V. Christmas vacation 2013

This year is our 2nd year having a winter vacation at the house in Robbinsville, NC (the LO promptly renamed it our “Christmas house” last year.)

So, this year we had a few days to come up here and enjoy another Christmas vacation.  We left around 5 a.m. early Thursday morning (the day after Christmas.)  It took about 11.5 hours with a few bathroom breaks along the way (I mean, hello 6 year old little boy and his baby bladder father.)  The ride up was actually very good.  The LO was feeling a little under the weather so that was a bit of a challenge but after we got him some medicine and he started to feel better he did a complete 180.  We came to the house to de-winterize it, then headed to the store for some groceries.  Made some baked chicken for the LO before we tucked him in.

The beau & I had a few glasses of wine and lots of conversation.  It’s times like these that I’m very thankful we are able to come up here and get away.  There is no internet, no cell service, no cable, just us and 4 walls.  (Funny thing is, we turned on the TV the day we were leaving and surprise...there was basic cable!  Glad to have missed it though.)

Day #1

Today we headed over to Gatlinburg.  It’s about a 2 hour drive through the Smoky Mountains.  We had a fabulous day with lots of sight seeing and perfect weather.  Seriously, there was not a cloud in the sky and the temperature was about 48 degrees.  On our way home, we stopped on the side of a road in the mountains and had a small snow ball fight.  There was not much snow on the ground but we scraped together what we could.  I totally won that snow ball fight.  Totally.  We had just gotten through the Smokies when we looked over at the visitors center and saw a herd of ELK.  WHAT?!  I saw the “Elk Xing” sign but didn’t think much of it.  We pulled over to take pictures and it was so surreal.  This kind of stuff is something you don’t see in Florida.  We headed back and passed a bunch of turkeys on the side of the road.  I had a smile from ear to ear as did the LO & beau.  The beau has been coming to this house since he was very little, and has never seen a herd of elk, so it was extra special. It was just a very beautiful day and was one of those days that make you thankful to be alive.  Sometimes I get so caught up in the day to day activities of life that I just forget to look around at my surroundings and thank the good Lord.  Today...today was different though.  I think I talked to God more than I ever have and thanked him for everything.

Once we got home we threw some burgers on the grill, ate, and played a game of Sorry. 

Day #2

The car lag was starting to kick in so we had a low key day.  We all hopped in the car & drove around to the dams.  There are 3 dams near the house so we spent most of the day in the car.  We came home after seeing the dams and threw some steaks on the grill.  We pulled up the picnic table in front of the TV & watched Smurfs 2 while eating dinner.  I hadn't seen the first movie but the 2nd one was quite cute.  

Day #3

We had to pack up and head to SC to see my Dad's side of the family.  It's about a 3 hour drive, so after winterizing the house, we left around 11.  Got to Dad's around 2 and opened presents.  My parents got Frank & I a wine refrigerator which we absolutely love (when we got home from the trip I booked it to Publix and bought 10 bottles of wine to fill the fridge.)  My stepmom cooked an absolutely delicious dinner of roast, mashed potatoes, and lots of good sides.  The LO had "life saver" fights with my brothers.  After the LO went to bed we played an adult game called "Cards Against Humanity."  If you haven't heard of it, seriously, look it up.  You can download a free version or purchase it from Amazon.  It was so funny and we could not stop laughing.  Also, the LO got to feed the horses with my Dad & he was in Heaven.  

Day #4

Got up to head home.  Time with my SC family never seem long enough.  I always feel a pang of guilt when leaving them.  They're too far from me and time only seems to speed up through the years.

So there it is.  Our short, but fun Christmas vacation.  I hope we can go up to the house next year because we always have such an awesome time.

I hope your Christmas was a happy one.  

Much love,

I'm happy.

"What do you want for Christmas?"

"I can't think of anything, I am perfectly happy with what I have.  You, Zach, everything."

And then as I thought about what I might want, I thought the same thing.  Normally I like to be spoiled rotten on Christmas.  Well, just spoiled rotten in general, but Christmas especially.

