Summer Rewind- Part II

Now that we are nearly halfway through the fall season (Wow, that makes me sad!)– and after some nudging from very patient family members — I feel like maybe I should conclude the “Summer Rewind”. So here it is.

Ben and I celebrated our first anniversary at the beginning of August by going to Charleston for a long weekend.  I LOVE CHARLESTON. It’s so fun because it’s like going back in time (minus slavery and the Civil War– of course!).  I think it would be fun to sit on my piazza in one of those huge dresses, fanning myself and drinking sweet tea Ok, maybe only for a day or so, because I am sure those dresses were not very comfortable.  But, I do wish I had that deep southern “Gone-With-the-Wind”-kind-of drawl that is just so hard to come by when you live in Raleigh, NC.  Oh well.

On the way into Charleston, we stopped at Shem Creek (per the recommendation of a couple of experienced excursionists) and had some good food with a great view! I watched the dolphins, while Ben admired the boats We really want to go back and go kayaking through there…it looks like it would be so much fun!

Shem Creek

After lunch and exploring Shem Creek, we walked through downtown Charleston, admired all of the architecture, and spent some time at the Battery.  I also developed quite an infatuation with all of the ironwork, but I will spare you and only post some of my favorites.

The Battery Park

Piazza

Rainbow Row

Swordgate

Sunset on Waterfront

It was a great trip and we were sad to leave and come back to “real life”…but we do hope to go back again soon!

“After all…tomorrow is another day.”

Summer Rewind- part I

Again…the inconsistent blogging.

Sorry. But can’t promise things will change in the near future.

Ok, so we have actually been pretty busy this summer. We went Camping to Linville Gorge in June. A couple of really fun weekends in Charlotte to Celebrate “The Moore’s” in July. Charleston and moving in August. Whew.

I’ll just leave you with some of the camping pics (and Ben’s bird legs ) to get this rewind started.

Ben always likes to take pictures of the signs. All of them.

This is basically a playground. Slide on the right. Rope swing on the left. Pool in the middle. A freezing cold pool in the middle, to be exact.

I promised you the bird legs, and I did not disappoint. He was climbing up to the rope swing, and I thought it was funny

Me Tarzan. You Jane. (and no, that's not a speedo, in case you even considered thinking that)

The View from (of?) Hawksbill

Ben and I at Linville Falls

Maybe this is why they call it "Table Rock"?!?

Either way, its a great view!

We had a great time and we hope to go again in the fall

A Little Introduction…

Introducing to the world, Little Miss Lynsey Little.

Ben’s sister, Sarah, had her baby on Tuesday morning. She was born at 7:59am weighing 6lbs 12oz.  Absolutely adorable.

We are thankful that we live close enough that we were able to go visit with them on Tuesday evening. It is amazing to think of the excitement along with the weightiness of the responsibility of parenting. Obviously, I can’t imagine. But, she’s definitely a cutie.

Lynsey with Grandaddy and Proud Parents

Uncle and Aunt

“House Hunters”

Finally!!

After months and months of the roller coaster that is “house hunting”, we decided on a brand new townhouse in the new Renaissance Park neighborhood. We are SO excited!! I am mostly excited about the fact that there will not be any “previous-owner germs”!!!!!  Well, that and the kitchen counter space…and the extra storage space…and the list goes on!

We are still trying not to get too excited until after we close (hopefully) on August 14.  We know that “anything” can happen, but we also know that it’s ultimately all up to the Lord, so we can rest happily in that…regardless of what happens.  If we have learned anything in this process, it is that NONE of this is “ours”.

Anyway, on Saturday we went over to the sales office just to get some measurements of the model…and we actually got to tour the inside of the townhouse as it is being built!

Please note:

This was an unexpected tour. We had just come from a wedding, which is why I was in a construction zone with my high heels, skirt and the lovely hardhat!! But it was fun…

Food Blogs and This Blah-og.

I love food blogs. In fact, it may be appropriate to say that I am, indeed, a food blog stalker. So, for all you food bloggers out there, I may be stalking your blog and you just don’t know it yet.

Anyway, I love finding new recipes and trying new things…or even just new twists on old things. So much fun. Yes. I am a nerd. So, maybe I will begin posting some of my new discoveries on here. Maybe even with PICTURES! (but don’t hold your breath).

Speaking of pictures…I think I am destined to have a picture-free blog. Well maybe not all pictures, but at least pictures that I take myself. I looked EVERYWHERE for that little cord that lets you upload the pictures from the camera– but to no avail. So I gave in and ordered this little thingamajig:

Anyway, I plugged it into my computer– apparently my USB ports don’t work at all?! So I plugged it into Ben’s computer and…SUCCESS!! Except that Ben’s computer runs at a snails pace– which means I won’t be using it. So…so much for pictures.  Well, maybe every now and then. We’ll see.

Birthdays are SEW Exciting!

For the past 23 years, April 9 and 10th have always been especially fun days: my brother’s birthday and my birthday, respectively. But now that both my brother AND my husband share the same April 9th birthday, it makes this time of year a very exciting celebration!!

