Today is Troy's 36th Birthday!! We are so excited to celebrate another terrific year together and reflect on the years past! I can't believe that 5 years ago, we met and have not been apart since. I know it's just 5 years, but it's been the best 5 years of my life!!
Our fun will start today when Troy leaves for Dallas. He has a class at Headquarters until Thursday, then we will meet up in Houston on Thursday!! From Houston, we'll head over to Las Vegas for our anniversary and his birthday celebration, and then I'll head home. He'll stick back one day so that he can attend another seminar for work. Great fun!!
I'll post pictures and stories from our travels next week!!
By the way... fall is falling, and it's GORGEOUS here right now. I definitely know why I live here when Fall and Spring come around!!
Have a great week and day, and I'll write soon!!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Amarillo By Morning... Or Whenever We Can Get There!
Following our eventful July 4th, we headed southwest on Southwest for Kevin and Kim's wedding in Amarillo. This trip started as an adventure but luckily, it ended quietly with our making all connections and landing safely in Philly.
We started trying to get to Amarillo at 3:25 PM EST on Friday via a stop in St. Louis and connecting flight in Dallas. We would have arrived in AMA at 8:40 PM CST and been fully rested for the following night's festivities, but did this happen as planned? Nope... not at all. You see, I insisted on working that Friday, and the All Star game was being played in St. Louis, so we took the last available flight out and well, missed it. It was completely full.
So we headed down to TB's office to wait for the next flight to HOU that would take us to DAL for the night to meet TB's parents then we'd get to AMA by 9 AM CST the next morning. Once again, no such luck. We made our listings for the flight only to find out that the flight was delayed due to mechanical problems in Pittsburgh and was scheduled to be in PHL for take off 2 hours late! At this point, we started looking for alternate route to get to Dallas on Friday, and our other option was to go through Chicago. Sounds like everything is set, right?! Wrong again! That flight departed 10 minutes prior to the news of the delayed flight from Pittsburgh. UGH!
Meanwhile, I am on the phone with Dave and Teresa and trying to decide what to do with their flights. We decided that it was best for them to head to DAL, and we'd stay in HOU overnight. So... I call the best B&B around and luckily, TKA&I had one available bed and 2 available couches to put us up for the night. At 10:30 PM CST, Todd picked us up from Hobby, and we headed to Missouri City. The girls were sleeping, but we got to spend a little time with T&K and got to see the girls for a few minutes on Saturday morning. It was great to get unexpected Abby and Izzy love!
So... at 8:00 AM CST, we were on our way to DAL where Troy's parents were anxiously awaiting our arrival. We checked in for our flight to AMA and landed safe and sound (and tired already) around 11:30 AM CST. By this time, we'd been trying to get to AMA for 17 hours. We headed into town for Teresa's hair appointment; my brief shopping excursion at the Amarillo Mall; and then for lunch with Dan, Mary Helen, and Tamara. Nothing is as good as Mexican food in Texas... you just can't beat it! After lunch, we headed back to Meadowland Drive for wedding day preparations.
Since we've made it to AMA, things seem to be headed down the right road... until we open my luggage. My face wash punctured a hole in my quart size baggie and then proceeded to leak all over the inside of the baggie and because it was so squished in my luggage, it leaked OUTSIDE of the plastic baggie. Gross, right?! Not as gross as the nice spot it left on my brand new red shoes (purchased solely for this event). They are unwearable except for with long pants to cover the spot where the face wash ate the red dye off of the leather. Great fun. Teresa ironed all of our clothes, and Dave and I set out for the mall, again, to look for shoes. I didn't' find any, but was glad that I was able to wear the extra pair that were stowed away in my luggage. I guess Clinique means what they say when they call it scrub the day away face wash... some of their makeup could be considered dye, so that mess would have to be potent to get it off. I'm just upset that it works so well!!
Clothes ironed... check. Shoes in tow (all 4 shoes with 1 ruined and 1 without a match now)... check, check. After all was taken care of, we loaded up the rental and headed to our suites over looking the power plant at the La Quinta Inn. The rooms were nice and sufficient for what we needed. We showered, dressed up and headed out for the brief journey to Canyon, Texas and Whitaker Ranch where the blessed event was scheduled at 7:30 PM CST.
We got to the Ranch and made our way to the water fall and barn area where the wedding was set up. It was a beautiful day and the scenery just as lovely; HOWEVER, it was hotter than the core of the Earth, and we were baking in God's convection oven with the blistering breeze that was blowing our way. Although it was a bit stifling out, it was hard to focus on the heat with all of our family close. We haven't seen everyone in a while, so it was nice to visit with everyone.
After the wedding, we headed to the baseball field for the family picture... yes, you heard me correctly, the baseball field. There are about 1, 237 members of Troy's family... not really, I think Dan said that Kim made #40, but unlike my teeny family, this crew won't fit on a park bench for a picture! The setting was fantastic, so we all gathered around and the photographer snapped the picture of our crew. We ate, visited, drank lots of Gatorade, and watched the newly weds dance with each other and the kids play in the fountain. Needless to say, it was a great day!
Around 10:00 PM CST, we headed out to get ready for our return trip home. We packed our bags and laid the day to rest. We met Mary Helen and Dan for breakfast at Cracker Barrel on Sunday morning, and then headed out to the Amarillo airport (where TB was selected to be searched... hehe!) for our trip home. We were headed to DAL then to STL then to PHL without getting off the plane. What a trip! It was scheduled for 6 hours and 35 minutes. We were nervous that we'd get pulled off in STL and would have to re-route through MDW, but thankfully, we made it through!!
We got home, had dinner, and settled in for the night with two very excited pups to have their pup-parents home.
To sum it up... a 52 hour trip, with 19 hours of travel time, and 33 hours of actual feet on land time = one really nice weekend with family. We'd do it again in a heartbeat!! Oh... before I forget... per her request, this is a shout-out to Grandma! We love you both!!
We started trying to get to Amarillo at 3:25 PM EST on Friday via a stop in St. Louis and connecting flight in Dallas. We would have arrived in AMA at 8:40 PM CST and been fully rested for the following night's festivities, but did this happen as planned? Nope... not at all. You see, I insisted on working that Friday, and the All Star game was being played in St. Louis, so we took the last available flight out and well, missed it. It was completely full.
So we headed down to TB's office to wait for the next flight to HOU that would take us to DAL for the night to meet TB's parents then we'd get to AMA by 9 AM CST the next morning. Once again, no such luck. We made our listings for the flight only to find out that the flight was delayed due to mechanical problems in Pittsburgh and was scheduled to be in PHL for take off 2 hours late! At this point, we started looking for alternate route to get to Dallas on Friday, and our other option was to go through Chicago. Sounds like everything is set, right?! Wrong again! That flight departed 10 minutes prior to the news of the delayed flight from Pittsburgh. UGH!
Meanwhile, I am on the phone with Dave and Teresa and trying to decide what to do with their flights. We decided that it was best for them to head to DAL, and we'd stay in HOU overnight. So... I call the best B&B around and luckily, TKA&I had one available bed and 2 available couches to put us up for the night. At 10:30 PM CST, Todd picked us up from Hobby, and we headed to Missouri City. The girls were sleeping, but we got to spend a little time with T&K and got to see the girls for a few minutes on Saturday morning. It was great to get unexpected Abby and Izzy love!
So... at 8:00 AM CST, we were on our way to DAL where Troy's parents were anxiously awaiting our arrival. We checked in for our flight to AMA and landed safe and sound (and tired already) around 11:30 AM CST. By this time, we'd been trying to get to AMA for 17 hours. We headed into town for Teresa's hair appointment; my brief shopping excursion at the Amarillo Mall; and then for lunch with Dan, Mary Helen, and Tamara. Nothing is as good as Mexican food in Texas... you just can't beat it! After lunch, we headed back to Meadowland Drive for wedding day preparations.
Since we've made it to AMA, things seem to be headed down the right road... until we open my luggage. My face wash punctured a hole in my quart size baggie and then proceeded to leak all over the inside of the baggie and because it was so squished in my luggage, it leaked OUTSIDE of the plastic baggie. Gross, right?! Not as gross as the nice spot it left on my brand new red shoes (purchased solely for this event). They are unwearable except for with long pants to cover the spot where the face wash ate the red dye off of the leather. Great fun. Teresa ironed all of our clothes, and Dave and I set out for the mall, again, to look for shoes. I didn't' find any, but was glad that I was able to wear the extra pair that were stowed away in my luggage. I guess Clinique means what they say when they call it scrub the day away face wash... some of their makeup could be considered dye, so that mess would have to be potent to get it off. I'm just upset that it works so well!!
