Windows Live Writer

If you are a blogger, this is for you!!

I was reading my friend Heidi's blog the other day and she mentioned Windows Live Writer.  I was curious, so before I blogged tonight, I downloaded it to check it out.

It will seriously change your life.

It is really, really easy.  You just type away.  The amazing part is that you can insert pictures just like you do in a Word file.  No more uploading them in opposite order and then trying to mess with all the weird spaces.  Everything is right there for you and really, really simple. 

It’s definitely worth your time!

Banana Pants + Miller Stay For The Weekend!

This past weekend, Leslie went to Chicago to spend time with her college roommates, and Will went to Raleigh to stay with his BFF Block.  That just happened to leave Ja + me the opportunity to keep Banana Pants for the whole weekend by ourselves!!  We also got Miller thrown in as an added bonus!  We had SUCH a good time!!

Friday afternoon I had softball practice, but left a little early to get to the house in time for Will to drop Anna, Miller, and there stuff off at the house.  Once everything was discussed and everyone was on the same page, Will gave Anna and hug and a kiss and off he went.  She is such a big girl and did not pitch a fit at all when Will left. 

Friday night consisted of dinner, bath time in the Big Bathtub, and bed time.  Anna did wake up a few times, but sleeping in a new place, that was to be expected.  She has been over to our place plenty of times, but this is the first time she has ever slept over.

Saturday morning, the real fun began.  I was looking forward to sleeping in a bit, but the dag on dogs didn’t let that happen.  I was sure that Anna would be up earlier than us all, but she slept the latest!

For breakfast we had some cinnamon toast, strawberries, milk, and Dora yogurt.  When Ja went to grab a strawberry, Anna told him no and continued to guard the plate for the rest of her breakfast.

After some breakfast, Ja broke out the Wii and started playing basketball.  Anna wanted to join in.

After a while Ja put Anna on the ottoman and she just reached right over and grabbed his hand while they played.  Precious!

While I was cleaning the kitchen, Anna came in with her shoulders hunched over.  I asked her what was wrong and she said, ‘I’m not so happy right now.’  Through an immense need to laugh at the sheer hilarity of a two year old saying this, I said, ‘Well what’s wrong?’  She looked at me with that lip poked out and said, ‘Jason isn’t sharing.’  I about lost it.  She is an absolute mess.  So I asked Jason if he was sharing and we quickly resolved the situation!

After watching the Wonder Pets save a unicorn and a penguin, we all got dressed.  Then my friend Carrie brought her two girls, Hunter and Nola, over to play with Anna.  They were all a little shy at first, but they quickly warmed up to each other.  In this picture they lined up all the pillows and they are playing Carpet’s Water. 

Then Uncle Jason got out the giant bubble wand he bought for $1 and everyone played bubbles for a bit until we all moved the party outside because it was a BEAUTIFUL day!

 

The girls had such a good time.  Pretty soon it was time for the Simpkins girls to get going.  Anna gave the sweetest hugs and Nola had a fit.  She didn’t want to go!

After the girls left, we loaded up and headed to Sciworks.  I had never been before, so I didn’t really know what we were getting ourselves into.  It was so awesome!  I could have spent hours in there!

Ja + Anna putting together the skeleton puzzle.

WHOO’s that!

The mini horse that kept falling asleep standing up.

Anna and Aunt Sarah

   

Anna + Uncle Jason

We saw lots of cool animals – a raccoon, snakes, a macaw, spiders, a chinchilla, and all sorts of cool stuff.  After a fun filled afternoon at Sciworks we hit up the Diario for some chicken nuggets and ice cream.  It is so fun being the aunt and uncle!!

Anna had been asking for pizza all weekend, so for dinner Saturday night we went to Cici’s for a little pizza and salad (for $3.99 a pop…holy moly!!).  She did a great job eating a little pizza and a ton of cucumber slices!  The child LOVES some fruits and veggies!

Saturday night she spent a good amount of time playing with my Kirsten doll.  I got Kirsten when I was little and used to play with her for hours.  Well that’s all the Anna needs at our house.  She knows exactly where it is and asks for it every time.

 

No matter where Anna was, the boys were right there.

After a good bit of playing, it was bath time.  She loves getting in our big bath tub.  Since we wouldn’t let the boys in the bathroom, this is what awaited us!

All the girl needs is some water in the tub and a few Solo cups.  In a few years I’ll show you what else you can do with those Solo cups! ; )

After we got her out of the tub we got her to make all these funny faces.  While Ja was combing her hair, he slicked it straight back.  He said that she looked like Macaulay Culkin, so we made her do the Home Alone face.  Eat your heart out, Macaulay!

  

Anna slept great the second night and didn’t wake up at all.  Sunday we got up and went to a park on Polo Rd.  It has recently been redone and it is a great park and we had a blast!

 

 

Tell me that is not one of the cutest kids you have ever seen.  I know I’m biased, but come on!

Spinning and spinning and spinning in the tulip!

Maxing and relaxin!