Last Thursday, we celebrated Ben’s birthday with a very laid back evening of “The Masters Tournament” and a big dinner…golf (well, sports!) and food: 2 things Ben loves dearly.

On Friday, I had a very fun lunch at the Farmer’s Market restaurant with Arielle (as well as some tree shopping to top it off!), and then Ben and I had great steak dinner with my parents and brother to celebrate all three birthdays.  It was a great time, and we laughed a lot!!

In other exciting birthday news:  Ben got me an embroidery machine for my birthday!!

Yes, I realize that the title of this entry would be more accurate if it were “Birthdays are EMBROIDER exciting!” but it doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. But needless to say, I am pretty excited!! I am planning to spend some quality time with Ben’s mom, the skilled seamstress, this weekend in Kinston…so maybe I’ll learn a few tricks Maybe.

I am SUCH a blogging delinquent

I know, I know, I know.  I am terrible at this. Maybe I have an excuse that will be satisfactory– I postponed blogging when we began our house search.  I kept thinking we would have news to report, so when we didn’t, I kept waiting to write anything. So now, we still don’t have official real estate news to report…but I figured I had better at least put SOMETHING up here.  Apparently, some people are a little sick of “not buying fish on Tuesday”:).

The OTHER issue, is that neither Ben nor I can find the cord that connects our camera to our computer to upload the pics. SO, in my protest against pictureless blogs…it is somewhat difficult for me to bring myself to actually just write something that people may potentially be interested in.

So THERE. When I think of more excuses, I will let you know. And when I get my pictures uploaded (by going to my parents house, putting it on THEIR computer, then burning it onto a CD and THEN putting it on our computer…) I will take the time to fill you in about our lives pictorially. Until then, I will try my best to be more consistent, pictureless though this blog may be. .

Don’t Buy Fish on Tuesday

Those of you that have been to my parents’ house know that in the living room, my mom has (well, I guess it’s more like she inherited) this aquarium that John Mark and I saved up our money to buy when we were kids.  She takes great care of it and is often concerned about the well-being of her fish. Over the past several months, Mom has been having quite a time keeping her fish alive.  Much to her chagrin, she would buy fish, put them in the aquarium and then, inevitably, within a few days they would die.  She tried everything! Changing the pH levels, different breeds of fish, etc., etc.  With all of this trial and error, she was a frequent (at LEAST weekly) Petsmart shopper, and she always seemed to have the same gentleman that would assist her: a large, burly middle-eastern man who is always helpful, but very “matter-of-fact”. 

So, a few weeks ago, my mom walked in to Petsmart (again) to work on this dilemma of hers. As she is talking with this man about the water, he gives her a few more ideas to try and encourages her to bring her tank water in to get it tested (again). As she mentions needing to buy some new fish, this man abruptly says “Do NOT buy fish on Tuesday. We medicate them in the mornings, so it is a bad day to buy them.” So mom leaves and goes about her business.

The next Tuesday (forgetting what this man had said), mom walks in to get her tank water tested and, while she is at it, she buys a couple of fish. But this time it was from another clerk…not the man she usually encounters. She goes home, puts the fish in the water, and again, the fish die. Two days later, Mom goes back to Petsmart to “return” the dead fish (again).  Before she can even get all the way up to the “fish counter(?)” the burly clerk points his finger and shouts to her “YOU BOUGHT FISH ON TUESDAY! I SAW YOU!” Mom was so embarrassed, and all she could do was to hang her head and admit her wrong-doing I’m not quite sure what the customer behind mom was thinking at this point…but I would have loved to have been there.  Maybe they just shouldn’t SELL the fish on Tuesday?!

Swan Season

 

WARNING: The following post not recommended for viewing by PETA members or sympathizers.

So, a couple of Fridays ago, Ben headed down near the coast with a few of the “guys” for a tundra swan hunt that they had been drawn for.  He was very excited.  I, on the other hand, wasn’t sure exactly what to expect.  They went hunting on Saturday morning, and Debbie and I drove down to meet our hunting husbands Saturday afternoon. After being greeted by the huge dead birds hanging from the tree at the entrance of the campsite, my next thought was “how in the world do you cook swan meat?!”  I still haven’t figured out the answer to that question, but I am more than open for suggestions.  Anyway, the picture below is of Ben with his trophy and my newest culinary challenge.  And no, those aren’t real birds in the background; they are decoys (they trick the real birds into landing in the “group”).  If they were, I’m not sure they could call it a swan hunt.

About Us.

Since we are brand-new at this whole blog thing, maybe we should start with the basics.  Ben and I met either at Colonial Baptist Church or at SEBTS…we dont remember exactly which place because we both were at both places a lot :) We were married on August 2, 2008.  Here are some pictures that will be a very mini-review of our lives together thus far . Hope you enjoy!

Summertime fun

We saw The Messiah!

We’re Engaged!

Engagement Picture

Wedding Day :)

we were a little excited :)

The Happy Couple :)