Clothes ironed... check. Shoes in tow (all 4 shoes with 1 ruined and 1 without a match now)... check, check. After all was taken care of, we loaded up the rental and headed to our suites over looking the power plant at the La Quinta Inn. The rooms were nice and sufficient for what we needed. We showered, dressed up and headed out for the brief journey to Canyon, Texas and Whitaker Ranch where the blessed event was scheduled at 7:30 PM CST.
We got to the Ranch and made our way to the water fall and barn area where the wedding was set up. It was a beautiful day and the scenery just as lovely; HOWEVER, it was hotter than the core of the Earth, and we were baking in God's convection oven with the blistering breeze that was blowing our way. Although it was a bit stifling out, it was hard to focus on the heat with all of our family close. We haven't seen everyone in a while, so it was nice to visit with everyone.
After the wedding, we headed to the baseball field for the family picture... yes, you heard me correctly, the baseball field. There are about 1, 237 members of Troy's family... not really, I think Dan said that Kim made #40, but unlike my teeny family, this crew won't fit on a park bench for a picture! The setting was fantastic, so we all gathered around and the photographer snapped the picture of our crew. We ate, visited, drank lots of Gatorade, and watched the newly weds dance with each other and the kids play in the fountain. Needless to say, it was a great day!
Around 10:00 PM CST, we headed out to get ready for our return trip home. We packed our bags and laid the day to rest. We met Mary Helen and Dan for breakfast at Cracker Barrel on Sunday morning, and then headed out to the Amarillo airport (where TB was selected to be searched... hehe!) for our trip home. We were headed to DAL then to STL then to PHL without getting off the plane. What a trip! It was scheduled for 6 hours and 35 minutes. We were nervous that we'd get pulled off in STL and would have to re-route through MDW, but thankfully, we made it through!!
We got home, had dinner, and settled in for the night with two very excited pups to have their pup-parents home.
To sum it up... a 52 hour trip, with 19 hours of travel time, and 33 hours of actual feet on land time = one really nice weekend with family. We'd do it again in a heartbeat!! Oh... before I forget... per her request, this is a shout-out to Grandma! We love you both!!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Yankee Doodle Came To Town A-riding On A Boeing...
Oh, say can you see... wait... I'll say what I saw! My mom actually made it to Philly... well, first it was Jackson (she got on the plane) then she landed safely in Baltimore and we drove into Philly after we picked her up!
It was a fun-filled weekend that started with lunch at P.F. Chang's in White Marsh, and then a little shopping in Glen Mills. We then headed home where two very anxious furbabies were waiting. This is the first time that Mom has seen them in a year and two things are constant... Max hasn't changed, and Marlee is a monster! LOL!! They were so excited to see her... and she was just as excited to see them in return! After a stint outside, we came in and relaxed to wait for Troy to get home from work. We all just hung out and visited on Thursday and planned our busy Friday!
Friday started with a haircut for me and KC and a little war time fun for Troy (gotta love it when the mother-in-law's in town and can keep the wife occupied)!! We then got ready for the day and headed north to West Chester for ... wait for it ... do not say!!! The QVC Studio Tour... first we made sure that mom was medicated, for this kind of excitement could just throw her over the edge... hehe! Then we hydrated and headed in. I went to the counter to pay for 3 tickets for the 2 PM tour, and just our luck, the tour was free because of construction... QVC saved us money, once again! We spent about 3 hours at the Studio, then lounged in the QVC Garden, where I almost got stuck in a oribital swing thingy and we headed South to our apartment. We got home and started dinner which was lasagna and garlic bread. It was sooo yummy... I introduced mom to ground turkey in two forms... the lasagna and my turkey burger on Saturday (and... gasp... she liked it!). We then watched some television and relaxed because the big day was Saturday.... the parade and the tour of downtown!
We got up Saturday morning and headed to Panera Bread for breakfast and then to the Old City for the parade. We parked at the airport and took the train into the Market East Station where we walked Market Street into the Old City. When we made it into the parade area, the festivities had already begun. There were people galore and flags were flying high! Troy had to go and play manager while Mom and I visited the Liberty Bell. She was in awe... loved it, I tell ya! From then on... she was one of them ... shreak... a TOURIST! LOL!! She snapped little mini photos with her camera and posed for not one, but several pictures across town. I promise, when the parade started, she stopped and spoke to every street liner that was there and offered peanuts and stickers to everyone!! She fit in nicely! We finished with the parade and took the L-train to Suburban Station where we walked through LOVE Park and showed her where we lived on the Parkway. We walked down the Parkway to Logan's Square and saw the fountain and the museum. We weren't able to get to Rocky because of the concert and such, but she was happy to see what we could see for the day. We then made our way back to Suburban and waited on the R1 to the airport to get home. That night, we finished out our visit with a little R&R and a little M&M!
Mom's flight was at 10:15 the next morning, so she, Troy and I loaded up and headed to Baltimore. It was sad to see her go, but we had such a good time. I can't wait for her to visit again. Check out the pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/mandyeblack.
It was a fun-filled weekend that started with lunch at P.F. Chang's in White Marsh, and then a little shopping in Glen Mills. We then headed home where two very anxious furbabies were waiting. This is the first time that Mom has seen them in a year and two things are constant... Max hasn't changed, and Marlee is a monster! LOL!! They were so excited to see her... and she was just as excited to see them in return! After a stint outside, we came in and relaxed to wait for Troy to get home from work. We all just hung out and visited on Thursday and planned our busy Friday!
Friday started with a haircut for me and KC and a little war time fun for Troy (gotta love it when the mother-in-law's in town and can keep the wife occupied)!! We then got ready for the day and headed north to West Chester for ... wait for it ... do not say!!! The QVC Studio Tour... first we made sure that mom was medicated, for this kind of excitement could just throw her over the edge... hehe! Then we hydrated and headed in. I went to the counter to pay for 3 tickets for the 2 PM tour, and just our luck, the tour was free because of construction... QVC saved us money, once again! We spent about 3 hours at the Studio, then lounged in the QVC Garden, where I almost got stuck in a oribital swing thingy and we headed South to our apartment. We got home and started dinner which was lasagna and garlic bread. It was sooo yummy... I introduced mom to ground turkey in two forms... the lasagna and my turkey burger on Saturday (and... gasp... she liked it!). We then watched some television and relaxed because the big day was Saturday.... the parade and the tour of downtown!
We got up Saturday morning and headed to Panera Bread for breakfast and then to the Old City for the parade. We parked at the airport and took the train into the Market East Station where we walked Market Street into the Old City. When we made it into the parade area, the festivities had already begun. There were people galore and flags were flying high! Troy had to go and play manager while Mom and I visited the Liberty Bell. She was in awe... loved it, I tell ya! From then on... she was one of them ... shreak... a TOURIST! LOL!! She snapped little mini photos with her camera and posed for not one, but several pictures across town. I promise, when the parade started, she stopped and spoke to every street liner that was there and offered peanuts and stickers to everyone!! She fit in nicely! We finished with the parade and took the L-train to Suburban Station where we walked through LOVE Park and showed her where we lived on the Parkway. We walked down the Parkway to Logan's Square and saw the fountain and the museum. We weren't able to get to Rocky because of the concert and such, but she was happy to see what we could see for the day. We then made our way back to Suburban and waited on the R1 to the airport to get home. That night, we finished out our visit with a little R&R and a little M&M!
Mom's flight was at 10:15 the next morning, so she, Troy and I loaded up and headed to Baltimore. It was sad to see her go, but we had such a good time. I can't wait for her to visit again. Check out the pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/mandyeblack.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Party Like It's Two Thou-sand and Nine!!
Ok... so this post has been in the draft section since June 23, but it's finally making it's debut!!
On Friday, June 19, we embarked on the journey to Houston for the party of the summer. Watch out CMT Awards... the after-parties of the after-parties of the around the world celeb birthday party trains can't compare to this... Abby's 4-year-old party was on Saturday, June 20 at Bounce U in Sugarland. And it was a screaming, laughing, bouncing good time!
We landed and Teresa was there waiting on us with cold water and cokes... it was soooo hot and humid! We hopped in the Lexi and away to Missouri City we went! After a stop at Target for Princess wrapping paper and birthday cards, we headed to the other Black's house to await the dawning of the girls. The sleeping beauties rose shortly after we got there, and we were greeted by a giant hug from Abby which shortly followed by "I'm the birthday girl. My party's tomorrow. Did ya bring me anything?" As we laughed and answered her questions, she saw the Princess box and said, "that's a girl's present. It has Princesses on it." And a few moments later, paper was flying; ribbon, unraveling; and smiles were on faces... it was great!! After the gifts were ripped apart, we played in the dark with the glowing scary monsters and then Abby got girlie, along with Uncle Troy, and started on everyone's makeovers. Uncle Troy had Snow White with irridescent glitter polish on his toes and multi-colored fingernails which were Cinderella, Belle, and Sleeping Beauty Pinks, Ariel Blue and Snow White Iridescent polish respectively. For those of you who do not believe this, we have still shots AND video. Izzy even had a go at his feet. Needless to say, it wasn't on his nails, but the top of his feet and toes. She did a great job!!
