For Christmas this year, we were able to squeeze in some time with both families. We started out by visiting with the Tuck's in Hillsborough from Thursday-Saturday morning. The weather on Thursday was terrible and made for a very long drive. But we arrived safely- albeit 2 hours later than expected.
We did our family gift giving on Friday morning and then a late afternoon lunch followed by a night full of X-Box rafting :) On Saturday, we woke up, had breakfast downstairs, played MORE X-box (but this time it included dancing) and then we headed out.
We did our Tinsley family gift giving on Saturday night. We also did a White Elephant exchange with my relatives that was a lot of fun. Thomas ended up with a lazy susan remote holder (which I at first did not care for, but it has slowly grown on me) and I chose a box that had 3 scratch off tickets. The only stipulation was that you had to drink the mini bottle of tequila that was included before you could scratch them. I decided it was a risk worth taking, but in the end, NONE were winners. Bummer! There were lots of other fun gifts handed out- most of which will probably end up in the trash at some point in the near future :)
All of my relatives headed out on Sunday and the rest of us had a lazy day of Christmas movies. That's what vacation is all about right?? I got a new sewing machine from my parents for christmas, so I spent some time playing with that also :)
Thomas and I headed back home on Christmas Eve. The drive was great! One of our easiest drives yet. And we made it home in enough time to quickly unpack, hit the grocery store before they closed, go to our Christmas Eve service, and drop by a friends Christmas Eve Party.
On Christmas Day, we woke up, made a big breakfast, and had our 3rd annual Tuck Family Christmas with just the 4 of us. Our presents to each other weren't supposed to be big this year, but Thomas surprised me and told me that I'll be able to get Lasik in 2013. I've had such issues with my eyes lately I know it will be money well spent. And in order to find out thats what I got, he sent up on a little hunt to gather all the letters. It took me a little while to unscramble them, but I was excited when I figured out what it was. Later in the afternoon, we gathered with some of our neighbors for a pot luck lunch. It was a nice relaxing Christmas Day!
I'm off for a few more days so I'm attempting to get our lives back in order and ready for the New Year! Hopefully everyone enjoyed their Christmas as much as we did!
Friday, December 28, 2012
The Big Apple!
For my birthday this year, we made a trip to NYC with some friends of ours! We left on Thursday, the 13th and returned on Sunday, the 16th. It was a little chilly, but a lot of fun.
Thursday
We picked up our friends on the way to the airport, and because of the typical downtown congestion, we were high tailing it by the time we got there. Luckily, we got there just in time to board our flight. And thanks to Thomas and his plethora of free vouchers, we all enjoyed a cocktail and snack box. We also had a really nice flight attendant on the flight. At one point, I got up to use the restroom and when I came back, she and Thomas were chatting. Come to find out, he had mentioned my birthday was the next day so she provided us with a good amount of wine to take with us off the plane. A nice way to start the trip off right?
Once we got into the city, we dropped our luggage, freshened up, and headed out for a really late dinner at a nearby burger bar. After burgers, we decided to check out a local cupcake shop (Crumbs) that stays open until 12am or 1am (depending on the night). Luckily we just made it and all picked out a cupcake to take back to our room before they closed up for the night.
Friday
We woke this morning and decided we were going to do an open top bus tour of the city. It was a hop on/hop off tour and we were able to use it all 3 days we were in the city. On this particular day, we decided to explore the lower side of Manhatten (China Town, Little Italy, Wall Street, etc.). We got on and off a few times for lunch, a little shopping at Bloomingdales, and some first hand sight seeing in China Town and Little Italy.
Towards the end of the day, our intention was to get off the bus at Rockefellar Center to see the tree. But at that point we were frozen solid. Therefore, the only picture we ended up taking was from the top of the bus. But it didn't turn out too bad!
SLIGHTLY more crowded than they depict in movies, right??
The only downside to an otherwise fun day was our dinner experience that night. We managed to pick a french restaurant for dinner where the wait was too long, the food was over priced, and not even that tasty. We definitely learned our lesson :) Nothing a little Karaoke couldn't fix though. Thomas was able to entertain us for a couple hours and raise our spirits back up!
Saturday
On this day, we headed towards upper Manhattan. We managed to fit in The American Museum of Natural History, Central Park, Shake Shack (mmmmmm), and also an early dinner and Improv Comedy Show! This was one of our best shots of the trip (and the only group picture, I think).
Sunday
Luckily, this was our only day of rain. We woke up, packed our things and left them with the concierge, and then we headed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was a great thing to do on a rainy day. What was NOT great was trying to catch a cab after the fact- and then to actually find one that would travel back towards Time Square. Eventually, we got one and headed back towards our hotel. We met up with a friend from college and his girlfriend at a restaurant called Beer Authority. It was nice catching up with good friends!
After lunch, we took the subway to JFK for our flight back home. Since the weather was bad, we had quite a few delay's getting out, but eventually we made it home. And lucky for Thomas and myself, we were upgraded. So that made the flight that much easier.
Overall, a great trip, but we're definitely happy to be back home in the suburbs where there are A LOT less people :)
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Thanksgiving 2012!
We are finally back home and settled after a week long trip to North Carolina for Thanksgiving. We had a good time but we're definitely glad to be back home and settled. It's only fun to live out of a suitcase for so long :)
We started off our week in Hillsborough (Tuesday-Thursday). We got in late on Tuesday night and visited for a few before turning in for the night. I was spent after a long day at work and a long day on the road! I had taken the kids of Legoland that day in Atlanta (which was a lot of fun) but I was done for by the time we got through the traffic filled trip.
On Wednesday, Thomas and his Mom got out to run a few errands and the rest of us stayed behind for the annual cooking of the brunswick stew. Tommy cooks it outside over a fire in an iron witches kettle (for lack of a better description hehe). He even stirs it with a wittled wooden stick! It's delicious and I will savor the few freezer bags that we've got for as long as possible :)
On Thursday, Meredith and I woke up and took a long run down to their church and then over to the neighbors house (Betty Ray) where the boys were waiting to drive us back. All in all- about a 3 mile run. The rest of the day was spent prepping for Thanksgiving Day lunch. Needless to say, it was delicious.
Not long after lunch, Thomas and I packed up and headed to Salisbury. We stayed in Salisbury from Thursday night-Sunday morning. Our weekend there consisted of another Thanksgiving meal, lots of playtime with Clara Jane, and plenty of relaxation. Every time we are around Clara, we're amazed by her milestones! This visit might of been the most fun. She's very chatty now and even calls us "Uncle Thomas and Auntie Cate". She also has a slight obsession with Wendy, but at this point Wendy has learned to play along with her instead of being frightened so they had a great time together!
