It's about 6 minutes until my 2nd (WOW!) wedding anniversary with the most wonderful woman in the world. I can't believe 2 years ago I was still a single guy. It seems like such a short time, and this has definitely been the greatest two-year period of my life.
As we close in on the Thanksgiving holiday, I have so many things to be thankful for. My wife, my family, my church, my job, my house...I could go on and on. We have truly been blessed. There is also some other wonderful news that I will talk about later. !?!?
This blog, which is my very first, is about one particular new addition to the household. He is young, hyper, sweet, energetic, smart, and...hairy. We brought Maverick home from the Humane Society a couple of weeks ago. Maverick is a 6-month old, black Chow mix. Already he has made his mark on the Page house, and he is our little buddy.
Maverick still has some learning and adapting to do, but he is a great pet. He is fun to walk, great to play with in the backyard, and very agreeable when it is time to go to bed. Casey says he snores too loud, but I've never heard him. As a definite non-snorer (yeah, that's the ticket), I will stick up for the little guy. On that note, I think I'll head upstairs, and all 3 of us will sleep soundly and quietly.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Anniversary: Take Two
We've decided to draw out anniversary celebrating as long as possible. We took a day trip to Atlanta to play.
We intended to get up really early and leave by 8:00, but I couldn't get out of bed. I decided to take advantage of a little extra sleep and skip the trip to Ikea. Once we got into Atlanta, we headed for Lennox Square. I love shopping there, especially before Christmas.
After shopping, we went to the new World of Coke. We loved it! It is more modern and bigger than the old one. The section on the history of Coke is really detailed, and you could spend hours in there if you had the time. There is even a bottling room where they really make Coke and you can see all of the steps of the bottling process. We loved watching the commericals in a little theater as well as the 4D movie. Wes was very excited that he could actually see 3D, because the last time he went to a 3D movie, he couldn't see it. Of course, the best part is the tasting room. We tried our best to taste every drink, but after tasting all of Asia, Africa, and part of Europe and Latin America, we felt like we were getting sick. This is the first time in four trips to the World of Coke that I couldn't finish all of the foreign drinks. Our other favorite part was where you get to reach into a turntable a get a bottle of Coke to take home.
Inside the tasting room at World of Coke
After drinking all of the yummy Coke, we walked to dinner at a nice seafood restaurant that we'd been wanting to try. It's called McCormick and Schmick's. The food was really good, the service was great, and the atmosphere was nice. We even decided to order dessert, which is something that we never do!
After dinner, we drove to The Fox Theater to see Wicked! It was wonderful! I have wanted to see Wicked for such a long time, and we finally got tickets. I really loved the girl who played Elphaba. She had an amazing voice. We are already talking about trying to get tickets when it comes back to Greenville.
We intended to get up really early and leave by 8:00, but I couldn't get out of bed. I decided to take advantage of a little extra sleep and skip the trip to Ikea. Once we got into Atlanta, we headed for Lennox Square. I love shopping there, especially before Christmas.
After shopping, we went to the new World of Coke. We loved it! It is more modern and bigger than the old one. The section on the history of Coke is really detailed, and you could spend hours in there if you had the time. There is even a bottling room where they really make Coke and you can see all of the steps of the bottling process. We loved watching the commericals in a little theater as well as the 4D movie. Wes was very excited that he could actually see 3D, because the last time he went to a 3D movie, he couldn't see it. Of course, the best part is the tasting room. We tried our best to taste every drink, but after tasting all of Asia, Africa, and part of Europe and Latin America, we felt like we were getting sick. This is the first time in four trips to the World of Coke that I couldn't finish all of the foreign drinks. Our other favorite part was where you get to reach into a turntable a get a bottle of Coke to take home.
Inside the tasting room at World of CokeAfter drinking all of the yummy Coke, we walked to dinner at a nice seafood restaurant that we'd been wanting to try. It's called McCormick and Schmick's. The food was really good, the service was great, and the atmosphere was nice. We even decided to order dessert, which is something that we never do!
After dinner, we drove to The Fox Theater to see Wicked! It was wonderful! I have wanted to see Wicked for such a long time, and we finally got tickets. I really loved the girl who played Elphaba. She had an amazing voice. We are already talking about trying to get tickets when it comes back to Greenville.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Savannahversary
Even though our anniversary is almost a month away, we decided to celebrate early. Wes had to go to Savannah for a meeting, so we decided to take advantage of a free hotel room. We had never been to Savannah together, and we thought it would be a nice anniversary trip.
We left after Sunday School in our caravan to Savannah (I had to come back a day before Wes did). We were able to get into our hotel by 4:00.
The view from our hotel window
Since our hotel was right on the river, we headed straight to River Street to look through some of the tacky shops. Our favorite stop was Savannah's Candy Kitchen. We spent quite some time in there watching the candymen make pralines, turtles, and salt water taffy. We were able to get plenty of samples, and we realized that we actually like peanut butter salt water taffy.
The taffy machine
We walked around through some of the beautiful squares while we were looking for somewhere to eat dinner. We had trouble finding a good, affordable restaurant that we knew would be good. I usually do a lot of research on restaurants before we go out of town somewhere. However, I could not find that perfect restaurant for us in Savannah. We decided to eat at Outback, and we were glad that we did. We went back to the hotel after dinner with plans to go back to the candy shops, but we never made it back out that night. We really needed a restful night, anyway.
I actually slept in the next morning until 8:45, which I am never able to do. While Wes was at his meeting, I shopped along Broughton Street. I went into some really cool stores. I found something that I've been looking for since March. I finally got a silver pineapple! It was also really cheap and on sale.
Even though we didn't do too much in Savannah, we just enjoyed being out of town and staying in a hotel.
On River Street
We left after Sunday School in our caravan to Savannah (I had to come back a day before Wes did). We were able to get into our hotel by 4:00.
The view from our hotel windowSince our hotel was right on the river, we headed straight to River Street to look through some of the tacky shops. Our favorite stop was Savannah's Candy Kitchen. We spent quite some time in there watching the candymen make pralines, turtles, and salt water taffy. We were able to get plenty of samples, and we realized that we actually like peanut butter salt water taffy.
The taffy machineWe walked around through some of the beautiful squares while we were looking for somewhere to eat dinner. We had trouble finding a good, affordable restaurant that we knew would be good. I usually do a lot of research on restaurants before we go out of town somewhere. However, I could not find that perfect restaurant for us in Savannah. We decided to eat at Outback, and we were glad that we did. We went back to the hotel after dinner with plans to go back to the candy shops, but we never made it back out that night. We really needed a restful night, anyway.
I actually slept in the next morning until 8:45, which I am never able to do. While Wes was at his meeting, I shopped along Broughton Street. I went into some really cool stores. I found something that I've been looking for since March. I finally got a silver pineapple! It was also really cheap and on sale.
Even though we didn't do too much in Savannah, we just enjoyed being out of town and staying in a hotel.
On River Street
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Raindrops on Roses
I've really been enjoying some of my favorite things lately. If I could make a goody bag for everyone I knew, this stuff would be in my goody bags.
1. Papermate Flexgrip Ultra Pen in black ink(the old kind)- this is the best pen ever made, hands down. It writes so smoothly, and it looks nice and dark on paper. This sounds strange, but the pen itself feels nice. I am constantly fiddling with it in my hands, taking the top off and putting it back on. This pen isn't good in the click variety. It has to be the one with a top. I have to order these pens from Pens N' More online. Three years ago, Wes ordered a ton of these pens for me at Christmas. I just ran out, so I ordered thirty more. I was thrilled to shove all thirty of those pens in my drawer at work.
2. Cinnamon and Clove Buds candle from Bath and Body Works- this is our fall candle. In fact, Wes and I decided to pull it out in the middle of September when it was still blazing hot outside and fall seemed very far away. This candle makes the entire house smell like fall. They are kind of pricy, but we buy them when they are on sale for half price.
3. Natural Ice Cherry Chapstick- Perfect! This chapstick is perfectly tingly and soothing. It also has a fresh cherry smell and taste. The smell reminds me so much of something from my childhood, but I still can't figure out what it is exactly. This chapstick used to be found at Ingles, SAM pharmacy, and a few random places. Now it can be found only at drugstore.com. If you ever use this chapstick, you will never again use anything else. I just received a box of ten in the mail.
4. Haribo Gummy Bears- The only type of gummy bears that I will eat. I used to always get them with a Cherry Coke at the Haywood Cinemas. My dad would laugh at me because I would hold them up in the air in front of the movie screen so that I could tell what color I was about to eat. Luckily, these can be found at almost any drugstore as well as at World Market.
5. Sonic's Junior Banana Split- One of my favorite memories is of going to Baskin Robbins with my mom when I was very young. We got a whole banana split, and I thought that it was the coolest thing ever. I'm never able to eat a whole banana split by myself (I've come very close on a bad day), but Sonic's Junior Banana Splits are perfect! They are a great treat. I think that it is a seasonal offering, so I try to eat one about every two weeks.
1. Papermate Flexgrip Ultra Pen in black ink(the old kind)- this is the best pen ever made, hands down. It writes so smoothly, and it looks nice and dark on paper. This sounds strange, but the pen itself feels nice. I am constantly fiddling with it in my hands, taking the top off and putting it back on. This pen isn't good in the click variety. It has to be the one with a top. I have to order these pens from Pens N' More online. Three years ago, Wes ordered a ton of these pens for me at Christmas. I just ran out, so I ordered thirty more. I was thrilled to shove all thirty of those pens in my drawer at work.
2. Cinnamon and Clove Buds candle from Bath and Body Works- this is our fall candle. In fact, Wes and I decided to pull it out in the middle of September when it was still blazing hot outside and fall seemed very far away. This candle makes the entire house smell like fall. They are kind of pricy, but we buy them when they are on sale for half price.
3. Natural Ice Cherry Chapstick- Perfect! This chapstick is perfectly tingly and soothing. It also has a fresh cherry smell and taste. The smell reminds me so much of something from my childhood, but I still can't figure out what it is exactly. This chapstick used to be found at Ingles, SAM pharmacy, and a few random places. Now it can be found only at drugstore.com. If you ever use this chapstick, you will never again use anything else. I just received a box of ten in the mail.
