Rob is my new blog supervisor. I didn't know I needed one but apparently I do. Someone to hold me accountable and tell me when it's been too long since my last blog. HA! So, today I was informed that I was behind on my blogging so here you go....
A lot of GOOD has been happening around here for the past week or so. This is the time of year that I do like the South- cold days mixed with just enough low humidity warm days to make it enjoyable weather. We took advantage of the beautiful weather this weekend by spending all day Saturday on the river (It's actually a lake but for some reason it's called False River). We fished for a few hours and even got minor sunburns. The Vitamin D was refreshing as was the warm air blowing in our faces (Although E may disagree because he didn't like when Daddy's boat went fast!). Saturday night Rob and I went on the first double date we've been on in years! It was so much fun to have dinner and watch a movie with another couple. We laughed, shared stories and thoroughly enjoyed each other's company. Oh, how I needed that! When we were getting ready for our date, one of our good family friends from back home called to see what we were doing the rest of the weekend. He was off work in Lake Charles because of weather and wanted a dose of "home". On our way home from our date, we picked him up and brought him to our house. Sunday, after church, he and Rob took the boat out but didn't catch anything. Scott's work was on hold longer than anticipated due to the weather so he's been staying with us since Saturday night. It's been nice having him here. He's been super helpful around the house and today, when we got severe weather, he helped "batten down the hatches" before the storm hit.
After almost 3 years here, I still haven't got used to the weather here! Last night it was predicted that today's storm was going to be the worst one LA has seen in a long time so all the local school districts closed schools for the day. Praise the Lord our immediate area was not terribly affected by the storms. But, just down the freeway, in a small town that I was in yesterday, a tornado touched down and cause quite a bit of damage. Other places, close to where we live, major tornadoes touched down, causing mass destruction and a few deaths. I can't wrap my head around the fact that we were on the boat this weekend and 2 days later there's mass destruction all around us due to storms. And now the next few days it'll be "cold" here and then it'll warm up again this weekend.
All in all, it's been a great last several days. It's nice to have someone from NV visiting, giving me a small taste of home. It's been nice spending QUALITY time as a couple and as a family. And it's super nice (like in miracle nice) that no one we know was hurt or had to deal with major destruction with today's storm!
It's happening and it's happening good around here.....g'night all!!
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Feeling the Love
Although Rob and I have never celebrated Valentine's Day since we both see it just as a Hallmark holiday, I wouldn't deny the boys the celebration. Our weekend got a kick start earlier in the week when P painstakingly picked out Valentine cards for his classmates and then picked out candy for the teens at the youth shelter that we've "adopted". Friday Rob had the day off work so he, E and I went to his favorite place for a lunch to celebrate an early (non) Valentine lunch thanks to the gift card my parents had sent us. That night the boys baked cookies for the teens and I put the Valentine packages together for each one. Yesterday we took the packages to the youth shelter. There are only 8 teens there right now so it was a small group for us to visit. One girl asked, "Are you the ones who brought us the stockings at Christmas?" When I confirmed that it was us, she asked if she could hug the boys. Then she told P that she still had the picture he had drawn hanging in her room because it was special to her. Every time we go to the shelter I am blessed. For us, baking cookies and putting together small Valentine packages isn't a big deal. But for the teens who receive them, it's huge! I don't know who is more of a blessing at the youth shelter....them or us.
After leaving the shelter, we met Rob at the pet store where the boys each got to choose a fish for their Valentine gift. P named his "Spot" immediately because of all the black spots on it. E first named his "Big Boy Bike" and then changed it to "Baby Blue Eyes" before finally deciding on "Jacob". I had a baby shower to go to in the afternoon and when I got home I discovered that E had tried to feed the fish peanuts. I don't think he understands the concept of pet fish. Thankfully the peanuts didn't kill the fish and they're still happily swimming in their new home this morning.
Although I want the boys to celebrate Valentine's Day, I don't want it to be an over the top celebration. They had already received candy from my parents and a Valentine card with money inside from a good family friend. So they woke up this morning to a pack of gum and a small box of candy. They were happy to get the treat and appreciated what they were given. Not only did they feel the love, but so did I! Happy Valentine's Day....or Happy Hallmark Holiday. I hope you, too, feel the love today!!
After leaving the shelter, we met Rob at the pet store where the boys each got to choose a fish for their Valentine gift. P named his "Spot" immediately because of all the black spots on it. E first named his "Big Boy Bike" and then changed it to "Baby Blue Eyes" before finally deciding on "Jacob". I had a baby shower to go to in the afternoon and when I got home I discovered that E had tried to feed the fish peanuts. I don't think he understands the concept of pet fish. Thankfully the peanuts didn't kill the fish and they're still happily swimming in their new home this morning.
Although I want the boys to celebrate Valentine's Day, I don't want it to be an over the top celebration. They had already received candy from my parents and a Valentine card with money inside from a good family friend. So they woke up this morning to a pack of gum and a small box of candy. They were happy to get the treat and appreciated what they were given. Not only did they feel the love, but so did I! Happy Valentine's Day....or Happy Hallmark Holiday. I hope you, too, feel the love today!!
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Weekend Get Away
Here you go, Rob- an overdue blog. As much as I've wanted to blog, the only reason I'm making the time to write this one is because I really want to sit down and take a break from mounds of laundry. HA!
