It has been an exciting couple of weeks. Mainly because I got a new (to me) car. My car was on its last leg and there was no way it would pass inspection. We didn't feel like putting $$$ into it since it was 13ish years old and had 200k+ miles on it. We had been looking at the Mazda CX-5. It's beautiful. It was also more than we had planned to spend. :( We remembered Papa Ed had a Prius, so we made a quick call and bought ourselves a car. Last Saturday, we drove (well, J slept and read- I drove) to Pigeon Forge to meet Kate Kate and Papa Ed to trade cars. It was so nice to see them since we don't get to often! The Prius is much nicer than I thought and I am LOVING it! The 48 mpg sure doesn't hurt either. We spent the night in Asheville and went to see The Hunger Games. And on the way home, we had to stop at Steak N Shake.
They paved the road through our neighborhood this week. We had suspected this was the case since the city had been working around manholes. It's nice to have a smooth surface throughout the entire neighborhood instead of the more finished parts.
I made another crockpot cheesecake this week. Delish! I am not sure why I deemed that blog worthy, but it is.
I have 4 more weeks of class and a final between now and summer! 2 of those weeks I will only have 1 class instead of 2. Going to be so nice! My classes in the fall are online. And I finally got a student ID today. Apparently, if you are only enrolled in distance classes, you can request one online and they will mail it to you. Since my classes this semester are labeled distance, I got mine. Bring on the discounts! (Not that I haven't been using my USM ID. What? I'm still a student...)
Tomorrow, J is jumping into a new golf season. I have already bought him 2 Groupons, so the season is about to be in full swing.
Caitlin decided to come see us in May. She'll be here for 5 days. Super excited! I am hoping we can make a beach trip. Last year we couldn't go because of the wildfires. Too bad I have to work for a couple of the days she will be here. :( She has a friend that lives a couple of hours away, so I think her friend is going to come down one day to see her. win-win.
Next week is a sort of short week for me. Wednesday I am going to a workshop, and Friday is early release. Then SPRING BREAK! I plan on getting my garden ready and being lazy! Thursday (12th) we are leaving for Charleston. Woot Woot!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
90ish days!
That's how long we have until we take off for the Alps!
The plan: Fly to Zurich. Train to Wengen. Enjoy lots of this:
Followed by a couple of days of this:
Then it will be back to the real world for J (after a short time to kick the jetlag!) We're super excited!
The plan: Fly to Zurich. Train to Wengen. Enjoy lots of this:
Followed by a couple of days of this:
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Plans are made...
I enjoyed not having class last week. It was so nice to have my Monday night back. This past Monday was a little abbreviated because we had our mid-term. I was home by 8:00!
J's mom and sister came for a visit. We enjoyed getting to see them! I wish I could have spent more time with them. J took Monday off, then worked from home today. We did do some shopping and even discovered the car that I have been wanting is at dealerships! Now that the reality of paying for a new car is here, we are now wondering if we want to pay that much for a car. They are expensive! We also mulched our flower beds, and now our front yard looks so much better! J also took his car to get an oil change and an inspection. He came home with new tires and new brake pads. It's been an expensive month! (J hired a lawyer to his speeding ticket so he doesn't have to take off work.)
We are also entertaining the idea of sodding our backyard. We have started getting quotes. Man, being a homeowner is expensive! Well, when you care about how your house/yard looks anyway.
We have also decided to take a big vaca this year. We are still working on the details, but it caused us to rethink our priorities. We decided we would rather take a big vaca than go on a trip during Spring Break. We cancelled our hotel in Savannah, but are still planning to go to Charleston. This will give J more PTO so we can use it for other things. :)
It has been almost hot here... 80s this week! I hope that doesn't mean we'll be in the 100s this summer!
J's mom and sister came for a visit. We enjoyed getting to see them! I wish I could have spent more time with them. J took Monday off, then worked from home today. We did do some shopping and even discovered the car that I have been wanting is at dealerships! Now that the reality of paying for a new car is here, we are now wondering if we want to pay that much for a car. They are expensive! We also mulched our flower beds, and now our front yard looks so much better! J also took his car to get an oil change and an inspection. He came home with new tires and new brake pads. It's been an expensive month! (J hired a lawyer to his speeding ticket so he doesn't have to take off work.)
We are also entertaining the idea of sodding our backyard. We have started getting quotes. Man, being a homeowner is expensive! Well, when you care about how your house/yard looks anyway.
We have also decided to take a big vaca this year. We are still working on the details, but it caused us to rethink our priorities. We decided we would rather take a big vaca than go on a trip during Spring Break. We cancelled our hotel in Savannah, but are still planning to go to Charleston. This will give J more PTO so we can use it for other things. :)
It has been almost hot here... 80s this week! I hope that doesn't mean we'll be in the 100s this summer!
