happy 4th

fireworks
friends
great food
fun
playing cards
seeing flake
being silly
swimming
laughing
celebrating freedom

oh april

oh april was such a busy month for me!
i never realized it would keep me so busy OR that i would stay away from blogger and my bloggy friends for so long, but it did!
i had been thinking that all of you were just left wondering what was going on with me, but then i realized that april was kind enough to hack into my account and give you an update on my whereabouts!
thank goodness for the dear sweet month of april!

april was so full for me, and i'm excited for all the fun that i experienced, yet so excited that MAY is here! (and i do hope may will not need to hack into my account!)

while i was gone.......
my brother got married!

he and his beautiful wife had the first of their three weddings.
this first wedding was on easter sunday at my parents church and home.
it was an exciting time, for all of us and was totally a family affair!
paul and andreea, along with a few helping hands, prepared ALL the food for a traditional romanian easter feast. (andreea is romainian)
andreea's mother arranged all the flowers,
my father preformed the ceremony,
and everyone else helped in every possible way.....especially when it came time to eat!

i also ran(most of) my first 5k.

it was a fun training journey,
which i learned a lot....made new friends...and remembered why i enjoyed running!
so i'm looking forward to running another 5k....beating my time, and running the entire thing!
OH and i hope to keep a smile on my face....and not look like i do in the picture at the top left of this collage....i look like i was hating life!

we went camping
and for some reason, i don't have many pictures from the adventure....
but the memories i have will last for many years to come!
we left town after work on a friday afternoon, and headed up to the nicest campground i have ever stayed in, only problem....we couldn't find it!
we (flake & i, along with a group of friends) traveled up in 4 separate cars, none of us leaving at the same time, and every one of us got lost when the directions ran out!
after we finally got there, and got settled, the adventure began.
we had a blast, and i learned a few things....

*take socks for flake....so he doesn't have to wear mine when he gets cold at night....

(and yes he has one on inside out!)

*when we go tubing, I WILL GET WET! despite what flake tries to convince me of.....i now know that there is NO possible way to not get drenched!!!!! or loose your sun glasses....or stay warm in mountain water in the middle of april!

*when the camp host warns you to put ALL coolers away at night....into the cars....so the bear who has never come this far into the campsite, but who does live around these parts will not get into your things.....he means.....PUT YOUR COOLER AWAY!
even if flake seems to think there isn't anything in it, and because it is a metal cooler, the bear wouldn't want to get in it any way....

WRONG!
it is hard to see, but those are his "finger" prints on the bottom right hand corner
the bear was able to get into our cooler....and let me tell you bears are picky!
in the cooler was a random assortment of things....beer, woodchuck, jelly, 2 half gallon lemonades, cheese (in one of those plastic cases), and pringles (the little 100 calorie serving containers).
the only thing that wasn't just bothered, but actually missing was the cheese...and the container...
thank goodness that one of the little kids who went camping with us, found the cheese case in the woods!

so, you can imagine, how fun and exciting the month was....
lets just hope for may to be the same! :)
except for the whole bloggy hiatus!

christmas want list

for a good few months,
flake's parents had been asking us for christmas ideas
i honestly felt like i didn't need anything
so i felt bad giving them any sort of list
but after it was made very clear to me
by flake
and his parents
that if i didn't give a list,
i would just get pot luck....
so as much as i hate surprises,
i decided to email them a list
of wishes wants

one of my wants was fun/crazy/cute socks
because.....socks are fun
and....i wear them to keep the kids at school happy
(ok really, that is just an excuse!!
i totally wear them to make me happy,
and the kiddos just get a kick out of them too!)
so when i opened up my present and found these....
boy was i ever excited....
and surprised (in a good way....the kind of surprise i like)

i got 5 sets of
mismatched socks
all the socks.....
in the set....
go together
but don't match
how cool is that!

so as soon as i got home with my new socks....
i had to look up the mismatched socks online
at Little MissMatched Socks
needless to say....
i am hooked!
i love the fact that the whole company
was started based on the fact of the "missing sock"
i have a drawer full of them myself
so i totally get why someone would want to
profit from something that haunts my everyday life!

my greatest thanks goes out to mr & mrs g
for opening my eyes to such a wonderful world of socks
flake on the other hand
is quite upset that his parents have created a monster
being that i have already picked out the next sets i would like to have
(can we say....all of them!)

have you missed me

.....well, have you?
yeah, probably not,
but i've missed you!
a lot!
since last wednesday morning
i have been taking a break from blogger
not because i wanted to,
but because blogging on my phone isn't as easy as facebooking on my phone! :)
so, you might wonder, why on earth was i taking an uninvited break from blogger....
simple....
(well ok, not really)
so here is a run down of how i've been spending my time without you!!

wednesday (12.17)
i worked .... and as soon as i sent my little friends on their way
flake was at school to pick me up
so we could head down east
we arrived in beaufort, making great time,
even after we stopped in raleigh for some amazing bumper to bumper traffic fun!
when we arrived, i was totally shocked to see the temperature at 8:30pm to be 68
seriously?!?! it is the middle of december....not september!