4. Haribo Gummy Bears- The only type of gummy bears that I will eat. I used to always get them with a Cherry Coke at the Haywood Cinemas. My dad would laugh at me because I would hold them up in the air in front of the movie screen so that I could tell what color I was about to eat. Luckily, these can be found at almost any drugstore as well as at World Market.
5. Sonic's Junior Banana Split- One of my favorite memories is of going to Baskin Robbins with my mom when I was very young. We got a whole banana split, and I thought that it was the coolest thing ever. I'm never able to eat a whole banana split by myself (I've come very close on a bad day), but Sonic's Junior Banana Splits are perfect! They are a great treat. I think that it is a seasonal offering, so I try to eat one about every two weeks.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Time to Go
Of course I woke up thinking that it was our last day in San Francisco. I was sad, but we had honestly seen and done everything that we wanted to. The last thing I wanted to do was to go to the Fortune Cookie Factory in Chinatown. This place is on a sketchy alley that is sort of difficult to find. The factory was really cool, but it was much smaller than I had anticipated. I loved watching the lady fold the pancake-shaped cookies into fortune cookies after she put fortunes in them. We got some Chinese-style and American-style fortune cookies, but they got crushed on the plane. 
We then walked through Chinatown before heading to the Wharf. I couldn't resist going back to Blue Mermaid Chowder House for lunch. We were pretty tired, so we sat at the bar, ordered some drinks and bread, and I wolfed down a bowl of chowder. We watched the last day of the US Open while I ate. We ended up staying for a long time since the US Open never seemed to end. It was nice to have a good reason to sit still and relax.
Wes was excited to try In N' Out Burger for the first time. He gave it a thumbs up. After we were both full, we decided to walk to Pacific Heights. We were hoping to see the homes of some famous people. We should have planned this trip better, though, because we had no idea where to go. After walking straight uphill for awhile and not seeing anything, we decided to turn around and head back into familiar territory.
We walked into the Fairmont Hotel, which is a very fancy hotel on Nob Hill. It was the first site of the United Nations, and there are many pictures inside depicting the history of the hotel.
We walked to the Sony Metreon, which is a giant entertainment center. It was neat, but we didn't have much time to entertain ourselves. Wes did get to try out some PlayStation games, so he was happy.
We wanted to enjoy one more last meal before we caught our flight, so we headed to North Beach. We walked around for a bit, tried some fudge, and had one last Italian meal.
One last ride on the cable car
We then walked through Chinatown before heading to the Wharf. I couldn't resist going back to Blue Mermaid Chowder House for lunch. We were pretty tired, so we sat at the bar, ordered some drinks and bread, and I wolfed down a bowl of chowder. We watched the last day of the US Open while I ate. We ended up staying for a long time since the US Open never seemed to end. It was nice to have a good reason to sit still and relax.
Wes was excited to try In N' Out Burger for the first time. He gave it a thumbs up. After we were both full, we decided to walk to Pacific Heights. We were hoping to see the homes of some famous people. We should have planned this trip better, though, because we had no idea where to go. After walking straight uphill for awhile and not seeing anything, we decided to turn around and head back into familiar territory.
We walked into the Fairmont Hotel, which is a very fancy hotel on Nob Hill. It was the first site of the United Nations, and there are many pictures inside depicting the history of the hotel.
We walked to the Sony Metreon, which is a giant entertainment center. It was neat, but we didn't have much time to entertain ourselves. Wes did get to try out some PlayStation games, so he was happy.
We wanted to enjoy one more last meal before we caught our flight, so we headed to North Beach. We walked around for a bit, tried some fudge, and had one last Italian meal.
One last ride on the cable car
Take Me Out....
This morning, we decided to treat ourselves to an actual breakfast that was not from Burger King. We went to a cute little 50's style diner in Union Square. After breakfast, we had a little time to kill, so we went to the Westfield Center. This is a massive, eight story shopping mall. The main attraction here is the spiral escalators. We enjoyed watching people go up and down these escalators for several minutes.
After our trip to the mall, it was time to see the Giants play! We hopped on a bus to AT&T Park.
AT&T Park
We loved walking around the park before the game. It was really neat to watch all of the Oakland fans arrive by ferry. Even though the Giants lost, the game was pretty cool. Our seats looked out into McCovey Cove, and we got some sunshine for a few hours. Sadly, no one hit a home run there.
McCovey Cove
After the game, we hopped off the bus and walked through Union Square to our hotel. We rode the 30 story glass elevators to the top, and stopped on every floor on the way down.
We headed to Pier 39 for one last visit, picked up some treats for our family, and ate dinner at a seafood restaurant.
After our trip to the mall, it was time to see the Giants play! We hopped on a bus to AT&T Park.
AT&T ParkWe loved walking around the park before the game. It was really neat to watch all of the Oakland fans arrive by ferry. Even though the Giants lost, the game was pretty cool. Our seats looked out into McCovey Cove, and we got some sunshine for a few hours. Sadly, no one hit a home run there.
McCovey CoveAfter the game, we hopped off the bus and walked through Union Square to our hotel. We rode the 30 story glass elevators to the top, and stopped on every floor on the way down.
We headed to Pier 39 for one last visit, picked up some treats for our family, and ate dinner at a seafood restaurant.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Out of San Francisco for a Wine Party
We are up early for a tour to Napa Valley. Once again we head to the Ferry Building where I get my second breakfast of a cherry turnover. While I'm scarfing down the last few cherries, we load the bus to head to Napa. It took us about an hour to get to the first winery, and the ride was actually nice. I didn't even need to wear my wimpy girl wristbands. This part of California was beautiful and very warm. I was wishing that I hadn't worn so much cold weather clothing this time. We were lucky to have a really good tour guide that taught us so much about the history of winemaking in California.
Our first stop was Domaine Chandon (yep, just what Snoop is talking about when he says he "got a Rolly on my arm and I'm pourin' Chandon"). We got to tour inside the winery where the wine is fermented in these giant vats. We only sampled Champagne here, which I don't really like, but it was the best Champagne I've tasted before. We had our tasting outside standing in a garden, and it felt like we where in a movie. We also learned how to tell which Champagnes will give you a headache.
Domaine Chandon
Our second wine experience was probably our favorite place. We went to V. Sattui, where we also enjoyed a picnic. This winery has a loaded deli with everything you could imagine. Wes and I got lunch and sat outside in a large yard under some trees. We had a little bit of time to enjoy the sunshine before we went inside for another tasting. This tasting was really cool because you got to pick six out of ten wines to taste. Wes and I planned ours so that at least one of us got every glass. I'm not going to lie; we sure did share our wine.
The next stop was probably the least eventful; but I think that I found my favorite wine there. We went to Rutherford Ranch and all sat together at tables for our tasting. We did get chocolate to go with our wine, and I got some bottles to take home with us.
Our final winery visit took place at the most beautiful winery. This was the Mario Andretti Winery, and it looks like an Italian villa. We spent the entire time outside, and the man pouring our wine was freepouring, which was especially nice. I don't know how many refills I got from him.
Outside of the Mario Andretti Winery
On the way out of Napa, Wes and I tasted the best sweet treat ever made! Early in the morning, Wes bought almond brittle at the Farmer's Market. It was fantastic, and if I had known how good it was, I would have bought the whole basket of almond brittle. While eating our yummy snack, we rode to Vallejo to catch a ferry back to the city. We actually saw a pirate festival as we were heading to the ferry.
We were starving after our hour long ferry ride back to the city, so we headed straight for dinner. We tried the Blue Mermaid Chowder House at the Wharf, and it was one of the best choices we made. We ate delicious Crab and Corn Chowder. That stuff was so good that I still think about it.
We decided to stop by Ghirardelli Square and look around, but we didn't stay long because it was FREEZING! We lined up at the cable car turnaround, and I was really wishing for my hat, scarf, and gloves. I was so cold that I ran to the Starbucks across the street just to get a hot drink.
Wes outside of Ghirardelli Square
After waiting for what seemed like forever, we flew off of the cable car, ran into our hotel, and jumped into our warm bed.
Our first stop was Domaine Chandon (yep, just what Snoop is talking about when he says he "got a Rolly on my arm and I'm pourin' Chandon"). We got to tour inside the winery where the wine is fermented in these giant vats. We only sampled Champagne here, which I don't really like, but it was the best Champagne I've tasted before. We had our tasting outside standing in a garden, and it felt like we where in a movie. We also learned how to tell which Champagnes will give you a headache.
Domaine ChandonOur second wine experience was probably our favorite place. We went to V. Sattui, where we also enjoyed a picnic. This winery has a loaded deli with everything you could imagine. Wes and I got lunch and sat outside in a large yard under some trees. We had a little bit of time to enjoy the sunshine before we went inside for another tasting. This tasting was really cool because you got to pick six out of ten wines to taste. Wes and I planned ours so that at least one of us got every glass. I'm not going to lie; we sure did share our wine.
The next stop was probably the least eventful; but I think that I found my favorite wine there. We went to Rutherford Ranch and all sat together at tables for our tasting. We did get chocolate to go with our wine, and I got some bottles to take home with us.
Our final winery visit took place at the most beautiful winery. This was the Mario Andretti Winery, and it looks like an Italian villa. We spent the entire time outside, and the man pouring our wine was freepouring, which was especially nice. I don't know how many refills I got from him.
Outside of the Mario Andretti WineryOn the way out of Napa, Wes and I tasted the best sweet treat ever made! Early in the morning, Wes bought almond brittle at the Farmer's Market. It was fantastic, and if I had known how good it was, I would have bought the whole basket of almond brittle. While eating our yummy snack, we rode to Vallejo to catch a ferry back to the city. We actually saw a pirate festival as we were heading to the ferry.
We were starving after our hour long ferry ride back to the city, so we headed straight for dinner. We tried the Blue Mermaid Chowder House at the Wharf, and it was one of the best choices we made. We ate delicious Crab and Corn Chowder. That stuff was so good that I still think about it.
We decided to stop by Ghirardelli Square and look around, but we didn't stay long because it was FREEZING! We lined up at the cable car turnaround, and I was really wishing for my hat, scarf, and gloves. I was so cold that I ran to the Starbucks across the street just to get a hot drink.
Wes outside of Ghirardelli SquareAfter waiting for what seemed like forever, we flew off of the cable car, ran into our hotel, and jumped into our warm bed.