We stayed for a bit longer then headed to Spring for dinner. We grilled in the 95 degree weather at 8 PM... gosh, it was hot!! We were later visited by TB's friend, Anthony, from high school. It's been quite a while since they have seen each other and were reconnected on Facebook a while back. They chatted and reminised about the days of old, and I do mean OLD (I love you, TB... LOL)! These guys have been out of high school for 18 years now, so there was a lot to talk about. Dinner was phenomenal... we outdid ourselves on steak, chicken, and grilled shrimp with baked potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, green beans, rolls, and salads! It was so good. Following dinner was clean up and bed time. We had to have our rest for the Four Year Old festivities the following day!!
We got up on Saturday and headed to the party establishment--Bounce U. It's an inflatable fun zone that echoes shreaks of laughter and excitement as the kiddos run, climb, bounce and slide down the gigantic inflatable slides, wrestling rings, and obstacle courses. The giant slide seemed to be a fan favorite. It was worn out by the time our 75 minutes were up and so were the kiddos. We made our way to the red party room, where the Tinkerbell cake and balloons were waiting. Abby got to sit in the birthday throne and we sang a happy birthday to her... the regular one. That kid doesn't like options for the birthday song... just the regular one, she said with a confused frowny face, as opposed to the "happy birthday to you... cha, cha, cha (accompanied with clapping during the cha, cha, cha part). She blew out her candles and got a fairy from the cake, and we were ready to rock. The kids all sat down and devoured their juice boxes, cake and ice cream. The time to leave came and went, and we went and left them with the pile of cake crumbs from under Izzy's chair and the mess we created! It was great!!
The rest of the afternoon included the tour of Toys R Us: The Lakeside Meadow Edition. I've never seen such an array of toys. She couldn't play with them all... even with help from Isabelle. It was like a pinata of toys exploded and rained down on us. I'll bet to date that she still hasn't seen everything that she got!! There were a few favorites, but mainly, they just made the rounds. Barbie came in strong with 4 or 5 guests at the birthday party present gala with Disney Princess paraphernalia following a close second. Fisher Price sorta lost out this year! She's growing up!!!
We headed back to Spring after the day of festivities... tired, exhausted, spent... did I mention tired?! It was a wonderful trip full of wonderful memories. I love those two babies. They are my heart... I can't wait to see them again!
We got up on Sunday and made our way to Hobby. Our flight left at 9:30 AM CST, which is really 10:30 AM EST, so we were able to sleep in a bit. We got through security, went to our gate, and awaited our turn to board the corporate jet. It was full, so we took our seats, one in front of the other, for the long flight home.
Jammed packed weekend... yes. Was it worth it... yes. We love our trips to Texas... even if we only get to stay for 1 day, the time is worth it. We miss our families, but know that one day soon enough, we'll be back (that's we'll be back, not Ab-by Black... Todd, Kelley... you'll understand that one!?). Next weekend, we're on our way to Amarillo. I'll post about our visit with my mom soon!
On Friday, June 19, we embarked on the journey to Houston for the party of the summer. Watch out CMT Awards... the after-parties of the after-parties of the around the world celeb birthday party trains can't compare to this... Abby's 4-year-old party was on Saturday, June 20 at Bounce U in Sugarland. And it was a screaming, laughing, bouncing good time!
We landed and Teresa was there waiting on us with cold water and cokes... it was soooo hot and humid! We hopped in the Lexi and away to Missouri City we went! After a stop at Target for Princess wrapping paper and birthday cards, we headed to the other Black's house to await the dawning of the girls. The sleeping beauties rose shortly after we got there, and we were greeted by a giant hug from Abby which shortly followed by "I'm the birthday girl. My party's tomorrow. Did ya bring me anything?" As we laughed and answered her questions, she saw the Princess box and said, "that's a girl's present. It has Princesses on it." And a few moments later, paper was flying; ribbon, unraveling; and smiles were on faces... it was great!! After the gifts were ripped apart, we played in the dark with the glowing scary monsters and then Abby got girlie, along with Uncle Troy, and started on everyone's makeovers. Uncle Troy had Snow White with irridescent glitter polish on his toes and multi-colored fingernails which were Cinderella, Belle, and Sleeping Beauty Pinks, Ariel Blue and Snow White Iridescent polish respectively. For those of you who do not believe this, we have still shots AND video. Izzy even had a go at his feet. Needless to say, it wasn't on his nails, but the top of his feet and toes. She did a great job!!
We stayed for a bit longer then headed to Spring for dinner. We grilled in the 95 degree weather at 8 PM... gosh, it was hot!! We were later visited by TB's friend, Anthony, from high school. It's been quite a while since they have seen each other and were reconnected on Facebook a while back. They chatted and reminised about the days of old, and I do mean OLD (I love you, TB... LOL)! These guys have been out of high school for 18 years now, so there was a lot to talk about. Dinner was phenomenal... we outdid ourselves on steak, chicken, and grilled shrimp with baked potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, green beans, rolls, and salads! It was so good. Following dinner was clean up and bed time. We had to have our rest for the Four Year Old festivities the following day!!
We got up on Saturday and headed to the party establishment--Bounce U. It's an inflatable fun zone that echoes shreaks of laughter and excitement as the kiddos run, climb, bounce and slide down the gigantic inflatable slides, wrestling rings, and obstacle courses. The giant slide seemed to be a fan favorite. It was worn out by the time our 75 minutes were up and so were the kiddos. We made our way to the red party room, where the Tinkerbell cake and balloons were waiting. Abby got to sit in the birthday throne and we sang a happy birthday to her... the regular one. That kid doesn't like options for the birthday song... just the regular one, she said with a confused frowny face, as opposed to the "happy birthday to you... cha, cha, cha (accompanied with clapping during the cha, cha, cha part). She blew out her candles and got a fairy from the cake, and we were ready to rock. The kids all sat down and devoured their juice boxes, cake and ice cream. The time to leave came and went, and we went and left them with the pile of cake crumbs from under Izzy's chair and the mess we created! It was great!!
The rest of the afternoon included the tour of Toys R Us: The Lakeside Meadow Edition. I've never seen such an array of toys. She couldn't play with them all... even with help from Isabelle. It was like a pinata of toys exploded and rained down on us. I'll bet to date that she still hasn't seen everything that she got!! There were a few favorites, but mainly, they just made the rounds. Barbie came in strong with 4 or 5 guests at the birthday party present gala with Disney Princess paraphernalia following a close second. Fisher Price sorta lost out this year! She's growing up!!!
We headed back to Spring after the day of festivities... tired, exhausted, spent... did I mention tired?! It was a wonderful trip full of wonderful memories. I love those two babies. They are my heart... I can't wait to see them again!
We got up on Sunday and made our way to Hobby. Our flight left at 9:30 AM CST, which is really 10:30 AM EST, so we were able to sleep in a bit. We got through security, went to our gate, and awaited our turn to board the corporate jet. It was full, so we took our seats, one in front of the other, for the long flight home.
Jammed packed weekend... yes. Was it worth it... yes. We love our trips to Texas... even if we only get to stay for 1 day, the time is worth it. We miss our families, but know that one day soon enough, we'll be back (that's we'll be back, not Ab-by Black... Todd, Kelley... you'll understand that one!?). Next weekend, we're on our way to Amarillo. I'll post about our visit with my mom soon!
Monday, June 15, 2009
They're Here...
Yippee!! My Gurkee's arrived! I have the olive pair on right now, and my feet couldn't be happier! The beige are on back order, but I can wait. The olive ones are neutral enough to match my wardrobe! Once again, I insist everyone purchase a pair. They are a little hippie-ish, but I will be hippie-ish for comfort!
The time's ticking down... we are T - 4 days until the big trip South... I believe some call it "God's Country!!" I'd have to agree!! I will say, I'm not too excited about trading my 80 degree days for 95+ degree days, but it'll be worth it to be partying with Abby and Izzy! How much fun... BounceU better watch out!