The only downside of our time in Salisbury was that my Mom and I attended a funeral for a dear family friend, Jo Goforth. After my grandmother died when I was younger, Jo and my grandfather reconnected and remained companions for many years. She was as much a part of the family as my grandmother and I have very fond memories of my time with her. I will miss her dearly!
The drive back was less than mediocre, but fortunately we made it back with no major issues! We stopped in Gastonia for a few minutes to visit with some friends of ours (Hank and Jordan Trogdon) who just had a baby girl a few weeks ago. Her name is Mollie Kate and she is just precious. We also stopped at the outlets temporarily so I could have a look around at JCrew and Pottery Barn. I had a few good finds including a new coat for our upcoming trip to NYC in December!
Thomas is gone now for a week long trip to LA/Las Vegas and the dogs and I are here holding down the fort (and hanging Christmas Decorations, of course!). We're excited about Thomas' arrival back home on Sunday. After this week, he wont travel again until after the holiday's.
Hope that everyone else had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I don't know about you, but it's a good thing that the pie is finally gone! I was making excuses to eat it for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner! :)
Happy Hump Day.
P-S: Here are a couple photos from our trip away (sorry, I didnt take very many!)
We started off our week in Hillsborough (Tuesday-Thursday). We got in late on Tuesday night and visited for a few before turning in for the night. I was spent after a long day at work and a long day on the road! I had taken the kids of Legoland that day in Atlanta (which was a lot of fun) but I was done for by the time we got through the traffic filled trip.
On Wednesday, Thomas and his Mom got out to run a few errands and the rest of us stayed behind for the annual cooking of the brunswick stew. Tommy cooks it outside over a fire in an iron witches kettle (for lack of a better description hehe). He even stirs it with a wittled wooden stick! It's delicious and I will savor the few freezer bags that we've got for as long as possible :)
On Thursday, Meredith and I woke up and took a long run down to their church and then over to the neighbors house (Betty Ray) where the boys were waiting to drive us back. All in all- about a 3 mile run. The rest of the day was spent prepping for Thanksgiving Day lunch. Needless to say, it was delicious.
Not long after lunch, Thomas and I packed up and headed to Salisbury. We stayed in Salisbury from Thursday night-Sunday morning. Our weekend there consisted of another Thanksgiving meal, lots of playtime with Clara Jane, and plenty of relaxation. Every time we are around Clara, we're amazed by her milestones! This visit might of been the most fun. She's very chatty now and even calls us "Uncle Thomas and Auntie Cate". She also has a slight obsession with Wendy, but at this point Wendy has learned to play along with her instead of being frightened so they had a great time together!
The only downside of our time in Salisbury was that my Mom and I attended a funeral for a dear family friend, Jo Goforth. After my grandmother died when I was younger, Jo and my grandfather reconnected and remained companions for many years. She was as much a part of the family as my grandmother and I have very fond memories of my time with her. I will miss her dearly!
The drive back was less than mediocre, but fortunately we made it back with no major issues! We stopped in Gastonia for a few minutes to visit with some friends of ours (Hank and Jordan Trogdon) who just had a baby girl a few weeks ago. Her name is Mollie Kate and she is just precious. We also stopped at the outlets temporarily so I could have a look around at JCrew and Pottery Barn. I had a few good finds including a new coat for our upcoming trip to NYC in December!
Thomas is gone now for a week long trip to LA/Las Vegas and the dogs and I are here holding down the fort (and hanging Christmas Decorations, of course!). We're excited about Thomas' arrival back home on Sunday. After this week, he wont travel again until after the holiday's.
Hope that everyone else had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I don't know about you, but it's a good thing that the pie is finally gone! I was making excuses to eat it for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner! :)
Happy Hump Day.
P-S: Here are a couple photos from our trip away (sorry, I didnt take very many!)
Thomas, Myself, Meredith, and Ben
The 3 puppies that Meredith and Ben are taking care off. There were originally 5, but as of Thanksgiving 3 were left. They found them in the woods next to their house and have been caring for them for several weeks. As of now, I think there is only 1 left and they are considering keeping him. His name is peanut and he is the runt. They were incredibly cute!
I clearly have a weakness for puppies. It's no wonder we didn't end up bringing one home ourselves! Here's one of Wendy's first pictures.
Ok, and just one more :)
Thomas and Clara
Doing a little light reading :)
Friday, November 16, 2012
New Recipes!
I've been busy lately trying lots of new things! Some good and some not so good. But I guess that's the trend when you try a new recipe :) Not to worry- I'll only share the good ones!
The first recipe that I've tried within the last few months (and have made repeatedly) is Almond Flour Muffins. The ingredients are basic and the add-ins are endless. My "add-ins of choice" are banana and dark chocolate chips. Here's the recipe-
2 cups Almond Flour (store bought or homemade. I usually do 1 cup of each)
2 eggs
1/4 coconut oil (melted in the microwave)
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
desired mix-ins
Pre-heat oven to 350. Mix together all ingredients except your mix-ins, which need to be folded in at the end. Bake for 15 minutes. Yields about 12 muffins and remember to use liners :)
The other recipe that I made over the weekend that was a definite winner was a Savory Butternut Squash Soup (thank you Carrie Carter!). I didn't have all of the ingredients on hand and it still turned out delicious. I intend to make it again very soon!
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots sliced (I used 1/2 bag baby carrots sliced)
3 stalks of celery, diced
2 small or 1 large butternut squash
5 cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1/2 soy milk (I used Almond Milk)
Salt and Pepper to taste
In a large soup pot, sautee onions, oil, and garlic until onions are slightly carmelized. Then add carrots and celery and sautee for 3-5 minutes. Throw in the butternut squash and coat before adding in the broth and sage. Bring to a boil and then cook on low for 30 minutes, or until the squash and vegetables are soft. Once the veggies were cooked through, I allowed the mixture to cool slightly and then I used my blender to puree it. Ideally, this would be the perfect situation for an immersion mixer, but seeing as I dont have one, the blender was my next best option! After it's puree'd, transfer the mixture back to the soup pot and add in your milk and S&P. Heat back up before serving.
Hopefully you'll enjoy these 2 recipes as much as I have!
