Month: March 2010

Categories
Everything Else

Current Reads

I’m trying to get caught up on the books I checked out at the library a couple of weeks ago. I renewed them, but am a little late on a 1 week loan. I made the goal of finishing Not My Daughter this weekend~ I did this afternoon! A former coworker turned me onto Barbara Delinsky’s books. I read Family Tree (about a white couple who’s first child is born with mixed/black skin) first and have since read The Secret Between Us (about an accident with a mother & daughter) & While My Sister Sleeps (about two sisters & what happen if one gets hurt). All have been based in New England and have family & family ties as central themes. The premise for Not My Daughter is that the principal of the small town high school finds out her 17 year old daughter is pregnant on purpose. These books aren’t ones you have to concentrate hard to read, but they are a little more thought provoking than the average “chic lit”.Tonight I started Jodi Picoult’s most recent book, House Rules. It seems to be the story of a family who’s oldest son has Asperger’s & loves forensics. After reading all but one of her books, I know they kinda follow a familiar pattern or twist, but somehow I’m still interested in what happens in each new one that comes out. I tend to like her characters & get hooked in the stories. I think this one will be a pretty quick read~ I’m hoping to have it finished by next weekend so that I can read our book club selection, Midwives, before the 8th. Hope everyone had a good weekend & happy reading!

Categories
Family/Travel

Visiting the Parents

We enjoyed a great trip this past weekend to VA to visit my parents. We went up there to help celebrate my Dad’s 55th birthday & my parents 30th anniversary which was actually on the 22nd. My OIB grandparents were able to come up with Bocce the puppy also. It was so great to see everyone! Chubs (aka brother Steven) & his girlfriend Beth came over with their new addition~ puppy French Bulldog Quinn.

I didn’t take my camera but my Dad took a few fun pictures of the dogs getting to know each other. Bocce is older & bigger, but Quinn’s been around a lot more dogs. Bocce was very scared! After 5 hours, they finally kinda became buddies. I think it’ll take a weekend at OIB for them to really get along.

We celebrated together by cooking at home & making a few yummy drinks & playing Left Right Center. Jason & I got Dad a new cooler full of Diet Cheerwine (which he can’t get in VA). We went in with Beth & Steven & gave Mom & Dad flowers & a gift card to a local non-chain Italian place. Its their favorite take-out spot! Hope they enjoy!

Categories
Travel

MIA

Sorry I’ve been MIA; I know y’all have been sitting on the edge of your seats wondering what I’ve been up to. No? Anyone?! 😛

I had a work trip to Greensboro Sun-Tues last week. I had a great time with my work girls. There’s four of us so it worked perfect for riding together & being roommates. The conference was for the agency force & underwriters are invited more for fun. I enjoyed meeting the people I email & talk on the phone with all day at work. A few of them surprised me, but I’d used our photo search function at work so I was able to spot most of them. I do have to say that I work with a lot of wild people! I was pretty tame & was still up until 230-3 both Sunday & Monday nights! Needless to say, the rest of last week I was playing catch up on sleep.

Friday my in laws came to visit from GA. It’s a 6+ hour trip so we don’t get to see them as much as we’d both like. It was actually the first time they’d been up here in a few years (we usually meet at the beach). They live in a small town without malls or restaurants, so we tried to make up for that!! We let them decide food & restaurants, so in three days we hit up Outback, Cheesecake Factory & Lonestar. We also went to Nordstrom at Southpoint & by Jason’s works. I also went to my friend Holly’s little girl’s 1st birthday party. She was too cute & loving her birthday cake & icing!!

You might be able to hear my sniffles & coughing all the way at your computer! Somehow the little tickle in my throat on Friday/Saturday turned into full blown chest cold by Sunday afternoon. I spent most of yesterday going from the bed to the couch! Sadly, I gave it to Jason too. Needless to say, I’ve been to Food Dog (not quite the quality of a Lion but gotta love the prices) three times in as many days to get G2, OJ & Mucinex. I think it’s working because although I look like a faucet, I am feeling better. Hope the spring forward sickness didn’t get anyone else!

Categories
Travel

Kelly’s Bachelorette Weekend at Ft Lauderdale!

We had such a great time on our trip celebrating Kelly’s last few single weeks!

Five of us arrived about the same time & shared a ride with “Action” Jackson to the Hilton. Here’s me, Meghan, Kelly (the bride to be), B, & Kristen (the 5 month pregnant trooper!).

It was mid afternoon at this point so we headed to the closest restaurant Casablanca Cafe where we enjoyed yummy lunch & cold beverage.The other two bridesmaids & friends joined us back at the hotel. We decorated the room & got to know each other better~ pretty much girl talked the evening away. Based on recommendations from the hotel & a friend’s sister, we went down to Las Olas Blvd for dinner at the Samba Room. The menu featured different seafood as well as Cuban inspired items. I enjoyed this amazing Cobb salad with mangos & black beans & a avocado lime dressing. Topped the meal off with a mango mojito! We stopped by YOLO afterwards but we were pretty spent from our day of travel and ended the night soon after.Saturday morning started with a walk on the beach, then thanks to Beth’s Hilton status, we enjoyed free breakfast contonential buffett. Even though it was a windy 70 outside, we were in FL & layed out for a few hours by the pool. I started Such a Pretty Fat & the girls were laughing at me giggling away at Jen Lancaster’s writing.

We walked up the main beach strip to H20 for lunch. Salads looked great & I had awesome grouper tacos. (And yes I was sporting my new scarf!!)Tamar is so creative! She made up a bachelorette themed scavenger hunt. We divided up into two teams; the bride to be was on the other team, but ours found Fat Tuesday & a bachelor party so thanks to them we were able to complete a lot of tasks & won~ 49 to 31! Afterwards, we grabbed a quick drink at Fat Tuesday before just beating the rain back to the hotel. The rain didn’t get us down though~ we just had a dance party in the suite!
We went to dinner based on the hotel’s recommendation at Big City Tavern. We went to Mangos next. Fun band but a more older scene~ they might’ve been a lil overwhelmed by us! We’d heard Blue Martini was fun~ so glad we went~ they had an amazing band & played fun current hits. Felt like we were at a concert. We ended the night at Whiskey Blue at the W hotel. Seems like it was the place to see & be seen. Had to wait in line 10+ minutes just to get it. We were kinda done by that point but luckily were next door to our hotel.Sunday was pretty chill breakfast & then off to the airport. Such an awesome weekend! I loved (meeting &/or) getting to know Kelly’s best girls even better. Can’t wait for her wedding on 4/24!