Then... our tables turn for more visitors! On June 29, I will officially be in the Philadelphia area for a year! My how time flies!! Mom is then coming up on July 2 for a fun-filled Philly Phourth weekend! It'll be her first trip to the mighty Mid-Atlantic where we will dine at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore and then play around Philadelphia for a few days. I think a trip to QVC's studios is in store (the shopping mecca for my mother). I can't wait!!
I guess June is basically almost over... it's the 15th, and we've got the rest of the month jam-packed! What a wonderful summer... it's been a blast so far, and we've got so much more to look forward to!!
Don't forget the summer solstice is upon us!!
The time's ticking down... we are T - 4 days until the big trip South... I believe some call it "God's Country!!" I'd have to agree!! I will say, I'm not too excited about trading my 80 degree days for 95+ degree days, but it'll be worth it to be partying with Abby and Izzy! How much fun... BounceU better watch out!
Then... our tables turn for more visitors! On June 29, I will officially be in the Philadelphia area for a year! My how time flies!! Mom is then coming up on July 2 for a fun-filled Philly Phourth weekend! It'll be her first trip to the mighty Mid-Atlantic where we will dine at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore and then play around Philadelphia for a few days. I think a trip to QVC's studios is in store (the shopping mecca for my mother). I can't wait!!
I guess June is basically almost over... it's the 15th, and we've got the rest of the month jam-packed! What a wonderful summer... it's been a blast so far, and we've got so much more to look forward to!!
Don't forget the summer solstice is upon us!!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Excited About My Gurkees and Dressin!
I am so excited!! About 4 years ago, my mom ordered my a pair of shoes from a tanning supply catalog when my sister was in cosmetology school called Gurkee's. They are rope sandals... 
actually they are spun carpet fibers that are bound together by heating them together to form a rope-like string, and formed into sandals. They are my favorite summer shoes... it's the next best thing to being barefoot!
actually they are spun carpet fibers that are bound together by heating them together to form a rope-like string, and formed into sandals. They are my favorite summer shoes... it's the next best thing to being barefoot!I said last year that I thought it was their last summer, but when spring rolled around this year, out they came! After wearing them for long days, I've realized that it should have been their last summer. My feet start to hurt after about 3 or 4 hours, and I've never experienced that sensation from my rope shoes.
I've been searching forever for these wonderful shoes, but have yet to find anywhere online or a store that sells them. Moma ran into a girl in the new DSW in Jackson that had on a pair and asked where she got them. The answer was Shaggy's--a very hippie store who's customer base is Jimmie Hendrix fans and incense lovers. Wendy and I went in and found the shoes, but they didn't have my size. The search continued.
I got home Sunday and hopped online. I found a website one like the 15th page of a Google Search that sold said sandal in question, and they were on sale for $22 a pair! I got two pair of Barbados--one natural and one olive, and I can't wait for my new shoes to come in the mail!! It'll take some getting used to as I wear in two new pair, but since I had these for 4 years, I'm thinking two new pair will last me around 8 years or so! Woo hoo!
I'm so happy I found new Gurkee's and it'll be so nice to have comfy summer shoes! I encourage everyone to get a pair... www.gurkeescentral.com.
Hope you enjoy!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Out With The Old & In With The New... But Nothing Is Borrowed & Nothing Is Blue!
That's right, peeps!! This blog is unrestricted, one-of-a-kind--an all original!! Well... my brain claims plagiarism, but my fingers keep walking across this keyboard!! And... with the new look and uncensored comedy it provides, there isn't anything blue about my journalistic antics and our knee-slapping adventures!!
There are a couple new additions to the Black's Blog... we got a spring face lift!! Yay!! New colors, fonts and backgrounds make the blog a bit more vivid than before!
Come on, kids... follow us!! Get updates when I post a new story and follow the daily chaos we call life! We have 4 followers now... don't you wanna join them?! No pressure... Gmailers... You gotta! It's easy, easy!!
Also, I've opened up the pots to comments! If you click on the title, you can actually comment on the story. I have limited this to 5 comments per story, and first, they must be approved by me. Not that I think any of you will embarrass yourselves, but in order to make it so everyone can comment, this has to be done. I don't want hackers making rude comments on our beautiful page!
Also, there is a ticker to our next summer event! It's now counting down the days until our trip to Houston! Wooo hooo... we'll be back to our roots in only 29 days!!!
I've tried to remove all the songs that are fried from the music player. Hopefully, Troy and I can sit down soon and create a new play list. I think it's time for some new tunes for your listening pleasure!!
Enjoy the changes! And remember... this blog is made possible by the letters T... M... and B! :)
There are a couple new additions to the Black's Blog... we got a spring face lift!! Yay!! New colors, fonts and backgrounds make the blog a bit more vivid than before!
Come on, kids... follow us!! Get updates when I post a new story and follow the daily chaos we call life! We have 4 followers now... don't you wanna join them?! No pressure... Gmailers... You gotta! It's easy, easy!!
Also, I've opened up the pots to comments! If you click on the title, you can actually comment on the story. I have limited this to 5 comments per story, and first, they must be approved by me. Not that I think any of you will embarrass yourselves, but in order to make it so everyone can comment, this has to be done. I don't want hackers making rude comments on our beautiful page!
Also, there is a ticker to our next summer event! It's now counting down the days until our trip to Houston! Wooo hooo... we'll be back to our roots in only 29 days!!!
I've tried to remove all the songs that are fried from the music player. Hopefully, Troy and I can sit down soon and create a new play list. I think it's time for some new tunes for your listening pleasure!!
Enjoy the changes! And remember... this blog is made possible by the letters T... M... and B! :)
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Summer's Shaping Up
Oh, boy! We've got a full summer planned already... and it's just Memorial Day! In June, we'll be heading to Houston to attend the event of the summer! Abby will be 4 on June 24... I can't believe that sweet little girl is already 4 years old... how time flies! Aunt Mandy's got a task before her... making the picnic basket for her birthday!
Then in July, we've got the July 4th Parade in Philly... SWA is the presenting sponsor, so we get to walk in the parade and attend the festivities that night. What fun!! The fireworks are always sooo pretty! The next weekend, we'll be in Amarillo for Kevin's wedding. Guess I'll get a new outfit for that one! Yay... shopping!!!
Then in August, we will celebrate our 2nd anniversary. I know... giggle a little that it's only #2, but I can't believe it's #2!! The first year was a whirlwind with Troy traveling all the time, not to mention the big move to Philly! Now, we've been here almost a year, and our second year together is rapidly approaching! Before we know it, it'll be our 5 year anniversary, but hopefully, we won't be in Philly anymore!
I don't know if we will be able to fit anything else in the summer months! I want to enjoy our fabulous weather here some, too! Just reading this post makes fall seem right around the corner... hehe!! So much for not wishing our lives away, right?!
With all these travels, we hope to see everyone soon!! Especially the Texas crew... it's been so long since we've seen you guys! Can't wait for July!!!
Then in July, we've got the July 4th Parade in Philly... SWA is the presenting sponsor, so we get to walk in the parade and attend the festivities that night. What fun!! The fireworks are always sooo pretty! The next weekend, we'll be in Amarillo for Kevin's wedding. Guess I'll get a new outfit for that one! Yay... shopping!!!
Then in August, we will celebrate our 2nd anniversary. I know... giggle a little that it's only #2, but I can't believe it's #2!! The first year was a whirlwind with Troy traveling all the time, not to mention the big move to Philly! Now, we've been here almost a year, and our second year together is rapidly approaching! Before we know it, it'll be our 5 year anniversary, but hopefully, we won't be in Philly anymore!
I don't know if we will be able to fit anything else in the summer months! I want to enjoy our fabulous weather here some, too! Just reading this post makes fall seem right around the corner... hehe!! So much for not wishing our lives away, right?!
With all these travels, we hope to see everyone soon!! Especially the Texas crew... it's been so long since we've seen you guys! Can't wait for July!!!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Weekend with the Wavras!
The last weekend of April, the Wavras ventured to the Northeast! They arrived, and we started our fun-filled, jam-packed weekend. Dave's birthday was April 26, so we started with a small celebration of sorts. I made him a birthday cake that was multi-tiered and multi-colored. Not only was it sugar packed with icing, but M&M's topped off our sugar quota for 11 PM at night!!
It was the first time that either had met Marlee... resident ADHD dog of the complex. She was very excited to see them... Max growled a little at first, then he realized that there were two extra laps to sit on and 4 extra hands for morning, noon, and night-time pettings! They were really sweet and were very sad to see our company go!!