I've always told Rob that actions speak louder than words. Listening to what I say I want means more to me than a lot of things. So I was surprised....no, FLOORED...when I opened my Christmas present this past December. Rob had listened back in October when we had originally visited the Bass Pro Pyramid and I had said I'd love to splurge and stay there sometime. For my Christmas present he had arranged for us to stay at our friends' awesome condo in Oxford for one night and then at Bass Pro's lodge the second night. I guess he figured it was overdue since we hadn't been away together for a weekend, just the 2 of us, in over a year.
Friday we both worked in the morning then got the boys and headed out of town. I wondered what kind of trip it was going to be when we got a flat tire a half hour out of town. Luckily, Rob is great with that kind of stuff so we were on the road again in no time. We dropped the boys off at my inlaws and headed North (That's the correct direction, right Rob?). We stopped at a little hole in the wall steak house and I enjoyed the best shrimp and grits I've ever eaten (Although I've only eaten them a handful of times). When we got to Oxford we were too tired to do anything so we went to the condo, turned on the fireplace and relaxed. The next morning we went to breakfast at a place our friends recommended and...OMGosh...it was the best breakfast I've ever had!!! I really, really wanted to eat all of it but it was just too much. We walked off our breakfast at Ole Miss before heading to Memphis.
I didn't know what to expect out of the lodge as I've never really stayed in a fancy hotel, much less a lodge. But, wow! When you spend money you're treated like royalty! There was a gift basket full of goodies in our room and the staff kept asking if they could escort us to our room or what they could do to make our visit the best possible. We also got VIP tix for the top of the Pyramid, where we enjoyed watching the sun set Saturday night. After the sun went down we hit Beale St for dinner and music. By 9pm we were tired (Boy, I make us sound like senior citizens) so we called it an early night. Sunday the restaurant opened early for hotel guests so that's where we ate (Our only less than par meal the entire trip). We walked around the store then headed back to my inlaws because we were missing the boys. We spent the night there, enjoying a delicious steak dinner my FIL grilled and then watching the Superbowl (Let's be real- I read and just watched the commercials and halftime show).
It was such a great, relaxing, much needed weekend! Every time we go away, just the two of us, we realize how much that is lacking in our lives and that we really need to do it more often. It's always nice to have a weekend full of laughter and creating fun memories!
I've always told Rob that actions speak louder than words. Listening to what I say I want means more to me than a lot of things. So I was surprised....no, FLOORED...when I opened my Christmas present this past December. Rob had listened back in October when we had originally visited the Bass Pro Pyramid and I had said I'd love to splurge and stay there sometime. For my Christmas present he had arranged for us to stay at our friends' awesome condo in Oxford for one night and then at Bass Pro's lodge the second night. I guess he figured it was overdue since we hadn't been away together for a weekend, just the 2 of us, in over a year.
Friday we both worked in the morning then got the boys and headed out of town. I wondered what kind of trip it was going to be when we got a flat tire a half hour out of town. Luckily, Rob is great with that kind of stuff so we were on the road again in no time. We dropped the boys off at my inlaws and headed North (That's the correct direction, right Rob?). We stopped at a little hole in the wall steak house and I enjoyed the best shrimp and grits I've ever eaten (Although I've only eaten them a handful of times). When we got to Oxford we were too tired to do anything so we went to the condo, turned on the fireplace and relaxed. The next morning we went to breakfast at a place our friends recommended and...OMGosh...it was the best breakfast I've ever had!!! I really, really wanted to eat all of it but it was just too much. We walked off our breakfast at Ole Miss before heading to Memphis.
I didn't know what to expect out of the lodge as I've never really stayed in a fancy hotel, much less a lodge. But, wow! When you spend money you're treated like royalty! There was a gift basket full of goodies in our room and the staff kept asking if they could escort us to our room or what they could do to make our visit the best possible. We also got VIP tix for the top of the Pyramid, where we enjoyed watching the sun set Saturday night. After the sun went down we hit Beale St for dinner and music. By 9pm we were tired (Boy, I make us sound like senior citizens) so we called it an early night. Sunday the restaurant opened early for hotel guests so that's where we ate (Our only less than par meal the entire trip). We walked around the store then headed back to my inlaws because we were missing the boys. We spent the night there, enjoying a delicious steak dinner my FIL grilled and then watching the Superbowl (Let's be real- I read and just watched the commercials and halftime show).
It was such a great, relaxing, much needed weekend! Every time we go away, just the two of us, we realize how much that is lacking in our lives and that we really need to do it more often. It's always nice to have a weekend full of laughter and creating fun memories!
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| Our hotel balcony, overlooking BP |
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| Sunset over the Mighty Mississippi, looking into Arkansas, 280 feet up |
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| Memphis as viewed from top of the Pyramid |
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| Inside The Lookout (bar/grill at top of Pyramid) |
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| View of store, coming down the elevator |
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| Sunrise |
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| Bowling alley in BP |
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| Largest alligator gar I've seen (not stuffed) |
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| If all gators were this happy I wouldn't fear them. |
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| The elevator that goes to the stop |
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| View of one of the many swamps inside the store |
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| Playing an interactive duck hunting game |
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| Duck hunting museum in the store |
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