Pinterest....
I have limited the amount of time I allow myself on Pinterest. However, I found a couple of recipes I just had to try. With company coming, I thought it was the perfect time since if I didn't like it, there would be less leftovers. :)
First up, zucchini cakes.I didn't take too many pictures, but here they are cooking:
They were pretty good. I am not sure if I would make them again since it was time consuming though.
Next up was my favorite!! Crockpot Cheesecake
It was SO good! We were surprised at how well it turned out. I can safely say that there will be more crockpot cheesecake in our future. The only thing I did differently from the recipe was that I added a dash of vanilla.
So, thank you, Pinterest!!!
First up, zucchini cakes.I didn't take too many pictures, but here they are cooking:
They were pretty good. I am not sure if I would make them again since it was time consuming though.
Next up was my favorite!! Crockpot Cheesecake
It was SO good! We were surprised at how well it turned out. I can safely say that there will be more crockpot cheesecake in our future. The only thing I did differently from the recipe was that I added a dash of vanilla.
So, thank you, Pinterest!!!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
In like a Lamb...
I think it was a lamb here. I guess March will be going out like a lion!
We have had an eventful few weeks. J got a speeding ticket on the way to the gym last week. I had him take the long way so we could stop by the library. As we got into downtown, he got pulled over (we were going downhill... a little too quickly.) We are hoping we can get the ticket lessened so our insurance won't go up. We will find out March 23, since that is his court date.
I have been busy with school and work. Next week is NC State's Spring Break, so I won't have class! yay! I have a mid-term coming up. I can't believe this semester is almost halfway over.
At J's work, they reorganized many of the departments. The new person in charge of his department did away with work from home. Just when he was about to qualify!!! We are not holding out much hope he changes his mind. :( J also had his annual review at work, and he said it went well. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean a raise since no one is getting them. Oh well, thankful for employment regardless!
I have been enjoying going to BodyCombat at the gym. It is a workout!!!
I have been finding some interesting recipes on Pintrest. I am hoping to be able to try some out soon... I just need to get an apple corer.
We have also decided on a Spring Break trip: 3 days in Savannah and 3 days in Charleston. I am just in the beginning stages of planning, but I am so excited. Once we get back, I am sure I will be itching to plan another trip. Hopefully we can go somewhere this summer!
We filed our taxes last weekend and should be getting a refund. Super excited about that. We are planning to put it toward sodding the backyard. It is on the to-do soon list!
That's all at Casa de Morrow. We will be having visitors in the next week and a half, so I will be busy cleaning, working, and my favorite- grocery shopping!! :)
We have had an eventful few weeks. J got a speeding ticket on the way to the gym last week. I had him take the long way so we could stop by the library. As we got into downtown, he got pulled over (we were going downhill... a little too quickly.) We are hoping we can get the ticket lessened so our insurance won't go up. We will find out March 23, since that is his court date.
I have been busy with school and work. Next week is NC State's Spring Break, so I won't have class! yay! I have a mid-term coming up. I can't believe this semester is almost halfway over.
At J's work, they reorganized many of the departments. The new person in charge of his department did away with work from home. Just when he was about to qualify!!! We are not holding out much hope he changes his mind. :( J also had his annual review at work, and he said it went well. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean a raise since no one is getting them. Oh well, thankful for employment regardless!
I have been enjoying going to BodyCombat at the gym. It is a workout!!!
I have been finding some interesting recipes on Pintrest. I am hoping to be able to try some out soon... I just need to get an apple corer.
We have also decided on a Spring Break trip: 3 days in Savannah and 3 days in Charleston. I am just in the beginning stages of planning, but I am so excited. Once we get back, I am sure I will be itching to plan another trip. Hopefully we can go somewhere this summer!
We filed our taxes last weekend and should be getting a refund. Super excited about that. We are planning to put it toward sodding the backyard. It is on the to-do soon list!
That's all at Casa de Morrow. We will be having visitors in the next week and a half, so I will be busy cleaning, working, and my favorite- grocery shopping!! :)
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Cajun Shrimp Casserole
We tried a new recipe tonight. It turned out really good. I just wish we had doubled it!
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
5 oz cream of mushroom soup
¼ cup chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I used more)
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1) Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 3 ingredients; sauté 7 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and lemon juice; and sauté 1 minute. Add shrimp, and cook 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Stir in soup and next 4 ingredients until blended. Pour into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese.
2) Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and cheese is lightly browned.
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
5 oz cream of mushroom soup
¼ cup chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I used more)
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1) Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 3 ingredients; sauté 7 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and lemon juice; and sauté 1 minute. Add shrimp, and cook 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Stir in soup and next 4 ingredients until blended. Pour into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese.
2) Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and cheese is lightly browned.
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| Yummy! |
Pull up a seat....
except you can't...
We ordered a dining room table! We got it from a new website I just discovered, Joss and Main. It was a great deal! Now, we just need chairs. For now if there's 5 or more, we'll just have to stand around eating.
That also means we had to move our small dining room table somewhere. So, into the nook area of the kitchen it went. The overhead light isn't centered (which we can add to the to-do list), but we can sit at a table and watch tv now. I think the table might get more use now!
We ordered a dining room table! We got it from a new website I just discovered, Joss and Main. It was a great deal! Now, we just need chairs. For now if there's 5 or more, we'll just have to stand around eating.
That also means we had to move our small dining room table somewhere. So, into the nook area of the kitchen it went. The overhead light isn't centered (which we can add to the to-do list), but we can sit at a table and watch tv now. I think the table might get more use now!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Another Day, Another Dollar
We finally got blinds up in the living and dining rooms. Maybe one day I will post a picture! We also ordered a dining room table this week! It should arrive on Monday. Hope we like it!
J has Monday off, but I have a workday. It usually seems to happen this way. We both have Memorial day off though!
Nothing too exciting here, besides getting blinds up and buying a dining room table. It was a stressful week for both of us, so we are glad it is the weekend. We are going to hit the gym, wash our cars, and go to the young married's valentine's party. Should be a good time!
Instead of going out on Valentine's, we went out Wednesday to the Smokehouse in downtown Varina (I had a coupon :)). We both tried BBQ, and while it wasn't MS good, it sure was better than Eastern NC BBQ! We also has friend pickles, which are always good!
Is it June yet?
J has Monday off, but I have a workday. It usually seems to happen this way. We both have Memorial day off though!
Nothing too exciting here, besides getting blinds up and buying a dining room table. It was a stressful week for both of us, so we are glad it is the weekend. We are going to hit the gym, wash our cars, and go to the young married's valentine's party. Should be a good time!
Instead of going out on Valentine's, we went out Wednesday to the Smokehouse in downtown Varina (I had a coupon :)). We both tried BBQ, and while it wasn't MS good, it sure was better than Eastern NC BBQ! We also has friend pickles, which are always good!
Is it June yet?
Friday, February 10, 2012
Happy Anniversary, NC!
We can hardly believe we have lived in North Carolina for two years. Time flies. That also means I have been teaching for two years. Some days, I can't believe it. Other days, I don't know that I can do it for 23+ more years. Ah, the joys of teaching!
J has almost been at his current job for a year. Once he has been there for a year, he gets to work from home one day a week! No fighting traffic or having to put on real clothes. Not to mention it will save us some gas money! It will be nice to see him when I come home from work for a change.
We haven't been doing much lately. Work, school, and church mainly. And we have been continuing our Supernatural Marathon. We should finish season 4 tonight. I am still not sure why we like it so much, but we do! We DVR'd all our shows this week so we could watch Supernatural.
We watched the Superbowl at home. We didn't care much about the game; we just wanted to see the commercials. We thought they were mostly disappointing.
My classes are going well. Mondays are just extremely long for me, but I am glad to have class out of the way for the week! I am counting down the days until May 8 when I will no longer have class and work. 1 whole month of just work before 2 months of nothing!
We're still undecided about where to go for Spring Break. I am hoping to decide soon! I have a travel bug, so I need to plan a trip stat!
I checked out four James Patterson books yesterday. I finished one, so I am off to start another!
J has almost been at his current job for a year. Once he has been there for a year, he gets to work from home one day a week! No fighting traffic or having to put on real clothes. Not to mention it will save us some gas money! It will be nice to see him when I come home from work for a change.
We haven't been doing much lately. Work, school, and church mainly. And we have been continuing our Supernatural Marathon. We should finish season 4 tonight. I am still not sure why we like it so much, but we do! We DVR'd all our shows this week so we could watch Supernatural.
We watched the Superbowl at home. We didn't care much about the game; we just wanted to see the commercials. We thought they were mostly disappointing.
My classes are going well. Mondays are just extremely long for me, but I am glad to have class out of the way for the week! I am counting down the days until May 8 when I will no longer have class and work. 1 whole month of just work before 2 months of nothing!
We're still undecided about where to go for Spring Break. I am hoping to decide soon! I have a travel bug, so I need to plan a trip stat!
I checked out four James Patterson books yesterday. I finished one, so I am off to start another!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Since then...
Since we got back from Boston, we are getting settled into a new routine. I have class on Monday nights. It is nice that I only have class one day a week, but that also means all my assignments are due on the same day. I am trying to do a little everyday so it's not overwhelming. I am really liking my classes though. Makes me want to be a professional student!