Our trip around Philly was so much fun. We started out the day with a tour of Bala Cynwyd (where I work)... then we headed into town. We parked in the Old City by the Liberty Bell, gathered our cameras, and headed out. We were all a bit famished for none of us ate breakfast, so Troy and I took them for a six-block stroll through the outskirts of Chinatown to Reading Terminal Market. It's a market place with many, many vendors that sell both fresh and prepared foods. Very local, very cultural, but nothing compared to the look on Dave's face after Troy found us a place to sit and eat and the little ladies of the local red hat society took over! We walked up, and he said... they just sorta sat down... I wasn't going to tell the little old ladies they couldn't sit down!? After squishing in like sardines, they realized they were unwelcomed guests, and we all enjoyed our lunch... except for Dave. He wasn't too keen on the local atmosphere... Teresa seemed to like it, but the experience turned into a joke by saying "we'll take you back to Reading Terminal!" They did end the lunch outing with pumpkin whoopies from the Amish bakery, Bailer's. I think that from the "oohs" and "aahhs", and "we shoulda gotten a dozen of those" sounds, they were so yummy!!
We then continued the day to the Liberty Bell where Dave stood in line to see the actual bell; Teresa and I attempted to read a map by twisting it, turning it, and standing on our heads to determine our location! It was quite funny... about 30 minutes later, Dave joined us... we headed into the Visitor's Center to the gift shop. Dave got a replica bell... however, it wasn't up to quality standards because they looked very cheap, but what else do you expect from "Made in China" when buying a replica American history artifact!? We then were treated to tickets for the Philadelphia Big Bus tour and decided to visit the US Mint. The sign that read "Pardon our mess... we are under construction" really meant, "we aren't working today... Please enjoy the self guided tour through the US Mint of Boredom. You can see more pennies in action at the arcade than here, and run to an exit if you start to suffocate because we're not going to circulate air for you today!" We then got on the Big Bus... it was a nice day out, so we decided to ride up top on the double decker... after settling in, we started to roll... we went down quaint streets that used to be driven over by horse-drawn carriages by men of Ben Franklin's like; but here we go, barreling down in our tour bus on the top deck that was so loud, we couldn't hear the tour guide in the microphone. One other thing we didn't prepare for was tree branches... yep... almost got decked by one or two of those, too! But it was fun. I enjoyed my Snickers bar and Gatorade as we rode down the streets of Philly. We got into the museum district and hopped off at the Rocky stairs. We made our way to the top; Dave did his best Rocky run; and I climbed on Rocky like a monkey and luckily, Dave was able to get video footage of my time with the statue. He didn't seem to be too conversational, but then again, I was stepping on his toes!! After our museum visit, we hopped aboard the big brown bus and headed... well, I'm not really sure. We went back toward the Old City and the Delaware River where we got up close and personal with Camden, NJ and got a glimpse of the Battleship New Jersey. It was a very, very nice afternoon, and we really enjoyed seeing the city from a tourists perspective... I suggest the big bus tour to everyone!
We headed out of the city and got a bite to eat at McKenzie's Brew House. The food is so good, and they brew their own beers. After our very astute waitress got our food ordered and to the table, we enjoyed our dinner. Next stop... well, you'd think it would be home, right?! Uh-uh... nope... we headed to Genuardi's for fresh flowers for the late Mrs. Wavra's grave site and Starbucks... Teresa had to get the fix for the day (she's one of those black card carriers... LOL)!!! Now... we headed home.
The next morning started out just as you would have imagined... it was crisp and cool... and otherwise, cloudy! The forecast called for the hottest day of the year so far, so I decided to give my right index finger a taste of how my nose, ears, neck and forearms would feel later that day by cooking the pad of my finger on the blade of my Chi. Now this flat iron doesn't just get hot... it gets to about 405 degrees Fahrenheit and would make a grown man cry if he touched it at it hottest point. So, I jumped up and down and held my finger under cold water until it was time head out, but the quest to keep my finger cool and my pain under control didn't stop there. I filled a baggie with ice, pressed the burnt metatarsal on the bag, and headed out the door. Let me tell you... eating a donut and drinking chocolate milk is quite a feat when one hand is otherwise occupied trying to keep a finger from falling off!
So... away we went... the wrong way. Troy missed the exit to 95 South, so we headed toward Philly only to turn around and head the right way 5 minutes later! Equipped with enough map devices sure to get a person lost, we started our day toward the Baltimore-DC area with the Garmin on the dash, the paper map open on Dave's lap, and Inga (that would be my iPhone) tracking the way. Between the three devices, we were going no where fast!! We finally made it over the Potomac and made it to Arlington National Cemetery. We stopped, got our pass and found our way to Dave's mom's grave site. We found her head stone and placed flowers at its base and took some pictures. It was a very nice visit.
Next stop... the parking garage, potties, and yes, another big bus tour. So... on we go! Back across the Potomac where we hopped off at the Lincoln Memorial and saw the Reflection Pool and Washington Monument... I didn't realize it was only "this big! (reference photos for laugh). We walked over to the Vietnam Memorial and then waited for the bus at Constitution Ave. We went from there to the White House visitor's center and walked the 7 blocks to ESPN Zone for lunch and then one more block for a glimpse of Ford's Theatre. As we headed back toward the White House, we walked by the Old Post Office and the Reagan Building. We then proceeded to head to the pedestrian viewing area that was (just our luck) roped off for an indefinite amount of time. Teresa was convinced that Sasha and Malia were having a party on the South lawn, and Troy was looking overhead to see Marine One land.
We then rode around the National Mall, around the Capitol Building, Union Station and then down the North side of the Mall to the American History museum. We stood in line for quite a while to take our tour of the First Ladies exhibit. Once again... we stood in another line. We then exited the museum. We rode our bus back to the cemetery and got on yet another bus to tour Arlington. It was late in the afternoon, the breeze was blowing, and looking out over the rolling hills of the former plantation was quite serene. We stopped at Kennedy's Burial Ground and the Tomb of the Unknowns for changing of the guards, and then we made our way back to the parking garage where we started the journey home. And by journey... I really mean trek!
With Inga's map device enabled, the map folded precisely on Dave's lap, and the GPS pointing us in another direction, we headed out! We got somewhere and realized we were headed into downtown DC... not just anywhere in downtown DC but to Dupont Circle... the proverbial Dupont Circle, on which we got stuck. The GPS was stuck... it wasn't communicating with it's satellite, so I whipped out Inga, found our way off Dupont Circle. When it caught up, it told us to take the second right when Inga said the first, so Troy followed the GPS. We went through the ghetto, the slums of DC, and the otherwise unlabeled, undesirable neighborhoods! As Teresa was redistributing her bag, she pulled out a Ziploc bag of very unhealthy snacks... M&Ms, mini Kit-Kats, chocolate chip cookies... and yes, we all devoured these like hyenas over a fresh kill. Keep in mind, all we had to eat was donuts and hamburgers (chicken for me) all day. Our 2.5 hour trip home turned into about a 4 hour quest for civilization! All in all, it was a very nice trip!
We got up the next morning and got them to the airport... or should I say, TB got them to the airport. I, of course, was riddled with an allergy attack from Friday afternoon that left me under the weather until the following Saturday, so I stayed home with our pups.
We can't wait to do it again... maybe not ALL of it again, but the four of us have never gone on a boring trip! We can always find something to get into!!! Check out our pics on the Picasa site!
It was the first time that either had met Marlee... resident ADHD dog of the complex. She was very excited to see them... Max growled a little at first, then he realized that there were two extra laps to sit on and 4 extra hands for morning, noon, and night-time pettings! They were really sweet and were very sad to see our company go!!
Our trip around Philly was so much fun. We started out the day with a tour of Bala Cynwyd (where I work)... then we headed into town. We parked in the Old City by the Liberty Bell, gathered our cameras, and headed out. We were all a bit famished for none of us ate breakfast, so Troy and I took them for a six-block stroll through the outskirts of Chinatown to Reading Terminal Market. It's a market place with many, many vendors that sell both fresh and prepared foods. Very local, very cultural, but nothing compared to the look on Dave's face after Troy found us a place to sit and eat and the little ladies of the local red hat society took over! We walked up, and he said... they just sorta sat down... I wasn't going to tell the little old ladies they couldn't sit down!? After squishing in like sardines, they realized they were unwelcomed guests, and we all enjoyed our lunch... except for Dave. He wasn't too keen on the local atmosphere... Teresa seemed to like it, but the experience turned into a joke by saying "we'll take you back to Reading Terminal!" They did end the lunch outing with pumpkin whoopies from the Amish bakery, Bailer's. I think that from the "oohs" and "aahhs", and "we shoulda gotten a dozen of those" sounds, they were so yummy!!
