A new (to us) place we discovered.....

Cold Stone Creamery......

This is how the story goes. At work Matt sends me an email message with a link to this place. I click on it and see that it is an Ice Cream Shop that creates its own concoctions on an ice cold stone while you stand there. So, I send back an email suggesting we go there for dinner one night with the justification that it encompasses all of the food groups :)

So today, after we attended church, we stopped by there and made it our lunch! And what a yummy lunch it was. I ordered a small waffle cone with chocolate ice cream, that was mixed with peanut butter and Reese's peanut butter cups, and Matt ordered a large chocolate dipped waffle bowl with vanilla ice cream, mixed with heath bars, bananas, and caramel. It was yummy, but a small was plenty!!!!

30 years ago today my Dad died

I can hardly believe that it has been 30 years since my Dad passed away. I was 13 when he died and I can remember every second of that day like it was yesterday. I came home from school, Bair Middle School, and went to my grandparents house... like I had been doing for the past couple of months. Except this day was different.... and would change my life forever. When I walked into the apartment, my Aunt Vivian and Uncle Moe were there, along with my grandparents, sister, Aunt Rose, and Mother. My Mother said she needed to talk to me and took me into the back bedroom where my grandparents slept. As soon as she sat down on the bed I knew something was wrong..... she said, "Daddy died." I refused to believe daddy was gone..... it couldn't be..... we just spent the previous day swimming together in the pool, laughing and having fun. It was real.... he was gone..... forever.

Not a day goes by that I don't think about him and miss him and having a father in my life.

Camping Trip - Boy's ONLY.....

First let me say that I was invited to join them .... however, I am not an outdoor camping kinda girl, so I'm home alone. No complaints .... enjoying my house .....and my time alone ......

Here is a pic of Matt near the camping site.

The Day After

I am always tired the day ofter a party that we host. Everyone left by 1 a.m. The party was a success and those who matter were there.

Valerie and David spent the night and we went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast this morning. Love that place! From there they got on the road to head home and we headed home as well. Since it is a rainy day, which is always the perfect time for a nap, which is exactly what we did. Not much better than a nap during a rainy day!

Since there were a ton of left overs, that was dinner this evening.

Tomorrow - back to work :( I need another day to put my home back together! Oh, well..... the mess will be there until I get to it!!!!

Surprise Matt!

Tonight is Matt's surprise birthday party....... lots of work for me, but I love hosting parties! I am not one to spend a lot of time with decorations or theme, but I do put the time into planning the food and drink. So the menu is:

Shrimp and cocktail sauce

Hot Chicken Dip

Meatballs in BBQ sauce

Ham and cheese sandwiches

Spinach Dip

Mexican Dip

Fruit - strawberries and grapes

Cheese squares

Vegetables - peppers, squash, cucumbers

Carvel Ice Cream Cake

There was plenty of food and drink. Later on in the evening a Poker Game ensued ..... Matt lost, but there were some big winners.

All in all, a great time was had by all!

Happy Birthday Matt!

Matt turns 42 today! WOW! Guess I can't say much since I am still older. We have a party planned for him tomorrow night at our house, but tonight we are heading out for drinks with a friend.

March 1st already! Where does the time go?

I can hardly believe that we are already 3 months into the new year. Just yesterday we were heading out to celebrate the New Year! I have been rather slack about posting a picture a day..... need to refocus. I need to refocus and get back on track with my running also...... it is very easy to come up with an excuse why NOT to run every day.....

Cruise is right around the corner, so I should have the extra incentive I need right there. Maybe trying on some swim suits will give me the kick in the pants that I need...... I'll try that tomorrow.

FJ Cruiser Photo Op = FUN!

The weather was fabulous today! Bright blue skies, perfect temperatures (60 degrees) and a slight breeze! Can't ask for a better day! We decided to take this time and get some pics of all of us and the new car. Made a couple of stops along the way and got some awesome pics!

Girls Night In

Decided to have a few girlfriends over this evening for drinks and munchies..... always a fun time!

President's Day = New Car for Matt

I had to go to the Toyota dealership today to have some work done on my car. Matt has been drooling over the FJ Cruiser since it came on the market. Since I was there I bought him what he has wanted! He is thrilled!

She went to Jared's.......

Since I wanted Matt to have a nice watch, I gave him an IOU for a watch of his choice. So we went to Jared's this afternoon to select a watch........ The final selection was an Omega and it's beautiful! He is thrilled!

Xena and Me!!!

Xena loves getting her belly rubbed..... and who could blame her! It's a dog's life!

Christian in his ROTC uniform.... How Handsome!

Christian is enrolled in the Junior ROTC class at the high school. Today was the first day he had to wear his uniform to school. Last night, he and his dad stayed up late shinning his pins and buttons and placing everything exactly where it belongs on his uniform. I know how excited Matt is that Christian is following in his footsteps with the military and the sense of pride that he feels in Christian when he wears the uniform. I am happy I was able to witness the moment between father and son.

My Early Valentine Present

This is what I found when I returned home after a weekend long crop. Matt bought me a necklace with a cross on it......and a very sweet card...... Love coming home to presents!!!

Xena defending herself against an attack pillow.....

