8.06.2007

GIRLFRIENDS!

A few weekends ago James, Stacie and I were able to make a visit up to Baltimore to see Tim & Katie's new place. They are settling in well and it was fun to see where they shop, dine and do church (well at least a possible church - they are still shopping around).

We arrived late Friday evening and Katie, being the fabulous event planner that she is, found this local hot spot called The Paper Moon. It's a 24 hr. diner that we were pumped about checking out! However, upon arrival we became a little frightened by the large list of rules posted by the door, and if that wasn't enough we walk in and get seated in this bright purple and orange version of Sid's room (the scary kid from Toy Story...) there were dismembered and reassembled toys and manikins hanging from the ceiling and walls! But I must say, once you got over the "creepy" factor the food was great and we got some fun pictures (most of which are of the outside because we were too afraid to take many pics of the inside due to the "rules"), Katie has most of those pics - maybe this will help her put them up on her blog. ;)

(I also, for the first time in my life - laughed so hard, I started crying uncontrollably... I think I'm turning into my mom. It was kinda fun.)

Saturday after flipping through Tim's scrap book (yes, I said Tim's) and reading up on John Grisham we chowed down on some homemade waffles - which I haven't had since I was a kid (it brought back memories of when I was a kid - remember dad, how we found our waffle iron and then made an enormous amount of waffles to freeze?). Then it was off to the aquarium which was a blast! We watched some divers feed a sea turtle and sting rays, got splashed by dolphins and hunted by sharks - our favorite part of course. After that we grabbed a burger at 5 guys and walked the harbor. Strolling the harbor, a typically harmless event except for the costumed kitty cats, fairies and villains armed with 6ft long knives - it was OKATON! (NPR did a story on the festival for more info click here).

Sunday we had a refreshing worship experience at a new church Tim & Katie were wanting to try and the girls ventured out for some serious shopping! It was so much fun and I started missing Katie the min we pulled out of their driveway!

The following weekend was another great adventure with my college girlfriends. We decided that after graduation we would get together once a year just to keep in touch and well lets be honest - to be really crazy! You know, you act different when all the girls get together, everyone just gets goofy! One of the gals lives in DC and wasn't able to make it - but we love and miss you Rachie!

This year the meeting place was near Ocean City MD. Sarah, Jana and I hung out at the beach and of course the board walk - my camera batteries died before I got to snap shots of the Ferris wheel and all that so you'll just have to use your imagination! No trip to the shore would be complete with out Fishers Popcorn - you've got to check it out - there's none like it!

We were able to visit Jana's church - which was so refreshing!! The worship just really captured me, I haven't sung like that since college - I MISS THAT! And not just that, these gals really have shaped my heart, and taught me so much - they have and continue to sharpen me even though we're not packed into a dorm seeing each other every waking moment! Though I miss those late night talks and walks at BBC, it seems our friendships are as rich and deep as they ever were - despite the distance. You guys are my souls companions and I LOVE YOU!

And speaking of LOVE... that was one of the weekends hot topics - Jana has found the love of her life!! WOOO HOOO! We had such fun giggling and chatting about this budding romance and I even got to talk with Chad and share some really great "Jana Stories" as we like to call them :) He's wonderful! I could not be happier for her or more amazed that God not only gave her someone with larger calf muscles than her but also someone with all the things she ever wanted in a husband.

So that's my girlfriend news... how about your girlfriends? What do you do to keep in touch with your pals? Do you do anything fun together with friends who live out of state? Share you girlfriend memories!



PS - my great finds included a huge basket for shoes and frying pan, both from IKEA, and a super cute sun dress for 10$!! I can't wait to wear it on vacation!

7.10.2007

My sis, Stacie, and I decided it would be an exciting adventure to go searching for mermaids in downtown Norfolk... We spent two days, maps in hand, traveling the streets in search of the maidens. It was a great way to see the city! From the waterfront to the historic section and everywhere in between! We met many a friendly "norfolkians" happy to share the tale of their mermaid. We have quite a few more mermaids to track - like Moomaid, Toga, Music Moasic, and many more. Some we know where to find but others are hiding - let us know if you spot any so we can add them to our collection!