The first recipe that I've tried within the last few months (and have made repeatedly) is Almond Flour Muffins. The ingredients are basic and the add-ins are endless. My "add-ins of choice" are banana and dark chocolate chips. Here's the recipe-
2 cups Almond Flour (store bought or homemade. I usually do 1 cup of each)
2 eggs
1/4 coconut oil (melted in the microwave)
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
desired mix-ins
Pre-heat oven to 350. Mix together all ingredients except your mix-ins, which need to be folded in at the end. Bake for 15 minutes. Yields about 12 muffins and remember to use liners :)
The other recipe that I made over the weekend that was a definite winner was a Savory Butternut Squash Soup (thank you Carrie Carter!). I didn't have all of the ingredients on hand and it still turned out delicious. I intend to make it again very soon!
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots sliced (I used 1/2 bag baby carrots sliced)
3 stalks of celery, diced
2 small or 1 large butternut squash
5 cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1/2 soy milk (I used Almond Milk)
Salt and Pepper to taste
In a large soup pot, sautee onions, oil, and garlic until onions are slightly carmelized. Then add carrots and celery and sautee for 3-5 minutes. Throw in the butternut squash and coat before adding in the broth and sage. Bring to a boil and then cook on low for 30 minutes, or until the squash and vegetables are soft. Once the veggies were cooked through, I allowed the mixture to cool slightly and then I used my blender to puree it. Ideally, this would be the perfect situation for an immersion mixer, but seeing as I dont have one, the blender was my next best option! After it's puree'd, transfer the mixture back to the soup pot and add in your milk and S&P. Heat back up before serving.
Hopefully you'll enjoy these 2 recipes as much as I have!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
'Falling' Behind.. as usual!
JUST when I think that I'm up to date on my blogging, I realize it's been several weeks since my last blog and I'm behind of sharing so many details!
My mom came into town to see me last weekend. Thomas was in Canada and the Midwest for a long 10 day stay so it was the perfect opportunity for a mother/daughter weekend. We had lunches out, did some shopping, a little sewing, attended a baby shower, and just overall relaxed. It was nice to have her AND her crazy puppy here for a visit. However, I think I can honestly say that for the first time ever, Wendy and Harley were ready for her and Maggie to get the HECK out of here. They were less than thrilled with Maggie's presence for the weekend. Hopefully, over time, they will learn to love her :)
Thomas is finally back from his trip and happy to be home. It was a very cold visit to Canada! Part of his trip was spent in Iowa and while there, he squeezed in a trip to the location where the movie "Field of Dreams" was made. He took lots of pictures and even ran the bases. He has since bought the movie on blue ray and watched it twice :) Needless to say, it was the highlight of his trip!
We've had a pretty low key weekend. We're currently watching the Panthers game and the dogs are curled up beside us sleeping. We decided we wanted to go to the park this morning for a run. The weather has been great in GA this weekend so we couldn't pass up an opportunity for a day outdoors. We were about to leave.. and we realized that the dogs knew exactly what was going on. It's usually a dead giveaway when we reach for our sneakers. So instead of feeling guilty, we decided to drag them along with us and do some intervals instead of a full on run. Wendy got a little tired about halfway in and Thomas had to carry her for a few. But overall, they did surprisingly well!
I'm still a little hesitant to take them to the park on trips where we're going a long distance. On more than one occasion, I've been stranded on a 3 mile trail with a Wendy girl that refuses to move. I'm then forced to carry her limp 15lb body the 1.5 miles back while keeping Harley in check also. Luckily, today she redeemed herself! :)
I guess I should enjoy some downtime while I can. I think we're headed outside for some yard work after the Panthers game. My FAV!
Pics to come soon on my ALMOST completed t-shirt quilt!
Hope everyone is enjoying their extra long Sunday :)
My mom came into town to see me last weekend. Thomas was in Canada and the Midwest for a long 10 day stay so it was the perfect opportunity for a mother/daughter weekend. We had lunches out, did some shopping, a little sewing, attended a baby shower, and just overall relaxed. It was nice to have her AND her crazy puppy here for a visit. However, I think I can honestly say that for the first time ever, Wendy and Harley were ready for her and Maggie to get the HECK out of here. They were less than thrilled with Maggie's presence for the weekend. Hopefully, over time, they will learn to love her :)
Thomas is finally back from his trip and happy to be home. It was a very cold visit to Canada! Part of his trip was spent in Iowa and while there, he squeezed in a trip to the location where the movie "Field of Dreams" was made. He took lots of pictures and even ran the bases. He has since bought the movie on blue ray and watched it twice :) Needless to say, it was the highlight of his trip!
We've had a pretty low key weekend. We're currently watching the Panthers game and the dogs are curled up beside us sleeping. We decided we wanted to go to the park this morning for a run. The weather has been great in GA this weekend so we couldn't pass up an opportunity for a day outdoors. We were about to leave.. and we realized that the dogs knew exactly what was going on. It's usually a dead giveaway when we reach for our sneakers. So instead of feeling guilty, we decided to drag them along with us and do some intervals instead of a full on run. Wendy got a little tired about halfway in and Thomas had to carry her for a few. But overall, they did surprisingly well!
I'm still a little hesitant to take them to the park on trips where we're going a long distance. On more than one occasion, I've been stranded on a 3 mile trail with a Wendy girl that refuses to move. I'm then forced to carry her limp 15lb body the 1.5 miles back while keeping Harley in check also. Luckily, today she redeemed herself! :)
I guess I should enjoy some downtime while I can. I think we're headed outside for some yard work after the Panthers game. My FAV!
Pics to come soon on my ALMOST completed t-shirt quilt!
Hope everyone is enjoying their extra long Sunday :)
Monday, October 22, 2012
Mountains, Waterfalls, and Girls Night, oh my!
We travel. A lot. I think we kinda thrive on it. People think we're crazy because we're gone a lot of weekends. But it works for us! And we have a lot of fun doing it :)
We've been gone several weekends lately. The first being a trip up to Boone for our 1st Appalachian football game in 2 years. We don't get to go very often because its just too far for a short weekend trip. Not to mention we had that small move to Texas last year :) The weather was less that welcoming, but we made the best of it that we could and went to a quarter of the game. The rest of that time was spent under a tailgate tent or in a restaurant. Our friends Jen and Blake went with us.
Two weekends ago, we made another trip to the mountains with our friends Bonnie, Gerry, and Paisley. They have a family cabin in the Glenville/Cashiers/Highlands area of NC (just over the GA border). We had a lot of fun and saw a lot of beautiful waterfalls.
Thomas being silly :)
This past Thursday, Thomas left for a 2 week trip to Canada. So I got together with some girlfriends this weekend for the Gold Rush Festival in Dahlonega. It was a short one night trip but we had a lot of fun watching Bridesmaids, painting nails, and burning popcorn :) We stayed at our friend Meagan's parents house in Dahlonega.
