couples who I truly wouldn't know what to do without.  They are the kind of people who would be there if we needed them.  Regardless of time or place.  They are those kind of people.  I cherish them all so much and I am so thankful I get to join in and watch their sweet babies grow up. 

With the birth of our newest little guy, I thought I would talk a little bit about each of these special little people.

N was born right before his mom and I become good friends.  We knew each other through a mutual friend but it wasn't until later that we became close.  Now, she is one of my best friends.  In fact, N and his mom are the reason I started my photography business.  I began photographing him at 18 months.  He just turned 6.  His is so handsome, super smart, a wickedly-good baseball player, and the sweetest guy ever.  He still runs up to Hubs and I for big hugs.  For a boy, that's a big deal. 

EK has a double first name.  We often guess whether she will keep it or might drop to one name or the other as she gets older.  But, we realized that more times than not, we simply call her EK.  It's unique.  Just like her.  She is a ball of energy.  Our favorite little diva princess.  She's 4 going on 24.  And I hope she never changes.  It's probably a good thing both her dad and her Uncle Bob own shotguns.  And she pretty much thinks her bud N hung the moon.

Baby C joined our group in November.  Apparently she knew her mom's OCD number issue so while she was scheduled to be born on November 22, C decided to make us wait until the 23rd.  We were not only surprised at her long-awaited arrival but then she decided to be born with red hair.  Our little red headed, fair-skinned doll.  N is her big brother and he LOVES his sister.  I was so blessed to be there to photograph our entire journey.  It was a day I will never forget.  And as girly as her momma is going to make her, her dad is still an influence.  She recently learned to spit.  Sadly, it's the cutest thing I have ever seen.

And last but certainly not least...

Big Man L just arrived last week.  He's a tax day baby.  And he might just be one of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen (except for maybe N, EK, and C).  I got to love on him at the hospital and again at his house.  He is so laid back (at least when I am around).  I can't wait to really see his big sister EK interact with him.  I have a feeling she will be bossying him around before long.  I can't wait to see him play with C the way their older siblings play together. 



That's them.  My babies.  I do love them so.  I wish them all lives full of love, laughter, and amazing friendships.  I pray they are strong, compassionate people and that they follow their dreams.  The world is a big place and I hope the four of them can cover as much of it as they want.

Awkward Moments

So I thought it would be nice to scan all of my parents old family pictures.  I am scanning them and will create discs so that we can preserve these memories forever.  And boy did I find some memories.  I have scanned maybe 40% of the pictures and I have found some major doozies.  Awkward-city.

The teddy bear?  Why??

Me.  In a cowboy hat.  On a donkey.

Apparently Santa and I were not hitting it off.

 

Easter - circa early 1990s. I'm the short one.  I don't even know where to start. 

White shoes?  That dress!  Oh lawd the hair!

 Another Easter.  This time - 1989.  My purse matched my shoes.  And please be jealous of those socks.

 And last but certainly not least.  Miss Awkward 7th Grade.

Band picture. Huge, gold-rimmed glasses.  Boy haircut.

My Sweet Old Dog

Our sweet old weinie dog, Coby, passed away early Tuesday morning.

I'm heartbroken and I truly miss my sweet buddy but I am so thankful he isn't in pain any longer.  Without going into much detail, he took a turn for the worse on Friday and we watched over him all weekend.  He passed away on his own, and for that, I am so thankful.  Making that decision would have been so hard.  I will cherish that last night when he let me hold him (he didn't want to be held or touched over the weekend) and love on him. 

People without pets don't realize how much they can become a part of your life.  We adopted Coby seven years ago when he was five years old.  He was our constant companion even after cats and birds both came and went.  I'm so glad he came into our lives as our furry child and I will never forget his sweet face.

5 Things About Coby

1.  He LOVED cheese.  He knew what the sound of the bag sounded like and would come running.

2.  He loved rocks.  The bigger the better.

3.  He loved to snuggle and be hidden in blankets.

4.  He hated having a bath but afterwards he would run around like a maniac and dive into the floor.

5.  He was crazy about people. He loved being talked to and held.  He was more social than Hubs and I!

Rest in peace buddy.  Mommy loves you.