This was the final pillow on the living room couch. I am confident that the pillow provoked Xena, in some fashion

Deer Steak Dinner with friends

We finally invited Kyle and Julie over to our house for dinner and drinks. We have been friends for so long now, but we always seem to end up at their house or in Raleigh since there really isn't must to do in Creedmoor.

So, we decided that we were going to cook for them. Matt made deer steaks on the grill (tenderloin and backstrap) both of which was awesome! I made the salad and baked potatoes for sides.

We has a great time with great friends!

Boy gets his Driver's License!!!!

Hip Hip Hooray!!!! Boy passed his driving test!!!! Now I have someone to run my errands!!!!

Memorial Service for Kemp Edwards

Church service and Bible study this morning, El Rio for lunch, dropped Boy off at work. This afternoon we attended the memorial service for Kemp Edwards. He was the Supervisor of Recreation where I work. On Wednesday, he shot himself. We have since learned that he was suffering from Depression for many years. The memorial service was a wonderful reminder of who he was and what was important to him: God, church, family, friends. It was very well attended by people who knew and loved him for the wonderful person he was, not for how he died. You will be missed Kemp.

Mike's 40th Birthday party

Spent the day at work....yuck!!!! My neighbor Kim threw a surprise 40th birthday party for her husband....Luau theme! There was a DJ and plenty to eat! I had a great time!

Decided to re-pierce my tongue!

After dinner tonight, I headed over to Blue Flame Tattoo shop because I wanted to have my tongue re-pierced. Years ago I had it done, but since then I let it close up. During this past summer, I stopped in to the local tattoo/piercing shop in Butner and had them do it...... Bad decision..... the piercer hit something and I bled like a stuck pig! I left there with a bloody tongue, not pierced. Fast forward to now...... I explained to the piercer at Blue Flame what my previous experience was..... he listened and explained what he was going to do and voila! Pierced tongue - no blood! He was awesome!!!!!

A note from Christian

When I came home from work this afternoon, I opened up my laptop computer and found a note sitting on the keyboard. I read the note and thought Matt left it for me. So, when Matt called I mentioned that I got his note.... he did not know what I was talking about..... and then it dawned on me..... Christian wrote the note and left it for me to find!!!! He is the sweetest kid!!!!

13th Anniversary

So today Matt and I celebrated our 13 year wedding anniversary. We both worked today, so Sunday was when we went out for our Anniversary meal, Brio's Tuscan Grill..... It was brunch and wonderful. In this picture I am wearing my present, a 16" strand of pearls, from Jared's.....

Had a relaxing day at home today since I was off from work...... Did laundry, mopped the floor, and spent most of the day chillin' in my scrapbook room! Then at 10:00 pm Matt calls to say that he spun out on the ice and needs us to go pull him out of the ditch. So, off we go into the cold, driving about 10 mph, to pull out the green truck. Fortunately, no damage to the truck and no injuries to Matt.... thankful for that.

Bath Time for the puppies

The dogs all need a bath...they smell like dogs!!! It's too cold outside to bathe Xena, but not too cold inside to bathe Rascal, Ranger and Dixie..... so in the sink or tub they went..... Here is Ranger after his bath.....he smells so sweet!!!

Fellowship Baptist Chruch

Matt and I attended a church service and bible study at Fellowship Baptist Church in Creedmoor this morning. The bible study was great. We both enjoyed the people and the stories. The service was more of a recognition for those people who led different groups throughout 2010. It wasn't your typical service, so we are planning to go back for a second try.

After church we ate brunch at Brio, in Crabtree Mall (love that place). It was our anniversary meal since Matt will be working on Wednesday until 10 pm.

The Day at Cameron Village

Matt, Christian and I decided to get out of the house and go downtown. The weather was quite unpredictable today...a little snow, sleet, rain and sunshine.....but we went to Cameron Village. We had a great lunch at the Deli and then wandered around some of their shops. Didn't find anything that I had to have, but enjoyed the day none the less. These are the pics we took while we were down there.

Tanger Outlet shops in Mebane

Took the day off from work today and went to the new outlet in Mebane. There are 75 stores, but only a handful that were of any interest to me. Michael Kors is there and I found a fabulous purse there. At the Guess store I found this awesome dress... now to get shoes and a place to wear it.....

Ranger, Dixie and me.....

Some days all it takes to feel better is snuggling up with my puppies on the couch.... Ranger loves to curl up in a small ball in the corner... Dixie on the other hand has to be the center of attention.... always trying to steal the show.

My secret Journal

I guess it's not much of a secret if I post it on my blog, but I am not posting it's contents!!!

My Happy Place

Since one of my favorite hobbies is Scrapbooking, it is only appropriate that my favorite place in my house is my room....if I was more artistic I would call it my Studio, but I have more work before I am comfortable enough to do that.

Running in the hood....

I plan to continue running this year and I have already signed up for a 5k in March. Also hoping to meet my goal weight....won't announce it until it's achieved.

Promised Land

Went to church today.....it is something new to me.....still out on whether or not it will become a constant in my life....I'll keep you posted.

New Year's Day crop with Cheryl

For a number of years now, Cheryl and I have spent New Year's Day together scrapbooking...this year was no different. The perfect way to start the new year...great friend...great time!