Father's Day Fun, Foot Injuries, and a Growing Garden

This past weekend we celebrated Father's Day with all of the fun fathers in our lives. 

The weekend started out interesting on Thursday evening - we had a line of strong thunderstorms come through the area & we lost power.  Normally, I could kind of care less - we don't need power, it's nice to sometimes have a night with nothing to do by candlelight, and I leared after Hurricane Irene to not keep my freezers stocked full of expensive meat.  Well, scratch that last item, because we have been stocking up for a few weeks now to prepare for Daniel's furlough (11 weeks - 1 day/week without pay - 20% pay cut).  For dinner, we went out for mexican with our neighbors, and to hopefully come home to power.  Nope, nothing.  We decided if we still didn't have power in the morning, we would take the food to his dad's house to salvage.  Daniel went to a hockey game with his brother, and I read on my kindle for a little bit & went to bed.  I woke up at 5 am sweating - yes, sweating because it was hot & we didn't have any AC... which meant the power wasn't on yet.  When I finally got up & got ready (in the dark), I was about to walk downstairs to pack up our meat in coolers, and VOILA! - the power was back on!  Allelujuah!  We scraped by - all our meat was saved, we only lost milk, yogurt, & ice cream.

Friday evening we ran a few errands picking up Father's Day gifts and enjoying a nice romantic dinner out - at Wendy's :)  Saturday, we woke up - got some housework/yardwork done.  I had a great workout, and Daniel installed our new hammock in the backyard!  We have the perfect trees for a hammock.

I supervised with my kindle

Then I got to enjoy the fabulous hammock - pure perfection.  It's shady, breezy, and relaxing.

It was so hard to get out of that thing, I was so comfortable!  But alas, we had to get ready to head to his Dad's to grill dinner & take him to a Flying Squirrels game.  We had a great time - yummy porkchops, perfect baseball weather, Rita's Italian Ice, and fireworks.

Beautiful tribute to a fallen Chesterfield soldier - red, white, & blue balloons released.

Ending the evening with a fabulous fireworks display.

Then, that's when our night went from fun to funny/traumatic/nearly deadly.  Okay, that's a bit dramatic.  Anyway, at the end of any event, there is always a swarm of people/traffic leaving the venue.  My claustrophobic husband doesn't like to sit still anywhere, including traffic.  As soon as he gets his family into our 4Runner, he gets into the car, his sister shuts her door, and he's off!  An important note: I'm not yet in the car.  I'm standing next to it organizing the contents of a bag.  As soon as he starts to go, his family says "whoa!" - knowing i'm not yet in the car.  Daniel stops the car.  He stops on my foot.  Yes, my poor left foot now has a 5,000+ vehicle on top of it.  I half-yelled "back up the car!" - Daniel just looked at me so I really yelled "you're on my foot! back up the car!"  So back-up he did.  Ouch!  My foot instantly bruised, a few blood vessels were broken, oh and it also had a tire track on it.  See exhibit A:

the bruise is hard to see, but the tire track is easy to see

I could walk on it fairly well, so we decided to wait until the morning to see if I should go in for an x-ray.  I slept on it fine, but was still nervous about all those bones on the top of the foot, so we went on over to Patient First.  Luckily, nothing was broken.  Two toes may have some fractures, but nothing major.  So the prescription was rest, relaxation, elevation, and ice.  Naturally, I went straight home and did all of this on the newly installed hammock.  Perfect timing.  Daniel felt/still feels terrible, but it was an accident, and the only thing we can really do is laugh about it and make jokes.  It's a good story :)

At one, my family came over for pool time + our annual shrimp boil.  We had lots to celebrate - Father's Day & my fabulous momma's birthday.  We had lots of fun at the pool:

feeling unsure about the pool, but looking super cute

lounging around with uncle daniel

After a few hours of sun, we headed home to start boiling our shrimp!  We had a great time - always a fun meal that everyone enjoys!

quick snooze before dinner

celebrating these cool kids

nom nom nom.... love corn on the cob

me & my really great husband (despite the foot meets SUV incident)

eating corn on the cob and mowing the lawn.... like a boss

Kelly & Derek... about to dig in

And now onto the "star of the show" (if Daniel were writing this).  Our garden is HUGE!  We harvested our first jalapeno (tonight we're using it for jalapeno popper chicken - lots of pics & a post to come!), we have 15 cucumbers growing, and lots of tomatoes, too!

look at that cucumber!  can't wait to eat it

HUGE cucumber plants

Well, that's all for now!  Chat with ya real soon :)

We've had a great few weeks - relatively boring, and not so busy - just the way I like it!  We've gone to the pool a few times (and got the first sunburn of the year), went to the movies - at 10:40 PM - and saw Now You See Me (definitely a great movie) spent some time cleaning up the house & yard, worked out, and slept.  Yep, that just about sums it all up.  This weekend is Father's Day (and my momma's birthday), so we have lots of family fun planned.  Saturday, the Sink clan is going to the Flying Squirrel's baseball game, and Sunday, we are going to the pool and having a shrimp boil at our house :)

Freshly picked hydrangeas on my night-side table - they're gorgeous!

