something to do with relevance...

Clean Banana-Nut Bread...

2011-07-13T13:00:00.004-04:00

Since my cleanse a couple months ago I've been more and more interested in eating "clean". I LOVE banana nut bread and I've adapted my recipe from Martha Stewart's. Hope you like it!

3 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
1 c. agave nectar
1 1/3 c. canola oil
2 Tbs. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. coconut extract
4 over-ripe mashed bananas
1 c. chopped pecans (or walnuts)
1/2 c. almond milk

Preheat the oven to 350. Coat two loaf pans with cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl on an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, agave and oil on medium-low speed until combined. Beat in flour mixture. Add vanilla, coconut, bananas, nuts and milk and beat just to combine.
Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake until cake tester comes clean, 45 minutes (in my oven). ENJOY!!

I typically keep one to enjoy now and freeze or share the other.

Days five, six and seven...

2011-05-17T15:11:00.004-04:00

So, there really wasn't much to report for days five and six as they were pretty much the same as two through four. But now that I've gone through a full week I'm happy to report that I never felt tired, hungry or irritable. I've noticed that my skin has cleared up and it even has a bit of a glow to it. My dark circles under my eyes have faded (slightly) and my stomach is a bit flatter. I've also lost a grand total of 6 pounds, but that wasn't the reason I wanted to do this cleanse. It feels as though I've hit the reset button for my body and now all I have to do is keep up the (relatively) clean eating.

I'm going to try to institute "meatless Mondays" into our menus and incorporate some smoothies for breakfasts. I've also decided to cut milk (not all dairy) out of my diet because I really wasn't a big drinker anyway and I actually prefer the taste of almond milk. I'll still eat yogurt and some cheeses but they'll be limited. I feel great and I actually did find a recipe I plan on repeating the taco bites meal was FANTASTIC!
I just realized that the truest testament is to also show you how I look without make-up. I haven't retouched anything. (bare w/the picture it's from my phone)

Day Four...

2011-05-14T12:00:00.002-04:00

Day four is complete and I've lost 3.5 pounds! I have a feeling most of it is water weight and will come back once I start eating meats and (some) dairy again. But regardless I feel great and that loss was a bonus! Today I had the strawberry/banana "cereal" for breakfast, pepper salad w/ eggs (it called for sauted eggs but I personally don't like them so I made an omlette of sorts) then for dinner was the baked potato (I found an amazing way to make them here) w/ chickpea chili. Throughout the day I snacked on lots of fruit and a larabar.

Days One, Two and Three...

2011-05-11T01:16:00.010-04:00

For some reason Blogger wouldn't let me post for the past few days so here's the compilation of days 1-3:

Day one is complete and surprisingly it wasn't too bad of a day. I didn't feel crappy (like I usually do after the first day of some past diets/cleanses). It started off with a breakfast of quinoa mixed with almond butter (actually pretty tasty) and almond milk. It was a different texture and taste than what I was expecting (to be honest probably not something I would do on a regular day) but still satisfying. I didn't eat again until lunch time, which I plan to do different tomorrow. Lunch was a spinach salad topped with a veggie burger & salsa followed by 2 apples and some more almond butter (I think next time I'll just have one apple). I drank water with lemon throughout the day and completed 9 glasses! My mid-day snack was a LaraBar. I had heard of them but never had them before and was pleasantly surprised if you get the chance, try them (I found a box of 18 at Sam's Club for $15). Dinner was the chickpea chili topped baked potato. I think this is definitely doable for 6 more days and who knows maybe I'll find a new recipe I love...the "chili" was pretty good, though I think I'll tweak it the next time I make it.

Day two wasn't bad either. But I realized that I should have only been snaking on just an apple not an apple and almond butter (which incidentally is real good). I feel awesome and I noticed that I didn't need my afternoon pick-me-up (aka coffee). Today, I followed the menu as it was on the website.

Day three went great until tonight. I lost my drive and binged a bit tonight before bed. I could blame the fact that I'm PMSing but that would be a cop-out. Anyway, this morning I noticed that my shorts fit better! and it was an all around good day (not counting this evening). I didn't really care for the veggie stir fry, so I'm gonna try to think of a way to revamp it with out adding a bunch of needless ingredients.

7 Day Whole Food Cleanse

2011-05-09T18:29:00.003-04:00

Starting tomorrow I will be doing a week-long "whole food" cleanse. I've never been the type who can skip meals or maintain my sanity on a juice fast so this seemed right up my alley. The fact that I will be systematically scrubbing my "innards" clean while still enjoying eating real meals is what sold me. Basically we'll be eating nothing but whole grains and LOTS of veggies, which in the grand scheme of things is something we should be doing anyway, right?

The reason for this cleanse is mainly because I've been feeling as though my body hasn't been living up to it's potential and (if I may go a little granola here) I haven't been treating it as a temple, rather a trash can to hold all the crap I can cram into my face (hello, animal cookies, red vines and reeses pb cups). I hope that after this week (which I'll be blogging about daily) I feel re-energized, lighter and maybe have a bounce to my step! My goal is that this week long spring cleaning will help springboard me into eating more healthfully and with more awareness of what I put into my mouth! Let the eating begin!

Cast Iron...

2011-04-02T18:16:00.003-04:00

I just had to show off my new cast iron dutch oven!! I've been wanting one for a few years now and B got one for me! What a great hubby! I used it to make this recipe and might I say...it turned out mighty fine!!

Mission Organization...

2010-12-27T23:18:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted; being a mommy and maintaining 2 blogs is just not going to happen, but I thought I'd at least post this: I'm planning to organize my home and I'll be using a bowl full of lemons 21 day challenge. Check it out!

I Love...

2010-08-13T14:51:00.005-04:00

watching my husband and son interact.
kissing the nape of my son's neck where his fine baby hair tickles my nose.
photographing family.
hearing the garage door open when my hubby is expected home.
listening to my baby boy "sing".
friendships.
seeing my family on skype (what an awesome invention).
Vera Bradley (see previous post).
seeing my son's progression.
knitting.
fruit salad.
laughing.
baby feet.
cooking.
footie jammies.
feeling my hubby's hair after a hair cut.
knowing I am loved.
crafting.
all my accomplishments.
being a wife.
being a military wife.
being a mommy.
my life.

The Mommyhood...

2010-05-29T09:51:00.003-04:00

As in welcome to...I think I can safely say that I'm pretty well immersed in the mommyhood, now. And if someone were to ask me a question about babies (3 month old's and younger), breast feeding, scheduling, acting as a single parent (though I haven't been through a deployment yet...gulp), letting your partner parent his way and getting baby to sleep through the night I could answer it with confidence. That being said, I also am not shy about asking questions of friends, family and other moms who have been through it before me. Of course there are things I've been through that most of my mom circle hasn't (recurrent bouts of mastitis). Most days, I feel confident in myself as a mom but there is that inevitable day or couple of days where my little man will throw me for a loop and cause me to question every single thing I do. There will be times when I look at my friends and think to myself that I missed that chapter in the "mommy handbook". But all I need (and any mother needs) to remember is that I am doing the best I can for my baby and me and remember to
Be kind
Relax
Enjoy
Attitude
Take one day at a time
Have fun
Embrace

Pictures...

2010-04-22T09:08:00.004-04:00

a few weeks after coming home.His announcment
St.Patrick's Day!
Happy Easter!
Tummy time

He's Here!

2010-03-15T16:41:00.003-04:00

After being over a week late; our son's story begins on February 18th. B and I drove to the hospital that morning and checked in around 6:30. When we arrived in our labor and delivery room we met our nurse for the day and the doctor from my OB office who would be on call.

I changed out of my street clothes and into the fetching hospital gown provided. Once we were settled the process of induction began. Our nurse got me started on my IV of pitocin and saline. She also hooked me up to the fetal monitor (an elastic band with a round disk stretched around my stomach) and contraction monitor (same concept different color). Apparently I had been having regular contractions the whole time and had no idea...who knew!

Once the pitocin kicked in I started feeling these contractions I'd been hearing so much about. I'm not gonna lie; they definitely weren't comfortable but I felt pretty good none the less. As B says I weathered them one at a time. I wasn't shy about letting my nurse know that I wanted an epidural as soon as the anesthesiologist was available.

The feeling of the epidural being inserted was a completely different sensation, but I'd do it again. When people say the pain goes away, they're being truthful, but I still felt every contraction and when it came time-the urge to push.

I started pushing around 3:00 pm and made really good headway (no pun intended). B was an EXCELLENT coach and kept me motivated and calm the entire time. We ran into a snag when baby boy's head got caught on my pelvic bone. He was close enough for our nurse to comment on the amount of hair on his head, but after two hours of pushing and no progression our doctor decided to call it a day in the pushing department and began the prep work for a c-section. I was very nervous but took it in stride as it was the best option for our baby and me. As I waited to be taken into the operating room, B donned his "disposable scrubs", hair net and shoe guards.

Around 5:30 pm I was wheeled to the OR; during which the anesthesiologist administered my spinal block. To be honest, I really can't remember much of the preparation for my surgery as my mind was elsewhere, but I do remember B coming in about 10 minutes afterward and the screen at my shoulders going up. I felt absolutely nothing during the c-section aside from a pulling feeling and some pressure. But after an hour our son was born at 6:32 pm! The sound of his cry made my eyes tear...we were now parents.

It took another hour to be stitched up and go to the recovery room. While I recovered B got to see our son's first bath. Around two hours later (9:30 or 10 o'clock) our baby was wheeled into our room and as they say, the rest is (our) history.

Things I'm Loving As a Preggo...

