A Singing Tradition

Ever since I was a little girl, my lovely grandparents (who have been married for over 60 years) have always sung a duet to us as we exited their driveway. It was the perfect way to end a visit with them. I'm so grateful that Ryan had the mind to pull out his phone on our recent visit with them in Florida. Now I can always keep this dear memory with me. 

Spring Awakening

I know I've been MIA this past month, but I don't even know where I've been! The thought of trying to sum up an entire month is way too overwhelming for my brain, so here's a quick recap. However, I will be back on the bandwagon after this lame post!

As I mentioned a few posts back, I was heading to Birmingham in March for my friend Mariel's baby shower (she's due May 18!). One of the fun stations at the shower was a photo booth, full of props (hats, mustaches, lips, umbrellas, you name it). Here's me, my friend Lauren, and mama-to-be Mariel posing for the camera. What a great weekend!

Ryan and I took a long weekend in the North Carolina mountains during the first weekend of April. We stayed in a beautiful cabin in Valle Crucis (check out that view! check out that hot tub!), and enjoyed some lovely outings in Boone and Blowing Rock. We brought the slow cooker and made Mexican pork, finished a couple books, did a wine tasting, enjoyed some local restaurants and shops, and just relaxed. How often do you really get to do that?

We finally (FINALLY!) got a new dining room table. I've been disgruntled with my high-top, four-seater, espresso (K-Mart) table for quite some years now. I bought it when I was a spinster flirty young bachelorette in my one-bedroom apartment. It was time for a change. As the craigslist queen, I tried to pin down another awesome deal, but Crate & Barrel won out (don't worry, I found six Williams Sonoma chairs to go with it for a steal). Everyone, I introduce you to Terravida. She's a beautiful and rustic addition to the fam.
Moose got into some mischief. He has a fondness of munching on leaves/flowers (real or artificial), and this time my yellow lilies told on him. I came home to find a yellow-cheeked smushface (HA!). Tsk tsk tsk. Don't worry, he's okay.

We also attended a local beer fest in Raleigh called Brewgaloo with some pretty awesome friends. Live music, food trucks, great local beer, and some chilly weather went together perfectly for a memorable Saturday. We ended the evening with dinner at Busy Bee Cafe, a downtown favorite (they have tot burgers; yes, I said tot burgers).

I also finally got around to watching the PBS Masterpiece Classic series Downton Abbey (and dragged Ryan into loving watching it as well). In case you don't know, I'm a period nut, so this series has been beckoning me for quite some time. Now I'm tortured after being spoiled watching the first two seasons without pause, and am desperately anticipating the start of Season 3. What a gem of a show. Romance, war, family duty... ugh! It kills me. I don't think I was born in the right era. Not that I'm complaining (...then I wouldn't have Netflix).

Now it's the first day of May and it feels like summer outside. The pool will be opening in a few weeks, we'll be planning our summer vacation with Aiden, and I'll be wishing for the cool fall weather again before you know it. Signing out for now!

I Can't Stop! I Can't See! HELP!

Well, at least that's how our day of skiing started. Last weekend we headed up to Wintergreen Resort in Virginia for a skiing getaway with my girlfriends and the hubbies. We stayed at a beautiful cabin, just a minute's drive from the slopes, fully adorned with five bedrooms, a killer deck, multiple fireplaces, and a lovely view (it actually snowed the first morning!).

The day of skiing itself was... interesting. See our faces above? It's right after we got our equipment on. Oh, we were so happy and optimistic. This is gonna be a breeze! (I was by far the hottest ski bunny out on the mountain. I mean, look at those 80s purple pants!) Okay, I haven't skied since I was seven. SEVEN. And that was on the fluffy, snow-covered mountains in Vermont. Not on icy slopes that are covered in piles of "fluffy" artificial snow. So when I first got my skis on and started to slide ski down the mountain, I kind of freaked out. After making myself fall a bunch twice, I started to get the hang of slowing down and braking, despite my body shaking after going so fast down the slope that my cheeks were burning and my eyes were stinging. I actually thought that I had just lost it; it "coming back to me" just wasn't gonna happen. (Note: At least I didn't face-plant on my first attempt down the hill, unlike a certain husband of mine that I might still be married to after he reads this.) But alas, a few more romps down the practice hill and I started to enjoy it again. We were going up and down the slopes with no hesitations by the end of the day (no, not black diamonds), and we do hope to go skiing on real snowy mountains next time we go to Vermont. I have a feeling I'll enjoy that more, but I'll still happily return to the challenge of Wintergreen next year.