As for this week/weekend, Im preparing for a visit from my Mom and a bridal shower for my good friend Kalee this weekend! I've been diligently working on a t-shirt quilt so I hope to be able to continue to get some time in on that as well. More pics to come as I get it closer to being finished!
Happy Monday everyone!
Monday, September 17, 2012
Wendy and Harley and their shannigans :)
Sunday's are for relaxing, right?
Wendy covered in snow balls
Did somebody say Bacon? The maple kind?
A few of my favorites!
I've had this blog for about 9 months now and throughout that time, I have slowly accumulated other blogs that I enjoy reading myself! I love them so much- that I thought they were worth sharing! It would be a shame if you didn't get a chance to enjoy them also. Most of them are listed below on my blog listing- but at least I can give you a run down of them here.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/
This blog is a given. You'll love reading about the rural life of the Drummond family. And not only does she have a blog, but also a show on the food network and a published cookbook. So you'll see on her blog that there's also a separate "cooking" section. She usually writes daily- and her entry's are highly entertaining. Especially if you enjoy Bassett Hounds :)
http://whiletheysnooze.blogspot.com/
http://www.marriedtoabmw.com/
http://sewmamasew.com/index.php
http://www.mygrowinghome.com/
These 4 websites are fellow crafters. I found them while browsing on Pinterest one day. If you are a sewer like myself, "married to a bmw" has lots of pattern choices that are fun to look through- along with links to other individuals blogs that have patterns. You could spend a lot of time looking through all of the info!
"while they snooze" has given me quite a few good ideas as far as home projects! But this blog is new to me and I haven't made it through all of the goodies yet :)
http://ourforkingblog.blogspot.com/
This blog was created by one of my college sorority sisters and her Mom. It hasn't had a post in several months, but the archives are fantastic. Check them out for a fun new recipe to try! I recommend the Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie :)
Another noteworthy website (that's not a blog) is www.retailmenot.com. I think I may have mentioned it before around the holiday's. But even so, it's worth mentioning again (especially as we start to approach the holiday's...again!). It's a website where discount codes are posted for all stores imaginable. Simply type in the store that you are looking for and it will show all of the discount codes that are posted by individuals. Some may or may not work, but I've had great success with this site! Check it out for all of your christmas shopping needs :)
Enjoy!
http://thepioneerwoman.com/
This blog is a given. You'll love reading about the rural life of the Drummond family. And not only does she have a blog, but also a show on the food network and a published cookbook. So you'll see on her blog that there's also a separate "cooking" section. She usually writes daily- and her entry's are highly entertaining. Especially if you enjoy Bassett Hounds :)
http://whiletheysnooze.blogspot.com/
http://www.marriedtoabmw.com/
http://sewmamasew.com/index.php
http://www.mygrowinghome.com/
These 4 websites are fellow crafters. I found them while browsing on Pinterest one day. If you are a sewer like myself, "married to a bmw" has lots of pattern choices that are fun to look through- along with links to other individuals blogs that have patterns. You could spend a lot of time looking through all of the info!
"while they snooze" has given me quite a few good ideas as far as home projects! But this blog is new to me and I haven't made it through all of the goodies yet :)
http://ourforkingblog.blogspot.com/
This blog was created by one of my college sorority sisters and her Mom. It hasn't had a post in several months, but the archives are fantastic. Check them out for a fun new recipe to try! I recommend the Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie :)
Another noteworthy website (that's not a blog) is www.retailmenot.com. I think I may have mentioned it before around the holiday's. But even so, it's worth mentioning again (especially as we start to approach the holiday's...again!). It's a website where discount codes are posted for all stores imaginable. Simply type in the store that you are looking for and it will show all of the discount codes that are posted by individuals. Some may or may not work, but I've had great success with this site! Check it out for all of your christmas shopping needs :)
Enjoy!
Monday, August 27, 2012
Where did summer go?
Is it me or has this summer flown by? It's not quite over- but almost!
Remember that last post where I mentioned that it was so nice to be at home for a few weeks in a row? Luckily, we had that while we did because I feel like we've been on the road ever sense!
A few weeks ago, we spent an entire week in North Carolina. But not before I took my sweet husband out for his birthday on Friday, the 3rd :) We went to Flip Burger Boutique and not only enjoyed burgers (duh) but also a smores Milkshake. Yum! We left Saturday morning for Salisbury and stayed until Thursday. I spent time with family while Thomas worked in the Concord office. And an added bonus was that some of my extended family was in town visiting also. From Saturday to Monday, the house was packed full of Tinsley's, Moorefields, Tuck's, and Jaeger's. 15 people to be exact! I think that come Monday, my Dad was ready for everyone to leave! He'd had quite enough company for one weekend.
Also- amidst this crazy week, my Mom adopted a new puppy from the Animal Shelter. Her name is Maggie Blue.. and she has been a great addition to the family!
On Thursday, we headed to Hillsborough. We stopped in Burlington on the way through to see Meredith and Ben's newly renovated house (which looks fabulous) and then we managed to surprise Lorraine and Tommy (Thomas' parents) for their birthday dinner. The rest of the weekend entailed shopping, fishing, The Campaign, a Mexican Fiesta, and lots of laughs. Not to mention the gathering of 8 grand dogs!
We arrived back home on Sunday. And then I left the following Thursday to go see my family at the beach for a few days. Thomas wasn't able to come this year because of their annual trade show at the convention center downtown.. so I decided to use some airline miles and make the 45 minute flight to Myrtle Beach in lieu of the 6 hour drive. I think it was a great choice. Who wants to drive that far alone?
We had a really fun time at the beach. It was a lot of fun getting to see Clara playing on the beach and splashing in the water. At this time last year, she was too little to fully appreciate the beach. So this year was extra special. And luckily my Dad took a mere 800 photos to capture all the action. Surely there are a few good shots in there somewhere. Here are a couple photo's from my phone-
This past week and weekend has been super crazy for Thomas. A lot of preparation went into the trade show.. and Im relieved that he's finally finished. For about a week and a half, he was driving downtown daily (leaving at 6:30 and sometimes not getting home until 8 or 9 at night) and it was definitely starting to take a toll on his body! Nothing another beach trip cant fix :) More to post on that later!
I wasn't sure what to do with my low key/husband-less weekend. So I decided to get some sewing done. I haven't had a lot of sewing time available lately so it seemed like a great idea. I've had this tunic/shirt pattern that I've been wanting to undertake for months. It took me ALL day but it is finished and I think it looks fabulous. Only I could point out the minor mistakes.. and there really aren't many. I think Im definitely ready to take on more clothes. Here's a photo of the finished product- disregard the cheesy setting!