2010-01-26T16:26:00.006-05:00

Through trial/error (and more trials), and recommendations from friends, I've discovered some items I could not have lived without through my pregnancy. This is really going to be more of a list than an actual blog post, but for those who are interested here they are:

Bella Bands: These were a Godsend when I was starting to grow out of my jeans/shorts, I even use them now (at 37 weeks) to add length to shirts I wear or to cover the belly bands of my jeans.
Drawstring Pants/Sweat pants: I still can (just barely) wear my pre-preg pants. These have literally carried me all the way through this pregnancy. Add to the fact that they're lightweight is a bonus (especially in Charleston, SC)
Maternity Jeans: buy at least 2 but make sure they have stretch to them. I bought 1 skinny pair which did not have any stretch at all and have kicked myself for not checking before I bought them; I was only able to wear them for a couple months. I also bought 1 boot cut pair, which I wear all the time.
Long/blousy shirts: note I did not say maternity shirts. I would say that 90% of the tops I've worn throughout this time have not been maternity. That being said I'm very lucky that the trends were such that I could get away w/ this...but just keep your eyes open because maternity anything will be more expensive than the non-maternity counterpart. Also don't be afraid to look in the larger sizes.
Body Pillow/Back Pillow: if you want to see me sleeping soundly (minus the multiple trips to the bathroom) you will find me cuddled up with these (much to my husband's chagrin). To keep them together, I made what my hubby calls the "contraption". Sounds like a torture devise but really it's just 2 pillow cases that I've cut/sewn together. I tried multiple pillows and this was the only thing that works for me.
Husband/Boyfriend Pillow: This is that pillow that looks like the top half of a chair. It's what keeps our fairly deep sofa comfy for me to sit in. When you get bigger you begin to feel like a turtle on it's back so getting up from a laying down, or in this case, sitting position takes some shimmying. This kind of helps me get to that point without causing an electrical fire with the static from my rear end.
Maternity Underwear: I'm actually kind of on the fence w/ this one. I got some and thought they were great until they started to unravel. I'm not a small girl, so just getting larger underpants wasn't exactly easy, but if you can-I say go for that instead of the maternity kind.
Freezable Dinners: This you can do on your own or do what I did. I went to Dream Dinners and made several meals to be stored in our freezer until after our baby comes. This way we still have home-cooked meals we can pull from the freezer, heat and eat-even husbands can do it!
Water Alarm: I've set 3 alarms on my cell phone to remind me to drink/refill my 32oz cup of water throughout the day. I'm always forgetting and these little alarms help me drink up my water quota.
Water bottle/cup.
Spa Day: if you can or at least a mani or pedi. I got a spa day from my parents for my birthday last year and decided to hold off on using it until I really needed it (which was last week). It was wonderfully relaxing and I'm so glad I was able to take the day for myself.
Slip-on Shoes: Believe me when I tell you that when the baby bump has turned into a mountain you will love those slip-ons. Putting on socks and tying shoe laces are a pregnant woman's nemesis.
A Digital Camera: I don't know a single person who doesn't have one, but if you're still holding out, now is the time to get one! I've used mine to cronicle my growing belly.
An Awesome Partner: Or someone you can lean on...all of these things are great, but without my amazing hubby I'd be sunk. He's always helping me out one way or another and almost never complains (and believe me, I've had my moments where "Michelle isn't here anymore"). Whether it's cleaning the toilets or rubbing my feet, I could not have gone through this pregnancy without him.

Is scared the right word?

2010-01-12T13:15:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday some dear friends threw me a baby shower. I had a great time and really enjoyed seeing my friends and of course the gifts were awesome! I felt blessed to have so many people share in this special time.

Now, the thank you notes have been written and B and I went through all the goodies to organize C's room. To be perfectly honest, I'm a little worried. Not about the delivery, rather what comes next...caring for our little guy. I guess you could say that I'm an instructions and lists sort of girl, as long as I've got something to reference I feel I can do a "job" adequately. Well, I've read and am in the middle of reading books on babies but I still have feelings of apprehension. I've got more questions than I do answers and I'm not going to lie, I'm scared.

I've got all these great things, but with some of them, I have no idea when to introduce them to our baby or even how to use them. I don't know if sterilizing a bottle or pacifier means running them through the dish washer or if I need to boil them (and if so for how long?). Should I leave the bumpers on the crib or should I remove them? How do I know what toys to give him? And what about pumping, when do I start doing that? I'm an only child so I have never really spent much time with infants or babies and the time I have spent with the moms has been maybe a couple hours. I feel like I'm going into this HUGE job of being a mommy completely blind; like I should have been shadowing and "expert" before I get handed the little guy who's been living and growing inside me all these months and who will be completely dependent on me.

His nose and my cheeks...

2009-12-30T10:34:00.002-05:00

On Tuesday, December 1st we went to See Me 3D and got to see our son! It was the most amazing experience. Once B, his parents and I were settled in the viewing room--a nicely decorated room with 2 easy chairs, a large flat screen TV and a comfy table for us preggos to lie on--the nurse began the ultrasound. We got to see our son's world for 45 minutes and were saying things like, "oh he's got your nose," or "he's got your cheeks". It was wonderful and emotional (in a good way). Enjoy.

Maternity Underwear...

2009-11-01T11:57:00.002-05:00

I can now add THAT to the list of maternity togs I've acquired in the past few weeks and months. To be honest, I really didn't think I would need these and frankly didn't understand why maternity underwear was even invented. I mean, none of my "unmentionables" even go over my stomach, so what's the big deal? Well, along with an expanding tummy I've noticed that my hips have expanded as well (yippee). Unfortunately I never took after my mom in that region and consequently never had slim hips, so the fact that they're getting bigger is bittersweet. The pinching and the ugly red lines from too-tight-chonies prompted me to bite the bullet and began to peruse websites for undergarments for us preggos.

I was pretty amazed at the selection, I really thought that I would be limited to different versions of the ever so lovely, white granny-panties, but was pleasantly surprised. There was lace, seamless, patterned, even thongs in lots of different colors!! Now, I'm not going to go into what I bought, but I got over $100 worth--hey I've got a little over 3 months left of pregnancy and who knows what my body will look like after our little man is born. I've heard to expect to look like I'm six months along after giving birth, so I figured they'll definitely be put to good use. Here's to underwear that doesn't bunch and fits just right!

Pop! Goes the Belly...

2009-09-12T09:23:00.003-04:00

Though you can't see it in the picture (it's my first maternity outfit), my belly has most definitely "popped". B just recently mentioned that I have a mini shelf and whenever we hug or kiss each other we start laughing because the belly has made itself known! It just amazes me how it grows on a weekly basis. I've felt some flutters (which I assume are the baby) but no definitive kicks, yet. I have an appointment and an ultrasound later in the month, where we find out the sex of the bebe, and will hopefully see how much our peanut has changed into an actual baby.

Photography Classes...

2009-08-06T14:47:00.007-04:00

From July 1 to this past Wednesday (August 6) I have been taking a photography course at the Charleston Center for Photography. I’ve always been interested in photography and frankly kicked myself for never taking classes when I was in school. So when Brandon gave me a Cannon Rebel for my birthday in June, I decided it would be a good idea to learn how to really use it (plus with the baby on the way having a useful nice camera around would be beneficial). A friend of mine, Jen, had told me her hubby had signed her up for a photography class and mentioned it might be fun to take together. Soto make a long story short; I signed up.

What an incredible learning experience! I learned how to do different techniques, within the camera, that I had always thought were done on the computer. I learned how to lighten and darken a subject, how to take portraits, how to use my lens to create a clear “3D” picture or to create blur, and my

personal favorite-how to take night shots! If there is anyone out there who has a general interest in photography or just how to use one of those “nice cameras”; I highly recommend you take a beginner’s class…believe me, it’s worth it!

Here are some of my best and favorite pictures I’ve taken over the weeks. You can also view my galleries here (mine have Michelle T in the title).

Isn't prgnancy beautiful?

2009-07-21T09:54:00.003-04:00

This is my first blog written via my cell phone, so bear with me if there are typos.

I am 11 weeks now, and I've gone from complete exhaution and nausea to gas an heartburn. Wow, I feel beautiful! This past weekend I had to appologize up front to my friends for the rumbling, which begins (one would think) in my toes and erupts out my mouth. If I enrolled in a burping contest, I think I'd stand a good chance of winning! Unfortunately, however, burping is not the only ''action'' that happens. It's like the Sex in the City episode, where Carrie and Miranda are shopping (while Miranda is prego). Miranda apparently lets out an SBD, to which she responds, ''I can turn off the sound but not the smell!'' Oh, isn't pregnancy beautiful?

Baby News

2009-06-24T14:59:00.000-04:00

I know by now a few of you already know about our happy news, but I just wanted to confirm/fill everyone else in, that I am pregnant. We're expecting Baby T around the beginning of February! Right now, I am having some morning sickness, but thankfully only nausea, I'm starved all the time and I think I could take a nap almost every hour of the day! I had my first appointment yesterday and will have my first UltraSound in July. B and I are so excited and it took all we had to keep it to ourselves (family and some friends).

Welcome Home...

2009-05-04T10:12:00.005-04:00

May 3rd, Brandon finally landed in the states from his deployment in Southwest Asia! He landed two hours earlier than expected, which meant lots of calling to the other spouses of our squadron. By 9 am we were all at the Passenger Terminal on base, waiting for our loved ones! One of my friends brought the makings for mimosas, which a few of us enjoyed. Around 10am our Lions had landed and the anticipation for the hugging and kissing was quickly dissolved and replaced by the real thing!

I'm so excited my hubby is home! (Big thank you to Deanne for snapping all the great pictures!)

Driving on the Green...

2009-04-27T11:54:00.003-04:00

Last summer a good friend of mine (Michelle H.) and I took golf lessons. It was a lot of fun, learning the game (I've heard referred to as, "Oh Sh--") and it's nice to be able to spend a few hours outside smacking the crap out of a tiny ball!

Now that the heat (and unfortunately, humidity) is creeping into the Lowcountry I'm beginning to get a hankering for the driving range! I love the way it feels when, with my driver in hand, I swing through the air and hit that white, dimpled ball a hundred or so feet (even more so when it goes the direction I'd planned). I feel strong, especially in my pink polo and khaki shorts! ;o) Golf season, here I come!

Capri...

2009-04-20T09:42:00.002-04:00

On Monday, April 13th B's and my beautiful niece was welcomed into the world. Her name is Capri and she was 8lbs 2oz and 20 inches long. While, we weren't there for her birth (it was in California) we were in spirit as we were getting text and call updates from Aaron (the proud papa) and Patty (the excited grandma) throughout the day.

I spoke with Melissa (mommy) and she said everyone is doing great and raved about her epidural (LOL). B and I have made plans to meet our new niece and oh yeah, see everybody else in the family.

Hello, My Name is Michelle and I'm an addict...

2009-04-17T15:58:00.002-04:00

"It's not a habit, it's cool I feel alive If you don't have it you're on the other side..." That lyric by K's Choice pretty much sums up my addiction. I've spent countless amounts of money on it, I've driven to another state to get it, I am excited when I buy it, and I use it everyday.

Vera Bradley handbags and accessories are my addiction. If I were to compare it to something, it would be to tattoos. I don't have any myself but I've had many of my friends tell me that one is not enough. So, too is the case with Vera Bradley bags.

Twice every year, VB comes out with new styles and patterns for the accessories at the same time older colors and styles get retired. The older colors inevitably have followers who are dismayed, but the fresh crop of bright hues find themselves into hearts eventually.

Today, I'm expecting my Easter present to myself; a new clutch, a cosmetics case, and a handbag. All were on clearance (as the colors I chose are being retired) so I'm even more thrilled with my buy. I feel like a little girl on the eve of a holiday, where I'm sure to get a treat. Where will I be able to use it first? How can I work it into an outfit? I'm so excited to get home and see the FedEx box waiting for me. Only one hour left, until I can play with my new goodies!

