UNC-77, Georgia Tech-61

1. My New Year's Resolutions are at war: Loose weight and stop spending money. I now need new pants and it is past the point of ignoring. Good news. Bad news.

2. Nicole, Ceeece, Jason, & I tried turkey mignon this Saturday. Now I can sell it with confidence! Kimberly showed up just in time for the second half of the game.

3. My current favorite food, Cuties! SO SWEET!

4. INNAMORATO, my NEWEST project. Our take on American Idol. I'm so excited to plan this one!

5. Headed to Rose Hill, NC for a few days of corporate meetings. I had to travel somewhere glamorous with Stacey skiing in Colorado & Matt in Maui.

6. Senator Brownback announced his run for president. A spirit-filled, speaking in tounges candidate! I'm still reading up on his platform.

Miss Hospitality: Charity V.

Lovely Charity's party last night made me realize a few things.
1. I like being able to show up to parties that I had nothing to do with the planning.

2. No matter how outgoing you may be, it is a lot easier to talk to the people you know than the ones you don't.

3. You don't really know a person until you've met their friends.

4. I really love parties that don't start until 8pm.

5. I am addicted to Jeff Cash's music. (Jason had me listen to his CD on the way home.)

The First Snow of the Year!

Topsail Beach

Little happenings and goings on...

I thought this was pretty cute. The blog I found this on had the fortune: "The Cherry Pie will get you."

My Fortune Cookie told me: You have always wanted to be a comet. Get a cookie from Miss Fortune

I went to the UNC Women's Basketball game against UConn, tonight. We won but barely!

I cut off my fingernails and painted them my favorite red, OPI Dutch Tulip. I'm officially playing the guitar again.

Reading through the Bible with Ask Dr. Jeff. Much thanks to Eddie for taking over blog creation!

I'm still reading Spin Sisters and I'm now on Season Three of Monarch of the Glenn.

What was Lost is Now Found!!

My camera has been missing since September and I just found it yesterday just before Ashley and Lance's wedding. Here are some pictures from weekend of the State Fair when Amy & Ginny drove up from Charleston and Stacey flew in from Jacksonville. Ginny family live in Goldsboro and gave us tickets to the Chris Tomlin Concert.
Of course, CT is kind of old news for Stacey & Amy since they went to Northpoint Church in Atlanta for two years and he played for their young adult meetings. I guess it is more like re-uniting with family! The first time I saw him in concert was at the first OneDay conference.

It was SOOOO cold. Jason was our late night host, providing an after midnight snack and hot tea. You forget how cold 28 degrees really is to warm region Southern belles!

Upscale Living

After eight months of living in my condo, I am finally unpacking all of my boxes. It is AMAZING the jackets, sweaters, suits, picture frames, guitar music, computer speakers and a ton of other things that have surfaced. (Just what I needed, more stuff to find a place for...)

I also discovered that my fake balcony railing is a super place to air dry my jeans. I'm sure they'll LOVE that but I'm banking on the fact that it is Friday afternoon and that this is a low traffic area around this time of day. When you have doors that are four feet taller than your head, you can't hang jeans on the top of them!

Adorable...

...Never thought I would like Woody Allen's movies but I loved his latest, Scoop, with Scarlett Johanson & Hugh Jackman. I'm a fan now and it makes me want to watch some of his other movies.

Faithful

This is what the Lord says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls."

Jeremiah 6:16 MSG

Time Spent

aXcess

All the events...

Some of the pictures...

Weekend

It was a busy weekend with almost every hour scheduled.

Highlights:

aXcess had our first Concert of Prayer & Praise and around 40 people showed up. It was great!

Kim and I went to see an IMAX film for the first time ever. Loved it!

25 People Celebrating Jaimie's 25th Birthday Party!

Sarah, Anna, Ben, Jonathan, Tony, Chris & I all went to see Children of Men. Good Movie.

Hanging out Saturday night at Chateau Cho with Char, Sam, Hoek, Kim

Coffee with Char, Nicole, & Charity at Tony's Cafe at City Market in downtown Raleigh after the aXcess info meeting.

And, as always, spending time with the people I love most!

