Top Ten Moments

This year wasn't the best year for me.  Actually it was probably one of the worst I've had in a while.  But I've learned that no good comes from dwelling on the bad.  So I've decided to remember the good.  Which is what we should always do anyway.


I'm sure I'll miss something but here it is anyway.

The Top Ten Moments of 2010

*In no particular order

1.  Super Target in Durham, NC.  Does it get any better?  I just really don't think so.  Yes mom, the trip to Duke sucked.   The hotel sucked.  The city sucked.  The people were NOT nice. The roads sucked. Srsly NC.  WTH is up with the roads?!? The appointment sucked.  Even though the doctor was nice.  But the GPS lead us to a Super Target.  So it can't be considered a bust.  Even if it kiiiinda was.  

2.  A long soul healing summer.  With lots of days spent lounging and reading at the pool with V.  And one fateful day at the beach (RIP sunglasses, pump infusion set and top 50 layers of my skin.  You are missed.).  Lots of laughs and lots of peace.

3.  Finding my LONG LOST best friend T on Facebook. See some good comes from the evil beast that is FB.  I'd missed him since he moved away 10 years ago.  I'm glad to have my friend back.  

4.  Nick's flowers.  I'll say it again.  I have NEVER been one for fresh cut flowers (they die and make me sad).  But Nick has made a believer out of me this year.  I love looking at them.  I love smelling them.  And I love seeing him come home with them and that smirk he has when he knows he's done something sweet.  

5.  Sterling.  I am beyond excited that Jason met her.  I've only known her for a short time and I already L.O.V.E. her.  It's about time he found someone who is good and genuine and simply a beautiful person inside and out.  (Dear Jas, Hang on to this one.  love, me)

6.  Wilmington, Savannah, Charleston... you name it.  Going on Spring Break getaways with mom.  Even if I am terrible at planning them and deciding on a destination.  I do love them.

7.  Girl's Nights.  Enough said.  I can not narrow it down to one.  They are all highlights of my year.  I love you girls.

8.  Velcro cat.  Snuggling Murphy.  Goofy and Lick you to Death Kate.  These three make my heart happy.  Every time I see them.  

9. Nick being a weird sleeper.  He talks.  He gets up and turns lights on and off.  He has conversations that make no sense.  He presses down on my chest/stomach (I think he tries to kill me).  It's weird I tell you.  But usually very funny.  If I'm going to be woken up in the middle of the night...at least I get to laugh.  It's also sweet sometimes.  Like that time he put his arm around me, kissed my forehead, took his arm back, patted me on the head then rolled back over and resumed snoring.  

10. Realizing that moving in the right direction doesn't have to be this monumental event.  Slow steps count just as much.  Also, deciding that I definitely don't need everything to be happy.  Life is precious.  It's not perfect.  It's not easy.  It's not always good.   But it's all we have.  And that's enough.


11.  (I know... I said top ten.  So sue me.)  No one broke into my car this year.  *knocks on wood*  Yay!  I guess my new embarrassingly loud car alarm - that likes to go off during thunderstorms - is enough to scare the thieves away.  *knocks on wood again*

Can you narrow down your top ten for 2010?

Who says teaching doesn't have its perks???

2 Free Tickets to Medieval Times? Yes Please. (Did I mention that said tickets would have cost us $100?) B/c yeah...that place isn't cheap.


I'm gonna be honest here... I didn't even want to go. I let Nick make the call - when I was offered the tickets at school 2 weeks ago. I mean we still had to drive 1 hour to get to Myrtle Beach. But 1/2 a tank of gas was well worth the entertainment value!








I was a little nervous since we didn't have actual tickets -but duh... we were VIP guests (it said so on my confirmation) so OUR names were on THE LIST. We weren't commonfolk who had to have trivial things such as tickets. We got to sit in the VIP area and have hors d'oeuvres (wow that's a tricky little booger to spell... did I even get it right!?!) while we waited to be called into the arena for dinner. Everyone else had to sit and watch us...haha *evil laugh*. We did get a little sucked in to the gift shop. I got a magnet and Nick got a wooden sword *rolls eyes*.