The Thorn, Chicks and Twilight...

2009-04-11T09:49:00.014-04:00

This going to be a rather long post because I have a lot to say about lots of things, so I figured, what the heck, I'll just mash them all together into one post! I hope you can keep up with my rambling.

**************
The Thorn
"A barrier was built between God and man, a barrier God was not willing to let stand...to remove the barrier, sacrifice had to made." Wednesday evening, Lindsey and I went to see The Thorn at Seacoast Church in Mt.P. Having never seen or even heard about it before; I wasn't too sure what exactly my night would entail. I thought it was going to be like watching The Passion of the Christ, live and to be honest, I was a little nervous.

When we arrived at the massive church and walked into the gathering area (the narthex) we wound our ways through the crowds, Centurions, village people and smiling faces of the ushers and got our coffee. There is a cafeteria in the gathering area and I was floored that we could bring coffee into the church. I digress, we were shown to our seats facing the stage, which was draped in white fabric and before the event began we were welcomed by the Sr. Pastor.

The show was narrated by John (one of Christ's disciples) after he had been exiled to Patmos and consisted of flashbacks which served to tell the story of Jesus' birth-Crucifixion. It was in a word, amazing! There were elements which reminded me of Cirque du Soleil with the gymnasts and acrobatics also of a Renaissance fair with the sword fighters. Keeping in mind that the players were people from the church baffled me even more. The music was fantastic, top-notch quality. I'll be honest, the beatings and Crucifixion of Christ did bring tears to my eyes, but the show was wonderful. Next year, I'd like to bring B. I think he'd really enjoy it and I'm so glad Lindsey invited me.

**************
Chicks
This past Thursday, some of the Bible study girls (AKA the Frazzled Females) came over to my place. Rather than doing an actual Bible study (we had just finished an intense Beth Moore study of Esther-I highly recommend), I decided we could do an Easter craft. So, being the good researcher that I am I Googled, "Easter Crafts". Most of them were really cheesy, too hard, or geared more towards children. Thinking to myself, we're frazzled females, we can't make something that would take forever, or Easter baskets out of berry baskets (do they even make those anymore?)! We need something that could be a decoration on a desk or a mantle; something that won't take longer than 10 minutes to complete. Where, oh where would I find such a craft?

Finally I found it! We would make bean bag Easter chicks! The pattern looked easy enough and the part that really caught my eye was "no-sew"! Now, I feel I need to caveat that I'm a fairly good seamstress, I made a quilt during B's first deployment for Pete's sake, so I'm not completely unfortunate when it comes to Singer. However not having to lug my machine out of the closet was a great plus.

I printed out the pattern at work (shhh, don't tell) and bought the felt from Wal-Mart and the eyes, ribbons and pom-pom tails from AC Moore and I already had the beans (I used lentils). Tuesday night, I hunkered down with all my purchases, put on a movie and began making the chick bodies. I decided I would make the bodies and the girls could decorate/accessorize as they wanted.

So, Michelle, Cristin and Lindsey came over Thursday night and we ate Cristin's fab lasagna and put the eyes, beaks, bows and tails on. Here's the final product and I think they turned out egg-celent!

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Twilight
Anyone who has kept up with my Facebook and Twitter statuses would know that I've reluctantly become a fan of the Twilight series. Reluctant because, to be honest, my first reading of Twilight was ok. Wasn't great, wasn't bad...just ok. I'm a HUGE Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan! My parents and I would watch every Wednesday night when it was on. So it seemed natural that I would like the Twilight books. But for some reason I just wasn't motivated to continue the series. Thinking back, it may have been that I was trying to compare it to the Harry Potter series, which anyone who reads a lot knows, you just can't compare one series to another. No author writes the same and I'm glad that I gave Twilight another chance.

This new-found-interest came about after I watched the movie (which I've seen 4 times since I bought it-call me a dork if you want, but at least I own up to it). I started reading New Moon (the 2nd book) last week and I finished it this morning. I've already arranged with Jill to borrow Eclipse and Breaking Dawn and can't wait till Wednesday when she'll hand them over! I can't wait to see what will happen between Jacob, Bella and Edward. Personally, I'd take Jacob over Edward any day!

Crossing the Bridge, Here and There...

2009-04-05T11:47:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, April 4th was the 32nd annual Cooper River Bridge Run. It's a 10k (6.2 miles) race for which people travel from all over the globe to participate. And B was able to participate in the 10k race at their location (they even built a Ravanel Bridge to cross as the finish line) and completed in 55 minutes! We laughed because we figured out that they finished their race before we even started ours...so theoretically they finished before the Kenyans!

Anyway back in Charleston, the day began very early I rolled (reluctantly) out of bed around 4:45 am and donned my running gear and put my hair in the designated pigtails that our group had decided on. A group of us met at Michelle H.'s house where we decided on the caravan and left for downtown Charleston. Once we were parked, we made our ways to the shuttle pick-up location. The shuttles were rows-upon-rows of school buses, it was very well organized and kudos to those who kept all those buses moving. While our driver took us to the start area, us girls tied the ribbons around each other's pigtails. The ribbons were a menagerie of colors and designs from bright pink and white polka dots, neon stripes, yellow flowers to cheetah spots.

When we arrived at the start location and had used the portable facilities we separated into our classes. Jen, Rachel and I were the orange class (aka the walk-joggers). After the national anthem had been played on the trumpet and sung the race began at 8:00 am. The three of us walk-jogged the whole race and stopped periodically to take advantage of photo ops. We did a really good job motivating each other and each person took the lead at some point in the race. We finished really strong on Meeting St. at around 1:43:00 (15 minutes better that my last bridge run).

It was a wonderful time and we eventually met up with our group and then some. Once we had congratulated each other and caught up with others, we walked our tired bodies to Mad River where we enjoyed great food, mimosas and bloody mary's.

I'm a little sore today (the day after) but a good sore. Cheers for next year's bridge run!

**UPDATE: I just got my results, I "crossed the bridge" in 1:33:35! Much better than I thought!**

Charleston Fashion Week

2009-03-29T13:01:00.009-04:00

Charleston Fashion Week is as, the title states, a week of nothing but fashion! I attended the Friday night show with a few of my gal pals. The week was sponsored by the Art Institute and was located in the heart of Charleston, Marion Square. Underneath the crisp white tents hundreds of people gathered to see the epitome of fashion.

Once Lindsey, Katie, Darcel and I got our great seats (two rows behind the reserved seating) we decided to meander around the main tent and get our drinks. With drinks in hand, we took our fancy shoes over to the accessories lounge were we were able to hob knob with other fashionistas about great jewelry and handbags. I even was asked who designed my "adorable shoes". To which I responded, "Mossimo" (I bought them at Target). After perusing the accessories lounge we decided to grace the red carpet with our hotness (as Katie called it). We even ran into another pal, Danielle and her friends.

Once we had seen and been seen, we grabbed another round of drinks and headed to our seats, I got a Kir Royal (Champagne and Creme de Cassis). The fashion show began at 7:05 and was opened by the boutique, Teal. (Incidentally Teal is owned by a fellow Air Force spouse, Jessica, who is good friends with Katie.) Other boutiques featured were iheart, V2V, Mary MoJos, Bitton and Gwynn's. The evening wrapped up with the fashion editor of Charleston Magazine and a previous Project Runway contestant, thanking us for coming, etc. It was "fierce" and what a way to spend girl's night!

Afterwards the four of us headed to dinner at Coast where we ran into Danielle and her ladies and Jessica. The food as usual was wonderful and exactly what we needed to revive us for more socializing. Katie and Darcel made their exits and Lindsey and I strutted to Chai's were we met up with Danielle, her friends and Taryn.

It was a full night but something I'm very glad I finally did. The odds of B and me living in an area where there are yearly fashion shows are pretty slim. So why not take one night to dress up and feel like a fashion guru?

**UPDATE: So I wasn't going to mention this in the original blog post, but since I've been noted for my antics I thought I'd better include it! During one of the intermissions I, along with at least 20 of my closest girlfriends, was waiting in line to use the restroom. Getting antsy; I thought out loud, "I'll go to the men's room if someone else will go with me." I had a taker and she and I ran hand and hand, like we'd known each other for years (guys it's hard to explain why, but women bond in the bathroom), and sauntered into the men's room. A few were taken by surprise and others just went with it. Don't worry I kept my eyes averted and stayed in my stall until I was done. And when I finished I thanked the boys for their hospitality. So there it is, yet again, I pull a "Michelle"**

30 degrees of Seperation...

2009-03-05T22:42:00.003-05:00

Well, I just got back from visiting my parents in Maryland and while I had a wonderful time seeing them and celebrating my dad's birthday; it's really nice to be home.

My friend Lindsey and I drove together with her sweet dog, Tess. It was a 9 hour journey (both ways), one in which, Tess decided she liked the view from the floor between the backseat and the driver's seat! Poor girl was so stressed. All in all it was a very uneventful drive and Lindsey and I are still friends!

While in Maryland, my mom, dad and I rode the metro to Washington, D.C. Now, it needs to be said that this was by no means my first trip to D.C. However, it was my first time seeing the historic documents of our great nation. I tried to view the Constitution and Declaration of Independence a little bit ago, but was "unable". Anyway, it was all very neat and I can now check that off my proverbial "to do/see" list. While in the capital, we also went to the the Spy Museum. It was a lot of fun and I highly recommend it to anyone. They have things from the CIA, KGB and other acronymed agencies as well as mementos from film spies (yes, that includes Austin Powers).

Because of the snow storm that hit the area on Sunday night (it dropped 7.5 inches) we decided to fore go the trip we had planned to Monticello (Jefferson's house). The snow and the 3 hour drive both ways was making it look less and less appealing. So we stayed in town and walked around the shopping malls and went to a movie (Paul Blart: Mall Cop--cute movie). Most of our week was like that, very low key.

Tuesday was my dad's 60th birthday and B's 30th birthday! And we celebrated my dad's by making him breakfast and playing Wii and Wii Fit, which, was followed by dinner at a great Polynesian restaurant. B's was celebrated with his coworkers/friends and in lieu of a cake he had banana-nut bread.

On Wednesday, my folks and I traveled to Alexandria, Virginia and walked the quaint old town area. The buildings were really beautiful and reminded me of a smaller version of downtown Charleston. For lunch we stopped at a pub (a converted house) called O'Conelly's. The food was tremendous and it was completed with an Irish server! Once we had explored what we could of the town, we made our way to Starbucks for tea and coffee and saw a security detail. How does one distinguish a security detail you might ask. Well, the fact that all the men were clean cut, wearing (what I can assume is) a standard issue black trenchcoat coupled with a curly ear piece; I'd say it's a pretty good estimate. Still not sure who they were looking after but considering it's the second one I've seen in my life (in an everyday situation) I consider it pretty darned cool!