After some lunch at Qdoba, it was time to take Anna and Miller back to Leslie and Will’s and put her down for a nap.  She took a good nap and got up and Leslie and Will came home a little bit later.  I know they were so glad to be home, but Ja + I were a bit sad to go home!!  We had such a great weekend!  Thanks for letting us have her Les + Will.  Thanks for being so awesome, Banana Pants!!

One Absolutely Amazing Year!

Ok, so this is almost a month late, but better late than never!  This softball coaching and teaching and living thing is kicking my ass.  Ok, enough griping – onto the good stuff!!!

Our first wedding anniversary was on February 28, 2010.  We wanted to do something special, without spending a gazillion dollars.  Since we are now somewhat close to the mountains and neither of us had ever been to The Biltmore in Asheville, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity!

On Friday (Feb 26), we both worked a half day and then headed home to pack up and hit the road.  One of my awesome students that I had as a freshman and have now again as a senior kept our boys for us.  It was so much cheaper and I felt so much better about them being in our house while we were gone.  So we said goodbye to them and hit the road.  We had such a good time listening to CDs and talking about everything and anything.  It was so fun to be together without having to worry about anything besides each other.  Ja was so sweet and put our wedding mix CD in for the last hour of the ride.

We got to our hotel and got to see the moon in all its glory sitting above the mountains!

We stayed at a Holiday Inn and it was really, really nice.  We also got a great deal, which made it even better!!  Ja had requested a mountain view room and we got a great king suite with a mountain view.  The room even had a hot tub in the room!

Our awesome view!

So after we got to the room and hung out for a bit, someone called our room and when Ja got it, no one was there.  We had just watched a show about U.S. Marshalls catching fugitives and we got freaked out.  About 5 minutes later while we were getting ready for dinner, there was a knock on our door.  I don’t know about you, but when your hotel door gets knocked on, it’s a little bit scary!  Ja + I looked at each other and then when he opened the door there was a hotel guy with a tray with a bottle of champagne, two glasses, strawberries, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream!!!  We felt like rock stars!!  We would later find out that my sweet sister had called the hotel and asked for a little something special.  It was awesome!

So after treating ourselves to a glass of champagne and some strawberries, it was time for dinner!  We hit up Barley’s for dinner, which was a must because it was the place where Leslie got wasted on some pumpkin beer and voila, welcome Anna!  After a great dinner we walked around a bit and got some awesome desserts in a double-decker bus that has been turned into a coffee shop.  Really, really cool!

After some awesome sweets and a PCJ comparable Mocha Shake, it was back to the hotel to relax and call it a night.

The next day was our Biltmore day.  We got up around 8 and got ready.  We got to the Biltmore about 9:30, but tickets weren’t available until 10.  So we looked around the shop at the entrance and bought a few things and then we hopped across the street and at breakfast at the Nicest McDonald’s in the World.  That is not me saying that, it really is the nicest one in the world.   There is a double fireplace at the counter and a piano in the back corner the serenades you!

After a little McGoodness, it was 10am and time to roll.  We got onto the estate and bought our ticket and then parked and hopped on the tram.  When we pulled through the gates to the House, I was absolutely speechless.  Mom and Leslie told Ja his job was to count how many times I said, ‘Shut up!’, but I think I only mustered it out 2 or 3 times.  I couldn’t speak.  It was just so large and massive and beautiful.

 

 

 

 

We spent the entire day doing our tour and grabbing some snacks.  The headphones were a must according to everyone that had ever been before, so we both got them and they were amazing.  It is insane to think that Vanderbilt was only 33 and a bachelor when he had this house built and it was just his vacation home!  Lord Have Mercy!!!!!

After our tour and some of the best cookies on the face of this Earth we made our way to the winery.  I had never been to a winery, so this was really cool for me.  I am a wine drinker, too, so it was neat to get to try all the different kinds.

That night we ate dinner at The Lobster Trap and I had my first shrimp and grits!  Dinner was absolutely delicious and it was really fun to order what we wanted and not worry about money for once!

Sunday we got up and met one of my best friends and college roommates, Kelly, for lunch.  She came and picked us up and took us to a really cool local grill, but unfortunately in was PACKED.  So we ended up at a FANTASTIC Mexican place, Papas and Beer.  They had some of the biggest and most delicious burritos ever.  We had a great time catching up on each other and all of our friends.

That was a great, great weekend and one hell of a way to wrap up our first year of marriage.  I am an extremely lucky girl and I have been nothing but happy and in love since the very first night we met and took too many lemon drops together.  In our first year of marriage we have successfully sold a house, bought a house, moved, got two jobs in a horrible economy, and had a great time through it all.  Jason is my very best friend and I really can’t wait to see what these next forever years have in store for us!  I love you, Sweetpea!

This. Is. Serious.

Ok, so since our wedding (almost a year ago...ahh!), Ja and I have been extremely busy and happy. Therefore, we have both gained weight. It is not an obsession for either of us and we're both happy with who we are, but we both knew we could stand to lose some pounds, mostly for health reasons. We did a great job before the wedding of really getting serious and eating well and going to the gym. We both dropped a good few pounds and felt great. Well it's time to get serious again. We owe it to ourselves to live as long and as healthy as we can.