Besides skiing, we had a blast at the cabin, cooking meals each night and playing intense games of Kemps with the fire going. Despite skiing all day, there's nothing like playing a kids card game to bring out the competitive sides of grown adults. :) Good times!

A Merry Little Christmas

Another Christmas has come and gone, but it was a merry one that we'll always remember. We completely Christmased out this year: Constant Christmas music in the house and car, multiple drives to see the Christmas lights at night, hot chocolate and coffee trips, Christmas movies galore, lots of family time, and a house full of lights, candles, and decorations. I'm pretty sure Aiden had a nice Christmas morning, too, if you can't tell by those happy faces.

There's always a very specific moment when I realize the season is in full swing. When the spirit of Christmas actually seems palpable. That moment came this year as I was strolling through Fresh Market. It was bustling with happy families picking up some final goodies for their holiday feast. I quietly and slowly ambled through the aisles, soaking up every wonderful scent that filled the air: roast coffee, fragrant flowers, fresh-baked bread, apple cider, you name it. I left with some chocolate-covered pretzels, a tuscan bread, and a huge orange swirled lollipop for Aiden's stocking. But most importantly, I left with a huge smile on my face and an ever-expanding heart. It's truly the most wonderful time of the year.

Hope you and yours had a lovely holiday as well! Time for 2012.

Bienvenidos a Mexico!

We got back last month from a lovely trip to Mexico for my friend Tara's wedding. Our resort was located in Mexico's beautiful resort area, just south of Cancún on the coast of the Caribbean Sea. Tara married a wonderful man named Tony, and we couldn't be happier for the two of them. Both the wedding and the trip was fabulous. The resort was GORGEOUS... and massive. To put it simply, everything was so grand! Neverending pools (and sunken-in-the-pool bars), tons of restaurants, and a white sand/crystal clear beach. It was paradise. The all-inclusive thing was too freaking cool--there were restaurant bars and cabana bars everywhere, buffets for any meal, six sit-down restaurants, you name it. We'd get up at 8, head down to the pool for a bloody mary or mimosa, and then hang out there all day. There were fun activities going on all day too, right at the pools: We salsa danced, held a monkey (photo to come), and did water aerobics. Just to name a few.

The ceremony was on our last day there, right before the sun started to set. I boo-hooed the whole time. Then we had a cocktail hour/dancing in a big gazebo in the middle of one of the pools (it was dark at this point, and all the white lights were on), followed by a wonderful dinner at the resort's steakhouse restaurant. After the flight home the next day (I woke up at 3:20 IN THE MORNING), we had to run home, change, and get up to Maggiano's for the in-town reception. Again, such a blast, but what a whirlwind! Tara looked gorgeous (no surprise there), and it was just a really fun trip to go on with the best of friends.

Tara walking with her dad down the "aisle."

The newlyweds

I've never experienced such amazing customer service as we had in Mexico. All those rumors and warnings we heard before traveling there were immediately dispelled. The only problem I had was trying to stop from saying "hola!" and "gracias!" to people when we got back to the States. :)

Oooooh Mexico...

I'll be posting on our trip to Mexico soon! Here's me and Ryan on the beach, right before my friend Tara walked down the aisle. It really was paradise, and it's definitely been tough being back at work this work (and trying not to say "hola!" instead of "hello" to everyone).

Welcome to NC!

Two of my best friends, Lauren and Mariel, are flying in to visit me this weekend (!!). Both dear friends that I met while interning at Coastal Living magazine in Birmingham, Alabama, Mariel still resides there, while Lauren is living it up in Nashville. My two years in Birmingham hold some of the best days of my life, and the city will always hold a special place in my heart. I can't wait to have some quality time in my home state with these two people who were so deeply a part of those memories.

Mariel, Lauren, and I at the Yazoo Brewery in Nashville. 2010.

Speaking of Birmingham, here are a few of my favorite "landmarks" that always make me sigh and think fondly back to my newly post-graduate days. What a wonderful life decision it was to go there.