After the coffee we met up with Lindsey and her mom and I had to wish my parents goodbye. I would be spending the night at Lindsey's parents home so we could leave bright and early (and cold) the next day to come home. When we left Virginia it was 30 degrees by the time we pulled into my driveway it was 65! So from puffy coats to Capri pants; we had over 30 degrees of separation in 9 hours...crazy!

Though my trip to Maryland was relaxing and restful, it was by no means boring. It was a great respite from home and the recharge to my batteries that I really needed.

Slippery When Frozen...

2009-01-25T00:27:00.004-05:00

Well, gang I went ice skating last night. Now anyone who has known me for a few years knows that ice and I don't get along. If there is ice anywhere; it is inevitable that I will find it and slip on it. Whether or not I fall is another story.

Anywho, for our Spouse's Social for January we went to an ice skating rink and I decided to commune with the cold and frozen water. I stepped out onto the ice with my fellow girlfriends and everything was going great, until I had to turn. (It really is too bad that they don't make rinks in a straight line.) As I was turning I felt myself loosing balance and what happened next was...well, cartoonish. My feet began to slip from under me and I tried to recover in a speedy sort of fashion so it must have looked like I was doing a Russian folk dance. Another way to picture it is to think of Goofy or Wylie coyote. In a split second both my feet were in front of my face and I landed hard (on my ass) on the ice. Thank God for the extra padding on that area! All I could do was laugh as I laid on the ice. Several of my friends surrounded me with, "Ohmygod, are you ok?" and "Oh no! Are you hurt?" To which I responded, "yes I'm fine and only my ego is bruised."

As far as ice skating goes I've decided it's much easier to fall than it is to get back up. These same friends tried to help me up while they, themselves were on ice skates. Needless to say it was next to impossible for me to get up so I just crawled to the wall and picked myself up.

I think I'm going to pass on ice skating next time.

Inspiration

2009-01-22T23:12:00.003-05:00

I've finally started writing again! Music has a way of helping me put pencil to paper (some of you already knew that from a previous post) and I think it's because it makes me focus on my characters' feelings at a certain point in the story. These are the lyrics to Breathe by Taylor Swift. If you haven't heard the song, I recommend it. It's not exactly a happy song but it's a very truthful one.

Enjoy!

I see your face in my mind as I drive away,
Cause none of us thought it was gonna end that way.
People are people,And sometimes we change our minds.
But it’s killing me to see you go after all this time.

Mmm mmm mmm
Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm
Mmm mmm mmm
Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm

Music starts playin’ like the end of a sad movie,
It’s the kinda ending you don’t really wanna see.
Cause it’s tragedy and it’ll only bring you down,
Now I don’t know what to be without you around.

And we know it’s never simple,
Never easy.
Never a clean break, no one here to save me.
You’re the only thing I know like the back of my hand,
And I can’t,Breathe,
Without you,
But I have to,Breathe,
Without you,But I have to.

Never wanted this, never wanna see you hurt.
Every little bump in the road I tried to swerve.
But people are people,
And sometimes it doesn’t work out,
Nothing we say is gonna save us from the fall out.
And we know it’s never simple,

Never easy.
Never a clean break, no one here to save me.
You’re the only thing I know like the back of my hand,
And I can’t,
Breathe,
Without you,
But I have to,
Breathe,
Without you,
But I have to.

It’s two a.m.
Feelin' like I just lost a friend.
Hope you know it’s not easy,
Easy for me.

It’s two a.m.
Feelin’ like I just lost a friend.
Hope you know this ain’t easy,
Easy for me.

And we know it’s never simple,
Never easy.
Never a clean break, no one here to save me.
Ohhh
I can’t,Breathe,
Without you,
But I have to,
Breathe,
Without you,
But I have to.
Breathe,without you,but i have to.

Sorry
Sorry
Sorry
Sorry
Sorry
Sorry
Sorry

That Thing is MOVING!

2009-01-18T11:29:00.004-05:00

Last night, I went out with some gal pals to downtown Chucktown. The Citadel was having a meet and greet for their grad students (and friends) at Mad River where there would be $2 drink specials and free finger food. I fit into the friends category; Jennifer B. (who is a Citadel grad student) invited Lindsey L. and me to attend with her and her other friend (also a Citadel grad student), Heather. It was a lot of fun!

We started the night at Social a wine bar off East Bay where we took advantage of their wine tasting specials. For a set price we enjoyed 3-2.5 oz tastes of various wines. They were either from the same region or similar types (ie. Merlot, Cab, etc.). I decided to go with the "Indicative Italians", Jennifer and Heather shared the "Mediterranean", and Lindsey went with the "Southern France". All I can say, is if those were tastes I can't imagine what a full glass is there!

When our server came out she brought the samples in a special carrier in which the three glasses were suspended by a piece of metal with three holes and a notch for each were cut into it and was completed with a handle. It was really neat and I'm not explaining it right. You'll just have to see for yourself. Anywho, although they were called a sampler set these were pretty much full glasses of wine, which when you think of the price (mine was $14) it's a tremendous deal!

The four of us enjoyed great conversation and thoroughly enjoyed our wine, after which we made our way to Mad River. Where Katie H. and her friend Rita joined us. It was fun gabbing and listening to the great music from our younger years. Around 11:30 the younger crowd (I'm totally dating myself by calling them that!) began to arrive and Katie and Rita decided to head home; we made our exits around 1:00 in the morning.

Because Jennifer had picked Heather up from the Citadel; she also dropped her off there. Neither Lindsey or I had ever seen the campus, so Jennifer (who is also married to a Citadel graduate) played tour guide. Our first stop was the chapel, which I was surprised to see was open at one-something in the morning. But Jennifer told us it usually stays open all day.

It was beautiful! That's one thing military schools really do well, their chapels. I've seen the Air Force Academy's-breathtaking, Annapolis'-gorgeous and dripping with history, and now the Citadel's-beautiful, especially its wood planked ceiling! As the three of us walked the aisle and admired the architecture. Lindsey, noticed something blue and glowing, moving on the ceiling. Some of the conversation went like this:

L: hey guys what's that blue thing glowing on the ceiling?
J: I'm not sure.
M: looks like a bug zapper.
L: why would they have a bug zapper on the roof of a chapel?
M: I don't know to kill hornets?
J: I don't think that's a bug zapper.
L: ohmygosh you guys it moved!
M&J: yeah, sure it did (raised eyebrows to each other).
L: I'm telling you guys that thing is MOVING. It was on that plank and now it's on that one (pointing).

At this point Jennifer and I think Lindsey is seeing things. Bear in mind the ceiling of the chapel is about 3 stories high, it's dark and it's one in the morning. Jennifer and I made our way back to the entrance while Lindsey was still standing in the middle of the aisle with her head cocked back. As Jennifer and I walked through the door, Lindsey said she saw it move again so the two of us turned around and us three stood near the open door with our heads tilted back. (I can't imagine how it would have looked to a passerby.) We stayed like that for about two minutes when it did in fact MOVE followed by our squealing! It looked like it crawled or slinked (like a caterpillar). Lindsey said the obligatory, "SEE, I'm not going crazy!" and Jennifer and I nodded.

For five minutes we stared up at this thing tying to figure out what it was. I think it was a mixture of terror, interest and the inability to look away as to why we stayed. But we did and made all sorts of guesses ranging from it's an alien to its a glowing caterpillar and it's a few bats. Jennifer remembered she had her camera and all of us thought it was great idea, use the zoom to see if we can get a better look at this anomaly. She ran to her car and came beck with he camera. Once it was turned it on she began to zoom in on the "creature". Just as she was fully zoomed, it moved again and we could see what it was...

A BALLOON! It was a freakin' blue, mylar balloon! We took that as our cue to leave and go home. Needless to say it was a fun-filled night...one to be remembered.

Bathing Suits, really?

2009-01-13T10:30:00.003-05:00

A few days ago I was meandoring around Target and realized they've brought their bathing suits out. Are you kidding? IT'S JANUARY! I understand it gets warmer earlier in the year here than other places, but come on.

I look at myself in the mirror and can't even imagine wearing a bathing suit any time soon. Not only are my thighs and arms not lookng the way I want them, but, hello pasty skin. I honestly think I am whiter than I was in Ohio.

New Year's Festivities...

2009-01-09T16:51:00.005-05:00

I noticed that I mentioned my New Year's Eve plans but never actually posted pictures.

Tess was scared of the fireworks.

TWINKIES!!

Lindsey and Tess

Group photo

Another (see that fire in the background...I built that! And yes I was a girlscout!)

Our Trip to Kiawah...

2009-01-06T11:52:00.006-05:00

I realized in the midst of my belly aching and all around feelings of sorry for myself; I forgot to post our pictures from Kiawah. B and I decided a short but sweet get-away was well deserved for both of us. So we packed our bags and made a reservation at the Sanctuary. Let me tell you off season holidays are the way to go! We booked an ocean front room for December 22nd. I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful it was to prop our door open and listen to the waves crashing as we ate breakfast or relaxed in bed. Oh that was the life!

These are the views of/from our room:

View from the Atlantic Room (where we had dinner)

One of two grand staircases in The Sanctuary and pictures of their Christmas decor:

view from the lobby

Freshfields:

The Angel Oak: said to be more than 400 years old

...but isn't that the kissing disease?

2009-01-02T13:48:00.004-05:00

Like one of my friends said it's like adding insult to injury. Not only is B deployed but now I find out I have MONO? Seriously?!

It all started on the 30th when I was feeling a little more tired than normal and I attributed it to the holiday/deployment let down and the fact that I had just completed a 10 hour work day (which my body wasn't used to anyway). Add to the fact that I couldn't get warm...that should have been my first tip-off. Then on the 31st, that's right New Year's eve my throat started to hurt at work and again I could get warm, went to Lindsey L.'s house for a New Year's celebration with Michelle M., Jen B., and Katherine S. I literally sat in front of the fireplace the whole night with a blanket. My body was screaming at me and I wasn't paying attention. When I finally got home I collapsed on my bed and passed out. The 1st was all awful and painful.