A new semester has also started for work, so I have to get used to a new schedule! It will probably take me a couple of weeks, but over all I think I will like it better.
Our friends from church had their baby on Wednesday. She is so pretty. That means we'll be one family down on our Sunday night meals, but it's all for a good cause. (And no, it doesn't make us want one- just the opposite I think!)
We enjoyed watching State beat Vandy at our friends' house. Their little girl is obsessed with J. When we went to their house around Christmas, she gave J some candy. He figured she would want it later and just left it there. Well apparently, she really wanted him to have it and had been asking where J was for 2 weeks (while we gone to Boston.) She declared he must be on a date! Too cute. J did eat the candy during the basketball game. And she did manage to give me a candy cane, although I was instructed that J had to sit beside her during supper. "You can't sit there! That's John's seat," were her exact words.
Last weekend we rented Moneyball and the Ides of March. I really liked both, but J wasn't a fan of Ides. Gotta love RedBox!
We have also implemented a cleaning schedule. Since between work and school I sometimes neglect the house, we came up with a few things we do each day. While our house is never Mamaw or Kate Kate clean, it is much improved day-to-day. And I admit this is weird, but I love steam mopping. I simply cannot believe how much filth is on the floor!
We also tried a new recipe this week. I found it in Coupon Kitchen. J's friend at work introduced him to it. I have found that it is a great resource! Healthy meals on a budget! We have tried 2 or 3 meals from there and liked them all. And it helps us introduce something new into our standard routine of meals.
J borrowed season 1 of Supernatural from a friend at work, so we are planning to watch that this weekend (along with a basketball game, of course.) Glad it is warm outside. Today it reached 71! Love it! Too bad we still have 2 months of winter to go; who knows if we can keep the mild temperature trend.
A new semester has also started for work, so I have to get used to a new schedule! It will probably take me a couple of weeks, but over all I think I will like it better.
Our friends from church had their baby on Wednesday. She is so pretty. That means we'll be one family down on our Sunday night meals, but it's all for a good cause. (And no, it doesn't make us want one- just the opposite I think!)
We enjoyed watching State beat Vandy at our friends' house. Their little girl is obsessed with J. When we went to their house around Christmas, she gave J some candy. He figured she would want it later and just left it there. Well apparently, she really wanted him to have it and had been asking where J was for 2 weeks (while we gone to Boston.) She declared he must be on a date! Too cute. J did eat the candy during the basketball game. And she did manage to give me a candy cane, although I was instructed that J had to sit beside her during supper. "You can't sit there! That's John's seat," were her exact words.
Last weekend we rented Moneyball and the Ides of March. I really liked both, but J wasn't a fan of Ides. Gotta love RedBox!
We have also implemented a cleaning schedule. Since between work and school I sometimes neglect the house, we came up with a few things we do each day. While our house is never Mamaw or Kate Kate clean, it is much improved day-to-day. And I admit this is weird, but I love steam mopping. I simply cannot believe how much filth is on the floor!
We also tried a new recipe this week. I found it in Coupon Kitchen. J's friend at work introduced him to it. I have found that it is a great resource! Healthy meals on a budget! We have tried 2 or 3 meals from there and liked them all. And it helps us introduce something new into our standard routine of meals.
J borrowed season 1 of Supernatural from a friend at work, so we are planning to watch that this weekend (along with a basketball game, of course.) Glad it is warm outside. Today it reached 71! Love it! Too bad we still have 2 months of winter to go; who knows if we can keep the mild temperature trend.
Boston Tres
Sunday- was FREEZING! We wanted to make sure we stayed inside as much as possible. The wind chill was -11!
We headed to a coffee shop J and I found Saturday. We had a quick breakfast before heading to Cambridge.
We hopped on the T to Harvard Square. If I hadn't known I was on Harvard's campus, there is no way I would have discovered it really. It is kind of like Duke and Rhodes with its buildings.
We then stopped by MIT for Bubba to get a shirt, only to find all the bookstores closed. We then went to Trinity Church for a [free] tour. It was beautiful inside and out! It was very ornate. Everything is hand painted.
Then it was time for the library tour, which is just across the courtyard. I searched on the website and found the free tour and was so excited! See where this is going? No mention that the library would be closed on Sunday for MLKJ day. We were so disappointed! But this meant we could eat a real lunch. We had California Pizza Kitchen, then headed to Boston College. It was a LONG ride, but it was cool to see another campus. And Clark wanted a shirt or hoodie since MIT didn't pan out. Then it was back to the hotel to relax before heading out for supper.