Monday, June 30, 2008
San Francisco...All Around the Town
Our alarm gave us a rude awakening on the second day of our trip. We had to get up very early to make it to a tour of the city. We grabbed a quick breakfast, jumped on the cable car, and then walked for several blocks through the financial district (where I tried to find banks that Wes could work for in San Francisco). After getting left behind by the next cable car line, we walked almost the entire way to the Ferry Building, my new favorite place. We had time to walk around in the building before our tour left. Not many stores were open, but Frog Hollow Farms sure was. This is the place that has all sorts of yummy organic fruits, and their specialty is cherries. I enjoyed a cherry turnover for breakfast #2, and Wes grabbed a bag of cherries. I finished my turnover just in time to jump on the tour bus.
The Ferry Building
We drove down the Embarcadero through Fisherman's Wharf. We rode past Ghirardelli and then stopped at Lombard Street. We walked a bit towards North Beach (I'd rather call it Little Italy). We then cut through Jack Kerouac Alley and suddenly appeared in Chinatown. We walked through Chinatown a little and learned what a prestigious job it was to be a telephone operator back in the day. We also saw Portsmouth Square, where San Francisco first became Yerba Buena.
We headed to Nob Hill, where we saw the last of the Big Four mansions left standing, the Fairmont Hotel, and we went inside Grace Cathedral. It was beautiful, of course, with excellent stained-glass windows. We actually saw a wedding rehearsal going on there, and it was 10:00 in the morning!
Beautiful Grace Cathedral
Our next stop was Alamo Square Park from where you can see the Six Sisters, or Painted Ladies. These are the Victorian houses that you see at the beginning of Full House. Wes and I couldn't figure out why the Tanners weren't home.
In front of the Six Sisters
From there, we headed into Golden Gate Park. We looked into the Japanese Tea Garden and then went to the de Young Museum. There is an observation tower inside the museum, and we went up to get a good view of the city.
We rode through the Presidio and stopped at the Palace of Fine Arts, which was sadly being renovated. It was covered all over with scaffolding. We then began our drive over the Golden Gate Bridge. This was a really sad ride for Wes's first time over the bridge. It was so foggy that you couldn't see a thing! We couldn't see any of the bridge. We might as well have been driving down I-85. We stopped on the other side to get some pictures of the bridge, but again, it was just so dang foggy!
One of our favorite places on the tour was Sausalito, where we headed for lunch. We were let out to fend for ourselves for lunch. Wes and I found a perfect place to eat called the Winship. We even got to sit outside on the sidewalk. The food was perfect! Once our bellies were full, we went into a few Sausalito shops and jumped on the ferry to go back to the city.
Eating the best crab salad sandwich ever!
When we left the Ferry Building, we went back towards Nob Hill and headed to the Cable Car Museum. We looked around at all of the wheels that turn the cables under the streets. It's pretty cool, actually, to see that this is what powers all of those cars that we'd been hanging off of.
I then get to receive credit for the best idea of the entire trip. I decide that we should WALK to Coit Tower and head up to the top. This is why Wes loves me so much; I make things so exciting. This was the most excruciating part of our vacation. We literally had to STOP for breath as we were walking up the hill. We are not in good shape, but we can both walk forever. However these hills are just too much. We finally got to the top and even though we really wanted a stretcher, we rode the elevator to the top of Coit Tower. I think that the views were worth it. The only thing that got me through the hike was knowing that there was a yummy Italian meal waiting at the bottom of the hill for me.
Coit Tower
View of the city from Coit Tower.
That meal was worth it. We went to Michaelangelo, which is very small and cozy with stained-glass lamps hanging over your table. My lobster ravioli, Cabernet, and Tiramisu were perfect. Wes liked his spaghetti and meatballs, too. The best thing about Michaelangelo is that they bring you a plate of Gummi Bears after your meal.
Thinking that our legs just might need to be in casts for a few weeks, Wes and I hopped on a cable car and headed straight for our comfy bed after dinner.
Wesley enjoying his gummy bears
The Ferry BuildingWe drove down the Embarcadero through Fisherman's Wharf. We rode past Ghirardelli and then stopped at Lombard Street. We walked a bit towards North Beach (I'd rather call it Little Italy). We then cut through Jack Kerouac Alley and suddenly appeared in Chinatown. We walked through Chinatown a little and learned what a prestigious job it was to be a telephone operator back in the day. We also saw Portsmouth Square, where San Francisco first became Yerba Buena.
We headed to Nob Hill, where we saw the last of the Big Four mansions left standing, the Fairmont Hotel, and we went inside Grace Cathedral. It was beautiful, of course, with excellent stained-glass windows. We actually saw a wedding rehearsal going on there, and it was 10:00 in the morning!
Beautiful Grace CathedralOur next stop was Alamo Square Park from where you can see the Six Sisters, or Painted Ladies. These are the Victorian houses that you see at the beginning of Full House. Wes and I couldn't figure out why the Tanners weren't home.
In front of the Six SistersFrom there, we headed into Golden Gate Park. We looked into the Japanese Tea Garden and then went to the de Young Museum. There is an observation tower inside the museum, and we went up to get a good view of the city.
We rode through the Presidio and stopped at the Palace of Fine Arts, which was sadly being renovated. It was covered all over with scaffolding. We then began our drive over the Golden Gate Bridge. This was a really sad ride for Wes's first time over the bridge. It was so foggy that you couldn't see a thing! We couldn't see any of the bridge. We might as well have been driving down I-85. We stopped on the other side to get some pictures of the bridge, but again, it was just so dang foggy!
One of our favorite places on the tour was Sausalito, where we headed for lunch. We were let out to fend for ourselves for lunch. Wes and I found a perfect place to eat called the Winship. We even got to sit outside on the sidewalk. The food was perfect! Once our bellies were full, we went into a few Sausalito shops and jumped on the ferry to go back to the city.
Eating the best crab salad sandwich ever!When we left the Ferry Building, we went back towards Nob Hill and headed to the Cable Car Museum. We looked around at all of the wheels that turn the cables under the streets. It's pretty cool, actually, to see that this is what powers all of those cars that we'd been hanging off of.
I then get to receive credit for the best idea of the entire trip. I decide that we should WALK to Coit Tower and head up to the top. This is why Wes loves me so much; I make things so exciting. This was the most excruciating part of our vacation. We literally had to STOP for breath as we were walking up the hill. We are not in good shape, but we can both walk forever. However these hills are just too much. We finally got to the top and even though we really wanted a stretcher, we rode the elevator to the top of Coit Tower. I think that the views were worth it. The only thing that got me through the hike was knowing that there was a yummy Italian meal waiting at the bottom of the hill for me.
Coit Tower View of the city from Coit Tower.That meal was worth it. We went to Michaelangelo, which is very small and cozy with stained-glass lamps hanging over your table. My lobster ravioli, Cabernet, and Tiramisu were perfect. Wes liked his spaghetti and meatballs, too. The best thing about Michaelangelo is that they bring you a plate of Gummi Bears after your meal.
Thinking that our legs just might need to be in casts for a few weeks, Wes and I hopped on a cable car and headed straight for our comfy bed after dinner.
Wesley enjoying his gummy bears
San Francisco...Getting Started
We've been back for two weeks now from one of the best trips ever. We left early, early from Charlotte so that we could arrive at our hotel in San Francisco by lunchtime. We checked in, sat on our fancy bed in our fancy room for a few minutes, and headed out to get some lunch. We were famished, so we tried to find something quick to eat in Union Square near our hotel. We were so desperate for food that we actually had our first San Francisco lunch at Burger King! There seems to be a theme here: that was also the first place that we ate at in Hawaii. If you know me at all, you can probably not imagine me eating at Burger King, but that's how hungry I was!
After a delicious meal of chicken fries, we headed for the cable car turnaround so that Wes could have his first cable car experience. Of course we had to take our first ride standing up. I thought this was a great idea until an armored truck appeared in our way on the side of the road. Since I was on the front of the car, I was most in danger of being decapitated first. I was really scared when the brakeman asked me, "Do you think we can make it past that truck?" Are you kidding me? How the heck do I know? I can barely park my SUV.
We actually did make it safely down to Fisherman's Wharf. We walked around a bit, looking at the touristy shops. Good thing we were in the tacky shop area, because I left Wes's sunglasses at the Charlotte airport and he was able to buy a pair here. They are really cool - Choppers glasses. Sounds just like Wes, doesn't it?
We walked around Pier 39, the really big tourist trap made to look like an old boardwalk. We treated ourselves to a cookie and watched the sea lions who hang out there.
After watching the sea lions bicker over dock space for awhile, we headed on down to the Alcatraz ferry. We rode out to Alcatraz and had a nice, pretty fogless view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Once on Alcatraz we took the audio tour, which I had never done before. It's really good! Wes and I were being our nerdy selves by constantly timing our starts and stops on the tour so that we could talk to each other. We really enjoyed going through the old prison, and I found out much more information than I had known before (I used to be obsessed with Alcatraz).
By the time we got back on land from Alcatraz, we were beat. It was now 9:00 EST, and we had been up since 2:00 in the morning. We hadn't had a decent meal, either. All I could think of was the Cheesecake Factory. Conveniently, there is one at the Macy's right next to our hotel. We rode the cable car back to Union Square and headed straight for the food. This Cheesecake Factory is awesome: it is on the eighth floor of Macy's, and we got to sit outside on the terrace. This is the same Macy's where David Beckham made an appearance two days after we left the city.
We ate it up at Cheesecake Factory. I always get an appetizer there, but I definitely put away a meal of Chicken Littles and mashed potatoes. After we filled our bellies, we trudged up to bed for the night since we had to get up at 6:30 the next morning.
After a delicious meal of chicken fries, we headed for the cable car turnaround so that Wes could have his first cable car experience. Of course we had to take our first ride standing up. I thought this was a great idea until an armored truck appeared in our way on the side of the road. Since I was on the front of the car, I was most in danger of being decapitated first. I was really scared when the brakeman asked me, "Do you think we can make it past that truck?" Are you kidding me? How the heck do I know? I can barely park my SUV.We actually did make it safely down to Fisherman's Wharf. We walked around a bit, looking at the touristy shops. Good thing we were in the tacky shop area, because I left Wes's sunglasses at the Charlotte airport and he was able to buy a pair here. They are really cool - Choppers glasses. Sounds just like Wes, doesn't it?