It looks like some of the mermaids may have evolved or changed enitrely over time - for more info on their history or for infromation on starting your own mermaid search check out mermaidsonparade.com.

For that much needed nourishment on your journey sip a starbucks, grab a burger at Johnny Rockets, Doumars (not my fave) or dine at Amalfi! (They have the cutest covered patio.)

We're loving being downtown - any other places we should check out?

7.05.2007

Sizzlin' Summer

Hey just a glimpse of what we've been up to lately... more to follow on the growth of my little seedlings...

4.01.2007

Green Thumb...

This week I decided to try my hand at some gardening! Last year on the deck I had bought flowers and had them in some pots and a box hanging on the railing, but this year I decided to start everything from seeds. I picked some flowers and herbs and am hoping that this moonflower vine will cover the entire railing and transform it into a green wall of delight! I've got 50 some little pots going - crossing my fingers that they all sprout!

Since I'm so new to the gardening scene, I called up my dad for some advice... he suggested these peat pots - you plant the entire pot into the ground or larger container after it's sprouted! No messy transplanting - how cool is that! (I'm also trying the peat pellet - similar concept). I'd love any other tips from you seasoned gardeners out there... share, share, share!


PS - James and I grabbed a quick bite at KFC this past week. We tried there new BIG BOX meal, it's got a little of everything in it and when you 'super size' it you get this HUGE 1/2 gallon soda to drink! The picture doesn't do it justice, we couldn't believe how gigantic it was.

3.25.2007

PIRATE PARTY!

Save the date - SATURDAY MAY 26TH! You're all invited, start collecting your pirate gear!

A Weekend Full of My Favorite Things...

James and I headed out for dinner and a movie Friday. We laughed over fourtune cookies at PF Changs, bit our nails through "Shooter," and still made it home to catch the last March Madness game of the night.


Saturday started off with some deep cleaning, which always makes me feel great (perhaps I should then do it a little more often). After getting the fridge emptied and deep cleaned, I caught up with family on the phone, then headed out for some thrifting and got some great finds for spring and summer. James and I then hooked up with our pals TJ & Shannon for a delicious gourmet shrimp dinner cooked buy Chef TJ!! We finished off the evening with chocolate fondue and games.


Sunday, lunch consisted of french toast and eggs, a favorite of both James and myself :), a long nap, more chocolate fondue, and the reading of my April issue of Domino. Not to mention enjoying a few bubbles with my favorite gum balls!








3.19.2007

The time is near...



James and I just watched the trailer for the next PIRATES movie!!! It comes out May 25th - save the date for our pirate party and check out the trailer here.

2.15.2007

B.L.B.



These are just some pics of my Big Lip Biopsy - and as far as I know the black spot was just a sun spot! You should have seen the looks that I got in the laundry mat (yes, smart people probably would have stayed in their house - especially looking like that - but I just had too much to do)!


1.27.2007

Birthday Bash!

Well this is a belated post! Thanks to all to you who came to celebrate James' 25th birthday, he felt so loved! (And thanks to Katie for the great pics- as you know my camera died mid evening!) We had plenty of food and good fortune to go around @ Pf Chang's. We topped off the evening with ice cream cake and games back at our place. It was so nice get the evening going a little earlier, we fit a lot in before starting to feel tired - it was great!

Oh, and I used my chopsticks the entire evening!

In my party planning efforts, I found this neat site where you can learn to write Chinese! Just look up your word in the dictionary and click the green box to see the artsy translation.


1.06.2007

it's cookie time, it's cookie time!

For those of you who grew up on the comedy Troop Beverly Hills, the title will hold a special place in your heart! Moving along, I'm hoping it's not too late to be posting about all our wonderful Christmas fun... We did go 'home,' both of our families are out side of Chicago - but we had no snow! Not a flake in sight! Since we couldn't go sledding we had to come up with some other things to do. We spent Saturday with both families baking cookies and other treats and enjoying gourmet soup compliments of chef Grafton. And we finally learned how to play Settlers of Catan!