After a detour, we finally got to Jerry Remy's at 6:55 for our 7:00 reservation. (Good thing we had one, too. It was packed! Bostonians love the Giants apparently.) The hostess tells us that our reservation isn't until 7:00 so we can come back then. Um.. we were 5 minutes early. We just stood and waited... and watched the game. There were tvs everywhere! Amy said there were even some in the bathroom. The fans were really loud, and it was hard to hear ourselves think! I guess we can say we have experienced a sports bar atmosphere now. Don't think I want to again though! After supper, we called it a night.
Monday, J and I headed out to Beacon Hill. We ate breakfast at The Paramount. Delicious!
We wandered around Beacon Hill and the Public Garden. We even met C&A there.
And then we were off to Baltimore then to Raleigh!
We headed to a coffee shop J and I found Saturday. We had a quick breakfast before heading to Cambridge.
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| Hot chocolate and Cinnamon Honey Latte at The Thinking Cup |
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| Searching for a T, we stopped here! |
Then it was time for the library tour, which is just across the courtyard. I searched on the website and found the free tour and was so excited! See where this is going? No mention that the library would be closed on Sunday for MLKJ day. We were so disappointed! But this meant we could eat a real lunch. We had California Pizza Kitchen, then headed to Boston College. It was a LONG ride, but it was cool to see another campus. And Clark wanted a shirt or hoodie since MIT didn't pan out. Then it was back to the hotel to relax before heading out for supper.
After a detour, we finally got to Jerry Remy's at 6:55 for our 7:00 reservation. (Good thing we had one, too. It was packed! Bostonians love the Giants apparently.) The hostess tells us that our reservation isn't until 7:00 so we can come back then. Um.. we were 5 minutes early. We just stood and waited... and watched the game. There were tvs everywhere! Amy said there were even some in the bathroom. The fans were really loud, and it was hard to hear ourselves think! I guess we can say we have experienced a sports bar atmosphere now. Don't think I want to again though! After supper, we called it a night.
Monday, J and I headed out to Beacon Hill. We ate breakfast at The Paramount. Delicious!
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| Banana Caramel French Toast. Literally melted in my mouth. |
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| Acorn Street |
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| Cheers |
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| J Ice Skating on the pond. It completely froze while we were there! |
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Boston Part II
We met up with C&A at Quincy Market. J and I shared swordfish kabobs, Clark had a Greek something, and Amy had some amazing mac n cheese. There were 2098765789 options. Only slightly exaggerating.
After a quick lunch, we continued following the red brick path. It took us to Paul Revere's House. Built in the 1600s and still standing! Crazy!
We took a quick detour to Mike's Pastry. Seriously Awesome Cannolis. Didn't know how good they could be. No surprise, mine was peanut butter; J's was chocolate dipped. (I'll let C&A tell you what they had, but I do remember!)
Then onto the USS Constitution...
And then Bunker Hill...
For some reason, we decided to climb all 294 steps to the top. J and I had been walking since 9:15 that morning. It was 3:30 or 4 when we got to Bunker Hill. I thought I was going to have a heart attack on the way up. So. Out. Of. Shape. I just hoped I would pass out so someone would carry me down. :)
We took the T back the the Boston Common and walked through the Public Garden.
After a little rest, we headed to Legal Seafoods. I had some awesome Mahi Mahi. J had shrimp, scallops, Blueflish, Tuna, and Mahi Mahi. So. Full. We decided it was too cold to go anywhere else, so we called it a night. We watched the Patriots games from our hotel room... well J watched. I slept.
After a quick lunch, we continued following the red brick path. It took us to Paul Revere's House. Built in the 1600s and still standing! Crazy!
We took a quick detour to Mike's Pastry. Seriously Awesome Cannolis. Didn't know how good they could be. No surprise, mine was peanut butter; J's was chocolate dipped. (I'll let C&A tell you what they had, but I do remember!)
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| Enjoying cannolis! |
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| Copp's Hill Burying Ground |
Then onto the USS Constitution...
And then Bunker Hill...
For some reason, we decided to climb all 294 steps to the top. J and I had been walking since 9:15 that morning. It was 3:30 or 4 when we got to Bunker Hill. I thought I was going to have a heart attack on the way up. So. Out. Of. Shape. I just hoped I would pass out so someone would carry me down. :)
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| View from top of Bunker Hill Monument |
After a little rest, we headed to Legal Seafoods. I had some awesome Mahi Mahi. J had shrimp, scallops, Blueflish, Tuna, and Mahi Mahi. So. Full. We decided it was too cold to go anywhere else, so we called it a night. We watched the Patriots games from our hotel room... well J watched. I slept.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Boston Part I
We had a great (although COLD) time in Boston.
We met Clark and Amy in Philadelphia and we flew into Boston together. We managed to figure out our way around on the T and male it to our hotel. Somehow, J and I got upgraded to a bigger room, but C and A didn't. :( Turns out they were the lucky ones. We had psychotic neighbors that woke us up every morning at 1:30 and yelled profanities at each other. Joy! The last night, the hotel manager stepped in.