An evening straight from my dreams...

well, sort of....

Two of my oldest friends (16 years now!) and two of my sweet all-grown-up cousins traveled to Nashville in late June for the New Kids on the Block/Backstreet Boys concert (NKOTBSB).  I expressed my love for these two groups in an earlier post.  This concert was awesome.  From beginning to end, the guys rotated singing the best of both groups.  I loved every minute of it.  In fears of overloading blogger and what readers do happen to cross my blog, I am only sharing a small handful of pictures.  

After the show, my cousin had a great idea to hang out by the buses.  Much to my surprise, we were rewarded with glimpes of all four Backstreet Boys.  Nick was already in his bus but thanks to my sweet (and normally quiet) cousin and about 50 other girls chanting his name, he came out to wave. 

I. caught.  it.  on.  camera.  I will be happy forever.  

My 3-Day Weekend

1.  Hubs and I went to see The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader.  It was in 3D.  I'm not exactly a huge fan of 3D but once the movie started, it wasn't so bad.  I enjoyed the movie and not to mention that Ben Barnes as Prince Caspian looked hot is my favorite character.

2.  I desperately wanted a road trip on Saturday but that didn't happen.  Instead, I ventured out to Old Time Pottery.  Definitely not Hubs' favorite store so he stayed home.  I love browsing by myself.  I can take my time and not feel rushed.  I bought a fabulous rug set for our bathroom (if we ever get it painted).

3.  I love Ross!  I bought a Polo Beverly Hills purse for $15 (regularly marked $95 then down to $65).  I don't care for brands...I really just liked the size but I thought my find was pretty great.

4.  Ash, Jim, and EK came over for dinner.  This dinner led to Hubs and I purchasing an XBox Kinect (I'm sure a blog or 8 will come out of this).  It is a freaky little contraption that uses your body as the controller.  Scary! 

5.  In other news from that night, EK is HUGE!  She is 13 months now and walking and doing a ton of baby talk and her legs are 8 feet long like her mom's.  Where as the time gone??

6.  Quick trip to our favorite place in the world - Sam's.  I love buying in bulk.  My cabinets look like a grocery store.

7.  It is glorious to have a Monday off work and you get paid for it!  We were closed for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday.  A and I spent the day working on jobs for our store.  We Amanda monogrammed all day.

8.  It still blows my mind that Little N (A's baby) can not only talk but make complete sentences and I can understand him and he knows what he wants.  He is growing too fast!  He watched about 95 episodes of Diego (you know...from Dora) while we worked.

9.  Pancakes (made by Hubs) for dinner was great.  Easy.  Fast.  Almost no cleanup.

10.  I almost forgot...the highlight of my day was a nice conversation with the police.  At 10am.  On my off-day.   I can't go into too much detail because... of pending charges  I was bribed to keep quiet  ok...honestly becauseI don't want everyone to think I live in the crazy, redneck capital of the world where I had to "call the law" on someone.  It will be a story for the grandkids for sure though.

Snow Storm!!!

I think we ended up with about 2 inches or so of snow this weekend.  The snow was topped with a nice thick layer of ice . It was a beautiful day and having a day off of work made it even better!!

Our road was covered in snow/ice/slush.  It was very slippery.  I was definitely glad to stay home.

 

Our old weinie dog does NOT like the snow.   He is not a fun sport at all on these days.  But, we "borrowed" my in-laws puppy (yes...he is only a puppy), Merlin, and he is a blast.  He loves to chase things - snowballs, tennis balls...it doesn't matter.  He loves to eat snowballs.

 

Isn't he pretty?  He used to be scared of cameras but I think we are winning him over.

Merlin waiting for Hubs to throw his tennis ball again.