Then started the Christmas extravaganza! Christmas eve with James' dad, Christmas morning with his mom and Christmas evening with my parents! It was non stop! James flew home early Tuesday moring and I stayed the rest of the week with my family. Stacie and I did a lot of shopping :) and we took a beading class at La Beada Loca. And last but not least we laughed and laughed as we strolled down memory lane while watching, you guessed it, Troop Beverly Hills!

(Moms, if I ever get around to it I'll post the pictures from our other Christmas stuff!)

12.05.2006

Black is Black!



I LOVE black Friday!! For anyone who loves to shop, this is the most glorious day of all! And, I do love to shop! Perhaps there is no better way to enter into the holiday spirit than hit the stores at 5 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving. The hustle and bustle, great deals, and blaring Christmas music - the only thing that would have made our day better would have been snow. We actually didn't head out until 8:00, and for those who don't like a crowd, may I suggest MacArthur in downtown Norfolk. We had a parking spot right outside the door, and there wasn't a ton of people there at all (a clerk told us the "rush" comes between 1-4 black Friday). We finished off morning in Chesapeake, and enjoyed lunch at Don Pablo's. James went off to work and I headed right back to the stores!

Total gifts left to purchase before Christmas: 4

Oh, and yes, WE - James and I went shopping! For not sharing my love of shopping, he did quite well, there were only a few moments of heavy breathing ;)

11.12.2006

Freedom

Teacher inservice days were this past week - which means vacation days for me!! Much needed, if I do say so myself. So anyway, this is what I did!

Day #1 Thursday

6:00am - Get up (well I tried to)

7:30am - Chapel with James @ seminary

8:30am - Chose not to drink coffee

9:15am - Watched James take hebrew test

9:45am - Took honda in for inspection

9:47am - Got compliment on my new hair cut (props to you Shannon)

9:58am - Listened to old men talk about Hiliary Clinton

10:17am - Honda passed car inspection

11:00am - Picked up James and went to my doctor's appointment. New doctor, he was kinda weird, but the good news is I DO NOT HAVE COLON CANCER!

12:30pm - Vaccumed and washed car

1:18pm - Ate Turkey Artichoke sandwich at Panera. It was amazing!

2:20pm - Took a nap

5:30pm - Went to see Austin go horseback riding (ya, it was kind of a long nap)

8:30pm - Paid a suprise visit to the Logsdon's to sing Happy Birthday to TJ

10:30pm - Went to bed in flannel pj's

Day #2 Friday

6:30am - couldn't sleep so I did some Christmas shopping for James

9:00am - Ate cinnamon rolls for breakfast

9:30am - Put Roasted Herbed Chicken dinner in crock pot

10:00am - Packed a picnic lunch

11:30am - Went to Virginia Aquarium



11:54am - Watched sharks from inside a submarine

12:30pm - Talked with an elderly man about his first few years of marriage. Turns out he and his wife lived out by our current place. He told us about their favoirte cheap date - sharing popcorn and a soda for 47 cents while people watching at an amusement park. The park is gone now, I think a grocery store sits there. But what's not gone is the love those two have, he had a sparkle in his eyes when he said "my sister said we'd never make it - we sure proved her wrong."

12:45pm - Spread out a blanket and enjoyed lunch in the sun

1:30pm - Watched 3D movie on sharks

2:37pm - Went on a mini nature hike, well I guess it was more of a walk

3:00pm - James attempted to escape the bite of a python, failed, but it was fun to watch

4:45pm - Washed dishes

5:45pm - Still washing dishes

6:30pm - Ate dinner it was awesome!

8:55pm - "Men's Accountability" for James. Shannon and I went to see "One Night with the King." It's the story of Esther and it was pretty good.

12:34pm - fell asleep on the way home

Aaahhhhh....

11.11.2006

October in Review

What a busy month! From Harvest Party to Halloween and a birthday in between we were pooped by the time November came. But we had tons of fun - only one regret, we did not get to carve our pumpkins...