Five Points South (the site of countless breakfasts and dinners).

The Alabama Theatre, which holds annual viewings of Gone With the Wind.

Naked Art Gallery: My favorite gallery in Bham. I could walk here!

Vulcan Park and Museum: World's largest cast iron statue, seen all over the city.

Rojo: My favorite restaurant in town, located in Highland Park.

The Blackstone, my old apartment building. Conveniently walkable to Rojo!

The atrium inside my old company, Southern Progress, where I worked for
Coastal Living and Southern Living magazines. It's now Time Inc.

And here's us, all of six years ago. Playing football in the park. :)

Good Friends, Good Wine

This weekend my girlfriends and I headed out to Yadkinville, North Carolina for a little taste of our state's wine country in honor of my friend Tara's upcoming nuptials in November. There's really nothing like a bachelorette weekend in the middle of nowhere! On Saturday we made our rounds to three wineries in the area (we needed a week to cover all of them), all within a 10-minute drive from the cabin we rented. Let's just say that getting to the cabin at 11 pm on Friday night was an adventure within itself. After turning off the main road into our "driveway," the word "roads" no longer came into play. There were little grassy/rocky paths that we navigated in the dark, not completely knowing whether we were getting closer to the house or burying ourselves deeper and deeper into the forest. It was a long muddy, bumpy, and terrifying ride, but we couldn't do anything but laugh about it. We fully creeped each other and ourselves out before screaming with relief when we saw the house before us, but it was definitely a memorable and "rustic" experience. :)

Our first stop on Saturday was at Raffaldini Vineyards & Winery, a lovely Italian winery in the most beautiful location. The seemingly never-ending rows of grapes, rolling green hills covering the horizon, and Tuscan-like landscape filled with flowers and stone made this winery a breathtaking sight. It really you feel like you were in another country. After our wine tasting, we picnicked with sandwiches and a bottle of red wine on one of the courtyards before heading to our next destination. I hope to return here with Ryan for a couple's weekend one day.

Our next stop was Dobbins Creek Vineyards, located in the beautiful Swan Creek area. We went into their charming cabin to taste a variety of reds and whites, the hands-down favorite of the group being a blackberry-infused Cabernet. We secured a bottle of it and enjoyed it on the winery's awesome front porch, complete with dining tables and rocking chairs... not to mention a spectacular view. Here's the bride-to-be enjoying the warm sunshine, a cool breeze, and her blackberry wine.

Our third and final winery stop for the day was Shadow Springs Vineyard, located just five minutes from our cabin. Despite how much we enjoyed ourselves at the first two stops, I think this one was our favorite. As a family-owned vineyard, we all immediately felt like we were tasting wines with a large extended family. The spectrum of wines ranged from deep reds to finishing with a delicious strawberry (yum!) and chocolate wine. Mix the strawberry and chocolate half and half, and voila! Chocolate-covered strawberries. :) After the tasting, we ended up going out to the back patio to help the owner film a promotional piece for the winery, so we got to taste some of their sparkling wine, just as the sun was starting to descend. What a lovely way to finish our tour.

Outside of the wineries, we had a fabulous girls' weekend, complete with homecooked mac and cheese (thanks, Katie!), a lingerie shower, and a game of "Who Knows the Bride Best?" Just having a weekend to fully appreciate and spend time with your close friends is priceless within itself. Tara's been one of my best friends since 7th grade, and it's amazing that we've been able to see one another grow up and stay such close friends as we've grown into adults and ultimately different people; that root core of friendship will always be there, and I thank my lucky stars that I have girlfriends who have been with me through thick and thin. Amen!

Here are a few photos of the unique cabin that Katie found for us to stay in. It was full of antiques and had such a rustic charm to it, surrounded by trees as far as the eye could see. Also included was an attic loft with ladder access, which I was more than happy to sleep in. I definitely felt like we had our own little treehouse and needed a "Keep Out!" sign or something. How cool is that?!?

The ladder leading up to the attic loft.

The attic. I slept in the bed in the back right corner.

Other side of the loft area.

One of the second-floor bedrooms.