Pictures that Make me Miss the Lowcountry

I was looking around on-line for great restaurants in Charleston for the owner of my favorite paper store and ran across these two pictures of Sewee Restaurant. I drove by it on my way to work in Myrtle Beach & Pawley's Island and I thought the atmosphere was great.

I generally brought visitors here because it is a nice contrast with all the downtown white tablecloth restaurants.

The specials board is the first thing you see when you walk inside.

Amy & I on a group outing to Sewee! Miss ya'll... Of course, Stacey moved to Florida the month after I left so things aren't quite the same. And, I found out my apartments were turned into Condos (like everything else in Mt. Pleasant) so I would have had to move anyway!

They say that Charleston gets in your blood once you have been there a year and I really think that is true. I left after nine months and it was hard to leave. (It was, afterall, the SLOWEST nine months on the planet so I had a lot of time to take it all in. My homesickness for Durham made the days crawl but I always had fun and surprised myself by falling in love.) God knew what he was doing by pulling me out when he did. Three more months there would have done me in!

No. 2 Tarheels Overpower the Quakers, 102-64

What's this?? The Dean Dome Fans are in a frenzy and jumping to their feet. There is cheering and yelling as #15 Dewy Burke runs onto the court.

BUT WHY?

The score is 88 - 64 in Carolina's favor with less than two minutes on the clock. What is it that made this wine and cheese crowd (who is generally famous for their lack of desire to rise from their seats much less cheer) suddenly leap to their feet with screams of encouragement and even desperation when a guy who averages 5 or 6 points a game runs onto the court. "Come on, Dewy! DO IT for us!!" He hits a three pointer and the crowd goes even nuttier. The pep band strikes up the fight song but what is it the crowd is chanting instead of the traditional "Let's Go Tar-Heels"?

"WE WANT BIS-CUITS!"

clap. clap. clapclapclap.

"WE WANT BIS-CUITS!"

clap. clap. clapclapclap

Oh yes, the ENTIRE DEAN DOME, this legendary hallowed hall of basketball history, is on it's feet singing praises to Bojangles because if the Tarheels hit 100pts. in a home game you can bring in your ticket stub and get a free biscuit.

Dewy and his compatriots pulled through and delivered 12 more points and, friends, you would have thought that the National Championship was on the line the way the crowd cheered and, more importantly, the way the bench team played. It truly was some of the most exciting minutes in basketball. When our boys hit 100 with two seconds left in the game, it was a celebration and all the big screens were flashing that fabulous red and yellow.

Currently Intaking

Currently Watching:




Based in Scotland (Mandy, you might like this), this BBC TV Series has become a big hit with me!
"This popular BBC series, inspired by the novels of Compton Mackenzie, traces the adventures of Archie MacDonald, a London hipster-restaurateur summoned back to his Highland home, Glenbogle, to care for his sick father. Faced with an estate riddled with mounting losses, the city boy stays on -- at least until the muddled mess can be sorted out. " ~Netflix
I obviously have a soft spot for "hipster-restaurateurs" so I decided to get the DVDs based only on that one phrase. I was not disappointed! When you know what you like, you know what you like!

This team is becoming as special to me as the 2005. Sunday night, I was at the Dean Dome for the Dayton game when they honored Raymond Felton, Sean May, & Rashad McCants. TEARY EYED. I also ended up with GREAT seats (only five rows back from the court) thanks to the combined efforts of Dad & Alisha.

I'm looking for Durhamites interested in watching the games together this season...I know you won't comment...so call me, instead.

Currently Reading:

Kim gave me this book written by the former editor-in-chief of the magazine Ladies Home Journal. So far, it is a REALLY great read. I was impressed by how interesting the book is to be a non-fiction, political agenda novel. Not only does she keep your attention but also entertains!

Jennifer & Greg's Treck Across the Country.

My dear friend is relocating from the City of Angels to Missouri...get the scoop.

Dean Dome Self Photography Gone Awry

My brother, John, Got A New Camera For Christmas and broke it in at the Rutgers game.
We all tried to perfect our "Take Your Self Portraits" Skills...you know, where you stretch out your arm, hope you can aim... Click!


Kate & John always take the best pictures.

Alison forgot John was taller when she took their picture. LOVE IT!
I taught John the PRETEND YOU AREN'T LOOKING AT THE CAMERA tactic...





...it never really worked for us, though.