Abby ready to swing

Having so much fun

and full of giggles

Grandpa teaching Abby how to splash in puddles

Such a sweet girl... looking exactly like her Momma

Look at those cucumbers!  And to think, we didn't know if they'd make it

Look at that bad boy!  Can't wait to pick those cucumbers & eat them



And we have tomatoes!

Our tomatillo plant is SO tall!  No fruit on it yet

Memorial Day fun!

The past weekend was the much-anticipated, very long, the unofficial start of summer - Memorial Day weekend!

The weather was beautiful - in the mid-70s and sunny.  The only problem is, we normally spend Memorial Day weekend at the pool, and the weather was a bit chilly for the pool.  But, we did spend lots of time outside enjoying the fresh air.  We played lots of tennis with our neighbors, went to see The Hangover Part III with Daniel's family, grilled out a few nights, and spent lots of time with family.  What a nice, refreshing, and relaxing weekend!  And having time off from work wasn't a bad gig, either :)

Here's some pictures of.... you guessed it, Abby!  Apparently, my camera only takes pictures of her :)

Abby & her momma

Just hanging out, looking cute

Going for a cruise in the Cozy Coupe... this is the life

High five for Memorial Day!

At cookout #2, she's tired!

Lots of fun, lots of relaxing

This past Saturday, we went to Busch Gardens with Kelly, Derek, Abby, Momma, and Daddy.  Despite having some rain showers, we had a great time.  It was so fun to see Abby riding rides and playing in Dragon Land.  She even got to hug Elmo & Grover!  It's such a change - to go from standing in line for roller coasters, to standing playing in the tree houses :)

Sleepy Abby & Aunt Kim watching a show at the Festhaus

Momma & Daddy riding the carousel.... aren't these grandparents daredevils?

Abby & her momma on the carousel

.... and she's tired.  She would rather hang out on her momma's shoulder than ride the ride

Holding on tight to Grandpa's leg

playing in the treehouse

all tuckered out!  two stuffed animals and a water bottle



 



After a fun & tiring day at Busch Gardens, Daniel & I spent the entire day on Sunday watching Downton Abbey... our latest show we love.  After each episode, we decided to clean one room, so we didn't feel totally useless, but it was such a relaxing day.  It was overcast, so our living room was perfectly cozy.

And here's the latest on all of our hard work in the yard... our garden is growing, and our flowers are blooming!

4 cucumbers on the left, tomatillo (tall one in the center), and tomatoes on the right

see how big the tomatillo and tomatoes have gotten!  Daniel is so proud

and check out that jalapeno!  before you know it, we'll be able to eat it!

my beautiful hydrangea is starting to bloom!  it looks like it's going to be a pinkish-purplish flower

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend... we haven't yet decided what we'll do on our long weekend, the weather doesn't look warm enough for the pool :( 

xoxo


Bachelorette Weekend 2k13

Please see below email to Robin & Co (Amy & Maria), sent this afternoon.  I am so excited about the next four months (yep, four months from today), that I want to keep this email, and the journey to come, forever, thus the blogging.  I only have 3 faithful readers, anyway.

On May 14, 2013, at 4:35 PM, Kim Sink <Kim.Sink@martinagency.com> wrote:

So, the first part of your amazing, fun, and memorable Bachelorette Weekend has been booked!

 

We will spend Thursday evening giggling, doing hair & nails, and eating junk food at your abode.  We will arrive at the Paradise Plaza (almost sounds like we are on a Honeymoon… Paradise) on Friday and will sadly have to leave on Sunday.  (August 8-11, people).

 

What exactly is the Paradise Plaza?  Feel free to peruse their website http://www.paradiseplazainn.com/ .  We are staying in a two-room suite – two queen beds fit for snuggling, and a pull out sofa for the strippers we want to bring home.  This resort (yes, resort):

·        is located on the ocean – sun, sand, and drinks with umbrellas (or we can lounge at their pool), and it’s all just a short walk away

·        has free wifi - so we can promptly upload embarrassing pictures to facebook and also stalk the strippers

·        is within walking distance to the boardwalk – so we can eat funnel cakes and ride the ferris wheel. 