And here's a few quotes that sum up my weekend with words that are much more eloquent than my own. Enjoy. :)

The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.  ~Elisabeth Foley

A loyal friend laughs at your jokes when they're not so good, and sympathizes with your problems when they're not so bad.  ~Arnold H. Glasgow 

Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things.  ~Author Unknown

Coastal Bliss (Pun intended)

Indian Beach, NC: My own personal Nicholas Sparks novel.

A couple years ago, Ryan's parents bought a condo in Indian Beach, a small beach town nestled in between Emerald Isle and Atlantic Beach. The large porch looks right over the sound, which always strikes a serenity chord with me. You can just sit on the porch or the large dock down below, wine in hand, with a cool breeze and a beautiful sunset. Heaven. During the day, you can fish or use the shrimp nets or crab cages to collect your next meal, or just sit and relax with your legs hanging off the dock.

Aiden spent the first part of the week here with his Nana and Papa, and then Ryan and I joined them for the latter half of the week through the weekend. They had already done lots of swimming, fishing, and kayaking, so it was our turn to join in the fun. We caught eleven crabs the first day (!), and were able to keep nine of them for size purposes; Ryan steamed them and we had a delicious, succulent lunch!

Besides going to the ocean, spending time at the pool, and fishing/crabbing off the dock, we took a 20-minute drive to Beaufort, NC to visit the NC Maritime Museum, which now has a special exhibit: Blackbeard's Queen Anne's Revenge. It's so neat to see these old artifacts and trinkets that were handled by someone so well-known in our country's history. Seeing it in the flesh also brings this fable-like story to life; this really happened and these people really existed. What a world that must have been.

We finished the afternoon with some ice cream and a stroll through the Old Burying Ground, a historical burial site of individuals spanning centuries of North Carolina history. As you walk along the paths lined by gnarly trees and some hardly recognizable graves, you can peruse all the various tombstones, many with fascinating stories behind them. One tombstone of an English sailor is engraved as so:

     The form that fills this silent grave,
     once tossed on ocean's rolling wave,
     but in a port securely fast
     he's dropped his anchor here at last.  

Following our trip into Beaufort, we had a fabulous dinner out on the deck at The Ruddy Duck Tavern in Morehead City. Burgers, pasta, fish tacos... you name it! Looking right over the water with the boats happily passing by just added to the lovely and calming atmosphere.

Anyways, it was another great trip to the North Carolina beach with Ryan's family. We always look forward to genuinely relaxing while we're there, and this trip was no exception.

The only hard part about taking off to the beach for the weekend was Moose's failed attempts to try and come with us.

Have a Magical Day!

This June we finally made our way to Disney World with Aiden (!!). He turned nine in May, so we figured this summer was the perfect time for his introduction to this truly magical place (for both kids and adults). I haven't been in twenty years, and I was just as excited as Aiden when we drove underneath the arching welcome sign. Chill bumps, seriously.

We went to Florida for our vacation this year, spending four days on the beach in St. Augustine and two full days in Disney. Our first day in Disney was at Magic Kingdom, and we did everything. We got there when the gates opened, and immediately ran to Frontierland, where Aiden had his first experience on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (this turned out to be his all-time favorite ride). From that point on, we got our fast passes for the rides with the long lines (this was a lifesaver), and experienced all the other treats the park had to offer. Some of the "filler" things we did actually turned out to be my favorites. The Micky's PhilharMagic show was a 3D movie starring Mickey and Donald Duck, featuring characters, scenes, and songs from all the classic Disney films that we grew up with; by the time "A Whole New World" came on, I was in tears.

Aiden was such a little happy trooper and didn't hesitate on the big rides or complain about the shows/rides that might be "too little for him." I really think the three of us just opened our hearts to the whole Disney experience and were so intoxicated by the true magic of it all. Even though we went at the end of June, the weather was so mild, and the rain sprinkled on and off, which was such a welcome refreshment. We spent a minimal amount of time waiting in lines (no joke), and were just taken away with flying over Neverland, drifting through this "small world," jetting through space, meeting all the Presidents, cruising through the jungle, exploring Tom Sawyer's island, cringing through a haunted mansion, climbing the Swiss family treehouse, exploring the Caribbean with our pirate friends, cracking up at the Monsters laugh floor, and plummeting down the waterfall with Br'er Rabbit... just to name a few of our adventures. What a great family vacation. And I simply loved when I heard someone yelling behind me, "C'mon, we're late! We're late!" and there was the White Rabbit scurrying through the park. What I would have paid to get a photo with him. 