Anyway, after a quick change of clothes we were off to Cafeteria Boston thanks to a Groupon! We got there early, but they seated us right away. We shared spinach artichoke dip and calamari. I had a messy, but good burger. J had hanger steak. We topped the meal off with apple pie. So glad we had the Groupon because it wasn't worth how much they would have charged. We walked around a little before deciding it was too cold and going back to the hotel. Thankfully, our hotel was 1 block from the T station.
Saturday morning, J and I headed out for the Freedom Trail. We stopped for breakfast at the Thinking Cup. We had pastries and hot chocolate. So yummy! We started at the Boston Commons and started to follow the red brick path!
After getting through over half of the sites, we met C and A for lunch and Quincy Market and we went together to finish the trail....
We met Clark and Amy in Philadelphia and we flew into Boston together. We managed to figure out our way around on the T and male it to our hotel. Somehow, J and I got upgraded to a bigger room, but C and A didn't. :( Turns out they were the lucky ones. We had psychotic neighbors that woke us up every morning at 1:30 and yelled profanities at each other. Joy! The last night, the hotel manager stepped in.
Anyway, after a quick change of clothes we were off to Cafeteria Boston thanks to a Groupon! We got there early, but they seated us right away. We shared spinach artichoke dip and calamari. I had a messy, but good burger. J had hanger steak. We topped the meal off with apple pie. So glad we had the Groupon because it wasn't worth how much they would have charged. We walked around a little before deciding it was too cold and going back to the hotel. Thankfully, our hotel was 1 block from the T station.
Saturday morning, J and I headed out for the Freedom Trail. We stopped for breakfast at the Thinking Cup. We had pastries and hot chocolate. So yummy! We started at the Boston Commons and started to follow the red brick path!
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| Paul Revere's grave marker |
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| Marking First Public School |
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| Old State House |
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| Boston Massacre Site |
After getting through over half of the sites, we met C and A for lunch and Quincy Market and we went together to finish the trail....
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Starting Off the New Year!
We started the year off asleep.. well, I did. J managed to stay up until midnight.
This weekend we had a movie marathon. We watched The Help, The Change-Up, and Super 8. The Change-Up was pretty horrible, but we enjoyed the other two! We also started the hunt for dining room furniture. Not sure how much closer we are, but we don't really have a time frame for getting one.
We went to a friend's to watch theboring national championship last night. I have class on Mondays from 4:10-9:55, but I got out at 5! I know that won't happen again. We had a good time, even if the game wasn't that fun to watch.
Boston this weekend! Looks like it will be cold- low 30s and upper 20s for the highs. We're not too worried since we did fine in NYC last year. We are getting excited about it!!!
Not much else going on here... Hopefully I can post about Boston soon after we get back!
This weekend we had a movie marathon. We watched The Help, The Change-Up, and Super 8. The Change-Up was pretty horrible, but we enjoyed the other two! We also started the hunt for dining room furniture. Not sure how much closer we are, but we don't really have a time frame for getting one.
We went to a friend's to watch the
Boston this weekend! Looks like it will be cold- low 30s and upper 20s for the highs. We're not too worried since we did fine in NYC last year. We are getting excited about it!!!
Not much else going on here... Hopefully I can post about Boston soon after we get back!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Last Post O' the Year!
Crazy to think that Sunday starts 2012!!! Where has the time gone?!
I have a few ideas..
-buying our first house!
-moving (again!)
-decorating/painting said house (4 days after move-in, guest bathroom, guest room, dining room, entry and office, living room, bedroom, and bathroom, laundry)
-starting grad school
-trips to NYC, the beach, the mountains, Virginia, Texas, Kentucky (x2), Mississippi (x2), Georgia, South Carolina
What's happening in 2012?
-Boston with Clark and Amy
-Hopefully a trip to Charleston or Savannah
-Trips to the mountains and the beach
-David graduates from State in May
-Caitlin graduates from WKU in December
-Hopefully getting the house more settled- we need a dining room table!
I have a few ideas..
-buying our first house!
-moving (again!)
-decorating/painting said house (4 days after move-in, guest bathroom, guest room, dining room, entry and office, living room, bedroom, and bathroom, laundry)
-starting grad school
-trips to NYC, the beach, the mountains, Virginia, Texas, Kentucky (x2), Mississippi (x2), Georgia, South Carolina
What's happening in 2012?
-Boston with Clark and Amy
-Hopefully a trip to Charleston or Savannah
-Trips to the mountains and the beach
-David graduates from State in May
-Caitlin graduates from WKU in December
-Hopefully getting the house more settled- we need a dining room table!