Remember that last post where I mentioned that it was so nice to be at home for a few weeks in a row? Luckily, we had that while we did because I feel like we've been on the road ever sense!
A few weeks ago, we spent an entire week in North Carolina. But not before I took my sweet husband out for his birthday on Friday, the 3rd :) We went to Flip Burger Boutique and not only enjoyed burgers (duh) but also a smores Milkshake. Yum! We left Saturday morning for Salisbury and stayed until Thursday. I spent time with family while Thomas worked in the Concord office. And an added bonus was that some of my extended family was in town visiting also. From Saturday to Monday, the house was packed full of Tinsley's, Moorefields, Tuck's, and Jaeger's. 15 people to be exact! I think that come Monday, my Dad was ready for everyone to leave! He'd had quite enough company for one weekend.
Also- amidst this crazy week, my Mom adopted a new puppy from the Animal Shelter. Her name is Maggie Blue.. and she has been a great addition to the family!
On Thursday, we headed to Hillsborough. We stopped in Burlington on the way through to see Meredith and Ben's newly renovated house (which looks fabulous) and then we managed to surprise Lorraine and Tommy (Thomas' parents) for their birthday dinner. The rest of the weekend entailed shopping, fishing, The Campaign, a Mexican Fiesta, and lots of laughs. Not to mention the gathering of 8 grand dogs!
We arrived back home on Sunday. And then I left the following Thursday to go see my family at the beach for a few days. Thomas wasn't able to come this year because of their annual trade show at the convention center downtown.. so I decided to use some airline miles and make the 45 minute flight to Myrtle Beach in lieu of the 6 hour drive. I think it was a great choice. Who wants to drive that far alone?
We had a really fun time at the beach. It was a lot of fun getting to see Clara playing on the beach and splashing in the water. At this time last year, she was too little to fully appreciate the beach. So this year was extra special. And luckily my Dad took a mere 800 photos to capture all the action. Surely there are a few good shots in there somewhere. Here are a couple photo's from my phone-
Applying of the sunscreen- her FAVORITE! Cant you see the excitement in her face? :)
Beach Baby!
This past week and weekend has been super crazy for Thomas. A lot of preparation went into the trade show.. and Im relieved that he's finally finished. For about a week and a half, he was driving downtown daily (leaving at 6:30 and sometimes not getting home until 8 or 9 at night) and it was definitely starting to take a toll on his body! Nothing another beach trip cant fix :) More to post on that later!
I wasn't sure what to do with my low key/husband-less weekend. So I decided to get some sewing done. I haven't had a lot of sewing time available lately so it seemed like a great idea. I've had this tunic/shirt pattern that I've been wanting to undertake for months. It took me ALL day but it is finished and I think it looks fabulous. Only I could point out the minor mistakes.. and there really aren't many. I think Im definitely ready to take on more clothes. Here's a photo of the finished product- disregard the cheesy setting!
That's it for now! Time to shower and get ready for dinner out with our friends Kalee and Matt!
Hope that all the (NC) teachers had a great day back today! And hopefully everyone has a great week!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
2012 Olympics
Ive been totally useless this weekend. I love the Olympics and have been taking full advantage of watching as much as I can. Swimming and gymnastics are my favorite but I really end up watching most everything :)
We've had a really nice couple of weeks. We're known to travel quite a bit so it's definitely uncommon for us to of been in town some many weekends in a row. And not only that- but Thomas hasn't traveled in several weeks for work either. Long story short, it's been really nice! We've had several low key weekends that include nothing but trips to the park, grilling out, dinners with friends, and yard work/gardening. All of these things are (in my opinion) what the weekend SHOULD include.
I finished up my second (intermediate) sewing class. It was a lot of fun. I learned a lot of new skills (adding interfacing, ruffles and pleats, and invisible zippers) and we made several fun projects including an elastic waste skirt, a make-up zippered bag, and an apron. I enjoy the classes a lot but it's quite hard getting downtown due to afternoon traffic. The location of the classes are definitely not ideal.. Especially to where we live.. But this shop in particular is so fun! If you live in the area or are ever passing through, you should definitely check it out. It's called Whipstitch Fabrics.
Thomas' birthday is coming up next weekend. He's been telling me for awhile that he would like to have a new driver (the golf club.. Not a chauffeur). So we spent most of yesterday shopping around and making the purchase. It took him forever! But he finally narrowed it down and decided on a club. He took it to the driving range today to give it a test run and he seems very pleased with his decision. And if he isn't, I told him I wouldn't be venturing back to the PGA Superstore. One day was MORE than enough for me :)
We've started attending a new church that we really enjoy. It's called Gwinnett Church. Before moving to Texas, we were attending a Methodist church in our community. And then while in Texas, we fell in love with a church that we were attending there. Once we moved back, the Methodist church here just wasn't really calling to us anymore... So we've been on the search for several weeks. And after trying out several different ones, I think weve found one that we're really happy with.
We've got several fun upcoming weeks planned for the rest of August. We'll finally be making a trip to North Carolina to visit family. And we've also planned a long weekend away to Hilton Head for our Anniversary.
Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their week!
We've had a really nice couple of weeks. We're known to travel quite a bit so it's definitely uncommon for us to of been in town some many weekends in a row. And not only that- but Thomas hasn't traveled in several weeks for work either. Long story short, it's been really nice! We've had several low key weekends that include nothing but trips to the park, grilling out, dinners with friends, and yard work/gardening. All of these things are (in my opinion) what the weekend SHOULD include.
I finished up my second (intermediate) sewing class. It was a lot of fun. I learned a lot of new skills (adding interfacing, ruffles and pleats, and invisible zippers) and we made several fun projects including an elastic waste skirt, a make-up zippered bag, and an apron. I enjoy the classes a lot but it's quite hard getting downtown due to afternoon traffic. The location of the classes are definitely not ideal.. Especially to where we live.. But this shop in particular is so fun! If you live in the area or are ever passing through, you should definitely check it out. It's called Whipstitch Fabrics.
Thomas' birthday is coming up next weekend. He's been telling me for awhile that he would like to have a new driver (the golf club.. Not a chauffeur). So we spent most of yesterday shopping around and making the purchase. It took him forever! But he finally narrowed it down and decided on a club. He took it to the driving range today to give it a test run and he seems very pleased with his decision. And if he isn't, I told him I wouldn't be venturing back to the PGA Superstore. One day was MORE than enough for me :)
We've started attending a new church that we really enjoy. It's called Gwinnett Church. Before moving to Texas, we were attending a Methodist church in our community. And then while in Texas, we fell in love with a church that we were attending there. Once we moved back, the Methodist church here just wasn't really calling to us anymore... So we've been on the search for several weeks. And after trying out several different ones, I think weve found one that we're really happy with.