Us at the VIP reception:

I look like a News Anchor...Baaaack to you Pete. womp...womp... :-/

See the rope sectioning off the "VIP area" - yeah... I'm important people. What -you didn't know?

You like the blue nail polish? I do.

Oh yeah - did I mention Nick's beer? Yeah...

We are now the proud owners of a GLASS that won't fit in our cabinets. Gotta love it.

Ummm...Hi. My name is Jen and I can't hold the camera steady to save my life. I must have taken like 47 pics trying to get a good one. I finally gave up... quitter... *hangs head in shame* I had the freaking stabilizing feature off. Note to self: I definitely need that ON at all times.

Dinner was good (nothing spectacular). I ended up bringing 1/2 a chicken home (srsly 1/2 a chicken) and giving most of the rest to Nick. (I don't do spareribs - and the tomato bisque had all kinds of herbs and spices... bleh).

The show was awesome. I was a little concerned about eating while all the dust flew and while watching the horses...ahem...do their business. Gross... It wasn't too bad though. We had to eat with our hands only - so that was different. I almost reverted to my 'can't eat bone-in chicken' ways b/c it is just plain gross picking meat off of the chicken carcass with. your. fingers. (which is prob why we have 1/2 a chicken sitting in the fridge.) But I digress....

I would love to show you all the other pics I took but since I'm a Shaky McShakerson when taking pics - most of them are blurry. What with how fast everyone was moving on top of my inability to keep the camera still for .09827ths of a second. What marvelous pics I would have had if I had the stabilizer on. B/c that also helps with 'action pictures'. Oh well... you live... you learn.

Plus I didn't take too many after we were eating since we had to eat with our hands...greasy fingers and cameras aren't the best of friends.

We were cheering for the Red Knight (can't you tell from the hats?) that's him up there in the red and black (duh) - and he was a ham. He kept trying to get us to cheer for him and kept doing things to show off for us. The horses did tricks that were pretty cool. They could trot in place, do high kicks where their whole body was off the ground, walk with their front legs kicking out and all kinds of other things. And since Nick and I are 5 years old... we got a serious kick out of watching the guy run out and clean up the horse poop while the show was going on. It was necessary though - since the Knights did a lot of hand to hand combat where they threw each other on the ground... and that would just be gross... to land in... well you get the picture.

There was a King, Prince, and a Princess - the Knights JOUSTED.. Like real, full-on jousting... no red bean bag chairs required...no broken bones though...my left arm kinda twinged a little while watching...thanks Jason. I will never be able to enjoy jousting again... j/k.

They did other tournament games like running full speed on the horse and spearing a hoop or hitting a bullseye. And finally the Prince was saved from the Green Knight (he was the bad guy) and was able to return to the Princess. Awwww a happy ending. Who doesn't love a happy ending???

So all in all -WELL worth the cost of a 1/2 tank of gas! Although I have to say I felt like it was 4a.m. when I was driving home at 8:30. I guess getting ready for a night out (full make-up, hair done, ironing nice clothes) at 2:30 in the afternoon kind of throws you off.

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On totally unrelated note:

This is the mirror we got a couple weeks ago (on sale!! Score! Yay for Hobby Lobby!) for behind the love seat.

You like? I do.

P.S - I got my hair cut *cough*butchered*cough* today. No pic - b/c I'm gonna see if I can fix it myself. I mean never in my life have I come sooooooo close to crying/walking out when getting my hair cut. My normal attitude is that it grows back - take chances, be adventurous... well when this woman cut my SWOOPY bangs STRAIGHT across my eyes (in the process taking at least 3 inches off of them) I honestly teared up.

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Swoopy Bangs i.e. Bangs that swoop across the front of the head from one side to the other and BLEND in with the layering of the hair.

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She asked if it was good/ok and I just said "ummmmmnnnnnkkkkyeah? *swallows lump in throat and takes big breath*.

**

She was like are you sure?

**

And I AM SCREAMING IN MY HEAD "WTF can you do NOW?!?! Glue them back on?!?!"