What finally got me to the doc today was the fact that my throat was on fire with little pins sticking in it (along with other nastiness, which I won't describe here). As soon as I got up I hauled myself to MedCare Express--God love them by the way! Extremely nice people and the office is very welcoming. The only annoying part about this morning was that because of my insurance, I need a referral to see any other doc (that will change soon). So I called the on-call doc on base (because apparently it's a federal holiday yesterday and today--who knew) and got a referral to see another doc. Well my throat was swabbed for strep, which came back negative. The nurse said that when strep tests come back negative they automatically test for mono so they took a blood test. A few minutes later the doctor came back into the room and said, "well your mono test came back positive...blah...blah...blah." I couldn't tell you the rest because I was shocked and awed by the fact I got MONO. I'm racking brain and even now I still can't figure out where I could have gotten it. Luckily, I spoke with B and he's not feeling the slightest bit sick or feverish, which is great because it could affect his job.

It never fails when B leaves something inevitably happens (usually it's with the house). Regardless, I'm going to take a nap.

Welcome to the Light, Sophia...

2008-12-03T11:48:00.002-05:00

*To read about Sophia, please see our blog!

Turkey Day Troting and Eating...

2008-11-28T16:35:00.005-05:00

Brandon and I began our Thanksgiving at 7:45 in the morning! Ugh, it was early! Eventually we made our way to downtown Charleston to participate in the 31st Annual 5K Turkey Day Run, lovingly called the Turkey Trot. (I have been training for the past several weeks to get in shape but also to run in the event.)

At 9 o'clock the gun was fired and Brandon, myself and our two friends Michelle and "Howdy" began the Turkey Trot! Brandon was a trouper and held back to my pace (13 minute miles) which we were able to keep for the majority of the race. We finished the 3.1 miles in 40 minutes, a best for me!! I improved my time by 6 minutes! And I decided not to feel guilty about eating a little extra stuffing and cobbler later that day!

Once home and cleaned up, we feasted on sticky buns while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Later on, I completed the Thanksgiving feast, which turned out rather well and really yummy, too. After dinner we trekked to some friend's home where we enjoyed the cobbler, some cake and pie, and the company (the Crawford's, Kerr's and Ben) while playing games.

Thanksgiving '08 was a fun time and Brandon and I decided to make a tradition of the Turkey Trot and of course the eating afterward!

Ringing in the Christmas Season...

2008-11-25T21:48:00.006-05:00

After Brandon's 2 week trip I am so happy to have him back home; especially in time for Thanksgiving. Though it's not a favorite holiday it is a great "rite of passage" to one of my favorites! Christmas! And the fact that the weather is nice and cold really helps me get into the holiday spirit.

In our household we typically ring in the Christmas season following the Thanksgiving meal and football with a classic Christmas movie. No not, Holiday Inn, or White Christmas, not even Miracle on 34th Street, or It's a Wonderful Life. Nope at our house we watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation! Enjoy some of my favorite lines from the movie!

"That there, Clark is an RV."

"Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Kiss my ass. Kiss his ass. Kiss your ass. Happy Chanukah."

"Where do you plan on putting a tree that big, Griswold?"
"Bend over and I'll show you."
"You've got a lot of nerve talking to me like that!"
"I wasn't talking to you."

"We're gonna burn some dust! Eat my rubber!"

"Can't see the lines can you Russ?"

and of course, "I'd like Frank Shirley, my boss, right here tonight. I want him brought from his happy holiday slumber over there on Melody Lane, with all the other rich people, and I want him brought right here with a big ribbon on his head. And, I want to look him straight in the eye and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no good, rotten, floor-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed, sack of monkey sh** he is! Hallelujah! Holly sh**! Where's the Tylenol?"

Ah, gotta love it!

Read My Lipstick...Go Vote!

2008-10-23T10:32:00.007-04:00

As this is my blog I'm going to voice my opinion on the presidential race, but before I do I want everyone who reads this to understand how important your vote is in the election this year. Even if you think one vote won't make a difference, just remember your one vote added with lots of other "one votes" add up to an electoral college. Your vote counts; not only on the national level but also on the local level. So, don't forget to vote on Tuesday, November 4th.

If your town is anything like mine I'm sure you have seen the signs for folks running for anything from Probate Judge to the Presidency. My parents always used to tell me, "If you don't vote, you have no room to complain." While I believe this to be mostly true, I also have to raise the question, what about other military families like ours who don't live locally but still get the absentee ballot with names we may not recognize for local offices?

Personally, I would do one of two things. The first, don't vote on the local offices. Right now you're thinking, "wait a minute, didn't she just say that my vote is important?" Yes, it is, but not an uneducated vote. If you don't have the time to educate yourself on the various offices and those running for them, don't vote. Your uneducated vote will inevitably cancel out the educated vote of someone who has taken the time to research those that are running and really, truly cares about the outcome. Secondly, like I wrote before, research those campaigning. You can do this through the internet, or by asking someone who (lives in the area your ballot represents) you trust and has similar political views as you who they're voting for or what they suggest and why.

Now on to my opinion:

I am a McCain/Palin supporter. I believe John McCain's experience in the military and as a Senator is what this country needs. We need his no-nonsense bipartisan beliefs. This country has become so jaded with being politically correct and not placing blame where it is due that we've become a nation of over concerned finger-pointers. McCain's record has shown that he has no problem exposing them. When he said, "I would rather lose this election than compromise my principles," I knew he would be the man I vote for.

Sarah Palin, it's true, does not have the federal experience of her running mate and their opposition. However, I do not see this as a flaw. Don't forget, she is the governor of a state in our union. She's not some country bumpkin McCain found in the middle of nowhere. Her lack of Washington wisdom is what makes her so endearing; a female version of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington comes to mind. Don't get me wrong though; I think she's far from naive and she'll tell the Congressmen and Senators what she really thinks with a bit of sugar on top.

I believe John McCain and Sarah Palin truly care for the general American public, which is why I support them in their campaign for the Presidency and Vice Presidency.

How to Crochet...the Granny Square

2008-10-20T19:31:00.003-04:00

Before Brandon and I married I learn to knit. Since then I've knitted scarves, flowers and many knit hats. I love it, but as of last year I've always wanted to learn to crochet. So being the self-starter I am, I googled "how to crochet" and found several sites, but the one I'm using is a tutorial on (of all places) YouTube. So far I've crocheted one granny square. It's definitely not as clean looking as my "teacher's" but I'm sure if I keep up with it, I'll be able to whip them out in no time flat.

Stay tuned I'll put up pictures soon...

Road Rage!

2008-10-07T08:41:00.004-04:00

The longer I have been driving the more I come to loathe the stupidity on the roads. I know I have done some annoying and frustrating things while driving, so no, I'm not perfect. But here is a brief list of my findings:

Nobody likes rush hour. You are not the only one who has to be somewhere.
The brake pedal is for stopping/immediate slow down. To gradually decrease your speed, simply remove your foot from the accelerator. It is a scientific fact; you will slow down.
To merge you must accelerate to the speed which your fellow drivers are driving.
To the fellow drivers, if a lane is ending and someone needs to get in your lane, let them in. It is not an affront to you personally, they just need to move over. I have a mantra, if one person lets me in I have to do the same for someone else. This is a "pay-it-forward" of sorts. I think if more people did this, drive time would be a little easier. Try it.
Enjoy the ride. I know being at a stand still on the freeway is annoying, but try to find a way to see something great in the morning like a sunrise or listening to your favorite music/talk radio.

What would the world come to if all people were treated with respect? Try starting it on the roads and see what happens...

What to Say When There's Nothing to Say

2008-10-03T09:39:00.002-04:00

I know the title is a bit ambiguous, but this has been my issue for the past month. Most of you already know I've been working on writing a novel. As of late, I have 83 pages; which is a pretty decent accomplishment, if I could pat myself on the back for a moment.

My problem is getting started; let me rephrase...my problem is getting "restarted". You see my ideas come and go. When they come, I'm on fire. I could sit in front of my laptop for hours; forgetting to eat or drink. Words spill from my imagination onto the keyboard (or from my pencil, if I'm feeling none technical) like the water I just spilled on my lap. When the ideas are gone, they take a hiatus to "never-never land", and I'm stuck sitting in front of a blank screen (or page) with an equally blank look on my face (I can only assume). It's purgatory for the writer.

Lately, I've had thoughts running through my head but they haven't manifested themselves. Does that make sense? It's like when you see someone and you know you know their name but for the life of you, you can't think of it. That's kind of what it's like. I know the route my characters are ultimately going to take, but getting them there can be like wrangling a puppy that hasn't been leash trained yet.

What will happen with Kylie and Drew? What drama will Jillian get herself into? As silly as it sounds, music helps me compartmentalize these ideas. Lately "Crush" by David Archuleta, and "T-shirt" by Shontelle are helping. What I need to do is make a playlist of the songs that get my motor running and play them when I have nothing to say.

Look what I made!

2008-09-30T10:40:00.003-04:00

Seeing as how Fall is my most favorite season, I did some autumnal sprucing to the homestead! Most of these I made a few years ago and just refreshed with more leaves, flowers and do-dads. But the pumpkin and knitted flower are both fairly new. I've been trying to figure out what to do with the pupkin b/c I stupidly cut into it with another craft in mind which inevitably failed. Enjoy!

In My Car I'm a Rock Star...

2008-04-15T15:00:00.001-04:00

Brandon is always telling me I should sing more and truth-be-told I really do like singing, but I had a bad past experience when I was around 15. I used to sing in the choir at our church and our choir mistress (sounds a little S&M now that I think about it, regardless) she pulled me aside after practice one day and said, I'm a better harmonizer than a soloist. My dreams of being the next Debbie Gibson were crushed! I had been reduced to a backup singer.

Now, several years later I still do not sing in public, unless incredibly intoxicated or so drowned out that no one could hear me even if they wanted to. But, in my car I am Beyonce! I belt out tunes from Carrie Underwood to Flo Rida like it's my job. I can carry a tune like Charlotte Church, and be an alternative rock star like Live! In my (tone deaf) ears I could be the next undiscovered American Idol.

So to those who will ride in my car; be prepared for some steering wheel karaoke. Join in if you wish, but in my car we're all rock stars!

City Slickers meet Deliverance

2008-03-26T15:13:00.001-04:00

This past weekend Brandon, myself and several other friends trekked our way to Clayton, Georgia for a wedding between two other friends. The wedding was beautiful/fun but that will be in the photo albums. Let me tell you about Clayton.

Last Thursday, I decided I would look up some info on the town of Clayton to find what we could do for the two days Brandon and I would spend there. It’s a lovely mountain town along the boarder of South Carolina and Georgia I also discovered Margaret Mitchell lived there while she wrote Gone with the Wind and the movie Deliverance was filmed there. (Cue fiddle!)

As Brandon and I drove the good old SUV toward the wedding site (and making a pit stop in Greenville...oh the memories, but that’s for another blog) we noted how pretty the area was becoming. From the beaches to the mountains in less than a day; it was lovely to see the change in our surroundings and the climate. We arrived in Clayton around three o’clock and I couldn’t believe how cute the downtown was.