So last Saturday, we started P90X. If you haven't heard of it, it is SERIOUS business. It is 90 days of hell. But it kicks your ass in a good way. You do a different work out every day and for the first 3 weeks you do the same weekly routine and then you have a lighter week and then you have a different 3 week routine and then on and on until you get to 13 weeks.

Today we completed day 3 and I really do feel good. I am in pain from my head to my toes, but hopefully when we keep working, all the pain will work itself out!!

In order to make this interesting, we have set ourselves up a little wager.

*If Ja is the only one to make it to 90 days, he'll get a shed he wants for the backyard and his manly yard tools.

*If I'm the only one that makes it to 90 days, I get a Visa Card of equal value to the shed that I can use for a shopping spree.

*If we both make it to 90 days, we are buying ourselves a flat screen TV or a cruise - depends on how comfortable we are with ourselves when we get to the end!

*The first one to bail has to clean up all the dog crap we have in the backyard, and folks, sadly enough, it's been a while!

So, I'll keep you posted with the progress. We have put the scale away and instead we're just using our clothes to help gauge how well we're doing. I have a pair of khakis that caused a break down and the beginning of our last weight loss adventure about a year and a half ago, so my plan is to work until I'm able to fit back into those khakis comfortably! Bring it on!

Peace.

I think right now, for the first time in a really long time, I am experiencing true peace. I am sitting on the sofa with Harley curled up in the crook of my legs and Riley on the other end - not too close, but close enough. The snow is falling outside, blanketing the grass, the street, the houses, and everything else it can find. The man I love with all of my heart and soul is asleep in our bed in the house we have made ours, together. I have spent my day doing a job that I love. I have come home to a man that is my other half and 'children' that have stolen my heart and in return greet me with such joy and excitement that it cannot be contained. Every single bit of it shoots out of the tips of their tails until they are content and happy enough to just lay beside me. Life gets really hectic sometimes and there are sounds and smells and sights that just bombard my every sense. There is good and there is bad. There is joy and there is sorrow. But tonight, there are no TVs on. There is no noise. There is a fire going in the fireplace and I am deeply into a great book. There is no stress. There is no sorrow. Here it is - for me. True peace.

I'M SO EXCITED...AND I JUST CAN'T HIDE IT!!!

I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT AGAIN!!!!! JEFF + JOHNNA TOLD EVERYONE LAST NIGHT THAT THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE A BABY! I COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED FOR THEM AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT KIND OF LITTLE HELLION THEY PRODUCE...AND WHAT THEY'LL NAME IT!!!!!!! I HAVE NO DOUBT IN MY HEAD THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE THE CUTEST, SASSIEST, CRAZIEST, AWESOMEST LITTLE THING EVER AND THAT JEFF + JOHNNA ARE GOING TO BE AMAZING PARENTS!

Family reunions just got more awesome!

(Sorry for all caps. I'm not screaming at you...that just helps to show a bit about my level of excitement! Can you tell I'm just a little bit happy for them!)

I LOVE SNOW DAYS!!

So since my big bus driver announcement, we've had some interesting things going on!

Last Friday, Leslie and I jumped in the car and headed to Myrtle Beach, SC to meet Mom for a Women of the Word conference. Leslie had the only picture and did a great job here. We did a lot of chatting, LOT of shopping, and just a great time hanging out and spending some QT together.

Leslie and I also headed out early to beat the snow storming heading our way. Like Leslie said in her blog post, last time it snowed we were in Wilmington for Greg + Michelle's wedding. So, it happened again. We left town and snow came in. Darn it. But Ja did a great job sending me pictures so I could see what was going on. It dumped a solid 8"-10". That made things a bit messy for going back to school! : )

So Leslie and I went the long way on Sunday to get back to Winston to make sure we stayed on roads that would be cleared. We got back in for dinner and even though the roads were gross, Will HAD to get out of the house. He had been at home with Anna since Friday, but he isn't quite ready for full time Daddy-Daycare! So Ja met us at East Coast Wings and I do believe our husbands were glad to have us back. Absences makes the heart go fonder - and helps you realize all the shit we do for you all the time!! Love y'all!! : )

So, Monday was a snow day. Tuesday was a snow day. Wednesday they made into an optional teacher workday (I will not miss a workday - how great is getting stuff done with no kiddos around!!). Thursday was a 2-hour delay (which means I saw most classes for about 25-30 minutes). So when the 8" to 10" got dumped, back roads were just covered. Since the main roads get cleared and the other roads don't, it makes for a mess. What didn't help was the fact that during the day the temps got up to about 37-40 and would melt the snow a bit and then that night it would refreeze. It was a complete mess. Then last night at the basketball game we found out school was canceled for today. We had another winter storm come through. That dumped about 3" this morning and then gave us nasty frozen rain all day. So the entire city became a pile of slush. So it's going to freeze tonight and then dump another band of frozen rain/snow tomorrow. Good thing I love winter!

So this week was awesome. 3 snow days, 1 work day, and 1 2-hour delay. That's what I'm talking about!

(And for all you negative people, yes I know we are going to have to make these days up. I'm chosing to live in the present and be happy for today and not worry about later!)