We walked around Pier 39, the really big tourist trap made to look like an old boardwalk. We treated ourselves to a cookie and watched the sea lions who hang out there.
After watching the sea lions bicker over dock space for awhile, we headed on down to the Alcatraz ferry. We rode out to Alcatraz and had a nice, pretty fogless view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Once on Alcatraz we took the audio tour, which I had never done before. It's really good! Wes and I were being our nerdy selves by constantly timing our starts and stops on the tour so that we could talk to each other. We really enjoyed going through the old prison, and I found out much more information than I had known before (I used to be obsessed with Alcatraz).
By the time we got back on land from Alcatraz, we were beat. It was now 9:00 EST, and we had been up since 2:00 in the morning. We hadn't had a decent meal, either. All I could think of was the Cheesecake Factory. Conveniently, there is one at the Macy's right next to our hotel. We rode the cable car back to Union Square and headed straight for the food. This Cheesecake Factory is awesome: it is on the eighth floor of Macy's, and we got to sit outside on the terrace. This is the same Macy's where David Beckham made an appearance two days after we left the city. We ate it up at Cheesecake Factory. I always get an appetizer there, but I definitely put away a meal of Chicken Littles and mashed potatoes. After we filled our bellies, we trudged up to bed for the night since we had to get up at 6:30 the next morning.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
He's a Teacher, too!
I think that not only is Wes a great husband, he is a great son and a great man as well. Wes does so many things so well, and I always feel so blessed that he is my husband. Today I got to see him do one more thing very well. Wes taught our Sunday School class today, and he did a great job. He worked so hard preparing for this lesson, and I was so proud of how much effort he put into this job.
Wes did a great job actually teaching the lesson. He was so organized, and he had a great plan for the direction the lesson should take. He also did a great job of involving the class and asking questions. Sometimes this can be a difficult thing to do, and some teachers talk without pausing to bring the rest of the class into the lesson.
Wes taught on Exodus 19, as the Israelites are preparing to receive the Ten Commandments. This is a chapter that I usually would have skimmed through without taking much with me. Wes made a lot of good points in his lesson and we focused a lot on the Israelites' overzealous acceptance of God's law. They saw no problem in totally fulfilling God's law and they never thought that they would fall short. My favorite part of the lesson was when Wes paralleled this with Peter's disagreement that he would deny Jesus three times. We also talked about how so many times we think that we can do exactly what God wishes, but we always fail. However, with Jesus as our mediator (as Moses was between God and the Israelites) we are still granted access to God. I thought it interesting that God is also constantly reminding the Israelites what he has done for them so far. Even from the beginning, people keep forgetting exactly how merciful and gracious God is.
Wes is my new favorite Sunday School teacher!
Wes did a great job actually teaching the lesson. He was so organized, and he had a great plan for the direction the lesson should take. He also did a great job of involving the class and asking questions. Sometimes this can be a difficult thing to do, and some teachers talk without pausing to bring the rest of the class into the lesson.
Wes taught on Exodus 19, as the Israelites are preparing to receive the Ten Commandments. This is a chapter that I usually would have skimmed through without taking much with me. Wes made a lot of good points in his lesson and we focused a lot on the Israelites' overzealous acceptance of God's law. They saw no problem in totally fulfilling God's law and they never thought that they would fall short. My favorite part of the lesson was when Wes paralleled this with Peter's disagreement that he would deny Jesus three times. We also talked about how so many times we think that we can do exactly what God wishes, but we always fail. However, with Jesus as our mediator (as Moses was between God and the Israelites) we are still granted access to God. I thought it interesting that God is also constantly reminding the Israelites what he has done for them so far. Even from the beginning, people keep forgetting exactly how merciful and gracious God is.
Wes is my new favorite Sunday School teacher!
Anyone Need a Dentist?
I haven't had a dentist in awhile because my last dentist had some scary assistants that I didn't like to be around. Wes had been telling me for some time that I should go to his dentist, especially since they had televisions on the ceiling. I finally bit the bullet (or the chicken nugget that broke off part of my tooth) and decided to make an appointment. I still hate going to the dentist, but it's not because the people aren't nice. The lady that works with new patients is wonderful! I've dealt with many different people there, and only one of them was not my favorite. I was glad that I finally went to the dentist, although the visits are not that fun.
About a week after I went, we received a prize that made my visit even more worth it. One Friday, I had been thinking all day about going to a movie with Wes. We really wanted to see Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but we didn't want to spend $20 on a movie that we weren't sure about. We were especially hesitant to spend so much money when there are so many other movies coming up that we want to see. Plus, it was the Friday between paydays, and we usually try not to spend too much money between paydays. Our problem was solved when I found an envelope in the mailbox addressed to Wes from the dentist's office. Inside were two movie tickets as a thank you from the dentist to Wes for referring me to them. We were able to go to the movie for free! We really enjoyed it, and we realized that we would have paid to see it anyway.
About a week after I went, we received a prize that made my visit even more worth it. One Friday, I had been thinking all day about going to a movie with Wes. We really wanted to see Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but we didn't want to spend $20 on a movie that we weren't sure about. We were especially hesitant to spend so much money when there are so many other movies coming up that we want to see. Plus, it was the Friday between paydays, and we usually try not to spend too much money between paydays. Our problem was solved when I found an envelope in the mailbox addressed to Wes from the dentist's office. Inside were two movie tickets as a thank you from the dentist to Wes for referring me to them. We were able to go to the movie for free! We really enjoyed it, and we realized that we would have paid to see it anyway.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
When Wes is Away
Early Tuesday morning, Wes headed to the airport to catch a flight to Nashville. He wasn't coming home until late Thursday night, so I had three whole days to fill up. We are still the couple that hates to be apart, especially for several days. It's strange when we are apart because we do so much together. Surprisingly, while Wes was gone, I had plenty of things to take up my time.
On Tuesday night, I went to a wine tasting at American Grocery. Lauren asked me to go with two of her colleagues. It was just the four of us, and the woman doing the tasting was so nice! I've always been intimidated at the idea of going to a wine tasting, but this was so casual, and the lady was so patient with us. We got to taste three different wines and learn all about them. We even tasted the white wine out of a crazy bottle thing that you pour into your mouth as you lean back and hold it over your head. I had to leave early to go to dinner with my mom and my sister. I met them at Wild Wing, and we stayed there long enough to see Spencer play several songs. Skip even got there in time to buy our dinner and to see Spencer, too.
On Wednesday, Lauren and I ate dinner at Compadres before meeting Peter, John, Jeff, Craig, and Beth at the Furman / Clemson game. Clemson played really well, and I even got a picture of John with the Tiger. Lauren and I also enjoyed our swirl ice cream in a helmet.
On Thursday night, I met Bess, Julia, and Becky for more Mexican at Monterrey. It was so nice to hang out with those sweet ladies. We never have a chance to get together and really talk. We actually stayed there for two and a half hours!
I was so glad when Wes came home, but at least I had plenty to do to take up my time.
On Tuesday night, I went to a wine tasting at American Grocery. Lauren asked me to go with two of her colleagues. It was just the four of us, and the woman doing the tasting was so nice! I've always been intimidated at the idea of going to a wine tasting, but this was so casual, and the lady was so patient with us. We got to taste three different wines and learn all about them. We even tasted the white wine out of a crazy bottle thing that you pour into your mouth as you lean back and hold it over your head. I had to leave early to go to dinner with my mom and my sister. I met them at Wild Wing, and we stayed there long enough to see Spencer play several songs. Skip even got there in time to buy our dinner and to see Spencer, too.
On Wednesday, Lauren and I ate dinner at Compadres before meeting Peter, John, Jeff, Craig, and Beth at the Furman / Clemson game. Clemson played really well, and I even got a picture of John with the Tiger. Lauren and I also enjoyed our swirl ice cream in a helmet.
On Thursday night, I met Bess, Julia, and Becky for more Mexican at Monterrey. It was so nice to hang out with those sweet ladies. We never have a chance to get together and really talk. We actually stayed there for two and a half hours!
I was so glad when Wes came home, but at least I had plenty to do to take up my time.
Our First Time
This past weekend, Wes and I went to our first church retreat in Bonclarken. We are so glad that we decided to go! We arrived late on Friday night because I was busy enjoying the Blythe Blast. We ended up missing a bonfire, which I think would have been a lot of fun. Everyone was in for the night when we got there, so we all sat in the Young Adult sitting room area and played the biggest Catchphrase game ever. Note to competitors: a bigger Catchphrase game does not necessarily make things more challenging. People tend to not take things seriously when there are twenty people playing the game.On Saturday morning, we skipped camp breakfast and enjoyed sweets at the Flat Rock Bakery. After eating breakfast outside with friends, we went to three sessions with Dr. Kruger that were pretty cool. He did a really good job of making parallels using The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Wes and I both decided to crack open The Chronicles of Narnia again.
After our lessons, we had Chick-Fil-A for lunch in Convo. We then all trooped out to the hill to take a group picture of everyone at the retreat. Wes and I went back to our room after that, and I tried so hard to take a nap. Wes went to play softball, though, and I thought that maybe I should go down there with him. I'm so glad that I did. I sat with Becky, who happened to be babysitting the cutest nine month old boy ever. He definitely gave me the fever. We had fun watching everyone play around on the softball field. When everyone was done, Wes and I drove into Hendersonville for a little bit. I was then able to take my wonderful nap. Bonclarken is so beautiful that I felt badly to hide away in my hotel room. However, when I need a nap, I need a nap.
We woke up from our deep sleep just in time to get ready for dinner. We headed down to the Youth Activities Building for a cookout. Once we were done eating, it was time for Contra Dancing. I had the best time dancing with Wes. We really got a workout! Wes is a great dancer; he's got a really good sense of rhythm. He is a much better leader than he thinks. What he doesn't know is that he is definitely going to be taking dancing lessons with me.
Once everyone was worn out from Contra Dancing, the Young Adults slipped out. Since the following Monday was Cinco de Mayo, we all went out to El Paso, a cute little Mexican joint. There were 20 of us all at one long table! We had a great time hanging out with each other. We stayed forever until Scott realized that we'd been there thirty minutes past closing. Oops!