It looked as though a town had been picked up from Germany and plopped down in the middle of Clayton. The woodwork on most of the buildings and the "gingerbread" styling to some of the larger establishments was adorable! Brandon and I parked the car and checked into our hotel. The people were sweet and though our lodging was definitely old (and really could have used some renovation) it was still quaint.

As we unpacked our "hangables" and toiletries the phone started ringing unexplainably, who could possibly be calling us, no one knew our new room number. Whenever Brandon would pick it up it would be dead. Creepy! So we tried calling the front desk. Busy. Hmm, something’s wrong here. So Brandon made his way downstairs. The phone rang again, this time the front desk clerk was on the other end, saying he’s cleared all messages and is not sure why the phone isn’t working. He asks that I call the front desk to see if it fixed the phone. I hang up dial "0" still busy. Nope, room phone is definitely broken.

Ok, no biggie. Both Brandon and I have our cell phones we’ll just talk to people on those like usual. WRONG! When Brandon came back to the room we checked our cell phones only to find out our carrier doesn’t get signal up there! WHAT?!

(Cue Michelle freaking out) "How are we supposed to get in touch with people without our cell phones?! What did we do before cell phones? Ohmygod...I need to sit down."

We asked the front clerk if there is anywhere we might be able to get service and he mentioned going to Walmart (surprise) and trying up there, as it’s the highest, most open space in the city. Ok, so to Walmart we went...we needed to buy s’mores supplies anyway for the bonfire that night. Brandon pulls into the Walmart parking lot, still "no signal". In a last ditch effort I stand on the car and reach my hand as high in the air as possible hoping and praying for a signal. NO FREAKIN’ SIGNAL!

This means, no text, no voicemail, no alarm clocks (FYI, there weren’t any in the hotel either), no calling! What were we to do? Luckily most of our friends were staying in the same hotel, so we did it old school, we made meeting times for in the lobby and carpooled or caravaned our ways around the city and to and from the wedding site.

(In a side note, after the wedding several of us went to a local pub as we walked in the locals seemed to stop what they were doing to look at the newcomers.)

It was a great weekend and as Brandon said the Mayor of Clayton probably threw a block party when the "Charleston Folks" left.

Jazz Hands!

2008-02-14T09:59:00.001-05:00

This past weekend was probably one of the funnest I've had in a really long time. I don't think I've ever laughed as much or as hard.
Initially it was going to be a girls night on Saturday at the movie theater with the movie Atonement. But because of scheduling difficulties and bad timing for the movie, we decided to make it into an all out dance fest!
Saturday night started in my closet where I discovered that I had a lack of "boob shirts", needless to say I made due got beautified and picked up Michelle H. We met at Tony's where a group of us (Michelle H., Landon, Ian, Tony, and I) were to supposedly take a cab downtown...you'd think Charleston cab companies would be more willing to help, but alas they were not. By 8:30 we were starved and decided that waiting and drinking on empty stomachs was not an option but, Landon was a trouper and offered to drive the group of us downtown.
Once parked our troupe meandered to Tommy Condon's (AKA: Tommy's Condom) to get a pint and some grub and to meet up with Michelle and Patrick Mc. The discovery of a 45 minute wait at 9:00 was out of the question so we decided to pop next door to Bocis where we met up with Jackie; good drinks, food, and conversation were had.
After the checks were paid a discussion ensued as to where this dance-fest would take place. And it was decided, on Landon's suggestion, we would go to Mad River. As we walked our way there the Michelles (there were 3 of us) created a "Secret Michelle Handshake", JAZZ HANDS and decided it would be our "save me" code. We also decided that anybody who walked though our dance circle would be bombarded by a Night at the Roxbury rendition.
When we entered said club I immediately liked it for the fact the DJ was playing Billy Idol! Some of the other group members weren't convinced. At any rate, we stayed through the Phil Collins and some other interesting music choices and at 11:30 on the button, the dance music ensued and we worked our way to the dance floor.
Locating the perfect spot we (the 4 girls and later 3 of the 4 boys, ahem Landon sat out) shimmied and gyrated. Throughout the night several men decided they would break up our circle and were promptly surrounded and "disposed of". The one that still makes me laugh was a short, 30 something, Hispanic guy who panicked when he was inundated by 4 girls. He was so unnerved that he stayed on the wall for several minutes. Haha our evil plan worked!
At 2:00 in the morning, being the only one mostly sober I was elected to drive. Once on the 26 a motion was made for stopping at Waffle House and passed. (BTW the Waffle House is only good after a rough night/morning.) One of our group spent most of the time hovering in the bathroom (we've ALL been there).
When breakfast was done we ended up back where we started, at Tony's. We each went our separate ways to sleep off whatever ailed us.
Sunday morning was an extremely painful morning for me for a couple reasons. The first being that my body was rebelling the fact that I danced for 2 1/2 hours straight. The second was that I didn't get to bed until 4:30 that morning and my stupid internal clock decided 8:55 was wakey, wakey time. After texting Brandon and the 2 Michelles I decided I'd might as well get up...one of the worst decisions I made was looking in the mirror. Saying I looked like roadkill is being kind.
Around 10:30 Michelle Mc. picked me up with coffee, (God bless her!) so we could walk Nelson (her fur baby) around downtown Charleston (about 3 miles total). It was a beautiful day and to waste it inside would have been criminal. After the trek, we went to Dog and Duck and inhaled our lunches.
A few hours at home allowed me to work on some writing (see Work in Progress) and rest. At 7:00 I joined Amanda, Michelle and Patrick Mc. at the bowling alley for trivia. We sucked big time, but I chalk it up to a long night on Saturday. After trivia Michelle H. invited me to stop by and play some cards with Tony, Ian, Jackie and her. The group of us laughed and chair danced into the wee hours of the morning (sans Jackie b/c she went to bed early, boo) playing "hand and foot", Ian, my partner and I were rock stars that night and beat Michelle and Tony. Boo-yeah!
Making this weekend a recurring event would be sweet and I hope we can make it work, because I had a great time and those typically only happen when awesome people are together with the same mind set. So to my wonderful group of friends from this weekend, I send you: JAZZ HANDS!

Answer Me with Silence

2008-02-06T11:57:00.000-05:00

Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all.

Though I try to act in that respect I find myself sometimes talking rather than speaking. Sometimes I hear what I say to friends and family and am either
a) amazed that I can be so astute, thoughtful, or funny or
b) ashamed and inwardly telling myself to shut-the-hell-up in mid sentence.

I tell people that I have chronic foot in mouth syndrome, some nod knowingly; they feel where I'm coming from, others look at me like I have a disease obviously thinking I told them I have hoof and mouth disease (btw, they're two separate things). No, I talk without fully thinking through what I will say; I speak from the hip as some people say. While what I say can be funny and witty I have on occasion hurled an insult without expecting to, and inevitably, later feel the guilt thread through me.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent on the Christian calendar. Lent represents the 40 days and nights that Christ walked the desert and Satan tried to tempt him. Lent for me represents the time when I can try to be a better person. So, for Lent I will give up talking rather than speaking. I will make a concerted effort to say only relevant things and actually listen to my family and friends when they speak and to know when to answer by speaking and answering with silence.

some cool websites!

2008-01-02T14:00:00.000-05:00

happy new year! while perusing the web (due to boredome) I found some new sites and crafts. Not Martha and Picnik (a photoshop type software on the web).

Enjoy!

Vegas-California Trip

2007-10-18T12:26:00.000-04:00

Brandon and I just returned from our 2 week stint in Las Vegas and Southern California (the SC where I grew up) and we had a great time. We decided to take this trip for many reasons but most importantly for our fourth year anniversary. I had never been to Vegas before and it had been a while since Brandon had been home to see his family and friends.

Our first stop was Las Vegas, for 3 nights, we stayed at the Stratosphere (while they were nice accommodations it was too far north for me...next time we will stay in a more central location). Our first two days were spent with my side of the family, my folks flew from Maryland to Las Vegas and my aunt and uncle flew in from Arizona, the day prior to our entrance to the "city that never sleeps".

I was amazed at how small Vegas was. I was expecting the strip to be massive in length but it was only several blocks. However what the strip lacked in length it made up for in height. I could not get over how huge every single casino was! Our first night in LV was spent at the MGM Grand watching the increadible performance of KA. To say it was amazing is an understatement. The cast from Cirque du Soleil did stunts I had never seen before; a battle on a vertical wall, acrobatics on spinning wheels, and 5 story falls; it was a sight! The next couple days were spent exploring all we could of the various casinos and shops with my parents. Friday night Brandon, my folks, aunt and uncle, and I had a wonderful paella dinner with my great-aunt who lives near LV. It was delicious and was completed with authentic sangria!

From Saturday on we spent time with Brandon's friends and sister (Melissa) and brother-in-law (Aaron). We explored more of the casinos and my favorites included, the Venetian (for the gondola rides), the Bellagio (for the extravagance), and New York, New York (for the Nine Fine Irishmen pub). Needless to say Brandon and I had a wonderful time in Las Vegas.

On Sunday Melissa and Aaron drove us back to California where we stayed with Brandon's folks for a week and a half. The second day we were in California, we went shooting (my first time). We used a 9mm Glock and a 357 magnum (think Dirty Harry). It was an experience and believe it or not, I did better with the 357 than the 9mm. Further in the week we went to Universal Studios and enjoyed a day of theme park fun. While we were there, tapings for Desperate Housewives and National Treasure 2 were being made...where else but in Hollywood could you say that?! Our anniversary was spent in California and we enjoyed Thai cuisine at a new restaurant in Claremont.

A couple days later Brandon's folks had a family party and we got to see a lot of Brandon's extended family. It was good to see everyone again. Nearing the end of our California visit, we took a trip to Melissa and Aaron's new home in Laguna Hills (near Laguna Beach), their home was lovely and we got to explore the local area, cute shops, and played a mean game of Wii! Our final night was spent at Warehouse pizza where Brandon was able to catch up with several of his buddies from High School.

The trip was busy but we had a wonderful time with everyone and each other.

Pirrrrate Parrrrty

2007-10-01T12:12:00.000-04:00

This past Saturday B and I went to a Pirate themed party. It was a lot of fun to say the least. About 90% of people were dressed as pirates and it was a blast to see all the different takes on pirate attire. What I remeber of the party was the rum punch - very strong (and knocked me on my butt) and flowed freely, lots of laughter, jell-o shots, something about a plank, and a beer bong. The ride home was rough and B took care of me that night and Sunday morning. I feel much better now, though the after effects weren't worth it, I had a great time. Besides any excuse to dress up is good by me.