**

But as I calmed down... I decided that I can probably salvage it - or at least wear a headband for 3 WEEKS. *takes calming breath* I mean I used to cut my own hair anyway. What I NEED is a friend who cuts hair. You know anyone? So no, no pic.

Edited to add: I was marginally able to fix it. I cut and cut *sheds tear* trying to make it look semi normal. Sorry there is no 'before' but I just was waaaaaaayyyyy too upset and disgruntled to take a pic not knowing if I could fix it. So I'll give you 'in process' pics.



Exhibit A: These are NOT swoopy bangs. These are 'I'm in 3rd grade bangs'.


-After the first round of Operation-Make-The-Bangs-Appear-Longer by bringing more hairs in and camouflaging them as bangs...

Exhibit B: My fix. Okay... but NOT what I had in mind.



I'm still a little disgruntled here... can you tell? You really can't see the side layers... but trust... they are there.

Exhibit C: My new best friend...a headband.

Like the spikes? I don't...okay maybe I do... a little. This may be the only time I can rock spikes. :)




haha - funny side note: when taking these pics I thought I saw someone lurking around behind me in the bedroom. Thinking it was Nick I played along. I just figured he was watching me so he could make fun of me... So imagine my surprise when he came walking in from the hallway. I. About. Jumped. Out. Of. My. SKIN. Talk about scaring the Bejesus out of someone! Guess who/what I had been playing a mind game with for the last 15 minutes? Oh Creeptastic Edward Poster (ok Rob poster) hanging in the bedroom. Guess I don't need a Full Size Edward (think Mini E but full size and cardboard) to lurk around and scare me.

I've been sick...

and tired... but mostly sick. Which is why I've been lazy and not posted anything in a while. Now mind you I've had a better week than Mom - since I wasn't involved in a horse riding accident last weekend (who was very LUCKY considering what could have happened - but still hurting a lot - trying to recover).

I've also had a better week than one of my kids - who bit through his tongue one day at lunch this week.

I did however survive my first "kid projectile vomits all over herself and desk/floor" this week. That's big. I can't even begin to tell you how GROSS that is. We had to vacate the classroom and move into the hallway for almost 2 hours. (2 hours b/c I didn't trust my stomach to go back into the room and have visions of the mess - and also - the Lysol fog was thick...I don't mess around with germs) Thank Heaven for the wonderful custodians who can stomach the clean up. Otherwise I would still be throwing up (or probably by now dry heaving and retching violently) trying to clean up the mess...good visual I know... moving on...





So any who - I have recovered from my illness (I had a fever and all... - quite uncommon for me) and am ready to begin a new week!





Yesterday we went to the Ripley's Aquarium, Believe it or Not museum and to the beach! A nice reward for surviving the week I think. The best part is that it was ALL FREE!!! And I <3 free! Teacher Appreciation weekend means that I got a free ticket to go to all the Ripley's attractions and I could bring up to 4 family members! Talk about awesome!



Mini E was even excited to go!














The Aquarium was pretty cool - better than the SC Aquarium in Charleston I think (mostly b/c of the fact that you go through a tunnel like area so you can see the fish swim over & around you)...


















Other pics:


Mini E enjoying the view from the "sting ray bay"













eels... *shudder*






Huge Sea Turtle snacking on a fish...(no, not really)

The other side of the 'tunnel'. Can you see the shark creeping up??? Those are some brave fish... all I'm sayin'.

We decided that is the size for the aquarium we're getting for the living room...

The Believe it or not museum was okay - nothing spectacular. Mostly all the same stuff they have in the Canada Museum.

The only cool thing was this mirror...

And this Jelly Bean Art...

We also went to the "mirror maze" which had potential - but in reality was lame b/c first of all the finger prints totally gave away where the mirrors were and anyone with a brain could figure out that if you are walking and can SEE yourself walking toward YOU - you are obviously walking toward a mirror. Duh.

The sad part is that I'd have to say walking over to the beach was the best part. (sad b/c the beach is always free) It was nice out - not too crowded and I managed to get a couple of good pics!