We've got several fun upcoming weeks planned for the rest of August. We'll finally be making a trip to North Carolina to visit family. And we've also planned a long weekend away to Hilton Head for our Anniversary.
Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their week!
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Happy 4th's Eve!
The dogs and I are relaxing this morning. Wendy and I are both lounged out on the new couch and Im enjoying my second cup of coffee. I have most of the week off.. so I've been trying to get a lot of stuff done around the house. Except for right now that is. I intend to sit here awhile longer and most likely have another cup of coffee :) And maybe read for a few also!
Our new couch has finally arrived. It was delivered around 8 o'clock on Friday night. One of the recliners is a little messed up and seems like it may of been stuffed with the wrong padding (its much more stiff than the rest of the couch) so we'll have a technician come and check that out. But other than that, we're really happy about our purchase. Now we're just waiting on our Sofa table and Coffee table! It should be here by the weekend or shortly after.
We've realized that Wendy's new favorite spot is under the recliner once its popped up. So we've found that we have to continuously ask each other "Is she under mine?" "No, is she under mine?". I guess we'll get used to it. She's always enjoyed laying in little sneaky spots.
I had an extremely productive day yesterday. I don't know what came over me! I got so much done. I guess I just got on a mission and ran with it. My mom had given us an old metal file cabinet that was rusted and painted a lovely shade of khaki. So I decided to sand it down and spray paint it. Sounds easy, right? Except that I had to do one side at a time and then wait for it to dry. So in between my painting sessions, I managed to reorganize our pantry, move some furniture around and tape off where our new tables will go, 4 loads of laundry, a trip to Home Depot, the dry cleaners, the bank, and Publix.. AND I watered the flowers/garden and picked up dog poop (my personal fav). On top of all that, I organized some of my recipes and cooked us a homemade meal for supper! Which, by the way, was delicious- here's the recipe for that:
Zucchini and Rice Casserole
3 cups Chicken Broth
1 Zucchini sliced
1 medium Onion chopped
2 Bell Peppers chopped (any colors will work)
2 Jalapeno's chopped and seeded (or leave the seeds in if you want a little more spice)
1 cup of Corn (frozen- thawed or fresh)
1 1/2 cups of milk
2 cups jack cheese
4 oz. cream cheese
1 1/2 cups brown long grain rice
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1 lb turkey sausage
Pre-heat your oven to 375. Chop up all your veggies (except the jalapeno) and pop them into a casserole dish. Add your dry rice as well. Pour your Chicken Broth into a pot and bring it to a boil. Then, pour the broth over the veggies and rice. Cover the casserole dish and pop it in the over for 40 minutes. Remove the foil, give it a stir, and then leave it uncovered to cook for an additional 30-40 minutes.
In the meantime, brown and rinse your turkey sausage (I chopped the jalapeno here and let it sautee with the turkey) Also, once the casserole is close to coming out of the oven, mix your milk and flour and bring to a boil on the stove (I just re-used the chicken broth pot!). Simmer on low until thickened (continuously stir with a whisk!) and then add in the 2 cups of jack cheese and 1 cup of corn. Pull the casserole out of the oven and add in your sausage and cheese mixture. Also add in your dollops of cream cheese evenly. Stir the entire dish well.
The recipe didn't call for it.. but I added a cracker topping. I melted 2 tbsp of butter and crushed up several club crackers, mixed them together, and then crumbled them over the top. The casserole goes back into the oven for 10-15 minutes and then its complete!
It seems like a lot of steps, but it was relatively easy. And I think it'll make for a great leftover's dish as well. And luckily, with this recipe, I was able to get rid of a Zucchini and 2 Jalapeno's from our garden! I love cooking with fresh ingredients!
Thomas and I are headed to a braves game tonight to see our FIRST game of the season and enjoy their fireworks display. And tomorrow, we'll be spending the day with some friends. We're looking forward to a little creek time, good food, and more fireworks.
I'll head back to work on Friday once the kids are back in town. And Thomas will be in town for the next 3 weeks! He's been traveling so much lately.. it'll be nice to see his face a little more often.
Next week, I'll start my next session sewing class so I'm really excited about that. It should cover a lot more skills and hopefully I'll be on my way to making lots of fun new projects. It'll meet Monday and Wednesday (7-9:30) for 2 weeks. It'll be a lot.. now that I've started back to work.. but I'm still really looking forward to it.
Hope that everyone has a safe and fun 4th of July!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Hello Summer :)
Summer time is officially here! Up until this week, Georgia has actually managed to stay at a decent temperature. There have been a few hot days but overall, it was a really pleasant spring!
My garden and flowers are doing really well this year. We've got 4 tomato plants, 1 cherry tomato plant, 2 zucchini plants, 1 jalapeno plant, and 1 okra plant. I can already tell we're going to have so many tomato's that I'm going to have to get very creative with some recipes to freeze. And it seems like the zucchini are popping up over night. The red Georgia clay has definitely not held us back!
Thomas and I got back from our Florida beach trip about 2 weeks ago. We had a really good time! However, the rain did not cooperate at all. There were basically solid rain showers everyday.. with 1-2 hour patches of clearness here and there. We watched the weather channel CONSTANTLY hoping we could take advantage of some beach time.
I arrived at the beach on Tuesday and Thomas came in straight from a business trip and flew into Daytona on Thursday. Thomas had joked with me about being at the airport with a sign waiting for him.. and I casually told him that it probably wasn't going to happen. Much to his surprise, not only were we there with a sign.. but we were there with a humiliating one! The 3 of us (myself and the couple we went with, Jen and Blake) were sitting at a bar the night before googling "airport signs" to see what all we could come up with. The 2 semi-finalist were "congrats on your all-state win at the harmonica championship playoff" (and we would all be playing harmonica's) and "congrats on your not guilty verdict". We went with the not guilty verdict and it was hilarious.
The anticipation of the whole thing was the worst. Jen and I had the signs while Blake was filming. And lucky for us (and Thomas), Daytona is a very SMALL airport.. therefore, we were able to spot him easily AND there were only a couple puzzled looks about our sign :) After taking a red eye from Seattle and then another early flight to Daytona, he really took the whole thing like a champ!