On Sunday morning, Wes and I went to breakfast as late as we could and still get something to eat. We hurried back over to our Sunday School lesson, where Matt did an amazing job. We quickly packed up our room and went to the chapel to listen to Frank Reich preach. Lunch was a typical southern Sunday meal. We saw a cute slideshow of the weekend while we ate.
I'm so glad that we decided to go this weekend. It's hard for me to give up my weekends, and I tend to shy away from going on small trips. I was so glad to get away and to truly not think about school, home, or anything else stressful!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Wesley
I usually cringe at these things, but this blog is supposed to be a sort of scrapbook for me. I don't take enough time to tell Wes how great he is, so I will refer him to this post.
Where did you meet?
Even though we both went to Furman, we didn't meet until three years after I graduated. We met at a mutual friend's apartment. I was in a sour mood the first time we met, so it was not love at first sight. The first time that we had a decent meeting was at trivia at Connolly's.
What first attracted you to him?
We were friends before we started dating, so I think the first thing I was attracted to was his personality. We talked on the phone for hours and we just clicked.
How long did you date?
We only dated for six months before we were engaged, and we were engaged for eight months. I never thought that I would be the girl who would have a lightning fast engagement, but I knew pretty early on that Wes would make a great husband.
How old is he?
Wes is 28. He considers this to still be mid-twenties because he is scared of being old. I try to correct him and tell him that he is in his late twenties and well on his way to his early thirties.
Who eats more?
That would be Wes. However, I am hungry more often. I am just able to get full much more quickly. Wes doesn't eat often, but when he does, he makes it worth his while. I graze all day long, and I'm always looking for a new snack to eat.
Where was your first date?
Surprisingly enough, we went to dinner at Trio and then met my parents at a Greenville High football game (remember that we were friends for a few months before we started dating).
Who is taller?
Wes...he is the perfect height to me.
Who sings better?
Have you met Wes? His voice is beautiful! I love to listen to him sing, and he is nice enough to make up songs for me. He sings in the choir at church, and everyone is always begging him to sing a solo. Even though I am absolutely tone-deaf, Wes always lets me sing with him and he never says anything bad about my voice.
Who is smarter?
That would be Wes. History, music, geography, and Bible knowledge are his specialties. He routinely beats me at Jeopardy. (Yes, we DVR Jeopardy and watch it. It is one of my favorite shows).
Whose temper is worse?
Since Wes hardly ever gets angry, I'd have to say mine is worse. It takes a lot for Wes to lose his temper, but when he does lose it, it's probably worse than when I lose mine. If we are talking about a road-rage temper, then Wes's is definitely worse.
Who does the laundry?
We both do. We split that pretty evenly. The first one of us to realize that clothes need to be washed will put them in. We usually fold clothes together.
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?
I do...it's closest to the bathroom and I always have to get up first in the morning.
Who pays the bills?
We both do.
Who cooks dinner?
We try to cook it together, but Wes always does more of the cooking than I do. Wes deals with the meat because I really don't enjoy touching it. I am ashamed to admit that I am also terrified of knives, so Wes usually cuts things up as well. The only thing that I cut up without fear is zucchini.
Who drives when you are together?
Always Wes. If I drive, Wes laughs because I drive like a granny. Wes really can get us places much more quickly than I can. One time he had to pull over and let me drive because something was wrong with his contact and he couldn't see. I'm sure he was going crazy riding while I puttered down the road.
Who is more stubborn?
Maybe both of us? We're probably equally stubborn, but Wes will give in more quickly than I will.
Who kissed who first?
Wes kissed me first, but he would say that I gave him signs that I wanted him to kiss me.
Who is the first to admit when they are wrong?
Definitely Wes, but it does take him a bit of time and some convincing from me.
Whose parents do you see the most?
Mine, mostly because we watch Clemson sports with them.
Who proposed?
Wes did.
Who is more sensitive?
Do you know me at all? I am more sensitive than 98% of the people in this country.
What's his best physical attribute?
Maybe his nice blue eyes. Or his height. Or his strong legs. Or his dimples.
Who has more friends?
Wes.
For what are you most proud of him?
I am proud of what a nice person he is. It sounds like a cheap answer, but he is really thoughtful of others and never wants to talk badly about someone else. He always makes a point to speak to other people about something relevant to them. If Wes ever thinks that he could have possibly hurt someone's feelings, he is really concerned about it.
Who has more siblings?
I do. I have a brother and a sister, and he has a sister.
Who wears the pants in the family?
We'll have to ask Wes that question. I think we are a pretty good team. It doesn't seem like one person is more of a "boss" than the other.
What is something special your husband recently did for you?
I think that the nicest thing Wes does for me is to take care of things at home when I've had a rough week. He is so good about cleaning things up, vacuuming, washing dishes, and doing laundry when I've not had much time to do things at home.
Where did you meet?
Even though we both went to Furman, we didn't meet until three years after I graduated. We met at a mutual friend's apartment. I was in a sour mood the first time we met, so it was not love at first sight. The first time that we had a decent meeting was at trivia at Connolly's.
What first attracted you to him?
We were friends before we started dating, so I think the first thing I was attracted to was his personality. We talked on the phone for hours and we just clicked.
How long did you date?
We only dated for six months before we were engaged, and we were engaged for eight months. I never thought that I would be the girl who would have a lightning fast engagement, but I knew pretty early on that Wes would make a great husband.
How old is he?
Wes is 28. He considers this to still be mid-twenties because he is scared of being old. I try to correct him and tell him that he is in his late twenties and well on his way to his early thirties.
Who eats more?
That would be Wes. However, I am hungry more often. I am just able to get full much more quickly. Wes doesn't eat often, but when he does, he makes it worth his while. I graze all day long, and I'm always looking for a new snack to eat.
Where was your first date?
Surprisingly enough, we went to dinner at Trio and then met my parents at a Greenville High football game (remember that we were friends for a few months before we started dating).
Who is taller?
Wes...he is the perfect height to me.
Who sings better?
Have you met Wes? His voice is beautiful! I love to listen to him sing, and he is nice enough to make up songs for me. He sings in the choir at church, and everyone is always begging him to sing a solo. Even though I am absolutely tone-deaf, Wes always lets me sing with him and he never says anything bad about my voice.
Who is smarter?
That would be Wes. History, music, geography, and Bible knowledge are his specialties. He routinely beats me at Jeopardy. (Yes, we DVR Jeopardy and watch it. It is one of my favorite shows).
Whose temper is worse?
Since Wes hardly ever gets angry, I'd have to say mine is worse. It takes a lot for Wes to lose his temper, but when he does lose it, it's probably worse than when I lose mine. If we are talking about a road-rage temper, then Wes's is definitely worse.
Who does the laundry?
We both do. We split that pretty evenly. The first one of us to realize that clothes need to be washed will put them in. We usually fold clothes together.
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?
I do...it's closest to the bathroom and I always have to get up first in the morning.
Who pays the bills?
We both do.
Who cooks dinner?
We try to cook it together, but Wes always does more of the cooking than I do. Wes deals with the meat because I really don't enjoy touching it. I am ashamed to admit that I am also terrified of knives, so Wes usually cuts things up as well. The only thing that I cut up without fear is zucchini.
Who drives when you are together?
Always Wes. If I drive, Wes laughs because I drive like a granny. Wes really can get us places much more quickly than I can. One time he had to pull over and let me drive because something was wrong with his contact and he couldn't see. I'm sure he was going crazy riding while I puttered down the road.
Who is more stubborn?
Maybe both of us? We're probably equally stubborn, but Wes will give in more quickly than I will.
Who kissed who first?
Wes kissed me first, but he would say that I gave him signs that I wanted him to kiss me.
Who is the first to admit when they are wrong?
Definitely Wes, but it does take him a bit of time and some convincing from me.
Whose parents do you see the most?
Mine, mostly because we watch Clemson sports with them.
Who proposed?
Wes did.
Who is more sensitive?
Do you know me at all? I am more sensitive than 98% of the people in this country.
What's his best physical attribute?
Maybe his nice blue eyes. Or his height. Or his strong legs. Or his dimples.
Who has more friends?
Wes.
For what are you most proud of him?
I am proud of what a nice person he is. It sounds like a cheap answer, but he is really thoughtful of others and never wants to talk badly about someone else. He always makes a point to speak to other people about something relevant to them. If Wes ever thinks that he could have possibly hurt someone's feelings, he is really concerned about it.
Who has more siblings?
I do. I have a brother and a sister, and he has a sister.
Who wears the pants in the family?
We'll have to ask Wes that question. I think we are a pretty good team. It doesn't seem like one person is more of a "boss" than the other.
What is something special your husband recently did for you?
I think that the nicest thing Wes does for me is to take care of things at home when I've had a rough week. He is so good about cleaning things up, vacuuming, washing dishes, and doing laundry when I've not had much time to do things at home.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Summer Firsts
It's finally getting close to summer time! The weather is nice, the pollen is killing me, and there are only 27 days left of school. Wes and I have had fun this week doing summer things that we haven't been able to do in quite some time.
On Tuesday night, we went with John and Peter to the Furman/USC baseball game at the Drive stadium. I love going to games there. Furman actually played a good game against USC, considering how good USC is. We can't wait to go to a Drive game soon!
Yesterday after school, I had to pick Wes up at work because he had to turn his rental car in. I surprised him by asking him to ride with me to the shave ice hut. Going to the shave ice hut in Taylors is definitely my favorite summer activity. It has been there forever, and it is the last shave ice place that we can find in Greenville, even though there used to be one on every corner. We were so happy to finally get a shave ice. Wes got one of his favorites, Rock N Roll, and I got Red Raspberry. I had to start out with a reliable flavor, but I am going to try to branch out and taste lots of new flavors this year. Hopefully I will have many chances to try out new flavors this summer! Happy summer, shave ice hut!
On Tuesday night, we went with John and Peter to the Furman/USC baseball game at the Drive stadium. I love going to games there. Furman actually played a good game against USC, considering how good USC is. We can't wait to go to a Drive game soon!