The second day we went to Animal Kingdom, which animal-lover Aiden was thrilled about. We started the day on a safari, seeing the most amazing animals and catching poachers along the way. We saw an interactive Bug's Life show in the Tree of Life, went down some raging rapids (I looked like I jumped into a swimming pool once it was finished), and went on the treacherous Mt. Everest rollercoaster (a ride that Aiden might learn to appreciate with a few more years on him... he was not amused this time). We saw the Lion King show, which was like a mini-Broadway production; in other words, it was spectacular. Ryan and I bought some beautiful wooden wind chimes as our souvenir, and Aiden started a pin collection of all the sites and characters he loved. We were sad to leave, but we were completely happy and satisfied by the time we left; you can only have so much fun before you want to pass out.

Safari ride at Animal Kingdom

Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom

Family pic in front of the Mt. Everest ride

The goofy pandemic has set in! Time to go home. :)

Our four days in St. Augustine are not to be downplayed by Disney, however. We spent our days boogie boarding in the beautiful Floridian ocean, and one day, a few dolphins swam right by us. When does that EVER happen? At first I just saw a dorsal fin, looked back at Ryan and said this bluntly, so his knee-jerk reaction was to sprint to shore; but then we saw the arch of the swim, and were immediately in awe of these beautiful friendly creatures that just swam by to say hello.

We also went to downtown historical St. Augustine to see the Castillo de San Marcos, per Aiden's request. He studied about this national monument that was built by the Spanish in the seventeenth century, and he couldn't wait to put his studies to good use and go check it out. He's such an academic! Here he is next to one of the canons guarding the castle over the intracoastal waterway. You can also see the historic Bridge of Lions in the background.

Between our trip to Martha's Vineyard last year and this year's trip to Florida, I really feel like we have so many sentimental places that capture a little piece of "home" in our hearts. It's a trip that I know Aiden will remember forever, and it warms my heart that we were able to open up this magical world to him.

Catching up (I'm slow). Vermont.

I feel like I'm being anti-productive with this blog, considering it's supposed to document the most up-to-date events going on in our lives. But there's so much you've missed! Forgive me if I backtrack for just a few posts, but I'll only take forward steps once I've filled this empty hole.

A few posts back, I blogged about our upcoming trip to Vermont (yes, last September). Ryan was finally introduced to the million and one things I've talked (and talked... and talked... and talked) about concerning my childhood home. We stayed at my Meme's house in Hinesburg for four days or so, and were able to spend a night in Montpelier with our friends Josh and Roxanne who had moved up there in the summer. We did as much as you could possibly do in this amount of time: visited the cider mill, toured Ben & Jerry's (with our friend Josh as the tour guide), spent an afternoon in Stowe, got creamies in downtown Burlington, cooked out on the lake in my hometown, went to Shelburne Farms, ate maple candy, visited my elementary school, hiked Camel's Hump, had dinner in Montpelier, went on beautiful drives, and spent some quality time with BOTH sides of my family. In other words, wonderful trip. Well, except for all of Ryan's whining on the hike. He was not a happy camper. But the view was worth it!

Like I always say, something about that place centers me. It's a different way of life and one that I will always long for. Everything moves a little slower, but with that comes the appreciation of your surroundings. My favorite moment of our trip was driving around with Ryan on my Meme's property in one of her golf carts. It was early morning and the grass was covered with dew; the sky was misty and the air was crisp, with the rolling mountains on the skyline. I didn't want to put my jacket on because I wanted to breathe in all the freshness and goodness of my "home." I think Ryan finally came to understand what all my blabbering was about.

Standing in Meme's front yard. Hinesburg, VT

Lunch on Main Street. Stowe, VT

On the top of Camel's Hump after a day's hike.

Ben & Jerry's in Waterbury, VT with Josh, our friend and tourguide.

Ryan, me, and Memere. Dinner at my aunt's house on Lake Iroquois.

Where I'm From...