I started back to work on the 11th and am finishing off my second week of work. It's been really great to be back! Today is actually Luke's 3rd birthday and also his first day of summer camp so I'm at home with the morning off. He's very excited but very anxious at the same time so we'll see how the first day goes :)
Thomas and I are anxiously awaiting some new pieces of furniture in the next couple of weeks and we are very excited! We spent an entire weekend hunting for the perfect sectional.. and of course after going to 5 different stores, we ended up going with the same sectional that my brother Seth and his wife Mary have. It's super comfortable and has recliners in each end. It's also held up well with their dogs climbing on it.. and we've also given it the sleep test from when Clara was first born! So we knew this was definitely the couch for us. We also purchased a new coffee table and sofa table so we're excited for those to come in also. Our couch and chair not very comfortable so we are not hesitant at all to say goodbye to them! (and by goodbye, I mean banishing them to the formal living room/game room)
We don't have many plans for the weekend. We'll have Luke's birthday party on Saturday and then hopefully mostly just relaxing and doing some yard work!
Happy Summer everyone!
Friday, May 25, 2012
Catch Up!
Whoops. A little behind on posting! We've had a lot going on and blogging has definitely been pushed to the back burner. Until now that is :)
A few days after we got back from Italy, we made a trip back to NC for Carrie and Derek Barker's wedding. We had a great time! But we were also ready to get back home. After being gone for almost two and a half weeks, it was nice to get back home and get settled. And actually UNPACK!
The following weekend (first weekend of May) was actually spent at home.. but it was busy none the less! Somehow we managed to have dinner with friends 2 of the nights, squeeze in a date night to the cheesecake factory, and do A LOT of yard work. Our yard took a little bit of neglect while we were in Austin.. but it's finally getting back to its beautiful-ness. And we've added some fun new plants/flowers in the process.
I've also been busy taking a sewing class over the past few weeks. I am definitely having a little bit of an affair.... with my sewing machine! It's so much fun learning how to make stuff! I'm completely addicted and you should all expect homemade gifts for Christmas. Don't say I didn't warn you. And request are being accepted at this time.
This past weekend Thomas and I went with some friends to see Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean in concert. It was a lot of fun and the weather was great. The "lawn" seating was slightly hilly.. which made for an interesting situation when your trying to get situated on a blanket. But we made the best of it and enjoyed the concert!
Currently, I am at home in Salisbury. Thomas had a meeting in Hickory this week so we came to Salisbury mid week so that he could attend a meeting there. We met up with Lorraine and Tommy in Greensboro for dinner on Wednesday night, which was lots of fun, and then Thomas left on Thursday afternoon to go on his annual fishing trip with the guys to Portsmouth Island (I think I spelled that right?). Mom and I were planning to leave today to drive back to Georgia for the weekend but since traffic seems to be horrific in the Charlotte area because of holiday/race traffic, we're going to head out early in the morning instead.
I think we're both looking forward to a little mother/daughter bonding time that will most definitely include shopping, pedicures, and hopefully a trip to see What to Expect When Your Expecting. I have heard that it's hilarious.. and seeing as my Mom was a labor and delivery nurse for 25 years, I think it'll be right up her alley!
As for our future plans (current future that is), we'll be headed to FL for a long beach weekend with friends in June and then I will be excitedly starting back to work on June 11th! I've really enjoyed my time off over the past few months but I'm ready to get back into the swing of normal life!
That's all I can think of for now! Hope everyone enjoys their upcoming summer vacations!
A few days after we got back from Italy, we made a trip back to NC for Carrie and Derek Barker's wedding. We had a great time! But we were also ready to get back home. After being gone for almost two and a half weeks, it was nice to get back home and get settled. And actually UNPACK!
The following weekend (first weekend of May) was actually spent at home.. but it was busy none the less! Somehow we managed to have dinner with friends 2 of the nights, squeeze in a date night to the cheesecake factory, and do A LOT of yard work. Our yard took a little bit of neglect while we were in Austin.. but it's finally getting back to its beautiful-ness. And we've added some fun new plants/flowers in the process.
I've also been busy taking a sewing class over the past few weeks. I am definitely having a little bit of an affair.... with my sewing machine! It's so much fun learning how to make stuff! I'm completely addicted and you should all expect homemade gifts for Christmas. Don't say I didn't warn you. And request are being accepted at this time.
This past weekend Thomas and I went with some friends to see Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean in concert. It was a lot of fun and the weather was great. The "lawn" seating was slightly hilly.. which made for an interesting situation when your trying to get situated on a blanket. But we made the best of it and enjoyed the concert!
Currently, I am at home in Salisbury. Thomas had a meeting in Hickory this week so we came to Salisbury mid week so that he could attend a meeting there. We met up with Lorraine and Tommy in Greensboro for dinner on Wednesday night, which was lots of fun, and then Thomas left on Thursday afternoon to go on his annual fishing trip with the guys to Portsmouth Island (I think I spelled that right?). Mom and I were planning to leave today to drive back to Georgia for the weekend but since traffic seems to be horrific in the Charlotte area because of holiday/race traffic, we're going to head out early in the morning instead.
I think we're both looking forward to a little mother/daughter bonding time that will most definitely include shopping, pedicures, and hopefully a trip to see What to Expect When Your Expecting. I have heard that it's hilarious.. and seeing as my Mom was a labor and delivery nurse for 25 years, I think it'll be right up her alley!
As for our future plans (current future that is), we'll be headed to FL for a long beach weekend with friends in June and then I will be excitedly starting back to work on June 11th! I've really enjoyed my time off over the past few months but I'm ready to get back into the swing of normal life!
That's all I can think of for now! Hope everyone enjoys their upcoming summer vacations!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Italy- Part 3
We arrived at our hotel in Venice on Sunday afternoon. One couple left that afternoon, while the rest of the group was scheduled to leave on Monday. Thomas and I actually stayed until Tuesday so that we could have an extra day of sight seeing on our own before leaving.
After arriving at the hotel on Sunday afternoon, we all freshened up a little, and then headed into Venice for a few hours. I wanted to stay behind and freshen up.. while the rest of the group went ahead and took a bus over into the city. This was the only hotel where I was able to use a REAL hair dryer so I wanted to fully take advantage of that!! Thomas and I attempted to meet up with them later in the night for dinner, but seeing as all of the cobble stoned streets and bridges look the same, we were never able to meet. We walked around for a few and had dinner at a local restaurant before taking the shuttle back to our hotel.
I think the most interesting part of our dinner was being serenaded by Mariah Carey :) It was this little hole in the wall Italian restaurant.. and they were playing Mariah Carey... Naturally :)
We got back to the hotel and met up with everyone else for a drink in the lobby and then we headed to bed.