Yesterday after school, I had to pick Wes up at work because he had to turn his rental car in. I surprised him by asking him to ride with me to the shave ice hut. Going to the shave ice hut in Taylors is definitely my favorite summer activity. It has been there forever, and it is the last shave ice place that we can find in Greenville, even though there used to be one on every corner. We were so happy to finally get a shave ice. Wes got one of his favorites, Rock N Roll, and I got Red Raspberry. I had to start out with a reliable flavor, but I am going to try to branch out and taste lots of new flavors this year. Hopefully I will have many chances to try out new flavors this summer! Happy summer, shave ice hut!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
My Bestest Friends
I had the best (but not most restful) weekend. On Friday night, I went to Bonclarken for a retreat with friends from Circle. I arrived late because I just could not get out of school early enough on Friday afternoon. I was upset about riding alone at first, but on the way up I realized how much I really love driving to Flat Rock alone. For some reason, I've made this drive several times, and it is so calming to me. Bonclarken really is a great place to go to truly feel away from it all. I felt like I was able to leave all of my stresses at home.
When I finally got to the beautiful house, we sat out on the porch and talked until it was time for everyone but me to eat dinner (meat lasagna). After dinner, we went ahead and completed our contribution to the gift shop - beautiful handmade notecards that Becky designed for us. Making those cards actually made me think that maybe I should start scrapbooking one day. Once we finished making the cards, we played a game called Girls Night Out. It's a really good way to get to know other girls. It was pretty funny to play.
Sarah and I are working so hard on the cards.
The next morning, we went to the delicious Flat Rock Bakery for breakfast. I couldn't decide between all of the yummy sweet treats that they make. Since it was raining outside, all nine of us piled into a space that could probably hold five people. After breakfast, we had a devotional, and then I had to leave.
All of my sweet Circle friends.
I left Bonclarken early because Wes and I planned on going to the Orange and White game. We ate lunch at my parents' house, and then everyone was worried that it would be too rainy. So no Orange and White game for me. We watched it on TV at my parents', and then left for Wes's football game. Dave and Becky rode with us to the game, and we found out on the way that the game was cancelled. The guys still wanted to play, so Becky and I watched them scrimmage for two hours. It was nice, though, because Becky and I got to talk for a long time.
The best part of the weekend was when all of us went to Blue Ridge. I was at dinner with all of my favorite people! John, Peter, Dave, Becky, Lauren, Wes, Bethy (finally home from Charleston) and I all sat at a giant table together. I love eating with a big group!
I was dead tired on Sunday, but this weekend was worth losing sleep over.
When I finally got to the beautiful house, we sat out on the porch and talked until it was time for everyone but me to eat dinner (meat lasagna). After dinner, we went ahead and completed our contribution to the gift shop - beautiful handmade notecards that Becky designed for us. Making those cards actually made me think that maybe I should start scrapbooking one day. Once we finished making the cards, we played a game called Girls Night Out. It's a really good way to get to know other girls. It was pretty funny to play.
Sarah and I are working so hard on the cards.The next morning, we went to the delicious Flat Rock Bakery for breakfast. I couldn't decide between all of the yummy sweet treats that they make. Since it was raining outside, all nine of us piled into a space that could probably hold five people. After breakfast, we had a devotional, and then I had to leave.
All of my sweet Circle friends.I left Bonclarken early because Wes and I planned on going to the Orange and White game. We ate lunch at my parents' house, and then everyone was worried that it would be too rainy. So no Orange and White game for me. We watched it on TV at my parents', and then left for Wes's football game. Dave and Becky rode with us to the game, and we found out on the way that the game was cancelled. The guys still wanted to play, so Becky and I watched them scrimmage for two hours. It was nice, though, because Becky and I got to talk for a long time.
The best part of the weekend was when all of us went to Blue Ridge. I was at dinner with all of my favorite people! John, Peter, Dave, Becky, Lauren, Wes, Bethy (finally home from Charleston) and I all sat at a giant table together. I love eating with a big group!
I was dead tired on Sunday, but this weekend was worth losing sleep over.
Monday, April 7, 2008
No Veggies for Me, Thanks!
Our dog will eat ANYTHING! She is such a beggar for food, even though we have worked really hard to make sure that we don't give Wrigley food from our plates. She will try to eat food off of your plate if you are not closely guarding (holding in your hands) it. The two times that Wes has been the most angry at Wrigley are when she (1) ate his hot dog from Skin's and (2) ate 1/2 of his barbecue sandwich bun while he was putting sauce on his barbecue. We never thought we would find anything that Wrigley didn't like to eat, especially since she has recently been found stuffing her face with SOS pads.
Well, we finally found them. At one time, we found two things that Wrigley absolutely refuses to eat. We had a vegetable tray the other night during the Final Four games, and we thought we would see if Wrigley would enjoy it. She would NOT touch celery or broccoli. I'm sure that one of those is on the poison dog food list, but it doesn't really matter, because she would not even take a little bit of them. Wrigley would catch the broccoli in her mouth and immediately drop it on the ground, and she would hold the celery in her mouth for a minute, but she would then lay it on the ground. We also threw carrots to her, but it took her a few minutes to like those. She would pick them up, put them down, and then gingerly crunch them in her teeth.
Wrigley is just waiting for something good to come in this shower of vegetables
We left all of the vegetables on the floor overnight. Wrigley always walks downstairs in the middle of the night, trying to find something to get into. I thought that she would finally break down and eat the broccoli and celery. I was wrong, though, because it was still on the floor when I woke up. I guess she takes after her owners in the nasty vegetable department.
I guess this says it all - Wrigley almost steps on her celery
Well, we finally found them. At one time, we found two things that Wrigley absolutely refuses to eat. We had a vegetable tray the other night during the Final Four games, and we thought we would see if Wrigley would enjoy it. She would NOT touch celery or broccoli. I'm sure that one of those is on the poison dog food list, but it doesn't really matter, because she would not even take a little bit of them. Wrigley would catch the broccoli in her mouth and immediately drop it on the ground, and she would hold the celery in her mouth for a minute, but she would then lay it on the ground. We also threw carrots to her, but it took her a few minutes to like those. She would pick them up, put them down, and then gingerly crunch them in her teeth.
Wrigley is just waiting for something good to come in this shower of vegetablesWe left all of the vegetables on the floor overnight. Wrigley always walks downstairs in the middle of the night, trying to find something to get into. I thought that she would finally break down and eat the broccoli and celery. I was wrong, though, because it was still on the floor when I woke up. I guess she takes after her owners in the nasty vegetable department.
I guess this says it all - Wrigley almost steps on her celery
The Earliest Easter
We had a great Easter this year, even though it seemed to be way too early for. On the Thursday before Easter, we went to the Maundy Thursday service at our church. This was the first time that we had ever been, and it was really neat. This service signifies Christ's last night before the crucifixion, and we remember the Last Supper by partaking in Communion. Matt gave a great sermon that really made you think about what Jesus felt and what he was thinking as He prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice. AFter the benediction, everyone leaves the church in silence. I really liked having this service right before Easter, and it was such a difference from the bright, joyful services of Easter Sunday.
For the past two years, Wes and I have bought egg-dyeing kits, but we have never dyed Easter eggs together. It looked as if we would miss it again this year until Molly suggested we dye eggs the night before Easter. We ran out after dinner at my parents' house to get some eggs and a dye kit. We convinced Wes to help us make some cute eggs.
Molly started the "egg family" trend.
We were proud of our egg men.
The finished product of the entire family.
For the past two years, Wes and I have bought egg-dyeing kits, but we have never dyed Easter eggs together. It looked as if we would miss it again this year until Molly suggested we dye eggs the night before Easter. We ran out after dinner at my parents' house to get some eggs and a dye kit. We convinced Wes to help us make some cute eggs.
Molly started the "egg family" trend.
We were proud of our egg men.
The finished product of the entire family.
Michael Buble
For Valentine's Day, Wes bought tickets for us to see Michael Buble in Charlotte. I had been excited about the concert for a month! The concert was at the Bobcats Arena, right in the middle of downtown. We got there early and enjoyed walking around downtown for a bit before the concert. 
We found a nice little courtyard between the Bank of America building and Hearst Tower. We look WAY too excited to be on a mini-vacation!
When we went into the concert, our tickets wouldn't scan. Of course I was imagining losing our seats because they were double-booked or something crazy like that. After waiting for several nerve-racking minutes at the ticket counter, we found out that our seats had been upgraded! Apparently, the stage could not be seen from our seats, so we got to move to the lower bowl right next to the stage.
The opening act of the concert was amazing! A group called Naturally Seven performed. They sound a little bit like Boyz II Menn, but they also make their own music with their mouths. That's right; they use their MOUTHS to make music. When they sang, it sounded just like music was playing, but they were making all of the music without instruments. One guy did the drums, one did a violin, someone else did an electric guitar, and one guy with a crazy deep voice did the bass. We were amazed at how cool these guys are! I loved their singing voices, too. They sang some R&B, but they also sang some Simon and Garfunkel songs as well as a Phil Collins song.
Michael Buble was great! During his first five or so songs, I was pretty sure that he was drunk. Wes and I finally decided that he just seems like he's drunk when he is excited about his music. He played all of the songs that I had hoped for. We really liked his version of "Always on My Mind." Michael Buble was really funny, too. He has sort of a dry, sarcastic sense of humor. It seemed like he played for a long time, so we felt like we got our money's worth.
This is what it looked like when Michael leaned over to sing to us!
We found a nice little courtyard between the Bank of America building and Hearst Tower. We look WAY too excited to be on a mini-vacation!When we went into the concert, our tickets wouldn't scan. Of course I was imagining losing our seats because they were double-booked or something crazy like that. After waiting for several nerve-racking minutes at the ticket counter, we found out that our seats had been upgraded! Apparently, the stage could not be seen from our seats, so we got to move to the lower bowl right next to the stage.
The opening act of the concert was amazing! A group called Naturally Seven performed. They sound a little bit like Boyz II Menn, but they also make their own music with their mouths. That's right; they use their MOUTHS to make music. When they sang, it sounded just like music was playing, but they were making all of the music without instruments. One guy did the drums, one did a violin, someone else did an electric guitar, and one guy with a crazy deep voice did the bass. We were amazed at how cool these guys are! I loved their singing voices, too. They sang some R&B, but they also sang some Simon and Garfunkel songs as well as a Phil Collins song.