Goals for the New Year

Hubs and I have lots of goals for this new year - some big and some small, some serious and some goofy.  Regardless, here is my current list (they are numbered but in no real order):

1.  Pay off our Cruise by the end of June.

2.  Pay off our car by the end of July.

3.  Paint and redecorate our master bedroom and bath.

4.  Practice my photography way more than I did the last two months of 2010.

5.  Finish the Spring, Summer, and Fall Semesters with all A's (and B's are ok too).

6.  Try at least one new recipe each week.  And blog about it.

7.  Send real birthday cards instead of a text or email.

8.  Read more - for pleasure and not just school.

9.  Get our grocery budget down...we waste (not just money but food) too much.

10.  Stay ahead of the game on holiday gifts - Mother's Day, Father's Day, Bdays, Christmas.

11.  Print and Frame more of my photos.

12.  Be a better friend.

13.  Be a better blogger.

14.  Walk (or run) in a charity race - Diabetes, Susan G. Komen, etc.

15.  Reach weight goals.

16.  Be a better shopper.

17.  Stay organized - home, work, class, etc.

18.  Bake at least once a week.

19.  Stop eating out so much!

20.  Go on a road trip.

21.  Go to the zoo, a museum, new places.

22.  .....to be continued....

Nashville!

Hubs and I visited our friend in Nashville last month.  We had a great time visiting the city especially the sites in and around lower Broadway. 

 A tiny little joint that looks just like an old western saloon.

 The famous bar.

 Printers Alley.  It is said to be very haunted.  I wasn't brave enough to walk through it after dark.

 The Pantheon at Centennial Park

 The iconic Ryman Auditorium

We didn't get to tour it this time but next time for sure!

Vanderbilt University

 Very famous Wildhorse Saloon

The Weekend that Was

1.  I had a marathon photography day on Saturday with three sessions!  Lots of sweet families.

2.  I am now addicted to The Vampire Diaries.

3.  Sunday afternoon spent going through old home movies with my Dad made my heart feel good.

4.  Had a conversation with my aunt where the words, "My butt came in but I haven't tried it on yet," were spoken.  Apparently there are such things as butt pads that you wear over your underclothing to give you definition.  That is all I will ever say about that topic.

5.  Top of the River has quite possibly the best fried pickles in the world.

6.  Hubs and I fell in love with Sourdough bread.  It makes for a GREAT BLT!

7.  We watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.  I knew it was only part 1 and I read the books so I know what happens but it still left me longing for more.  I had no closure!

8.  The "little" cousin that I used to try to carry around and pretend she was my own personal baby doll is now a beautiful 22 yr old woman.  It is fun to be friends with her as an adult and hang out.

9.  I loved hanging out in the backseat with my "niece" Ava on Saturday night.  She talks 90 mph...too bad it is all baby talk and I can't understand a single thing.

10.  I am starting this Monday (three day workweek) with a creme filled Krispy Kreme doughnut.  Don't judge.

The Weekend That Was

The Weekend in 15 items or less -

1.  We went to Nashville (another post to come).

2.  I had Steak & Shake for the second time in my life.  To steal a phrase from Amanda - It was Divine!

3.  Apparently anytime we are on "vacation," the hubs and I have internal alarm clocks for 7am.

4.  Grocery shopping after being in the car for hours is not a good thing.  We bought junk.

5.  I was completely ecstatic on Saturday when I realized that the new Harry Potter movie comes out in less than one week.

6.  Intoxicated strangers who have to take their shoes off to walk down a side walk is completely hysterical.  (It's ok..she had a DD and help walking).

7.  Bought some fabulous new jeans at Maurice's at The Shops at Grand River.  They are perfect!! 

8.  I wore my knock-off cowboy boots when we went "out on the town."  I felt like a million bucks.  And nobody knew that I only paid $25 for them at Academy. 

9.  If I tell Hubs to please be careful not to get stuff on his brand new pants...it's like I just doomed him.  Or it could have been that McRib (nasty) he was eating while I was driving us up I-65.

10.  If you put diamond studs with a Carhardt brand baseball hat and Bass Pro Shop tshirt, you can totally look like a million bucks.