This year I'm pretty practical.  Perfume, some new pj's, and an electric toothbrush.  I can't really think of anything else. 

Are you content?  Why/how do you like to be spoiled?    

Ja, yes, si, oiu, sea, ken, sim.

If I could say it in every language, I would.  YES, YES, YES!!  

11/16/13 - The beau asked me to marry him.  We were in Amsterdam, watching local people ice skate, laughing our asses off and just enjoying eachother, the locals, the culture, the cold weather, everything.

It is amazing how excited and happy our family and friends are for us.  We are so loved, it's an incredible feeling.  The love we have for eachother is intense.  The love our family and friends have for us is an amazing feeling, and one I hope to never forget and always appreciate.

Oh, I'm such a sap.  I've written this post in my head a few times, but now it just sounds like hearts and love and mush.  Although, I wouldn't have it any other way. 

I'll do an Amsterdam recap later on this week.  Enjoy your Tuesday!

Another year, another Halloween

I love Halloween!  I really love any holiday where I get to decorate the house, but Halloween is fun because I love seeing kids dressed up in their super cute costumes.  The LO is currently obsessed with Star Wars.  And when I say obsessed, I mean it's all he talks about type of obsessed.  So this year he wanted to dress up as an X Wing Fighter Pilot (Luke.)  But that's not all.  He wanted us all to dress up like a Star Wars character.  Seeing as how I've only recently slept through watched the Star Wars movies, I was a little nervous to pull of a Princess Leia costume.  Especially because I decided to make the costume.  Oh, did I mention I'm not even close to a seamstress?  I had my work cut out for me.  BUT the LO was way too excited for us not to pull this off.  The beau made his vest for his Han Solo costume, found some great pants, and I got his shirt from Goodwill. I made a dress and belt for Leia, and we ordered the LO's costume off Party City.  Then, we got dressed up and took a picture in the backyard.  After we took the picture, I was telling the beau how I'd love for it to be photoshopped with the Star Wars background behind us.  Considering he's pretty much a computer genius, he made it happen.  And this is why I love the man.  Because he's awesome and will do anything to make the LO & I happy and smile.  Did you have a happy Halloween?  What's your favorite part?

The roof was on fire.

Well, it wasn't actually the roof, it was a room on the 3rd floor of my hotel but it was still pretty surreal.  Most hotels have those little maps on the back of your room door illustrating where all of the exits are in case of emergency.  I never really pay attention but last night I had to.  I am staying in Ohio for a tradeshow and around midnight I was woken from my slumber by a fire alarm.  The weirdo part of my brain tried to rationalize this, and thought maybe it was some creepy person trying to get the single women to all come out of their rooms and maybe there really wasn't a fire (see, I have such weirdo thoughts sometimes) but then the alarm started blaring in my actual room so it was time to get the eff out.  I opened the door and the hotel manager is yelling for everyone to evacuate...and don't take the elevators.  I grabbed my purse, laptop, and wool coat.  Not even a pair of shoes.  Running down the stairs with no shoes & a cold floor really woke me the hell up.  The closer I got to the 3rd floor, the more smoke I could smell. Homegirl was sitting in the lobby barefoot, with pj shorts & a Star Wars shirt.  I bring the class, let me tell you.  The firefighters ran upstairs & put out whatever fire there was, and we were told about 40 minutes later we could go back to our rooms.  I've had some pretty strange things happen while traveling, but never an actual fire in a hotel.  Has this ever happened to you?  What would you grab if there was a fire in your hotel?  One things for sure, I am going to need a big cup of coffee today to get me through the show!

...and we sat there for what seemed like hours.