Michael Buble was great! During his first five or so songs, I was pretty sure that he was drunk. Wes and I finally decided that he just seems like he's drunk when he is excited about his music. He played all of the songs that I had hoped for. We really liked his version of "Always on My Mind." Michael Buble was really funny, too. He has sort of a dry, sarcastic sense of humor. It seemed like he played for a long time, so we felt like we got our money's worth.
This is what it looked like when Michael leaned over to sing to us!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
St. Patrick's Night
Unbelievably, we actually went out last night for St. Patrick's Day. We went with Lauren, John, and Jeff to a little festival downtown. It wasn't as exciting as we expected, and we were hungry, so we went to eat at Blue Ridge. Of course we had some of the best onion rings ever. That was really all I cared about eating. We even celebrated the holiday by partaking in "Irish" drinks. John had to leave us for a bit, but he ended up coming back (and we were definitely still sitting in our booth at Blue Ridge). We had a really good time sitting, eating, drinking, and talking. It was a nice change to go out on a weeknight.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Wes's First Bout of Depression
Our weekend started out very nicely on Friday evening. We went to eat at a new Italian restaurant where we got to partake of the Early Bird Special (that's right...apparently we're now Senior Citizens). It was an above average meal with really good garlic rolls, so I was happy. I then got Wes to go see The Other Boleyn Girl with me. I read the book, and thought it was a little cheesy, but somewhat interesting. In any case, I wanted to see the movie, especially to compare it to The Tudors, the TV show I got hooked on last summer. After the movie, we went to bed pretty early because we had to wake up on Saturday and go pick up our new entertainment center!
This is one special entertainment center, because we have gone through A LOT to get this thing. We got Pops' truck, and on the way to the warehouse, we were assaulted by barrels. The truck driving in front of us was carrying large, empty, cardboard barrels. Of course the wind is going to pick those barrels up. TWO, not one but TWO, barrels come flying at us and the split direction. This makes it impossible to veer to avoid one, because you would end up hitting the other. Somehow, by the grace of God, Wes managed to stay in our lane, avoid the barrel on the right of us and the barrel hurtling toward us from the left. What a good driver! I continue to shake and sweat for the remainder of the car ride.
When we get home, we begin the enjoyable task of putting the entertainment center together. Wes and I are both good at putting things together, and we usually work pretty well as a team while building things. This was a different story. The directions to this thing were miserable. We really could have done just as well without directions. They didn't tell you a thing. Of course, we got a little Grumpella with the directions and with each other. We finally managed to get the entertainment center put together in about 4 hours. We did get to take a break by hauling our trash to the dump!
Wes took a break later by going to Mutt's with the guys. I opted out and decided that I would rest while he was gone. Wes even brought me dinner in bed! After I ate, Wes tried to put our new shiny TV on the entertainment center. He was so excited with the finished product until I showed him how bad the picture was. And thus began Wes's meltdown. Our TV looks really bad, and we don't know why. We can't get the Geek Squad or the cable people over until Tuesday. We are really worried that they will tell us that our TV is just going to look that bad. If they do, though, we will be taking that TV right back to the store. All night Saturday and all day Sunday we were consumed with thoughts of our ugly TV. I don't know that I've ever seen Wes so upset.
I taught Sunday School, and then Wes and I met at home. We decided that we had to get out to get our mind (and our eyes) off of our TV. I took him to Jason's Deli (not at all my favorite) to try and cheer him up. After lunch, I just had to try and take a short nap. I napped on and off for a bit, but then I decided that we must get out again! We took Wrigley on a really long walk since it was so pleasant outside. Wes even ran her quite a bit, so she was nice and tired when we got back. We tried to work on teaching her to heel, but that is proving to be pretty difficult.
After our walk, I hung around upstairs (I can't even look at that technological nightmare) while Wes sat in front of the TV and dreamed that it would magically work. We later headed out to my parents' house to watch the Clemson/Maryland game. Clemson fell behind pretty early and were down by 20 points with 11 minutes. We were definitely pouting, but Clemson came back and won the game by three!! I take back all of the bad things I've ever said about Oglesby.
This is one special entertainment center, because we have gone through A LOT to get this thing. We got Pops' truck, and on the way to the warehouse, we were assaulted by barrels. The truck driving in front of us was carrying large, empty, cardboard barrels. Of course the wind is going to pick those barrels up. TWO, not one but TWO, barrels come flying at us and the split direction. This makes it impossible to veer to avoid one, because you would end up hitting the other. Somehow, by the grace of God, Wes managed to stay in our lane, avoid the barrel on the right of us and the barrel hurtling toward us from the left. What a good driver! I continue to shake and sweat for the remainder of the car ride.
When we get home, we begin the enjoyable task of putting the entertainment center together. Wes and I are both good at putting things together, and we usually work pretty well as a team while building things. This was a different story. The directions to this thing were miserable. We really could have done just as well without directions. They didn't tell you a thing. Of course, we got a little Grumpella with the directions and with each other. We finally managed to get the entertainment center put together in about 4 hours. We did get to take a break by hauling our trash to the dump!
Wes took a break later by going to Mutt's with the guys. I opted out and decided that I would rest while he was gone. Wes even brought me dinner in bed! After I ate, Wes tried to put our new shiny TV on the entertainment center. He was so excited with the finished product until I showed him how bad the picture was. And thus began Wes's meltdown. Our TV looks really bad, and we don't know why. We can't get the Geek Squad or the cable people over until Tuesday. We are really worried that they will tell us that our TV is just going to look that bad. If they do, though, we will be taking that TV right back to the store. All night Saturday and all day Sunday we were consumed with thoughts of our ugly TV. I don't know that I've ever seen Wes so upset.
I taught Sunday School, and then Wes and I met at home. We decided that we had to get out to get our mind (and our eyes) off of our TV. I took him to Jason's Deli (not at all my favorite) to try and cheer him up. After lunch, I just had to try and take a short nap. I napped on and off for a bit, but then I decided that we must get out again! We took Wrigley on a really long walk since it was so pleasant outside. Wes even ran her quite a bit, so she was nice and tired when we got back. We tried to work on teaching her to heel, but that is proving to be pretty difficult.
After our walk, I hung around upstairs (I can't even look at that technological nightmare) while Wes sat in front of the TV and dreamed that it would magically work. We later headed out to my parents' house to watch the Clemson/Maryland game. Clemson fell behind pretty early and were down by 20 points with 11 minutes. We were definitely pouting, but Clemson came back and won the game by three!! I take back all of the bad things I've ever said about Oglesby.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Pretty Good
It's only Tuesday, and I've been waiting for the coming weekend for two days now. By the time Sunday night rolls around, I'm always ready for Friday afternoon. We had a pretty good weekend this past weekend, but I definitely should have gotten more done.
On Friday, we went with Lauren and John to watch the AAAA Upper State basketball games at Littlejohn. It was really strange to see a game there when Clemson wasn't playing. I always love to watch good basketball games, and both the boys' and girls' games were exciting. Lauren and I also got to talk to a cute old man who was there to watch the games! By the time the games were over, Lauren and I were fading (as usual), so we all went home.
I was so happy to sleep until almost 9:00 on Saturday morning. How wonderful! I got up, watched my guilty pleasure Cashmere Mafia, and then went to the store to pick up a few things. Wes left to go to the Clemson baseball game with Jeff, and I decided it was time for me to rest. I only planned to watch one episode, but I ended up watching the entire first disc of How I Met Your Mother. I wasn't even supposed to watch it without Wes! I really think I have an addiction. I felt so guilty lying around, watching my show, but I just couldn't stop. After I ran through that disc, I decided that I should get out. I left to run a few errands, and I met Lauren at Barnes and Noble. We had a good time checking out Eat This, Not That! I also tried to plan a dream vacation that Wes and I will never take. I was so enjoying our time at the bookstore until I suddenly realized that it was 7:00. That was a little bit of a problem since Wes and I were going to eat at 8:00 and I hadn't even taken a shower yet. Yikes! So I pretty much just ran out on Lauren.
I did make it home in time for us to go eat at The Peddler. It was perfect! I love the atmosphere at The Peddler so much that I don't even mind waiting for a table. It's so cozy there...especially in the winter.
After church and Pete's on Sunday, Wes and I finally went shopping for a new TV! Later that night, we went and bought our TV. Now we no longer have a red screen. We are so excited, and now we can actually have people over to watch March Madness.
On Friday, we went with Lauren and John to watch the AAAA Upper State basketball games at Littlejohn. It was really strange to see a game there when Clemson wasn't playing. I always love to watch good basketball games, and both the boys' and girls' games were exciting. Lauren and I also got to talk to a cute old man who was there to watch the games! By the time the games were over, Lauren and I were fading (as usual), so we all went home.
I was so happy to sleep until almost 9:00 on Saturday morning. How wonderful! I got up, watched my guilty pleasure Cashmere Mafia, and then went to the store to pick up a few things. Wes left to go to the Clemson baseball game with Jeff, and I decided it was time for me to rest. I only planned to watch one episode, but I ended up watching the entire first disc of How I Met Your Mother. I wasn't even supposed to watch it without Wes! I really think I have an addiction. I felt so guilty lying around, watching my show, but I just couldn't stop. After I ran through that disc, I decided that I should get out. I left to run a few errands, and I met Lauren at Barnes and Noble. We had a good time checking out Eat This, Not That! I also tried to plan a dream vacation that Wes and I will never take. I was so enjoying our time at the bookstore until I suddenly realized that it was 7:00. That was a little bit of a problem since Wes and I were going to eat at 8:00 and I hadn't even taken a shower yet. Yikes! So I pretty much just ran out on Lauren.
I did make it home in time for us to go eat at The Peddler. It was perfect! I love the atmosphere at The Peddler so much that I don't even mind waiting for a table. It's so cozy there...especially in the winter.
After church and Pete's on Sunday, Wes and I finally went shopping for a new TV! Later that night, we went and bought our TV. Now we no longer have a red screen. We are so excited, and now we can actually have people over to watch March Madness.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
It Really Happened!