We then continued the day to the Liberty Bell where Dave stood in line to see the actual bell; Teresa and I attempted to read a map by twisting it, turning it, and standing on our heads to determine our location! It was quite funny... about 30 minutes later, Dave joined us... we headed into the Visitor's Center to the gift shop. Dave got a replica bell... however, it wasn't up to quality standards because they looked very cheap, but what else do you expect from "Made in China" when buying a replica American history artifact!? We then were treated to tickets for the Philadelphia Big Bus tour and decided to visit the US Mint. The sign that read "Pardon our mess... we are under construction" really meant, "we aren't working today... Please enjoy the self guided tour through the US Mint of Boredom. You can see more pennies in action at the arcade than here, and run to an exit if you start to suffocate because we're not going to circulate air for you today!" We then got on the Big Bus... it was a nice day out, so we decided to ride up top on the double decker... after settling in, we started to roll... we went down quaint streets that used to be driven over by horse-drawn carriages by men of Ben Franklin's like; but here we go, barreling down in our tour bus on the top deck that was so loud, we couldn't hear the tour guide in the microphone. One other thing we didn't prepare for was tree branches... yep... almost got decked by one or two of those, too! But it was fun. I enjoyed my Snickers bar and Gatorade as we rode down the streets of Philly. We got into the museum district and hopped off at the Rocky stairs. We made our way to the top; Dave did his best Rocky run; and I climbed on Rocky like a monkey and luckily, Dave was able to get video footage of my time with the statue. He didn't seem to be too conversational, but then again, I was stepping on his toes!! After our museum visit, we hopped aboard the big brown bus and headed... well, I'm not really sure. We went back toward the Old City and the Delaware River where we got up close and personal with Camden, NJ and got a glimpse of the Battleship New Jersey. It was a very, very nice afternoon, and we really enjoyed seeing the city from a tourists perspective... I suggest the big bus tour to everyone!
We headed out of the city and got a bite to eat at McKenzie's Brew House. The food is so good, and they brew their own beers. After our very astute waitress got our food ordered and to the table, we enjoyed our dinner. Next stop... well, you'd think it would be home, right?! Uh-uh... nope... we headed to Genuardi's for fresh flowers for the late Mrs. Wavra's grave site and Starbucks... Teresa had to get the fix for the day (she's one of those black card carriers... LOL)!!! Now... we headed home.
The next morning started out just as you would have imagined... it was crisp and cool... and otherwise, cloudy! The forecast called for the hottest day of the year so far, so I decided to give my right index finger a taste of how my nose, ears, neck and forearms would feel later that day by cooking the pad of my finger on the blade of my Chi. Now this flat iron doesn't just get hot... it gets to about 405 degrees Fahrenheit and would make a grown man cry if he touched it at it hottest point. So, I jumped up and down and held my finger under cold water until it was time head out, but the quest to keep my finger cool and my pain under control didn't stop there. I filled a baggie with ice, pressed the burnt metatarsal on the bag, and headed out the door. Let me tell you... eating a donut and drinking chocolate milk is quite a feat when one hand is otherwise occupied trying to keep a finger from falling off!
So... away we went... the wrong way. Troy missed the exit to 95 South, so we headed toward Philly only to turn around and head the right way 5 minutes later! Equipped with enough map devices sure to get a person lost, we started our day toward the Baltimore-DC area with the Garmin on the dash, the paper map open on Dave's lap, and Inga (that would be my iPhone) tracking the way. Between the three devices, we were going no where fast!! We finally made it over the Potomac and made it to Arlington National Cemetery. We stopped, got our pass and found our way to Dave's mom's grave site. We found her head stone and placed flowers at its base and took some pictures. It was a very nice visit.
Next stop... the parking garage, potties, and yes, another big bus tour. So... on we go! Back across the Potomac where we hopped off at the Lincoln Memorial and saw the Reflection Pool and Washington Monument... I didn't realize it was only "this big! (reference photos for laugh). We walked over to the Vietnam Memorial and then waited for the bus at Constitution Ave. We went from there to the White House visitor's center and walked the 7 blocks to ESPN Zone for lunch and then one more block for a glimpse of Ford's Theatre. As we headed back toward the White House, we walked by the Old Post Office and the Reagan Building. We then proceeded to head to the pedestrian viewing area that was (just our luck) roped off for an indefinite amount of time. Teresa was convinced that Sasha and Malia were having a party on the South lawn, and Troy was looking overhead to see Marine One land.
We then rode around the National Mall, around the Capitol Building, Union Station and then down the North side of the Mall to the American History museum. We stood in line for quite a while to take our tour of the First Ladies exhibit. Once again... we stood in another line. We then exited the museum. We rode our bus back to the cemetery and got on yet another bus to tour Arlington. It was late in the afternoon, the breeze was blowing, and looking out over the rolling hills of the former plantation was quite serene. We stopped at Kennedy's Burial Ground and the Tomb of the Unknowns for changing of the guards, and then we made our way back to the parking garage where we started the journey home. And by journey... I really mean trek!
With Inga's map device enabled, the map folded precisely on Dave's lap, and the GPS pointing us in another direction, we headed out! We got somewhere and realized we were headed into downtown DC... not just anywhere in downtown DC but to Dupont Circle... the proverbial Dupont Circle, on which we got stuck. The GPS was stuck... it wasn't communicating with it's satellite, so I whipped out Inga, found our way off Dupont Circle. When it caught up, it told us to take the second right when Inga said the first, so Troy followed the GPS. We went through the ghetto, the slums of DC, and the otherwise unlabeled, undesirable neighborhoods! As Teresa was redistributing her bag, she pulled out a Ziploc bag of very unhealthy snacks... M&Ms, mini Kit-Kats, chocolate chip cookies... and yes, we all devoured these like hyenas over a fresh kill. Keep in mind, all we had to eat was donuts and hamburgers (chicken for me) all day. Our 2.5 hour trip home turned into about a 4 hour quest for civilization! All in all, it was a very nice trip!
We got up the next morning and got them to the airport... or should I say, TB got them to the airport. I, of course, was riddled with an allergy attack from Friday afternoon that left me under the weather until the following Saturday, so I stayed home with our pups.
We can't wait to do it again... maybe not ALL of it again, but the four of us have never gone on a boring trip! We can always find something to get into!!! Check out our pics on the Picasa site!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
No Time to Say Hello, Goodbye!!
I'm so sorry!! I've been so busy... I still even have a winter background on our blog! Whatever will I do with myself?!
Seriously! It's been a while since a post has been written, and I'm sorry for that. I know that my readership has declined (kinda like the readership of the Enquirer), but that's OK. I'm getting back on track!
Dave and Teresa are coming to visit this weekend! We have such a great weekend planned... a little Philly tourist stuff, and then we're headed to DC on Saturday! Sunday is Dave's birthday, so we have a few things planned for that, but we are so excited the weather will be phenomenal!!! Their visit and good weather is more than we could ever ask for in one weekend!
I've been frantically preparing, and the furbabies are excited about their company. They are freshly bathed (I'm pleased to report that mom and pups were both soaked to the bone!)... the bathroom still hasn't recovered... that's on the list of things to do tonight!
They've never met Marlee... our 60 lb. wild animal! Max has been around a while, so they've had plenty of time to bond with him. Marlee won't mind... she'll bust her way into their laps without invitation, cause, or other thought! Boy... I'm glad they are dog people (we'd be in trouble!!)
I'll post about our fun filled weekend on Sunday! I'll have pictures and all kinds of fun stories, I'm sure!
Things that have been happening in our lives... I had friends visit from MS the first weekend of April. We did the Philly Phun stuff and just hung out. It was nice to have them here with us. We had a baby in our house for a weekend, and although sweet and lively, we were glad to have the highchairs, strollers and car seats out! We love our nieces and friend's babies and will do whatever we need to do to accommodate them, but we're not there yet! It's overwhelming!!
We attend the opening night of the Phillies season... it was the night they raised the pennant. I have video and pictures... I'll upload them to http://picasaweb.google.com/mandyeblack soon!
Other than that, we've been pretty low key and just waiting for warmer weather. It's coming... slowly but surely, and we are soooo happy!!
Hope you enjoyed the post... more to come! Stay tuned.....
Seriously! It's been a while since a post has been written, and I'm sorry for that. I know that my readership has declined (kinda like the readership of the Enquirer), but that's OK. I'm getting back on track!
Dave and Teresa are coming to visit this weekend! We have such a great weekend planned... a little Philly tourist stuff, and then we're headed to DC on Saturday! Sunday is Dave's birthday, so we have a few things planned for that, but we are so excited the weather will be phenomenal!!! Their visit and good weather is more than we could ever ask for in one weekend!
I've been frantically preparing, and the furbabies are excited about their company. They are freshly bathed (I'm pleased to report that mom and pups were both soaked to the bone!)... the bathroom still hasn't recovered... that's on the list of things to do tonight!