View from the beside the museum:

Once we got back home yesterday afternoon we went to Walmart for blueberries (for blueberry pancakes of course) and Mini E spied the Twilight game. So after a brief consultation with Veronica about splitting the cost so we didn't feel like we were throwing too much money away on something that was very likely to be LAME - we decided to swallow our embarrassment and get it. Nick even agreed to play with us! (I'm serious)

Well - we were definitely right. It. Is. Lame. Perhaps for a casual viewer of the movie it might be decent - but for us (note: I am including Nick in this 'us') - it was retardedly easy and L-A-M-E. I mean srsly - I just had to make up a new word to describe how easy and lame it is. So needless to say after about 15 minutes of game play (Veronica won) we decided to chalk it up to throwing 15 bucks in the toilet and broke out a better game to entertain us. (Note: we couldn't break out HP Scene It b/c the football game was on and we couldn't occupy the TV - cause HP Scene it or heck even regular Scene it would have been my first choice of course).

In other news - LOOK at what we were able to get last night!!!

hehe - look at Step 3. Enjoy the show! .... Like THAT will be a problem!!

Oh yeah - we may or may not be 13 year old girls! And not even ashamed to admit it. (V and I - not Nick - I'm letting him out of his obligation to go to the movie on opening night.)

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to actually have the tickets now!!! It makes it more real or something. I think I am partially siked b/c I have SEEN the new trailer. Which is ... WOW. The 2 minute preview looks 100000000 times better than the entire Twilight movie. I'm not kidding.

Clicky the link to be blown away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q0wyL6zm9o&feature=related

Edit : Nevermind- Summit pulled it. Oh well try searching Youtube for another one.

Because we needed a change...and other stuff...

1. We mini re-arranged the living room. We LOVE it now. We were considering a move to Habitat 2000 (same price, 1 more bedroom and bathroom) -but now we are loving our new-found space. (Disregard what's on TV. Something about Michael Jackson, obviously- I was just waiting for Big Brother -duh).

Notice 'Murphy the Shark'? He is such a picture ham - he always manages to be in the shot!

Thomas DID NOT approve (see # 3 for a possible explanation). He decided to hold down the couch in case we decided to move it too. Before he decided to do that he kept walking around yipping and whining at us. Poor Baby.

P.S- That's some kind of shadow in the pic on the right- not a stain.

2. Who needs TV anyway? We have our own entertainment here thankyouverymuch. Thursday Night WWE Smackdown!

You'd think Murphy took this one - but Thomas got the last jab making Murph scream like a little girl!

3. The reason Thomas was NOT amused... we took away his favorite spot.

Which brings me to some sad news... Oscar #2 the fish has passed away. Thomas' # 1 hobby (fish watching) is no longer. He was fine when we got back (thank you - I know that's what you were thinking) but suddenly sunk to the bottom and stopped moving on Tuesday. I don't know what happened. Thomas and I were both traumatized to see him go down the toilet. :(

RIP Oscar #2.

4. Harry Potter Dorks.

In the words of Cheyenne (Veronica's 5 yr old) "Why don't you make them (the t-shirts) say GryffinDORK Quidditch? B/c that's what you are." (Don't you just LOVE children???)

Ummm... there are somethings that can't be explained. 'nuff said.

5. Savannah, Georgia July 2009

Crossing over into Georgia.

Tried to get the "Welcome to Georgia" sign. EPIC FAIL! What the sign said was "We're glad Georgia is on your mind".










The steeple that the feather in Forrest Gump started floating down from.

Paula Deen's restaurant. That line wrapped around the block at 9:00 in the MORNING! For realz. NO food is worth waiting that long for. Sorry Paula. :(





What the??? A Ministry of Magic Visitor's Entrance in Savannah?? Who Knew?!? (Sorry -Harry Potter reference. I pity you if you don't get it. Srsly.)





Also- see that pub next to it? That's the Six Pence Pub (where Julia Roberts looks through the window and sees her husband cheating on her in "Something to Talk About". Cool Huh?






Vampires in SC?? (Not to mention the Sgt. Jasper Square and Emmett Park in Savannah.)


JASPER County in my very own South Carolina?? Swoon!!!! 'nuff said.




There are more pics but I'm tired, it's late and blogger is taking for-freakin'-ever to upload these pics. So that's all for now.