What a weekend!

What a weekend! Mom and Rod’s surprise trip to Baltimore was just so… surprising! Greg and I got to go out to dinner and a movie for our anniversary date. We ate Mexican food and saw Gone Girl. The movie was similar to the book, surprises at every turn. I really loved the unpredictability of the book/movie. It was nice to have our own time.

Saturday, Charleigh stayed and played with Mema and Grandpa while Greg and I went to my football game. It was very cold here and we figured it would be best for Ms. Char to stay warm inside. We won our playoff game that morning and got to play in the championship game that afternoon! We WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP!!! We will be featured on the league’s website and will get to go to a “champions” party! Sweet!

After a day of football, mom and Rod took us to Little Italy! We had some delicious pasta and salad. The thing that I love most about Little Italy, besides the food, is that all of the restaurants are very family friendly. The servers come over to talk to Charleigh and make sure her dinner comes out quickly. It’s thoughtful. We then went home and got one very tired girl put to bed and played some cards. We always play Spades when we are together. Mom and Rod kicked our butts. Don’t tell them, but we were just being polite letting our guests win…

My mom let me in on the family secret and taught me how to make her famous mashed potatoes! Turns out there really is no secret, you just have to be patient and take your time. Who knew?!

I’m thankful to have a loving and supporting mom. I’m thankful she married a man who will drive her 8 hours on a whim to see her family. Selflessness is a wonderful trait. Here are some pictures from the weekend.

Float on...

5 Years

I get to celebrate 5 years of marriage today. How about that? I can still remember details of that day perfectly and how it was the most beautiful day in November you’ve ever seen. Greg and I make a good team. He’s the cutest boy I’ve ever met and one of the funniest. He is that kind of funny where he just is funny without trying. Although sometimes he makes me want to pull my hair out... I’m sure he would say the same about yours truly : )

My mom called me yesterday while I was at work. She said I'll see you, Greg, and Charleigh tomrrow... I was so confused. She said "Oh, Rod and I are coming tomorrow. We thought you might need a free babysitter!" So we just got the biggest surprise ever. It's completely out of the blue and shocking because she lives about 500 miles away. She continues to be the best mom of all time. And Rod is pretty cool too!

So for this Thanksgiving season, I randomly volunteered to make a blueberry pie. Have I ever made a pie, any pie for that matter, in my life? Nope. My boss was telling me it was easy and you just pie a pre-made crust, grab some canned filling, yadda, yadda, yadda, but I'm not half assing this one. I am going to make crust from scratch. I've started hunting recipes for filling. It will be quit the adventure! We are having a "pie potluck" at my work.

The many faces of a pizza date.

Hi there. Look at that long hair. We've never taken Charleigh for a haircut, and if her love of Rapunzel continues, we may never. Ha! Last night was just a normal Tuesday until we decided to have a pizza date (one of her favorite things ever!) There is a local place around us that serves New York style pizza by the slice. It’s pretty awesome. They are very friendly and will cut up C’s slice in small bites for her.

 

As you can see above, she was a happy camper! Float on...

Happy Veteran's Day, Rudi and Ben

The best godparents in the world also happened to serve our country. Thank you to them. Thank you to all Veterans each and every day.

 

Float on...

Good morning. We are getting in to mid-November! Can you believe it? About a week and a half ago my car got hit. I was driving home from Charleigh's school and a woman just didn't see us. I was not at fault. She scrapped up my car pretty good so it has been in the shop the past week. Guess what I've been driving... a sweet gold, shiny mini van! HA! That has been...interesting.

The weekend was great. We visited the park both Saturday and Sunday. I played in my playoff football game and my team advanced! We play next weekend, and if we win that game, we immediately play in the championship game! Woo hoo!

Thanksgiving is in a few weeks. Christmas is less than a few months away. It's the season folks. The hustle. The bustle. It's all happening as we speak. Our sweet Charleigh is understanding holidays more and more. During our trick or treating adventure, after visting each house, she would say, "can we go to another house?!" That girl would have probably trick or treated all night if we had let her. These next few months are going to be so fun with her.

Float on...

The BIG realization of my 29th year.

I'm turning 30 in just over 3 months. I've always been one to love birthdays and not just my own. During my college years I would go out and get these mini birthday cakes that the local grocery store had and a balloon for whoever's birthday it was.

 

There's just something about a celebration!

 

I never thought turning 30 would phase me in the slightest as a birthday lover, but something clicked last year on my 29th birthday... I thought to myself, "Wow, I can't believe this is my last year in my 20's." It made me feel a bit sad.

At my work, near the end of December, my boss had us pick a word, a single word, that we wanted to represent us in the new year. While soul searching for a word, I decided that I wanted my word to be "adventure." I knew it would be the last year of my 20's and after having a baby in 2012 and devoting all I have to that baby, I wanted a little adventure for myself.

This is where, unexpectedly, I learned the most amazing lesson this year.

You see, I took my word "adventure" in the most literal sense. I traveled. I went to Cincinnati, Milwaukee, New York, and California. I experienced a hurricane in North Carolina. I cut 11 inches off my hair for Locks of Love. I fulfilled a lifelong dream of performing stand-up comedy in front of an audience filled with complete strangers. Then I did something I never even dreamed possible... I trained for 4 months straight and completed a half marathon. I tried new recipes (and failed miserably) I went to concerts and on dates with the love of my life. I saved time for myself and started reading again. I was VERY fortunate to raise more money than I ever have for Back Pack Buddies, but none of that is the point.

 The point is very simple.

 

I had lost sight of what the word "adventure" truly means. I don't need to go on an African safari or even in my dream hot air balloon.

I've learned that adventure is all around me, happening right in front of my face. I was too stubborn to see it before. I thought I needed adventure to be this grand gesture, but I learned I was wrong. Adventure is taking a toddler to her first NBA game and watching her face light up when the dancers perform. Adventure is setting an unthinkable goal and working to achieve it. Adventure is trying to bake brownies when you've run out of eggs. Adventure is practically every day of a marriage. Adventure is making ordinary days extraordinary.

Adventure is challenging yourself to be a bit better.

 

I'm still a little sad to turn 30. So much good happened in my 20's. It makes it hard to say goodbye.

However, I know big "adventures" await.

 

Float on...