They've never met Marlee... our 60 lb. wild animal! Max has been around a while, so they've had plenty of time to bond with him. Marlee won't mind... she'll bust her way into their laps without invitation, cause, or other thought! Boy... I'm glad they are dog people (we'd be in trouble!!)
I'll post about our fun filled weekend on Sunday! I'll have pictures and all kinds of fun stories, I'm sure!
Things that have been happening in our lives... I had friends visit from MS the first weekend of April. We did the Philly Phun stuff and just hung out. It was nice to have them here with us. We had a baby in our house for a weekend, and although sweet and lively, we were glad to have the highchairs, strollers and car seats out! We love our nieces and friend's babies and will do whatever we need to do to accommodate them, but we're not there yet! It's overwhelming!!
We attend the opening night of the Phillies season... it was the night they raised the pennant. I have video and pictures... I'll upload them to http://picasaweb.google.com/mandyeblack soon!
Other than that, we've been pretty low key and just waiting for warmer weather. It's coming... slowly but surely, and we are soooo happy!!
Hope you enjoyed the post... more to come! Stay tuned.....
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Time Has Come My Little Friend...
Hi, all! Well... we had our first taste of spring this past weekend... sunny days, warm temps, nice breezes... the works! It was wonderful. We had the patio door open and enjoyed the fresh air. The pups loved being outside for their walks and not having to wade through inches upon inches of snow.
This time change has gotten us all messed up... and by all, I mean me. It hasn't seemed to effect Troy or the pups, but I can't seem to get it in gear. That's my only complaint with spring--other than all the pollens that tickle my nose--is the time change. I think I wanna live in Arizona!!
We did a weigh in last night. We noticed that little Max was looking a little pudgy... well, that little rascals has had one to many beggin' strips! He's 15 pounds!! I was hoping that it was just the extra fur, but nope. He's a little chunk! I guess Max will be on a diet now... poor little guy. He can diet with his moma!
Marlee weighed in at a whopping 60 pounds. She's up 2 pounds since Halloween and is sheer muscle. She can easily buckle your knees if she runs at you from the back and you're not expecting it, but she's such a sweetheart. We couldn't have chosen a better pup... her personality is fantastic.
So, I guess with our extra time, we will be to give Max a good shave and lose a few extra milkbones from around the middle. Poor little guy... he gained the freshman 15 (he's about 17.5 years old in human years)!!
We don't have many plans for this month... I'm in the process of painting the apartment and getting a few new items for our visitors in April... woo hoo!! We do exist... people are coming to see us!!
Hope everyone is doing well!!
This time change has gotten us all messed up... and by all, I mean me. It hasn't seemed to effect Troy or the pups, but I can't seem to get it in gear. That's my only complaint with spring--other than all the pollens that tickle my nose--is the time change. I think I wanna live in Arizona!!
We did a weigh in last night. We noticed that little Max was looking a little pudgy... well, that little rascals has had one to many beggin' strips! He's 15 pounds!! I was hoping that it was just the extra fur, but nope. He's a little chunk! I guess Max will be on a diet now... poor little guy. He can diet with his moma!
Marlee weighed in at a whopping 60 pounds. She's up 2 pounds since Halloween and is sheer muscle. She can easily buckle your knees if she runs at you from the back and you're not expecting it, but she's such a sweetheart. We couldn't have chosen a better pup... her personality is fantastic.
So, I guess with our extra time, we will be to give Max a good shave and lose a few extra milkbones from around the middle. Poor little guy... he gained the freshman 15 (he's about 17.5 years old in human years)!!
We don't have many plans for this month... I'm in the process of painting the apartment and getting a few new items for our visitors in April... woo hoo!! We do exist... people are coming to see us!!
Hope everyone is doing well!!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Buried Alive!
I've joked about Nor'Easters since we moved to the northeast, but I'm done... finished... I've retired that joke! It's not funny... not funny at all. We were even predicted to possibly have thunder snow today... yeah. You read it right... thunder snow. That's when it thunders and lightenings while snowing... yep. A new one on me, too... don't worry... I was just as confused.
In like a lion, out like a lamb... Well... that's exactly what happened. I knew before the winter was over that there was a good chance that I might lose my mind, and last night, I came pretty close. We had enjoyed a couple of days around 50 degrees and one over 60, and then it happened. Action Weather predicted 8" - 12" of snow for our area. I started laughing and couldn't stop. Troy and KC thought I was crazy, and I kinda felt that way, but the thought of that much snow overnight sent me into hysterics!
We did get up to 11 inches in areas. My poor truck is stuck in the garage... I've been snowed in! It is pretty, but I am up to my ankles in snow whenever I step out on the patio. Poor little Max sinks all the way down, and Marlee has taken it all in stride! She has ripped and snorted all morning in the flaky, frosty stuff.
It's still snowing a little but nothing like what it was snowing earlier. We are geting a flake here and there whereas this morning, the visibility was only about 1/2 miles because of the blowing snow. I must say that even with more snow than we've had this winter, I'm still not a fan. We are holding steady at 26 degrees outside and are looking about possible below zero temps tonight and tomorrow morning. I'm gonna look like the Michelin man when I venture out to work tomorrow morning.
I've uploaded some pics to Picasa Web. They are labeled the March Nor'Easter 2009. There aren't many pictures because it's too cold to go out and take a bunch. I'll add more if I can get some.
We are still pulling moisture from the ocean, so the radar shows another batch of snow headed our way. Southwest has cancelled 66 percent of their flights today and a load last night. We will see... hopefully, it won't be a repeat of last night, but from the looks of it, we may get some more wintery weather.
In like a lion, out like a lamb... Well... that's exactly what happened. I knew before the winter was over that there was a good chance that I might lose my mind, and last night, I came pretty close. We had enjoyed a couple of days around 50 degrees and one over 60, and then it happened. Action Weather predicted 8" - 12" of snow for our area. I started laughing and couldn't stop. Troy and KC thought I was crazy, and I kinda felt that way, but the thought of that much snow overnight sent me into hysterics!
We did get up to 11 inches in areas. My poor truck is stuck in the garage... I've been snowed in! It is pretty, but I am up to my ankles in snow whenever I step out on the patio. Poor little Max sinks all the way down, and Marlee has taken it all in stride! She has ripped and snorted all morning in the flaky, frosty stuff.
It's still snowing a little but nothing like what it was snowing earlier. We are geting a flake here and there whereas this morning, the visibility was only about 1/2 miles because of the blowing snow. I must say that even with more snow than we've had this winter, I'm still not a fan. We are holding steady at 26 degrees outside and are looking about possible below zero temps tonight and tomorrow morning. I'm gonna look like the Michelin man when I venture out to work tomorrow morning.
I've uploaded some pics to Picasa Web. They are labeled the March Nor'Easter 2009. There aren't many pictures because it's too cold to go out and take a bunch. I'll add more if I can get some.
We are still pulling moisture from the ocean, so the radar shows another batch of snow headed our way. Southwest has cancelled 66 percent of their flights today and a load last night. We will see... hopefully, it won't be a repeat of last night, but from the looks of it, we may get some more wintery weather.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
TV or no TV.... TB thinks TV.
In the past few weeks, we have been on the move! Yep... that's right... we moved, yet again! This time, it wasn't a drastic as the July 2008 post... it was actually just down the stairs. We moved from 8303 to 8101, and we love the new place! Our first night here was February 15, and I already have a green kitchen!
KC and I painted the first night we had the keys... it is nice to have color on the walls... the vanilla milkshake we were living in upstairs just wasn't cutting it anymore. This apartment is on the first floor and has a door that leads directly to grass... the pups couldn't be happier, and neither could their mom and dad. WE LOVE OUR NEW HOUSE!!
We got so tickled when the Verizon tech came out to install our cable. I didn't like him much from the start because he so kindly told my Max to "shut up, mutt" because he was a little yappy. So, from about 5 minutes after he arrived, I didn't participate in his mission. I left that up to Troy. About 3 hours into the endeavor, he needed to go to his truck for coax cable. He started patting his pockets for his keys and.... this is where it gets funny... he says, "I guess I left them in the truck. I've lost more trucks that way." I just looked at Troy... and when he walked out, I asked, "does he feel that vehicles are disposable? Does Verizon just turn their heads when a technician "looses" a truck because they left their keys in it? This should have been our first clue. This debacle continued for another 2.5 hours, and at the end, we still didn't have cable. Joe, as his name was, called at 8:30 PM that night to make sure we were satisfied with the outcome... oh, yes, Joe... yes. Completely satisfied. NOOOOOOO... what makes you think we are satisfied with you wasting 5 hours of our time, 3 hours of our cell phone minutes, and an outcome of no TV or Internet. Now, I didn't say that, but I did say, "no, Joe... we aren't satisfied. Troy made that perfectly clear when you left this afternoon, and that hasn't changed. Thanks for calling."