The next day, Thomas and I had a very interesting adventure planned. We checked out of our hotel and took the shuttle over to Venice, where we would be staying with a couple that had rented a room in their apartment. It was a tiny place, but it was a very interesting and cool experience. We spent most of the day sight seeing and then came back that night to hang out with the couple. She speaks a moderate amount of English.. while he spoke none at all and was actually Cuban. She cooked us a homemade Cabonara and we sat in her tiny kitchen drinking wine and eating a homemade Italian dish.
The interesting part about the wine is that there is a local shop just below their apartment where you can buy the wine by the liter. So you basically take a large container, choose the wine you want, and then fill it up and take it home. It looks like so- and only cost 2-3 euro.
After arriving at the hotel on Sunday afternoon, we all freshened up a little, and then headed into Venice for a few hours. I wanted to stay behind and freshen up.. while the rest of the group went ahead and took a bus over into the city. This was the only hotel where I was able to use a REAL hair dryer so I wanted to fully take advantage of that!! Thomas and I attempted to meet up with them later in the night for dinner, but seeing as all of the cobble stoned streets and bridges look the same, we were never able to meet. We walked around for a few and had dinner at a local restaurant before taking the shuttle back to our hotel.
I think the most interesting part of our dinner was being serenaded by Mariah Carey :) It was this little hole in the wall Italian restaurant.. and they were playing Mariah Carey... Naturally :)
We got back to the hotel and met up with everyone else for a drink in the lobby and then we headed to bed.
The next day, Thomas and I had a very interesting adventure planned. We checked out of our hotel and took the shuttle over to Venice, where we would be staying with a couple that had rented a room in their apartment. It was a tiny place, but it was a very interesting and cool experience. We spent most of the day sight seeing and then came back that night to hang out with the couple. She speaks a moderate amount of English.. while he spoke none at all and was actually Cuban. She cooked us a homemade Cabonara and we sat in her tiny kitchen drinking wine and eating a homemade Italian dish.
The interesting part about the wine is that there is a local shop just below their apartment where you can buy the wine by the liter. So you basically take a large container, choose the wine you want, and then fill it up and take it home. It looks like so- and only cost 2-3 euro.
Thomas with Candella, their sweet puppy that they adopted
The tiny Kitchen where she cooked us dinner
Candella's preferred spot (sorry- forgot to turn off the flash)
Our Pizza lunch from earlier in the day
Thomas being silly at the Guggenheim!
We found this couple through a website called AirBNB. If you haven't heard of it, check it out. People rent out rooms or houses all of the world and sometimes it can be much less expensive than your traditional hotel. We probably could not of afforded to stay in the heart of Venice if we would of stayed elsewhere.
The next morning, Marti woke up and cooked us a very nice breakfast before we left to catch our shuttle back to the airport. It was a very rainy day so we were pretty spent by the time we walked to the shuttle and made it to the airport.
Our travels went very smoothly.. and we even scored a first class upgrade on the second leg of our flight from JFK to ATL. It was incredibly nice. The seats fully reclined and the dinner was delicious. It makes coach look like a joke! But it's extremely expensive to fly first class.. not worth the cost if you ask me. We just hope for an upgrade every now and then :)
We are back home and getting settled back into our day to day activities. I've been doing laundry for 24 hours straight and am slowly trying to get back on East Coast time.
Hope everyone has a good week and weekend! And if you've actually made it through all 3 post, then Kudos to you! :)
Italy - Part 2
On Thursday morning, we left Padova and headed to Thienne, where the Casadei- Busellato factory is located. We toured it for most of the morning and also saw a few demo's of the machines being run. I didn't have much interest in the assembly of the machines.. but it was interesting to see them run and show their capabilities!
From there, we headed to lunch. The factory has it's own cafeteria so a private room was reserved and we ate on the premises.
The group.. as well as our tour guide for the day- Claudio
After lunch, we toured another adjacent factory (Stefani) and then we made the long drive to Rimini, which is where we would be staying for 3 days. The drive was very beautiful- lots and lots of beautiful landscape! And the most interesting part to me was that almost everyone had a vineyard in their backyard. Some were large and obviously used commercially.. and others were smaller.. just big enough for the families use.
It took us about 3 hours to get to our hotel in Rimini. Our only hiccup this day was that our GPS kept trying to re-route us through a certain way in town where a road was under construction. I would not of been as stressed had we been in the US. But the driving in Italy is very different! Luckily we went far enough in a different direction that the GPS finally re-routed us.
That night, we drove down to a different hotel for a "welcome dinner" with Thomas' boss and other employees of SCM and Casadei-Busellato. It was very nice and as a gift for all of the wives that had traveled along for the show, they gave us an Italian cookbook (in English of course!). After dinner, we headed back to our hotel, chatted in the lobby for a few and then headed to bed.
The next day (Friday), the guys would participate in the last day of factory tours.. while some of us went on a guided tour of Rimini and San Marino. The weather was great (for the most part) and we had a really well versed/educated tour guide by the name of Gabriella. She drove us around in her car and showed us many historic sites.. as well as some nice places to shop!
Views from San Marino
An ancient Torture Chamber
Another view from the Peak of San Marino
I didn't get many pictures after San Marino because the rain rolled in and we were forced to use umbrella's the rest of the day!
That night was a "dinner on your own" type of night.. so a small group of us walked across the street to a local pizza place for dinner.
Saturday (the next day) was the first day of the Exhibition (the event that this entire trip was planned around). It is an event where several different manufacturers come and display their machines and show demo's to dealers and customers. Most everyone attended except for myself and two other wives. They went out on their own for the day and I went out for a day of shopping with our friend Anna. She lives near Rimini and had spent some time with us on a trip to the US several months earlier. She took me to an outdoor market that takes place on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. It was very interesting! We had been around the same area the day before and it was so empty. There were so many vendors selling shoes, handbags, clothes, etc. that it was overwhelming! I think we walked around 4 times before I decided on a scarf and a pair of shoes.
After shopping, we went out for a traditional Italian lunch. I cannot remember the name of what I had but it was basically a Quesadilla with prosciutto, ruloca (arugula), and stragiotto (I'm not sure of the spelling.. but it was a local type of cheese). It was very good!
From here, Anna dropped me back at my hotel. She had some errands to run for her upcoming wedding. And I was anxious to rest a little and take a long walk on the beach! Rimini is a coastal town so our hotel was conveniently located right on the beach.
The show would continue on into the next day. However, we decided to go ahead and travel back to Venice on Sunday morning so that we could enjoy a little time there before our trip came to an end!
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