The Mile High Club

2007-09-27T14:03:00.000-04:00

So the other day I was listening to the radio and they were talking about the Mile High Club...now I don't know about you, but it's something that intrigues me, but I'm apprehensive to make a "moment" out of those tiny, disgusting, airplane bathroom stalls. In fact it makes me dry heave. But according to 95.1 there is a service out of the Charleston Internatioal Airport that allows you to join the Mile High Club with out having to leave your seat.

Enter Club Mile High, now this changes things!

Homecoming

2007-09-19T15:40:00.000-04:00

B is home and I can hardly believe it.

Once he was home and settled on the 3rd we made a homemade pizza and watched the Clemson v. FSU game (Go TIGERS!). On the 4th we did some catching up and bought new cell phones, had some Moe's burritos, and Cold Stone ice cream. Basically just hanging out and being in each other's company. The 5th was also full of shopping he bought a pair of Lucky Jeans (I like to say he got "lucky") we also hung out with some pals at Reds Icehouse in Mt. Plesant and had a few beers. Today was yard work day (yuck) and more vegging. All-in-all it's been a very relaxing week, thus far and it's been super nice to be able to see Brandon when I'm talking to him and hold hands with him when we're together. It's those little things that mean so much when he's gone and I'm thrilled to have him back.

So I'm not going to waste anymore time on this blog and go back to being with him. Michelle...out!

August 2007

2007-09-19T15:39:00.000-04:00

Weed whacking with a bush trimmer. No, it isn't a new Beck song.

Yesterday, began the "nesting" process for Brandon's return home. The task included weeding the massive amounts of weeds in our backyard (our yard has never had grass and has not yet been landscaped)--I swear some were as big as saplings, the few in our front yard, picking up doggy poo, and trimming the jungle of bushes by our front door.

It was while I was trimming these bushes that I had the brilliant idea of using the electric bush trimmer to manage the ginormous weeds in our backyard, as I never learned (and never really wanted) to use the edger/weed whacker. It worked beautifully or at least, "good enough for government work" (as Brandon always says). It looks like the weed trees never existed. Now both our front yard and back "yard" are ready for mowing today. :oP

The "To-Do" list today, includes, going to Publix, mowing the lawn, dusting and vacuuming...yippee skippy!

August 2007

2007-09-19T15:37:00.000-04:00

Every Sunday night is trivia night at our local bowling alley. Amanda, Michelle and I have been going since June and have only won twice. While a win is a win, we were getting so tired of the same groups ALWAYS winning and having an incredible dry spell ourselves. Well, last night was a great trivia night for The Hummingbirds (last night, "team Michelle")! We seriously rocked the house (a little retro action for you, there)!

Each trivia round is comprised of three games consisting of five questions each (so 15 questions per round) and there are two rounds a night. Michelle and I were the only two in our team last night as Amanda was out of town.

The first round, first game (notoriously our bad game) flew by and we knew almost every answer and only had to guess on a couple questions. Our saving grace was a nine point question about the opening of the Brady Bunch (which character was in which spot on the grid--we nailed all of them!). After the game we were in second place of about seven teams, astonished, Michelle and I were determined to keep our ranking. Through the next two games we did really well and at the end of the round we had beaten out the other teams, maintained our second place ranking, and won a $15 gift certificate for the bowling alley (which we usually use on the drinks we drink either that night or the following Sunday).

The second round of questions began and some of the questions were a little harder, but we still were able to come up with correct answers for a good number of them. After the three games we were tied with two other teams for second place and we had to do a sudden death round (one question with 30 seconds to answer). Michelle and I gave it our best shot and were able to beat out one team and walked away with third place (a $10 gift certificate).

So total Michelle and I won $25 in bowling alley money and were tied for the "grand masters" of trivia last night! Needless to say we were beaming and finally able to walk out of the bowling alley lounge, WINNERS!

August 2007

2007-09-19T15:36:00.002-04:00

So I thought I'd follow a friend's lead and make a list of my favorite websites. These are the sites I either visit most often, or ones I just like in general:

Gmail: This is where I get all my email. They also have a great chat "machine". I'm able to chat with friends/family while at work even under firewalls...sweet!

Pandora: This is a great free "radio" that plays only the music you like. And it has a "Quick Mix" button that shuffles through all your stations to make a random mix of fab music!! (Thanks Michelle Mc!)

Fodors: Fantastic references for any travel you plan to do or info on your city. I used this site to find places of interest in my fair town of Charleston...very informative.

Martha Stewart: My husband calls her the Femi-Nazi, and while I'm not a fan of her personality; I love her recipes and crafts. I have yet to find one that hasn't worked out. So whatever she is; her company is fantastic.

Myspace: "Does the word duh, mean anything to you?" (Buffy the Vampire Slayer-The Movie)

Good Reads: A fantastic place to catalog all the books you've ever read, plan to read, are reading. There's a link of this on my page as well. If you join look me up we can be book buddies.

Google: I've loved this site since my college days and I love it even more now that I can customize my home page (as I'm a Gmailer). I have quotes machines, health tips, countdowns, and more. And I can change the look of it to fit my mood.

Imdb: A wonderful place to find any and all info on movies, actors, and anything pertaining to both.

Blockbuster: This is where/how I get my movies. I especially love the fact that I can turn in a viewed movie to any store and get another! I'm never with out a movie.

Tripod: This is a free place to make a website. B and I found that it is easier for family and friends to keep up with our lives if we had one place for all of them to see pictures and our blog as we update them.

Well, those are the websites I love. Check them out if you haven't already.

Happy Surfing!

August 2007

2007-09-19T15:36:00.001-04:00

I grab the latest issue of skirt! magazine and what do I find, but my name printed under the comments section! Apparently they liked my comment so much that they put it in their August issue ;o)

Do comments count as being published?

July 2007

2007-09-19T15:35:00.000-04:00

Of all the things I've been looking forward to least since Brandon has been gone, it is the possibility of having to stain our fence. Well last week, it became apparent that I need to do it (when the HOA told me to get it done lest a fine will be owed). "Fine," I thought, "I'll just hire someone." Easier said than done. So now the task falls to me. But how in the hell do I stain a fence?!

I found this useful website that told me how. PS: if anyone has any other bright ideas, please share them! I'll include a picture in the update.

UPDATE (1 August): It took me a week, but the fence has been stained and looks rather good if I say so myself. A couple friends came over last Saturday to help me finish the back. What a chore! Brandon owes me

July 2007

2007-09-19T15:34:00.000-04:00

Last night my friends Emily, Michelle, and I went to the Harry Potter release party. But when I say that we went, we really just hung out until 11:30 and made our way to the store to await our future book buys.

Around 4:00 I showed up at Barnes and Noble to get the wristbands for when we would get the infamous book. At 6:00 (yes I waited 2 hours--and yes I know I'm a dork), the line began to move and luckily I was able to name drop as Michelle Mc. (as I call her) works part-time for B&N and I was able to pick up my wrist band along with Emily's and hers, we were patrons 20-22! Sweet!

Once I had the wristbands in hand Michelle, Emily (both just got off work) and I went to dinner and had a thrilling discussion of Harry Potter to-date. We went over the loose ends, character analysis, and confirmed plots. After an hour of eating and discussion we made our way to a coffee shop so I could finish re-reading Half-Blood Prince and we could discuss more of what we hopped and thought would be in store for Harry and the readers.

A funny side note: while at the coffee shop, Emily needed a little pick-me-up and got a coffee, the Barrista saw her wrist band and asked if the three of us were getting ready to go clubbing. She said no and left it at that! Three good-looking girls were staying up late not to party like rock stars, but to buy a book and read until the wee hours of the morning...how's that for irony!

At exactly 12:05 I was the 20th person to receive my Harry Potter book! I read until 3:00am (my eyes couldn't stay open any longer). And resumed this morning at 8:30...so far there has already be great action scenes, I've cried, and gotten pissed and I'm only on Chapter 13! Can't wait to see what happens next...but don't worry I won't spoil it.

UPDATE (22 July): I finished reading the book and I am thrilled to say that the book was well worth the wait. There were a few slow parts where JKR had to include explanations for certain tasks, etc. I would say I cried (well sobbed actually) through 1/4 of the book and by the time I finished my face and eyes were swollen and looked like a punching bag (minus the bruising). Loved the book but I wish JKR had included more info in the epilogue...Happy reading!

July 2007

2007-09-19T15:33:00.000-04:00

Last night, 3 friends and I went to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (in 3D at IMAX). We arrived at the IMAX theater at 8:00 o'clock for a 9:30 showing; it sounds absurd, but thank God we did as the line went out the door by the time the doors to the theater opened and we were ready to be seated.

When we were finally in our seats with our 3D specs in-hand we were instructed that when the green glasses appeared on the screen we were to put on the Paris-Hilton-gone-bad-glasses and when they appeared in red we were to take them off. Easy enough. (see picture)

The movie started sans previews (which I was glad for since we had waited an hour and 15 minutes to get into the theater). I have to say I was very impressed with the movie. I did not expect for the director, David Yates to put everything from the book into the movie as it would have been close to 5 hours long if he had. The special effects were incredible and with each new movie I am amazed at what the FX folks can pull off.

With each new movie I am also impressed at the level of improvement of acting ability for the youngsters. Daniel Radcliff was great to say the least and it is obvious Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have become more comfortable in front of the camera. All the kids did a fantastic job and Imelda Staunton who plays Dolores Umbridge is wickedly wonderful!

As we, along with the full theater, experienced the film, the green glasses appeared at the bottom of the screen. A muffled commotion followed as all of us retrieved our glasses and placed them on our faces. It took a little getting used to them, but when the 3D action began I was glad I had paid a little extra for it. The creatures and the action sequences that followed were incredible by themselves but with the help of the glasses and fine tuning of the film, it came to life. Characters ran towards us, cast spells in our direction and glass fell on us. What a great way to experience this film!

While quite a bit was left out, I feel the integrity of the major plot line was held up and I was very impressed. If you get the chance I highly recommend you see the film, whether in a regular theater or in 3D.

July 2007

2007-09-19T15:32:00.000-04:00

I recently returned from visiting my parents' home in Maryland. We spent a lot of time seeing historical and interesting places like Annapolis, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. And, while all of it was very neat to see I couldn't help but pull a "Michelle".

Those who know me well know that stupid things come out of my mouth at inopportune moments. Typically they never hurt anyone else's feelings but rather get a notable expression or laugh. Needless to say I had one of my moments at the Library of Congress on Saturday.