Christmas has come and gone
We had a week long Christmas! Too bad I spent most of it not feeling well. I enjoyed it all anyway!
It started on the 17th. We opened presents from each other and went to see a movie.
The 19th I went into work, then drove straight to Mississippi. We has a great Christmas with Grannie and Granddaddy and Uncle Thomas and Aunt Linda. Rachel and Elise taught me how to play PIT and we ate lots of food! Santa came early in MS on Wednesday and brought us an iPad! Thursday, we had Christmas with Kate Kate, then off to KY! We enjoyed meeting the newest member of the family, Jordyn. We enjoyed looking at lights and eating too.much.food. Santa came and brought me the best dust buster ever. It is amazing! We had a good time playing games and still ate too.much.food. We left Christmas day around 5 and headed to Harriman, TN to break up the long trip. It was such a good decision! Driving back Monday didn't feel so long- we even got home before dark!
I slowly undecorated the inside this week. The Christmas tree was put on the curb last night. (The city picks them up for free!) It feels so naked inside the house now! The tree took up lots of space! J is taking down the outside lights tomorrow. I have been enjoying not working. And thankfully, the construction on the house next door started at 9 Tuesday- Thursday, so I got some good sleep! My one project for the week was making a curtain for the kitchen window. I went to get the fabric this morning and it is nowhere to be found! :( I hope they will restock it soon and it is not discontinued. The ladies at the store weren't much help. If I can't find it soon, I guess I will have to pick out a new fabric....
Work starts back for me on Monday. Of course, J has Monday off. Always seems to work that way. Classes start back January 9, so I will be busy before I know it!
It started on the 17th. We opened presents from each other and went to see a movie.
The 19th I went into work, then drove straight to Mississippi. We has a great Christmas with Grannie and Granddaddy and Uncle Thomas and Aunt Linda. Rachel and Elise taught me how to play PIT and we ate lots of food! Santa came early in MS on Wednesday and brought us an iPad! Thursday, we had Christmas with Kate Kate, then off to KY! We enjoyed meeting the newest member of the family, Jordyn. We enjoyed looking at lights and eating too.much.food. Santa came and brought me the best dust buster ever. It is amazing! We had a good time playing games and still ate too.much.food. We left Christmas day around 5 and headed to Harriman, TN to break up the long trip. It was such a good decision! Driving back Monday didn't feel so long- we even got home before dark!
I slowly undecorated the inside this week. The Christmas tree was put on the curb last night. (The city picks them up for free!) It feels so naked inside the house now! The tree took up lots of space! J is taking down the outside lights tomorrow. I have been enjoying not working. And thankfully, the construction on the house next door started at 9 Tuesday- Thursday, so I got some good sleep! My one project for the week was making a curtain for the kitchen window. I went to get the fabric this morning and it is nowhere to be found! :( I hope they will restock it soon and it is not discontinued. The ladies at the store weren't much help. If I can't find it soon, I guess I will have to pick out a new fabric....
Work starts back for me on Monday. Of course, J has Monday off. Always seems to work that way. Classes start back January 9, so I will be busy before I know it!
Friday, December 16, 2011
9 days til Christmas!
We have been busy!
We had a Young Married's Christmas party full of food and an ornament exchange. We wound up with a Frosty the Snowman!
We discovered some awesome Christmas light displays set to music.
I finished the semester with a 4.0.
I had 2 cookie exchanges (just this week!) and an ornament party.
I celebrated my friend's birthday on Wednesday by painting pottery in Fayetteville.
We went over to a friend's house for steak last week. They must really like us!
We finished all our Christmas shopping!
Today, I woke up with a sore throat.. I am hoping it goes away quickly! Thankfully, today was a half day.
Now we are gearing up for our Christmas trip. Can't wait to see everyone!
We had a Young Married's Christmas party full of food and an ornament exchange. We wound up with a Frosty the Snowman!
We discovered some awesome Christmas light displays set to music.
I finished the semester with a 4.0.
I had 2 cookie exchanges (just this week!) and an ornament party.
I celebrated my friend's birthday on Wednesday by painting pottery in Fayetteville.
We went over to a friend's house for steak last week. They must really like us!
We finished all our Christmas shopping!
Today, I woke up with a sore throat.. I am hoping it goes away quickly! Thankfully, today was a half day.
Now we are gearing up for our Christmas trip. Can't wait to see everyone!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Those neighbors..
must hate these neighbors!
Christmas Lights in Cary near church. Hopefully we will get a better video of one closer to the house to post.
Christmas Lights in Cary near church. Hopefully we will get a better video of one closer to the house to post.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Fa-la-la-la-la
It's Christmastime! But first, a quick re-cap...