25 or so years ago, I sat there.  I remember it vividly.  I was one of the last kids my age to be able to tie my shoes.  She sat there with me, legs spread apart, as I sat in between them, knees up to my chest, trying to tie that shoe.  It felt like eternity to me, hours really,  and I still remember it as if it were yesterday.  I did not know then, what I know now.  She did not have to do those things for me.  She did not have to sit there showing me over, and over, and over again how to tie a shoe.  It seems pretty basic now, but obviously I wear shoes everyday, so everyday I'm reminded that someone that did not have to help me, but chose to.  Oftentimes we forget.  We don't even realize every day when we wake up, get ready for work or school, make lunches, drive, things like that...the days we kind of just go through the motions, we forget.  We forget that we're actually teaching every day just as we were taught.  And that is important, and special, and may seem mundane, but one day the person you're teaching will go on to teach someone else.  And be able to do all of these things for themselves.  I had an "ah-ha!" moment the other day.  Zachary could not tie his shoe.  As I sat there with him after I made his lunch to take to school, the same way my step mother had sat there with me 25 years ago, I realized how special the every day tasks can be.  And he may never remember that moment.  But you know what?  I will.  And that's worth doing a million times over.

So, the days you lose your patience and it feels like it's taking them "forever" to "get" something?  Just remember, it probably feels even longer to them.  We didn't acquire all of our knowledge over night, and neither will they.  Patience and nurturing is one of the most important things to teach.

An Angry Birds Party.

The LO recently had his birthday.  He turned 6!  When my beau was blessed with the LO, he was 3 lbs. 1 oz.  He has since grown to become a smart, super funny, always kind, very artistic, science loving little boy.  He has been obsessed with Angry Birds for a very long time.  So, naturally he wanted to have an Angry Birds themed party.  I spent hours on Pinterest finding some very creative things we could do.  We scrubbed the house top to bottom and the day had finally come.  All of the kids had a fabulous time, and I'm kind of wishing we could do it all over again!  Here are some pictures from the party:

...and we know a post isn't complete without an OOTD shot.  :)

Sayonara to my 20's.

It's true.  My birthday has come and gone.  I can officially say I'm 30 (yikes!)  Better than being 6' under though.  It hit me 2 days ago "holy shit, I'm 30."  It's true that time seems to speed up the older we get.  

I wanted to document some things I learned in my 20's and what better way to say sayonara 20's, and hello 30's than to remember some very important life lessons I learned in my 20's?  

Dear 20-something-year-old-Nicole:

• Go to college right after high school.  Seriously, you will not remember half the shit you learn in high school, and I'm pretty sure your brain is not nearly spongey enough when you haven't had to read text books in 10 years.
• Life goes on after your first love.  Contrary to what you thought as a teenager and half way through your 20's, your life does not begin & end with him.  Do NOT waste any time trying to make something work.  It either works, or it doesn't. Never settle.
• Time is precious.  Seriously.  It goes by way too fast, you spend too much time doing things you have to, so spend your free time enjoying whatever you want to do.
• Your former place of employment, where you had the worst, stinky boss in existence, actually brings you the 2 loves of your life.  Your beau & your best friend aka sister from another mister.
• Say sorry.  Don't hold grudges.  Forgive.  Not for them, but for you.  Resentment will eat you alive inside.  
• Set goals.  Achieve them.
• The person you were, does not have to be the person you are.  You can always change.  It is never too late to be what you might have been.
• Words hurt.  Taste them before you spit them out.
• A Father is someone who should always be there for you.  You will end up having an amazing bond with yours.  Better late than never.  
• Always listen when someone wants to tell you something.  Keep a secret.  Let people trust you. Trust people.
• Broken hearts can be mended.  You have gone through times where it literally felt like your heart had broken in half.  It will heal. 
• Friends come and go, but best friends are forever.  
• Believe in yourself.  You can and you will.
• Do things for people without expecting anything in return.
• Jury duty is not that bad.
• Be a good person.  Have a high moral compass.  Surround yourself with people that support you and praise you, and do the same thing for those people.
• Wear sunscreen.
• Rap music sounds awful the older you get.
• You are at the age you start saying "when I was a kid...."
• Break your own dating rules.  Seriously, it will be one of the best decisions of your entire life.
• Lil Wayne is an idiot.
• Your hair will start turning gray.  Just like your Dad's.  That's okay, there's always hair dye. Appreciate that you still have hair.
• It's true what they say, you are really more confident the older you get.  Don't let anyone take that from you.
• Keep saying your prayers every night.  
• Appreciate everything you have.  The good and bad.  Everything happens for a reason.