Merry White Christmas!!!!

Frank and I headed to Alabama to visit with my family for Christmas. We left North Carolina on Wednesday before Christmas and stayed until Tuesday after Christmas. Everyone woyld have thought that going to Alabama would have been a warm Christmas. However, on Christmas morning we woke up to a couple of inches of snow!!! It flurried all day Christmas day and the next day. Addie and Quenton helped their dad build a snowman, then Addie was tired of being cold and wanted to come in.

OB was prepared in her coat but not very fond of the snow either. OB was terrified the whole time of Sierra and Jae's dog, Bryant. Bryant's head is the same size as OB's whole body. She was beginning to warm up toward the end but still not very brave. Addie loved OB, she kept calling her "little girl".

In all we had a really good Christmas, with lots of fun games with the family. Christmas dinner was great! We all got lots of really good gifts.

I am very much like my mom. I brought my camera, but forgot to use it. During the New Year my new goal is to take more pictures! This blog will be the proof to show I have acheived my goal. Here are the couple of pictures I did manage to get.


This is what we saw when we woke up Christmas morning!!!! Who would have thought, in Alabama!


Quenton trying to figure out how to move while all bundled up. He was a little unsure of the snow at first.


Addie making a snow angel.


Me and Addie posing by the snowman. She was really proud of the snowman face. Putting the face on was her job, we used a carrot and M&M's.

Christmas 2010

Frank and I will be heading to Alabama to Sierra's house for Christmas this year. It will be quite an experience for him. He has never spent Christmas with my family and he is in for a surprise. Sierra is bad enough with presents but I hear that Addie is just as bad, if not worse. Busting with excitement!!!! We will be packing the car and taking OB with us on Wednesday, December 22, 2010. Will update soon with pictures from the trip. Merry Christmas!!!!!

First Snowfall of 2010

On December 4, 2010, we got our very first snowfall of the year. Granted we only got about 2 1/2 inches, it was still pretty. OB was not really very fond of the snow, we put her fleece coat on her and tried to let her play. She was not really having it. Frank went out with her for a few minutes but she just wandered around. Once Addie heard I had snow, she asked me to build a snowman and send her a picture. Here are a few of the pictures from the first snowfall.


About one hour after the snow started.


About two hours after the snow started. It was coming down fast.


OB in her fleece coat, trying to stay warm.


Frank and OB playing in the snow.


The snowman Addie requested. It was only about a foot tall, but she still gave me my props!

THANKSGIVING!!!!!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Frank and I were just going to cook for ourselves and have a boring Thanksgiving alone with the dog. But on Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, my dad called and asked if we had enough food for two more. Of course, doesn't he realize Frank is doing the cooking and planning. So mom and dad came early Thursday afternoon. We ate till we were stuffed then everyone pretty much fell asleep early. On Friday, Frank went Black Friday shopping for a little bit, while mom and I went to the Greensboro Craftsman's Christmas Classic. A craft show that comes every year on Thanksgiving weekend. Then mom helped me put up the Christmas tree on Friday night. Their short weekend was then gone as they left Saturday morning. We had a great time and were very excited that they came. Here is some of the food we ate, but I forgot the most important pictures. I forgot to take a picture of the Turkey, Ham, and mini orange chocolate cheesecakes I made. Here is the rest of the feast. Sorry for so many pictures, I told you Frank can cook!


Homemade Cranberry sauce, YUM


Caramelized onion and cornbread stuffing


Broccoli salad, mom's favorite


My favorite. Greenbean, cranberries, and carrots in a garlic butter sauce


One of Frank's favorites, peas and pearlized onions.


These didn't come out looking to pretty, but they sure were good. Chipotle twice baked sweet potatoes.


The absolute best thing we had!!!!! Sweet potato gnocchi with maple sage butter


Custard apple pie with butter pecan ice cream


OB felt like the rest of us, stuffed and sleepy!


The Christmas Tree!!!!

The best and worst of Fall

Fall is such a beautiful time of year, except for raking leaves. I spent about 5 hours raking leaves this Saturday, while Frank cleaned the gutters. There will be much more raking to come, Yuck!


Doesn't look like much, nine 39 gallon bags. This is only the beginning.


The only empty tree in the yard.


One of the large oak trees in the backyard just waiting to give us more time with the rake.


Another 10-15 bags of leaves.


Maple tree on the side of the house, pretty to look at but not to clean up.


I just love this Japanese Maple. We have three in the yard, but this is by far the most colorful.


OB doing her best to help with the yard.

Lazy day football

Now that Football season is here, there is nothing else on tv for the entire weekend, with the exception of the occaisonal Law and Order repeats. Now Frank has found Law and Order:UK. Who would have thought that England had their own L&O and people here would be interested in watching it. Football, however, is the most important thing here.


Frank and OB on Saturday watching college football, yes he has corrupted the dog, too!


OB growing tired of Football much like me.


On Sunday, this is what is on our tv, THE STEELERS!


Football watching Frank and OB.

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!!

Believe it or not a year has already flown by. We celebrated our ONE year anniversary on November 7. We didn't do much, but we did get to eat fabulous cake from Maxie B's, who made our wedding cake and cupcakes. The gave us a complementary cake for our anniversary. It was so yummy! It has been a quick year and we can only hope that the rest our years together slow down!


The top of our cake, it was Red Velvet inside.


Side angle.

Happy Birthday OB!!!!!!!

October 10, 2010 was OB's first birthday. Hard to believe she is one!! For her birthday, Frank made her Tilapia for breakfast, her favorite. I used my craft skills and fashioned her a birthday hat. Needless to say she was much happier with Frank's creation than mine.


Looking pitiful and mad.


She looks like she is all head and two little sticks for legs!


Showing me what she thinks of all my hard work.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!!!!!

Everytime we go to Pittsburgh to visit Frank's friends and family, I make him do touristy things. He always agrees. This year we went to the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. We had so much fun, it was a nice cool day, and there was hardly anyone there. This made for a great trip, no fighting to see the animals.


Since there wasn't anyone around, we were yet again forced to take a picture of ourselves. I think we are getting better.


This lion laid around for so long, we were about to just move on, then finally he decided to get up and let us see how big he was!!!!


The lion's girlfriend, she sat there the whole time just checking stuff out.


It was feeding time while we were there, so the elephants were just waiting around.


The Giraffes stayed away until we were about to leave, then one came over trying to figure out how to reach some leaves in a tree. One would think this wouldn't be hard for a giraffe, but he had apparently already eaten the ones he could reach.


I wonder what the orangutans were meeting about.


Gorilla, deep in thought, contemplating life.


Penguin doing everything he can to stay under the waterfall.


Just thought this was a pretty sea thing!


The Polar Bears played in and out of the water for us.


I think this sea lion was posing just for us!


This was the longest and most steep escalator I have ever seen. In Pittsburgh there are hills everywhere. This was the escalator to take you to and from the parking lot to the Zoo. It made me dizzy to look up or down.

Braves game in Pittsburgh!

Luckily this year when we headed to Pittsburgh, the Braves were headed there too. We were able to see all three games. Too bad the Braves lost the first two games to one of the worst teams. Who knows what got into the Pirates. We had a great time. We sat behind home plate at all three games.


The ballpark.


The City. One of the most beautiful cities at night.


The Braves in their dugout.


Bobby Cox getting his farwell at PNC Park. He was given a $5000 check to support Homeless Pets, his charity of choice. He was given this same gift in Minnesota in June while we were there.