How Does Your Garden Grow?

May 27

We have a pepper and some lima beans on the way!

I also planted some more green beans in the empty front square, and they are starting to break though! I need to replace one of the broccoli squares and probably move a tomato plant.

One More Week

Just another week here in rural North Carolina.

J took 5 more tests this week, but he didn't study as much as he could have, so we'll see how many he actually passes. Hoping for all 5, of course, but will take 3 or 4. =)
Harris Teeter was doing Super Doubles this week, so I made a couple of trips. One is mentioned in my coupon blog. The other will be up shortly!

My check engine light came on again, so I went back to the place that fixed it before. I sat around for about an hour while they worked on it. They think the hose they put on last time was too loose, so they just fixed it and let me go!

Saturday, we went to a golf course in Fayetteville. It wasn't very busy (or that nice...) but we had fun. There were geese everywhere! When we got home I cooked this (Mexican style.) Thanks, Clark!




It was pretty good! We will have to try it with the regular recipe one day, but I had all the ingredients for the Mexican version except for one, so that's what we did!

Sunday, after church, we headed to IHOP! I had been wanting to try their new pancake stackers. It was super busy, but we only waited about 5 minutes or so. I am sad to report that the stackers were underwhelming. I should have just stuck to my New York Cheesecake Pancakes. We then headed to HT. The cashier didn't scan one of my coupons, but we still saved 60%! J even got some ice cream and Sun Chips. I will have to make a trip to Kroger sometime for hot dogs... can't wait to grill out again!

This is the last week that I will see students since testing begins next week. Well, my elementary kids have testing this week, but I can work around their schedules easily since I only have 3! Friday, I will proctor a test all day before we head to GA to see J's family! Then next week, I will proctor middle school state tests and work on end of the year stuff! It's almost over! June 14 is the last teacher workday... Looking forward to the summer!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

May 20

One pepper plant even has a bloom! :)

Anniversary Weekend Pictures

See post below for recap of the weekend. :)

Waiting on our food at Cafe Carolina

J eating his panini

Blue Whale Skeleton

J in the Tupelo Tree

View from our room

Us after dinner

WRAL gardens

Mirazozo by Architects of Air

Mirazozo by Architects of Air

My Strawberry Donut Sundae
(they are buy one get one free on Sundays :) J had an original)

Our top layer!

It's been 365 days!

This week, we were looking forward to Saturday!

On Wednesday, we went to Chili's in Garner with the people from J's work. One of his co-workers passed all her tests, so everyone went out to celebrate. It was fun, and I got to meet some new people!

Late Saturday morning, we got up and headed to Raleigh. We ate at Cafe Carolina, which I discovered a couple of weeks ago while I was attending a workshop in Raleigh. It was very good! We ate outside, and it was perfect. We stopped in the jewelry store to get J's watch links taken out (and maybe a little something for me...) We headed downtown to go to the Natural Science Museum. It was so big and so cool! We enjoyed looking at everything and learning a lot about North Carolina. We decided to go check in early so we could nap for a little while. After a quick nap, we looked around the shopping center where we were staying. There is a Target.. 2 floors below the other stores! We had to take an escalator down to get there. We came back to get ready for dinner. We had reservations at The Mint, which is downtown. It was very nice, and very good. I ordered Truffled Mac and Cheese as my first course. It was amazing! J had Filet Mignon, which was also good. For dessert, I had mango sorbet. Overall, it was a great meal! We had walked around so much earlier, we went back to the hotel and crashed! I think I was asleep by 10:15.

We woke up this morning and went to breakfast at the hotel restaurant. I had a fresh spinach omelet and a muffin; J had a waffle. We checked out about 11:45 and went downtown to Artsplosure. We went through the Mirazozo by Architects of Air, which was pretty neat. We also had some Krispy Kreme. :) We then headed to the Farmer's Market. It was amazing. I could have spent some serious cash in there! Good thing J was with me. We did buy some fresh salsa, though. We then came back home and ate our top layer... well a piece of it anyway. Pictures coming!

It was a great weekend, celebrating 365 days of marriage. It has been the best, hardest year ever! Here are just a few things that have happened in the past year:
-Both our younger sisters graduated high school within 2 weeks of the wedding
-J moved into my tiny apartment
-J finished his MBA!
-We moved to Jackson, MS so I could student teach
-J got a part time seasonal job at Barnes and Noble
-I graduated with my bachelor's degree!
-I got a call about a job in NC just a few hours after graduation. I later drove to NC for an interview!
-Late January, I got the job!
-Early February, we moved 700 miles to a small town in North Carolina
-Late March, J got a full time job!
-Now we are celebrating our first anniversary!

Sometimes, I can't believe we have done all that this year. We are incredibly blessed and incredibly happy. Here's to 60ish more years (though maybe without 2 moves a year!)

How Does Your Garden Grow?

May 13

Cool Down!

After a week of 80s and 90s, it is 72 outside right now! It's supposed to be nice until Wednesday, when we hit the upper 80s again. We are enjoying having the doors open and letting the fresh air in!

Wednesday, we went to eat at Mi Casita for Cinco de Mayo. We shared some good fajitas!

Thursday, I decided to go check out a book from the library when I got off work. I checked out a James Patterson book... and I had to go get more the next day because I finished it by bedtime!

Saturday, I cleaned the house. Somehow, the floors are dirty again! I just can't keep these floors clean. I need a Roomba!


It hasn't been a very exciting week, but we are looking forward to this coming weekend!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

May 6

It's getting hot!

It sure has been getting hot here! This weekend, it has been in the 90s! Could NC possibly be more hot and humid than South Mississippi? I sure hope not!

Wednesday, I made two trips to Harris Teeter. I went once alone, and then went again with my co-workers. It was so much fun. I know I am a dork for liking grocery shopping. :) (I also went again Thursday and Friday. Chances are I will go again Tuesday.)

J passed ALL 5 tests he took! I am so proud of him! He has 10 more to go.

I had a workshop in Raleigh this week. It was actually really good. I learned SO much. And we found a cool cafe downtown to eat. We ate there both days. :)

We grilled out again Saturday. We cooked a ton of chicken! I won't be cooking for a while :) We do have some bugs though. I have 20 mosquito bites! Ugh!

My garden continues to grow, although it is more in the shade than I planned. The tree I thought was dead has filled out! I did take a couple of smaller branches down so the garden could get a little more sun. We will just have to see how everything grows.

I got my new phone this week. So far, it seems to be working better than the old one! I still have to send back my other one.

We met a few more people at church this week. I think we will try to go to class next week. They have a young adult class, so hopefully we can meet even more people.

And I can finally say, school ends next month! woo hoo