We had Thanksgiving with friends. It was fun and food filled. Saturday, we went to the Vandy @ Wake Forest with them. So glad to cheer for a winning team! We had a great time with them. On the way home, J and I stopped at Steak N Shake. We needed a milkshake fix!
Other than that, not much going on lately. I am wrapping up my semester. My final Monday night class is tomorrow, and my final Wednesday class is Dec. 7. Both classes are just presenting our final projects. I am feeling confident that I will have A's in both classes. :)
Work has been busy, especially since I got a pre-schooler at the beginning of the month. Between adding a new student to the mix and meetings, I have been pretty busy! I was glad to have a break.
I did go out on Black Friday to get a few things, but mostly Christmas decorations. Since we are in a new house, we didn't have any lights for the outside. We also decided to get a real tree this year, so we needed more ornaments, garland, lights, etc. The house is now Christmas-fied, including presents under the tree. :) Less than a month now!
We had Thanksgiving with friends. It was fun and food filled. Saturday, we went to the Vandy @ Wake Forest with them. So glad to cheer for a winning team! We had a great time with them. On the way home, J and I stopped at Steak N Shake. We needed a milkshake fix!
Other than that, not much going on lately. I am wrapping up my semester. My final Monday night class is tomorrow, and my final Wednesday class is Dec. 7. Both classes are just presenting our final projects. I am feeling confident that I will have A's in both classes. :)
Work has been busy, especially since I got a pre-schooler at the beginning of the month. Between adding a new student to the mix and meetings, I have been pretty busy! I was glad to have a break.
I did go out on Black Friday to get a few things, but mostly Christmas decorations. Since we are in a new house, we didn't have any lights for the outside. We also decided to get a real tree this year, so we needed more ornaments, garland, lights, etc. The house is now Christmas-fied, including presents under the tree. :) Less than a month now!
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| Outside :) I have a porch tree being shipped! So the porch will have a little light, too! |
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| Christmas tree in our room. Since it is in the front of the house, we open the blinds so it can be seen from the road. |
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| Mantle and the real tree! :) |
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Painting and Shopping
The semester is winding down for grad school, so I have been busy with all the final projects. I am done with half of them, so that is a relief!
The trees have been beautiful here the past couple of weeks. Now, the leaves are on the ground. It is beginning to get cold, which can only mean one thing! Christmas is coming!
We spent yesterday shopping for Christmas stuff. (We also ended up with a cute Halloween decoration marked down!) We now only have 3 people to shop for (we had no luck finding something for 1 person... even after going to 5 stores!) So we are close to being done with others. So far we have no idea what to get each other though, There is still time, but after going shopping yesterday, neither of us has any desire to set foot in a mall again. We ended the night eat in Cameron Village and an early bedtime. You see, since we were both off work yesterday, we decided to go see J. Edgar at 12:01. We didn't get home until after 3 am. I still need some catch up sleep, and I slept 10 hours last night!
Today, we painted the laundry room. It is about time because the paint for the laundry was actually the first gallon we bought!!! Now our house is all painted! (Except closets, but we are so not going there. Khaki is just fine for closets!) We have out Young Marrieds' Thanksgiving tonight. I made sweet potatoes for the first time. Hope they are good! I also made a pumpkin cheesecake, but I know that will be good!
December 7 I will officially be done with this semester. Cannot wait! Next semester I am taking 2 classes on Monday nights. So I will be in class from 4-10. Going to be a long semester. At least they are both considered distance education, so my tuition was lower than this semester!
The trees have been beautiful here the past couple of weeks. Now, the leaves are on the ground. It is beginning to get cold, which can only mean one thing! Christmas is coming!
We spent yesterday shopping for Christmas stuff. (We also ended up with a cute Halloween decoration marked down!) We now only have 3 people to shop for (we had no luck finding something for 1 person... even after going to 5 stores!) So we are close to being done with others. So far we have no idea what to get each other though, There is still time, but after going shopping yesterday, neither of us has any desire to set foot in a mall again. We ended the night eat in Cameron Village and an early bedtime. You see, since we were both off work yesterday, we decided to go see J. Edgar at 12:01. We didn't get home until after 3 am. I still need some catch up sleep, and I slept 10 hours last night!
Today, we painted the laundry room. It is about time because the paint for the laundry was actually the first gallon we bought!!! Now our house is all painted! (Except closets, but we are so not going there. Khaki is just fine for closets!) We have out Young Marrieds' Thanksgiving tonight. I made sweet potatoes for the first time. Hope they are good! I also made a pumpkin cheesecake, but I know that will be good!
December 7 I will officially be done with this semester. Cannot wait! Next semester I am taking 2 classes on Monday nights. So I will be in class from 4-10. Going to be a long semester. At least they are both considered distance education, so my tuition was lower than this semester!
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| Laundry when we moved in |
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| Laundry Today :) |
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