Led by misinformation my folks and I trekked our way from the Smithsonian (half way up the Mall) to the Library of Congress (behind the State House) to see the Constitution (FYI, it isn't in the Library of Congress). It was a hot, humid day and the sun baked each every skin cell that was exposed on my body. We were puddles by the time we reached the air conditioned lobby of the LoC. On a mission I marched up the front desk and told the man behind it:

me: We're here to see the Constitution
man: Oh wow, well that's in the Hall of Records behind the Smithsonian
me: You're kidding
man: Nope
me: (here's the kicker) Well, what's here?
Man: (dumbfounded look on face) Uhh, (5 second pause) well we have the largest collection of first edition books on display as well as the reading room. Let me get you a map of the building.

OHMYGOD! Could I have been more stupid?! I laughed about my conversation with the (very nice) man the rest of the day. Even now I still snigger. I'm sure he got a good laugh, too.

"What's here" good morning, Michelle.

June 2007

2007-09-19T15:31:00.001-04:00

June 12th AKA Peanut Butter Cookie Day (it's true look it up) was my birthday. I wish I could say that my birthday celebrations have matured from the going to bars, getting plastered, and dancing on the bar tops; but as of last Saturday I cannot (well, minus the plastered, thing...I have my limits, you know).

ROUND #1: On June 9th, my bff Anne Marie came down to fair Chucktown to help my other bff, Jen and me to celebrate my birthday. To start we all got dressed up and went to the ballet Swan Lake (don't worry no swan deaths in this one...it was the "Disney" version). We got back to my place and found it muggy and hot. Anyone who has ever lived in the south understands the necessity for a WORKING air conditioner in the summer.

After a phone call put in to Jen's hubby, Anne Marie shimmied, yes shimmied into the attic and after about 15 minutes she was armed with a staple gun and duct tape and began her work. Apparently the ductwork had fallen in an area and caused a kink so the air pressure was really low AND it had come loose from the compressor. Roughly 45 minutes after Anne Marie ascended into the attic, she descended and "poof" the air conditioner was working. Afterwards, we hung out for a few hours to cool off then had an early dinner at the Mustard Seed.

Now that the air conditioner was working properly, we began the process of transforming from good, wholesome girls to naughty women of the night. (Well, now that doesn't sound right...but you know what I mean.) After becoming quaffed, shadowed, and glossed; we were ready for the night life and to meet my other friends Amanda and Michelle. After an amazing parallel parking job (Mr. Driving Instructor would have been proud), we all met up and made our way to Market Street Saloon (think Coyote Ugly) where we bumped/grinded, gyrated, and sang our little hearts out, and danced on the bar top until 1 in the morning. Upon leaving the bar Anne Marie, Jen and I decided we should inform Mike (Jen's bro) how much we missed him and wished he were there with us (apparently we left several VMs and have since started a war...) for some reason pretending to be Carrie Underwood comes to mind...can't understand why?

ROUND #2: On June 12th, my day started like a typical day, accept I didn't have to work, because I asked for it off; how's that for a birthday present to myself! Unfortunately my homeownership duties called and I mowed the lawn. After the bug spray (the mosquitoes here are ginormous) had seeped into every pore sweat had escaped from and grass remnants were firmly embedded on my ankles and arms; I got ready to enjoy the pool with Amanda.

We spent 2 hours lounging by the pool with our Red Stripes and in the pool with our floaty rafts. Once the optimal tan had been achieved we went back to my place, showered and trekked to the "Wives' Social" at the paint-your-own-pottery place (I made a mug).

When the paint had dried on our respective objects d'art, Emily, Michelle, Amanda and I made our way to Oscar's for a wonderful dinner and a birthday canolli accompanied by a restaurant singing me "Happy Birthday". The day was rounded out at; you guessed it, a bar where the four of us and Cristin played a mean game of trivia. We were only 1 point from being tied for 2^nd place.

Thanks to everyone for all the birthday wishes, I really appreciate all of you and your friendships!

CHEERS!

June 2007

2007-09-19T15:29:00.002-04:00

I love books. I have kept almost every book I read for my major in college and (until recently) belonged to a book club. Reading is a great way to pass the time and escape to a world not my own. Depending on the genre, I could experience what it's like to be a vampire, a bounty hunter, an investigator, or see a new side of my own personality.

A friend of mine recently sent me a link to a website to journal all my reads. It's called GoodReads. It's great because I can see what my friends are reading and vice versa and also view their comments or ratings on the various books. If you decide to join, look me up and we can be "goodreads buddies".

Happy Reading!

May 2007

2007-09-19T15:29:00.001-04:00

Friday the 25th marked the beginning of the 31st annual Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC. Basically, it's 2 weeks of art; performances (theater, dance, music) and crafts and paintings. For these 2 weeks Chucktown will have culture galore.

Last night I attended with one of my pals, Cristin, one such performance called the Rubberbandance. It was INCREDIBLE! I honestly had no idea what to expect going in to it. The 5 dancers (2 women and 3 men) performed an eclectic dance style that consisted of (just to name a few) Tai Chi, break dancing, ballet, hip hop, yoga, Pilates, and something that looked similar to the Matrix . I have never seen anything like it before and I thoroughly loved it! If they make it to your home city, please go see it. The audience we were in was as eclectic as the dance styles and everyone I passed at the end was awestruck.

It is time well spent!

March 2007

2007-09-19T15:23:00.000-04:00

This is going to be short because I'm tired! I completed my first 10k race today, with my hubby. Though my feet are terribly sore and have about 3 blisters on each; I feel a sense of pride. Mind you I did not run the race (I'm not there yet) but we did walk at a pretty good pace about 17-19 min/mile. And although I'm sore and hobbling a bit, I'm definitely doing the Cooper River Bridge Run next year (who knows maybe I'll add a bit of jogging...we'll see).

January 2007

2007-09-19T15:21:00.000-04:00

Well, it's the start of 2007, a new year. This always fills me with hope and a little trepidation as I don't know what this year will hold. Will this be a year of accomplished goals? Will this year bring something new to my life? Will I loose anymore people I love this year? (God, I hope not)

While lying in bed last night, my husband and I realized this is the year of our 10 year High School reunions. GASP! Can we really be this old?! I still remember graduating like it was, well, last month. My first year of college (at least most of it) is still fresh in my mind; I met quite a few of you that year. How has time passed so quickly? And how can I slow it down?

It seems with each passing year, I find myself busier, but not with worthwhile things. I rush from place to place; I'm always on a schedule. Perhaps this is why my years seem to fly by. Why I am now 10 years older, but am I wiser? I think so.

I may not have accomplished my teenage-world-is-my-oyster-shell dreams but maybe I've adapted to accept new ones. With each New Year I've made new friends, realized something profound about myself, and sometimes come to an understanding that I'm not meant to accomplish everything. And I think I'm ok with that.

Whatever this year holds for me I will use it as a learning experience. I will try to take every moment and live it. I will become the person I'm meant to be and make her even better

November 2006

2007-09-19T15:20:00.000-04:00

I have a rose bush. Along with several other people, roses are my favorite flower. I can't take credit for this rose bush, though. It was planted by the woman who owned our home before us. It's just lovely, although right now there aren't any blooms as the cold nights have frozen most of them. When it does bloom, however, velvety, scarlet flowers take over the plant.

When the sun hits it just right, the scent envelops my entire backyard. Faint enough to not assault the nostrils, but strong enough to be noticed (much like those women who wear perfume correctly). It's wonderful to wake in the mornings smelling the cut blooms I took inside the previous day(s).

I love the fact that roses are delicate yet strong. Touch them the wrong way and they'll "get" you. You must be gentle, introduce yourself, never try to grab them. If they're treated well and are given the things they need; you will be rewarded.

And what a grand reward.

November 2006

2007-09-19T15:18:00.000-04:00

Thai-spiced Pumpkin Soup

Keep in mind that different Thai curry pastes have differing strengths. Start with a teaspoon to start and then build from there until the soup has a level of spiciness and flavor that works for your palete. Top with toasted pumpkin seeds.

2 acorn squash, pumpkins, or other smallish winter squash
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
1 teaspoon (or more) red Thai curry paste
water
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt (or to taste)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place the oven racks in the middle.

Carefully cut each squash/pumpkin into halves (or quarters). Slather each piece of squash with butter, sprinkle generously with salt, place on a baking sheet skin sides down, and place in the oven. Roast for about an hour or until the squash is tender throughout.

When the pumpkin/squash are cool enough to handle scoop it into a large pot over medium high heat. Add the coconut milk and curry paste and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and puree with a hand blender, you should have a very thick base at this point. Now add water a cup at a time pureeing between additions until the soup is the consistency you prefer - a light vegetable stock would work here as well. Bring up to a simmer again and add the salt (and more curry paste if you like, I used just shy of 6 teaspoons but the curry paste I use is not over-the-top spicy).

Serves six.

I'm a nut for Thai food. Enjoy!

October 2006

2007-09-19T15:07:00.000-04:00

After unpacking from my trip to OK, I couldn't help but notice my many wrinkle/wrinkle prevention creams, gels, lotions, cleansers, etc. I had in my toiletry bag. It's not like I'm geriatric, but I grew up watching my mom apply these elixirs of youth to her face and figured, since she looks so great, why not?

I'm obsessed with my forehead. Expression lines if you will. From raising my eyebrows in surprise or to accentuate a specific topic, from furrowing in anger or confusion, my forehead is wrinkled. So, I apply these magic lotions hoping to erase sun damage and years of expression.

I would never go so far as Botox. I like being able to lift my eyebrows when I smile after not seeing someone for awhile or furrow them at the stupid driver who cut me off. So, I'll just continue to wear bangs and apply my lotions and creams and hope that someday when I'm old and gray, I'll look at myself and know where they came from and hopefully have a few less than some other women.

October 2006

2007-09-19T14:55:00.000-04:00

Just got back from walking my dogs and after taking the time to pick up a pile of Boss sh*t; I was very annoyed to see a mound of dog poo on the ground. So I thought to myself, "hmm they must not have had a poo bag." Then I started noticing piles with practically every other step. It's not like picking up dog poop is that hard a task. For crying out loud, it doesn't even cost that much. My baggies were $5 for 200 and it included a handy-dandy holder that clips onto the leash! So I realized dog logs are an epidemic in our neighborhood. Don't owners realize it is their responsibility to pick up after their dogs, whether it is in a park, on a walk or in their own backyards!

And here's the kicker, I saw a woman walking her dogs (and cat...whatever), she stops, her dog assumes the dog-dump-crouch and does his business. She looks around, obviously doesn't see me and walks away! Now, seeing as how she was meandering and we (Boss, Shelby and I) were walking; we could easily catch up to her. Which ,we did. Being fed up with seeing random dog piles everywhere I reacted. I pulled out a baggy from my "handy-dandy-holder" gave it to her and said, "for next time," smiled at her and continued to walk.

You have a dog, you must pick up the poo!