I'm just a little over a month late, but I have to blog about the actual snow that we had since it may never happen again. I never listen to snow rumors, because they don't ever seem to pan out. So I was just pretending that it was a normal old day. We went to Wednesday night service at church, and then Wes left me with my mom and dad so that he could go to choir practice. We were so excited when the preacher's wife ran in and yelled, "It's snowing." It was so neat to walk out of church with my parents as the snow was falling. All the way home, it snowed, but nothing was sticking yet. I went to the grocery store, not to stock up on milk and bread, but on Diet Cokes. By the time Wes got home 45 minutes later, the snow was starting to stick.We took Wrigley outside, and she was so confused. She didn't know what to think of all of the white stuff. She was really funny when Wes threw snowballs for her to catch.
We played outside for while, and I was trying to figure out if school would really be cancelled the next day. I had to finally get in the bed, because school had not been called off, and I was afraid we would only have a delay. Wes came upstairs a bit later to tell me that he was going to take Wrigley back out into the snow. I'm so glad that he did! I put a big coat on over my pajamas and we headed back out into the snowy yard. Wrigley seemed to enjoy the snow a little more by this time. We walked her around to the front yard, and Wes took her running in the snowy street. We absolutely love when it snows!
We had to take a picture of ourselves in the snow so that we could show it to our children one day! 
I loved the prints that Wrigley made in the snow!
Red Day
We enjoyed Valentine's Day this year. We started our celebrating the night before Valentine's Day at our church's Valentine's banquet. The youth serve at the banquet to make money for mission trips. The idea is to tip your waiters, but you can also pay money to have someone do something funny. Only five minutes after sitting down, one of our tablemates had his silverware taken from him. He then had to pay to get his silverware back. Wes received a giant Mexican sombrero complete with dangly decorations that he had to wear while eating dinner. We had to scrounge up some money to have a waiter take it to someone else to wear. The highlight of the evening was when Wes was forced to sing to me in front of all of the diners. A lady at our table got the idea for him to sing and she would not give it up. She wrote down the chorus of "Your Song" by Elton John and made BOTH OF US go up to the front of the fellowship hall. I had to sit while Wes got down on one knee and sang to me. He was such a good sport about it, and his singing was as great as ever.
On Valentine's Day, Wes brought beautiful yellow roses to school. I think yellow roses are so pretty; Wes knew that I liked them so much better than red roses. My students were so sweet to me, and I have enough chocolate to keep me sated for a few years. Two of my students even brought me Peanuts-themed chocolates. (Those are the Peanuts of the Snoopy/Charlie Brown variety, not the peanuts that George Washington Carver is famous for). The best gift of all from one of my students was a.....SALAD from Zaxby's!!! If you know me at all, you know that salads are my kryptonite. It was such a sweet gesture, but I didn't know what to do. I worked really hard to act like I was immensely enjoying my salad, but I'm afraid that I just didn't fake it well enough.
When I got home from school, Wes and I exchanged gifts. He surprised me with a Little Women house to go with my Literary Classics collection. My set is almost complete now! I was even more surprised by tickets to see Michael Buble in Charlotte! I can't wait! Wes and I don't really like to go to a fancy restaurant on Valentine's Day, so we cooked a quick meal at home. Then we went on our favorite Valentine's Day outing - we went to the Clemson basketball game. We did this two years ago on our first Valentine's Day together, and we were so excited to do it again. Clemson beat Georgia Tech by enough that the scrubs even got to play. This was probably the best and least stressful Valentine's Day we've had yet!
On Valentine's Day, Wes brought beautiful yellow roses to school. I think yellow roses are so pretty; Wes knew that I liked them so much better than red roses. My students were so sweet to me, and I have enough chocolate to keep me sated for a few years. Two of my students even brought me Peanuts-themed chocolates. (Those are the Peanuts of the Snoopy/Charlie Brown variety, not the peanuts that George Washington Carver is famous for). The best gift of all from one of my students was a.....SALAD from Zaxby's!!! If you know me at all, you know that salads are my kryptonite. It was such a sweet gesture, but I didn't know what to do. I worked really hard to act like I was immensely enjoying my salad, but I'm afraid that I just didn't fake it well enough.
When I got home from school, Wes and I exchanged gifts. He surprised me with a Little Women house to go with my Literary Classics collection. My set is almost complete now! I was even more surprised by tickets to see Michael Buble in Charlotte! I can't wait! Wes and I don't really like to go to a fancy restaurant on Valentine's Day, so we cooked a quick meal at home. Then we went on our favorite Valentine's Day outing - we went to the Clemson basketball game. We did this two years ago on our first Valentine's Day together, and we were so excited to do it again. Clemson beat Georgia Tech by enough that the scrubs even got to play. This was probably the best and least stressful Valentine's Day we've had yet!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Wes's Solo Debut
I am so lucky to have a husband with such a beautiful singing voice. Wes sings to me all of the time at home. I just love to listen to his voice. Wes has been a singer for most of his life, and he was a popular singer in his home church. He just started singing in the ARP choir in September. Our church doesn't have many solo musical performances, but I always hoped that Wes would get to have one someday. Our church had a Christmas musical, and Wes was tapped to sing "Mary Did You Know?" This has always been my least favorite Christmas song, probably because I usually hear it sung by Kenny Rogers and Wynonna Judd. I was still excited for Wes to have a solo, though.
Wes was a celebrity! On the night of the program, everyone came to hear him sing. Wes's parents and my parents came, as did my grandmother and two of my aunts. Our friends Lauren, John, Jeff, and Brittany also came to hear him sing. Wes did an amazing job singing. I decided that I now like "Mary Did You Know?" because I love the way that Wes sings it. It's a really cool song if you listen to the words. I just had trouble listening to the words before because I couldn't get past the country twang of Kenny Rogers. Wes sang it so beautifully that it made me cry.
After the program, we all went to the fellowship hall to eat dinner. We couldn't find a table for all of us, so we sat in chairs in a corner. We were all so close and cozy. Wes was so blessed to have so many great people support him.
Wes was a celebrity! On the night of the program, everyone came to hear him sing. Wes's parents and my parents came, as did my grandmother and two of my aunts. Our friends Lauren, John, Jeff, and Brittany also came to hear him sing. Wes did an amazing job singing. I decided that I now like "Mary Did You Know?" because I love the way that Wes sings it. It's a really cool song if you listen to the words. I just had trouble listening to the words before because I couldn't get past the country twang of Kenny Rogers. Wes sang it so beautifully that it made me cry.
After the program, we all went to the fellowship hall to eat dinner. We couldn't find a table for all of us, so we sat in chairs in a corner. We were all so close and cozy. Wes was so blessed to have so many great people support him.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Getting Ready for Christmas (even though it's over)
We had a wonderful holiday season this year. I'm only many weeks late in posting about our Christmas activities. Wes and I are Christmas fanatics, and we started listening to Christmas music while driving on our anniversary trip. Just so there are no mistakes, our anniversary is on November 18. That's right; we started listening to Christmas music BEFORE Thanksgiving.
At Christmas time last year, we were crazy busy since we had just gotten married. We were so excited to be able to really enjoy Christmas this year. We tried to go to as many Christmas happenings as we could get ourselves to. We went to Berea First Baptist to see their Living Christmas Tree. It was a really good program with great decorations, but I wish there had been more regular old Christmas songs. Two nights later, we saw the best Christmas show of all when Wes Page sang at the Greenville ARP Christmas program. This event will be described in more detail in a later post. After the church Christmas program, we drove through a live nativity with Jeff and Brittany. We really enjoyed this! I have never been to one of these before. It was a really neat interpretation of what it was like when Jesus was born.
We also went with my mom, dad, and aunt to see The Best Christmas Pageant Ever at the Peace Center. I love this play, and I have probably seen it ten times! This was the second time that Wes and I got to see it together. The night after the play, we went to two fun parties. We were served way too much good food!
Wes and I had a rare Monday night date when we went to the Greenville Symphony's holiday program. It was SOOOO good. We didn't want it to end! They played every Christmas song imaginable! The conductor was really interesting to watch, and the musicians were excellent. Two days later, we went to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra with Jeff and Brittany. It was very different from what I thought it would be. It was very entertaining, though! The best part was when I sprained my ankle in the middle of the road on the way INTO the Bilo Center and almost passed out. I'm so graceful!
Wes and I had a dinner at Outback with our friends to celebrate Christmas. After dinner, everyone came to our house and exchanged Secret Santa gifts. My Secret Santa and I had each other!
I had a girly Christmas party to go to on the night of our last day of school. What a great day to celebrate! The girls who I teach with in the breakfast club had a Secret Santa party. My Secret Santa and I had each other at this party, too!
This has definitely been the best married Christmas ever!
At Christmas time last year, we were crazy busy since we had just gotten married. We were so excited to be able to really enjoy Christmas this year. We tried to go to as many Christmas happenings as we could get ourselves to. We went to Berea First Baptist to see their Living Christmas Tree. It was a really good program with great decorations, but I wish there had been more regular old Christmas songs. Two nights later, we saw the best Christmas show of all when Wes Page sang at the Greenville ARP Christmas program. This event will be described in more detail in a later post. After the church Christmas program, we drove through a live nativity with Jeff and Brittany. We really enjoyed this! I have never been to one of these before. It was a really neat interpretation of what it was like when Jesus was born.
We also went with my mom, dad, and aunt to see The Best Christmas Pageant Ever at the Peace Center. I love this play, and I have probably seen it ten times! This was the second time that Wes and I got to see it together. The night after the play, we went to two fun parties. We were served way too much good food!
Wes and I had a rare Monday night date when we went to the Greenville Symphony's holiday program. It was SOOOO good. We didn't want it to end! They played every Christmas song imaginable! The conductor was really interesting to watch, and the musicians were excellent. Two days later, we went to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra with Jeff and Brittany. It was very different from what I thought it would be. It was very entertaining, though! The best part was when I sprained my ankle in the middle of the road on the way INTO the Bilo Center and almost passed out. I'm so graceful!
Wes and I had a dinner at Outback with our friends to celebrate Christmas. After dinner, everyone came to our house and exchanged Secret Santa gifts. My Secret Santa and I had each other!
I had a girly Christmas party to go to on the night of our last day of school. What a great day to celebrate! The girls who I teach with in the breakfast club had a Secret Santa party. My Secret Santa and I had each other at this party, too!
This has definitely been the best married Christmas ever!
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