Ryan and I are taking a trip up to Vermont this September (plane tickets booked!). In tribute, I'm reposting an entry I made in my old blog years ago about Vermont and my childhood. I can't wait for him to finally experience everything that I've been injecting into his brain about my home state for all these years. Enjoy!
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I'm from a little town in a little state. Hinesburg, Vermont. Nothing that Google Satellite has ever been able to identify. My little street was Silver Street, and it was my years here that my head was filled with secret paths leading to hidden hideouts, goblins, and the mysteries of bumblebee hill. You had to have quite an imagination if you grew up in Vermont; there were no neighborhoods with kids to play with, and I had the pleasure of having only two TV channels... both were fuzzy. I used to play "Ms. Adventure!" with a little twig (aka, my "wand") and roam around the woods trying to find something cool; the best I came up with was slugs.

Our neighbor was Harold, one of the friendliest old men you will ever come across. Even when I was that young, I still was able to appreciate how nice he was. He still lives in that old, green house to this day. My dad used to hit golf balls out in the front yard, and Harold never said a word about them coming onto his property. He's a good man. His front yard was filled with lilac trees and at the time, it was the sweetest most wonderful scent I had ever come across.

I had my very own raspberry bush, and it was always an exciting trip to go pick the berries in the late summertime. We also grew carrots and tomatoes, and squash and pumpkins in the fall. Everyone in town just about bought their pumpkins from 254 Silver Street; we'd leave out empty coffee cans at the end of our long gravel driveway and collected the money for the gourds on the trust factor. Even if there were only a handful of dimes and nickels, it was so exciting to me to make what seemed to be a small fortune.

Summer in Vermont was also when my dad would take us for rides in the back of the pickup truck up the street to the local diner for Creamies (aka, soft-serve ice cream). Rainbow sprinkles were my staple; my teddy bear Snowball would get a taste occasionally if I was feeling generous.

In the peak of summer (the whole two months that it was actually "hot"), we would go to my Aunt and Uncle's house at Lake Iroquois. It sounds like it would be far away, but it was just a quick little drive across town. We'd go out on the motorboat, and I'd sit in the seats in front of the driver; the boat would go up on it's side and I thought that was the definition of freedom. When you get to the other side of the lake, you can see the old 1960s camps and docks that my dad would play at when he was a kid. It's weird to think of "Good Golly Miss Molly" playing as he's jumping off into the water with all of his cousins; all the people I know to be in their 50s and 60s today. It's hard to fathom that we've all experienced childhood.



In the winter, there was no such thing as "snow days" unless there was a blizzard outside. We'd pack our snow clothes up every night, and lug them to school every day. My classmates and I would roll down the snow-covered hills for recess every afternoon, and then come back to our classrooms as red and purple as mixed berries. With the size of my cheeks back then, I looked like an oompa loompa.

As a class project, we'd go collect and measure the sap from the tree sitting outside my kindergarten classroom. I had the same teacher from K through 2nd grade. Mrs. Barber. We wrote letters back and forth once or twice a year after I moved to North Carolina, but I surprised her about 4 years ago when I went back to visit. She just screamed "JESSICA!!!!!" a moment after she saw me. I guess teachers really can imagine their little students growing into adults.

Fieldtrips usually always involved walking to our destination, whether it was the town library, going to visit the fire department, or walking up to the sugar house to see maple syrup being made. It seemed like a journey to get there back then, but it was probably only a mile away up the hill in the center of town. It's still there today, and is always closed up when it's off-season; you can peak in though and see all the empty buckets ready for fall to come again.



So many times a year, we would go on our hikes up Camel's Hump... one of the closest mountains. Every time I visit, I try to make my way up there. I can't sprint up the rocks like I used to, but I am reminded of how hard of a climb it is, yet how gratifying it is to finally reach the top. Words can't describe the view and the feeling up there. One time we met a man who was hiking nonstop through all of New England, and this was his lunch destination for the day. He'd sleep wherever he could find a dry place to pitch his tent. He looked so weathered, but you could tell from his face that he had seen some really beautiful things. I questioned whether or not I could hold up doing that. I'd like to think I could.



That's me on my last trip up there. I miss it. Have you ever found one place that recenters you when you're there? Whether it puts things in perspective or just rejuvenates your spirit? This is it for me. I feel a little chipped away each year I stay away; life has too many distractions to take time out for this, and I need to start ignoring them. I will always be a little Green Mountain girl.