I love this picture of Kate! You can't help but admire her eyeshadow abilities!

The whole crowd; Alisha, me, Laura, Kate, John, Alison, Andrew, & Allison

Happy New Year!

Life just gets too busy to post! I just can't fit it all in. Instead of running through everything I've been up to lately, I decided it would be easier to share some pictures from Nicole & my trip to Charleston about a month ago.

Downtown

Brittany, Charleigh, Kim, and I headed downtown last night.

Thursday I walked around there checking out X-Events! locations.

The Raleigh Times caught my eye so we ended up eating there for dinner. It had a great atmosphere.
Char & I decided we needed to go back when we had more time to just hang out.

Then, it was on to the main event, CIRQUE'S JUNGLE FANTASY. It was cute.

I've always wondered how Cirque got started...

Hark the Sound!

John & his friends bought tickets to the UNC vs. Rutgers game last night and my parents were thoughtful enough to give up their season tickets to Kate & I.

Alisha, the only current UNC student in the family, ended up with great seats in the lower level and brought her friend, Amanda.

It was great to be back in the Dean Dome!

Even better when you win!

John's Home!

Hooray! THE BOY is finally back in North Carolina...

Ten days of fun, left!

You can never have too many...

Postage Stamps
Boxes of Brown Sugar
Spools of Colorful Ribbon
Concert & Play Tickets
Magazine Subscriptions
Books
Gift cards to Starbucks
Bottles of wine
Unique girly shoes

Family Treasures

Alisha began pulling out family photo albums when we were last in Florida. We found such fabulous photographs that she and I ended up at Walgreens the next morning scanning pictures.

Here is my favorite:

Isn't wonderful that my grandfather's baptism was recorded? I just feel like it is one of those really special moments to have of his life. He is the guy on the far left.

{My dad's parents called each other "Honey" all the time. They NEVER used each other's names even when talking to other people. The town just had to know who my grandparents were talking about when one of them said, "Honey told me to give you a call." I always thought it was cute but my mom grew up hearing her mother talk about the crazy couple who called each other "honey".

Imagine my mom's surprise when she went home to meet my dad's parents after their first date and realized who she was with!(Yep, home to meet the parents on DAY ONE)}

Christmas Party Pearl

Some of my friends and I had a Christmas Party Dinner last night. Of course, that was fun.

I was supposed to be making dessert but ran out of time so I popped downstairs to Victoria's Sweets. FABULOUS! I recomend their Chocolate Pearl dessert.

It was a great hit with the guys. The girls didn't touch it. However, I understand the concept. I swore off sugar for a few months and just bought a smaller pair of jeans. However, I'm a believer in eating what you want at the important parties (this one and then my parents' house for Christmas day.)

Now, all I have left is to go Christmas shopping (I've only bought one present), mail Christmas Cards (maybe), and WRAP (my favorite part of Christmas).

From Jennifer's Blog

I went to Florida for my grandmother's 91st birthday. We returned today!

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The South That's a Southern accent you've got there. You may love it, you may hate it, you may swear you don't have it, but whatever the case, we can hear it.
The Midland
Philadelphia
The Inland North
The West
The Northeast
North Central
Boston
What'>http://www.gotoquiz.com/what_american_accent_do_you_have">What American accent do you have? Quiz'>http://www.gotoquiz.com/">Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Hippo Hero

It has come to my attention that some of my readers have never heard I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.

Proud!

One of my dear former roommates and fellow English majors officially has her own ART GALLERY in Philadelphia!

"Jaskey, a North Carolina native who came to Philadelphia for grad school (she studied theology and art at Westminster Seminary in Glenside), got Blatstein’s approval, entered into a lease arrangement for the space and just debuted her first exhibition."

Read the rest of the article in the Philadelphia Weekly

Every now and then, there is someone in my life that I just REALLY believe in. Jenny has always been one of those people. Now, it is great to actually see something tangible coming through for her!

It gives me renewed hope for the others...

Browsing & Coffe

Some days, you just need a good cup of coffee & a makeover.

The fact that Nordstrom's Christmas display now includes a couch overlooking the shoe & cosmetics departments just made the day that much better. There is something nice about Kate, Kayla & I just being able to sit in the middle of all that color and hustle & bustle without actually joining in the craziness.