Yesterday, eight days later, yet another Verizon tech came out and did 3 hours worth of work, only to find out that it was nothing inside our apartment but a breaker in the telecomm room outside. AUGHHHHH... 8 days without a DVR or guide in the bedroom and no guide in the den for a breaker? Wouldn't you start with the easy stuff... cause let me tell you... the tech yesterday, replaced ALL the coax cables, the splitter, gave us a new router, ran tests on the coax, etc, etc, etc... and it was a breaker. In the end, we have all our options and Internet... 20 up and 5 down... oh, what a beauuuuuutiiiifulllll morning... oh, what a beauuuuuutiiiifulllll day... Internet and FiOS TV... everything's going our way!
Other than the FiOS TV and Internet tug of war, the new place is perfect. I don't mind living in an apartment anymore. It's been a challenge, but it's so much nicer. Our new address is 8101 Arment Drive, Glen Mills, PA 19342.
Don't forget to spring forward in 11 days! I can't wait for sunny afternoons... that means we can take the pups for walks! Yippee!!
Happy almost March!!
KC and I painted the first night we had the keys... it is nice to have color on the walls... the vanilla milkshake we were living in upstairs just wasn't cutting it anymore. This apartment is on the first floor and has a door that leads directly to grass... the pups couldn't be happier, and neither could their mom and dad. WE LOVE OUR NEW HOUSE!!
We got so tickled when the Verizon tech came out to install our cable. I didn't like him much from the start because he so kindly told my Max to "shut up, mutt" because he was a little yappy. So, from about 5 minutes after he arrived, I didn't participate in his mission. I left that up to Troy. About 3 hours into the endeavor, he needed to go to his truck for coax cable. He started patting his pockets for his keys and.... this is where it gets funny... he says, "I guess I left them in the truck. I've lost more trucks that way." I just looked at Troy... and when he walked out, I asked, "does he feel that vehicles are disposable? Does Verizon just turn their heads when a technician "looses" a truck because they left their keys in it? This should have been our first clue. This debacle continued for another 2.5 hours, and at the end, we still didn't have cable. Joe, as his name was, called at 8:30 PM that night to make sure we were satisfied with the outcome... oh, yes, Joe... yes. Completely satisfied. NOOOOOOO... what makes you think we are satisfied with you wasting 5 hours of our time, 3 hours of our cell phone minutes, and an outcome of no TV or Internet. Now, I didn't say that, but I did say, "no, Joe... we aren't satisfied. Troy made that perfectly clear when you left this afternoon, and that hasn't changed. Thanks for calling."
Yesterday, eight days later, yet another Verizon tech came out and did 3 hours worth of work, only to find out that it was nothing inside our apartment but a breaker in the telecomm room outside. AUGHHHHH... 8 days without a DVR or guide in the bedroom and no guide in the den for a breaker? Wouldn't you start with the easy stuff... cause let me tell you... the tech yesterday, replaced ALL the coax cables, the splitter, gave us a new router, ran tests on the coax, etc, etc, etc... and it was a breaker. In the end, we have all our options and Internet... 20 up and 5 down... oh, what a beauuuuuutiiiifulllll morning... oh, what a beauuuuuutiiiifulllll day... Internet and FiOS TV... everything's going our way!
Other than the FiOS TV and Internet tug of war, the new place is perfect. I don't mind living in an apartment anymore. It's been a challenge, but it's so much nicer. Our new address is 8101 Arment Drive, Glen Mills, PA 19342.
Don't forget to spring forward in 11 days! I can't wait for sunny afternoons... that means we can take the pups for walks! Yippee!!
Happy almost March!!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
And... weeeee're back!!
Oh, my... what a new year!! I was so excited to start our full year in Philadelphia... mainly because January is the middle of winter, so spring can't be that far away!! But January did prove to be quite a good month. Of course, we celebrated Carlie and Shannon's birthdays (my sis and brother in law), and we went to several basketball games.
The other Blacks (Todd, Kelley, and the girls) gave Troy tickets to see Villanova play Louisville at the Wachovia Center on January 10. We had such a great time. I was a little under the weather, but it was so much fun to be back at a college game. It's been too long since we were in that atmosphere! I think that is the biggest part of college that I miss... cheap tickets, mediocre seats, but good games and good friends! There are pictures on the Picasa site at http://picasaweb.google.com/mandyeblack/VillanovaBballGame11008.
That day, we just made the rounds. That night, we had the Philadelphia Christmas party. It was downtown and was fun. Other than trying to walking on freezing rain and sleet in heels, it was a good time. We ate and mingled and laughed and watched other people dance! Troy and I don't' have much rhythm, so it's better if we are spectators when it comes to breaking it down on the dance floor! See pictures on the Picasa site... there aren't many, but a few!
Then, the next week, we went to see the Sixers take on the Spurs. I just LOVE Tony Parker... he's so hot! Haha!! It was a good game... granted we were among stars that night--World Series Champions, Jimmy Rollins and Jason Werth and actor Jamie Foxx was sitting court side. We had seats 7 rows from the Sixers bench, and the action was phenomenal!! It was a lot of fun... I've never been much of a pro basketball fan, but I'm kinda getting into it! Of course, there are pictures on the Picasa site.
The last fabulous event in January was my early birthday party!! We gathered our group of friends up here and had happy hour and a half and dinner at On the Border followed by a little bowling. It was so much fun. My friends, Laryssa and Melissa, from New York came down, and we all hit Philly in 20 degree weather to see the sites. Of course, we violated Rocky... you can't come to Philly and not take advantage of having your picture made with, by, on Rocky!! There are some fun pictures on the Picasa site. There are good pictures of the entire night. KC and I made the cake... it was the first fondant cake we've ever made, and it turned out terrific!! Of course, being the dorks that we are, the plate and forks matched the cake!!
My birthday was Sunday, February 8... I am now only 3 years from 30, and I think I'll go into mourning next year... Right now, I just want to enjoy the last years of youth before I really have to think about being an adult!! I had a good Sunday birthday... Troy and I relaxed and went out for lunch and then to a movie. Everyone called and sent their birthday wishes. I thank you and love you all!!
With a new age comes a new me! I decided on Monday of this week that I wanted to change my
hair. I don't stop at a cut and a refreshing highlight... oh, no. I went all out and colored it dark red!! It is quite a change, but I really like it. Troy seems to like it, too... actually, I haven't had anyone tell me that it's not for me!! I've enjoyed the new, non-traditional color, and I hope you do, too.
hair. I don't stop at a cut and a refreshing highlight... oh, no. I went all out and colored it dark red!! It is quite a change, but I really like it. Troy seems to like it, too... actually, I haven't had anyone tell me that it's not for me!! I've enjoyed the new, non-traditional color, and I hope you do, too.I promise to do more when it comes to blogging from her on out. January was really busy, so I didn't have much free time with our outings and events, work, and then we both fought the cold disease that was going around. I'll end here for now... I think you've had quite enough! Later, gators!!!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Happy New Year!!
Hi, all! Well... the new year rang in here in Philadelphia without a hitch!! Troy, the pups, and I celebrated by staying in and cooking dinner. We watched a little football and called it a night... wow. Aren't we living on the edge?!
Not much is happening here. We are predicted to have a little ice tomorrow with snow to follow Tuesday and Wednesday. It snowed a bit on Friday, but only for a second. No accumulation reported, but when it melted and dropped below freezing, there were patches of ice that I found as I gracefully land square on my behind in the parking lot of our apartment!! Thankfully, I wasn't hurt, and I was glad to get the first fall out of the way. I was just happy to have Troy around to help me up off the ground!! Next time, I'll be more careful... :)
Well... we are about to start our Sunday. We are both working today, so gotta call it quits on relaxing today. Have a great rest of your weekend!!!
Not much is happening here. We are predicted to have a little ice tomorrow with snow to follow Tuesday and Wednesday. It snowed a bit on Friday, but only for a second. No accumulation reported, but when it melted and dropped below freezing, there were patches of ice that I found as I gracefully land square on my behind in the parking lot of our apartment!! Thankfully, I wasn't hurt, and I was glad to get the first fall out of the way. I was just happy to have Troy around to help me up off the ground!! Next time, I'll be more careful... :)
Well... we are about to start our Sunday. We are both working today, so gotta call it quits on relaxing today. Have a great rest of your weekend!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
"Play the music, not the instrument." -Author Unknown