thursday (12.18)
flake and i woke up.....
thinking we were on a little vacation,
and then it hit us...
we realized that this wedding we were in town for....
was no where ready to be had
flake and i, spent the entire day,
helping robbie make list, cross things off, rewrite list, buy things, drop things off,
and then do it all again!
that evening, we decided we were going to have a tacky christmas sweater party....
and then quickly thought better of it, being that it was just me, flake, robbie, and b-rad (her hubby to be)...along with the dogs and cat
so instead we drank and played scrabble....
and just so you know, i am not a good speller....
but when i've had a few drinks in me, i can't even comprehend what the letters sound like....
so putting them together to form a word....not a pretty picture....however a funny one!
so when b-rad started the game off with JIHAD....i pretty much needed to throw in the towel!
needless to say, i didn't win!

friday (12.19)
robbie and i spent the day checking more things off her list....
and i was able to convince her to let us get our nails done....
(which was totally on my list!)
flake spent the entire day cleaning robbie's car (seriously!)
then it was off to the rehearsal (where i got to hug allison! :))
and then dinner (and pictures!!)
i had some wine....i typically don't drink wine, i have never really liked it....
but my thoughts have changed! :)
after the dinner, robbie, flake, kendall, and i went over to robbie's store to print her wedding programs
(well, they printed, while i took a rest on one of the beds at the store!)
and then we headed to wally world....
after getting some essential things for the wedding....
we finally arrived back at robbie's house too close to 2am for me to be happy

saturday (12.20)
the big day....a beautiful spring day, sunshine, 70 degrees...only problem....its supposed to be december! robbie wanted a december....christmas....cold weather wedding....
(and i kept thinking....if you wanna make god laugh...make a plan!)
i woke robbie up, earlier than she probably wanted me too....
but the list....was not complete by any means! (?!?!?)
there was still packing for the honeymoon, gathering things for the reception, finding people to clean up, figuring out how ____ would get ____ to _____.
way too much stuff to keep up in the air at once for my little brain!
we finally left to go get our hair done, and then made it to the church....
a lot of the afternoon was a blur....
i do remember...i was dressed like a present...
we were standing in line to walk into the church....
the music began
the solo began
and then it happened!!
the flower girl vomited EVERYWHERE!!!
seriously!
all over herself, me, everywhere!
and then she did it again, in fact 2 more times!
somehow, by the grace of god
we got her cleaned up, the vomit somewhat off my dress,
out from between my toes....
and were ready to walk into the church....ON TIME!
the wedding went off with out a hitch....
smiled pretty for the pictures....
everyone was ready to go....
until kendall realized her keys....were in her purse....with flake....already at the reception....
so after we got another set from her parents...
we were on our way
we arrived at the reception
flake did his dj thing
robbie left happy
saying it was exactly what she wanted
....
so i must say....it was a success
however...
i realize now... more than ever....
there is a good reason i did not plan my own wedding!! :) god bless flake for doing it all!!

sunday (12.21)
flake and i stayed in beaufort for some "away time"
and volunteered to take care of beau, tater, and casper
robbie and b-rad's dogs and cat
even though we were given specific care instructions for the animals....
we didn't exactly follow them
we were told to feed casper once a day (check)
we were told to feed tater twice a day--a scoop each time, and water in the bowl (check)
we were told .... for beau.... he likes hardee's combo #2 .... with straight fries, and a water.... he likes to drink his water out of the bathtub faucet...and he expects to sleep in the bed....
.....
needless to say..... beau...got the same treatment as tater....

flake and i spent all of sunday on the couch, watching tv and sleeping
we were both worn slam out!

monday (12.22)
it came quickly....mainly cause we were so tired
monday, we decided to walk downtown....we quickly realized winter had come back to town
as soon as we walked outside....we felt that a ride down town would be a better idea!
after our "walk"
we decided to go see a movie, have dinner, and then rent a movie....
oh and we took care of the animals....
it was a good day for us, being together, not having to worry about any agendas...or list...or anything!

tuesday (12.23)
the flake and i got all our stuff in the car and ready to leave ....
heading to my parents house....
we stopped in raleigh,
where my mama had reserved us tickets to see polar express at the imax theater.
it was awesome!
flake had never seen the polar express before, and i had been really wanting to see it in 3d....so i was totally excited! :)
so much so that we had to have our picture taken in the glasses!! :)
i was NOT disappointed!
it was amazing!
and after we left....
flake actually said....
in one way or another....
he liked it too! :)
we arrived at my parents house, had some great time together, before dinner, had a great dinner, made by good old susan....
and then more conversation...(i'm still shocked....my father never turned the tv on!!)
and then off to bed :)

wednesday (12.24)
here we are....all caught up! :)
i woke up early....
early enough to see it snow!
which made my day!
i had to go tell flake....to which he replied....
it isn't nice to lie on christmas eve!
then took a little nap, until everyone else woke up....
and now i sit....feeling very accomplished that i have recapped my boring week!
and i'm beyond excited to see my brother, nina, and family....
spend time with all my family....
go to church....
and then head to bed....to wake up tomorrow, on christmas....
and get to spend time with my new family back at home! :)

merry christmas
from me to you!
:)

happy turkey day!!!

on this day 13 turkey days ago,
i was marching through the streets of
new york city
with my high school band
in the macy's thanksgiving day parade.

it was an unbelievable experience
something that i will never ever forget
something i will always be thankful for

but today,
on thanksgiving
i am thankful to be able to have
warm clothes
a warm place to be .... inside
the option to stay in bed til a decent hour
(which were NOT options 13 years ago)
an amazing meal
great conversation
good laughs
and most importantly
time to be with my family
today and for the next few days to come!

so.....remember


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!


and.....happy birthday allison and alyson!

happy halloween

happy
halloween

from our little creatures
to yours!

i can't stop laughing about this! :) flake is convinced i'm crazy!