·        Has an onsite restaurant/bar - for our middle of the night munchies

Our room is equipped with:

·        a mini-fridge – to chill our bottles of Cupcake Moscato

·        a Jacuzzi tub – so we can have romantic in-room swim sessions

·        bathrobes – so we don’t see each other’s hoo-ha’s

·        bottled waters – to rehydrate from the bottles of Moscato

·        free local calls – so we can find a sexy cop stripper, that’s located nearby

·        a fax machine, multi-line phones, and voicemail – because really, that’s so appealing to us businesswomen

 

Are you excited yet?  I can imagine you are bursting at the seams with happiness.  We (Amy, Maria, Kim, maybe Lacy?) will guarantee you:

·        lots of songs with screaming goats

·        a lap dance or two (we will recruit eligible bachelors)

·        lots of sun and drinks – and a really good hangover

·        relaxation

·        lots of pictures for evidence, and we’ll cuddle in bed laughing about it the next morning

·        penis straws

·        a really, really, really good time.  it’ll outshine your wedding & honeymoon, but won’t tell ben

 

xoxoxo,

KAM

Sick burn

Last night, I got seriously owned by my dad.  I didn't think he was capable of such jokes, but alas, he is.  Sick burn.

Happy Friday!

Spa & Shopping

This past weekend, Georgia treated Annabeth & me to a spa and shopping weekend away.  It was gloriously relaxing and lots of fun.  We started the weekend at Nesbit's Spa in Richmond.  How relaxing -- we each had one hour facials and a one hour massage, followed by a make-up touch-up.  After a morning of relaxation, we went to Nacho Mama's for lunch - yum!  Since it was an overcast and chilly day, we visited the Williamsburg Winery that afternoon for a tour & wine tasting.  After checking into the hotel and sitting down for a few minutes, we rounded out our day at the Yankee Candle Shop.  Saturday was spent shopping ALL day.  We only breaked to go to the bathroom and eat lunch.  We were able to get such great deals - $37 for two pair of shoes at New Balance, $8 shirts at GAP, $4 (yep, $4) sweaters from Ann Taylor.  On Monday, we ran a few errands, got our toes painted, and ate lunch before heading home!  I most certainly missed Daniel, but enjoyed the weekend away.

Tons of barrels storing red wine at the Williamsburg Winery

The cutest little butter churn I found at the Yankee Candle Shop - my grandma has a full size one that I used to always play with at her house!  I hope to inherit that one day :)

LOTS and LOTS of shopping!

We drove by the bar we shut down the night of my bachelorette party... don't worry, I only took a picture, I didn't get on the bar ;)

Kelly sent me the absolute cutest picture of Abby... sporting the cutest pigtails & grin!

I follow "VT Compliments" on Facebook - it's where people can send in Anonymous nice comments about things they've witnessed in Blacksburg.  This is by far my favorite, and made me laugh!

Other than that... not too interesting of a week.  I've had some sort of sinusy mess, so I've been doing lots of resting.  This weekend is Mother's Day, and since Momma is out of town, I'll be spending lots of quality time with my Granma.  She's invited me to a Tea at church on Saturday, and I'm taking her to church on Sunday.  Then, Daniel & I have a lunch at Grandma Stella's on Sunday afternoon... should be lots of fun, like always!

April Showers... Bring May Flowers

Last weekend, Daniel & Derek went to tailgate before the race.  It was a gorgeous weekend, so Kelly & I decided to spend time outdoors.  She picked me up, and after lunch at Wendy's, we headed to Maymont for their herb festival.  I have a few pictures, but they are on my camera...in Kelly's car, so I'll update with pictures later. 

Sleepy girl with her momma

such a sweet smile

driving the jeep

We had a nice time... the vendors weren't has friendly and helpful as I'd hope, especially since I'm brand new to having a garden/herbs, and I had lots of questions.  The most helpful booth we found is where we spent our money - you know how much I love good customer service.  I had parsley and basil at home (RIP dill), so I was on the hunt for cilantro.  I even took it a few steps further and got tomatoes!  And a tomatillo plant!  We are hoping to make our own salsa, since neither of us are tomato fans.  Kelly also picked up a few tomatoes and basil.  Tonight, Daniel and I are spending tonight planting our cucumbers, tomatoes, and jalapenos.  I'll take pictures and show you the end result!

Speaking of plants... the azalea we planted a few weeks ago has started to bloom!  I definitely wasn't expecting a bloom, since it's a brand new plant, but hey - I'll take it

I have envisioned a very specific shelf for our bathroom.. I'm sure I saw something very similar on Pinterest... but it's not "common" (of course, I never make things easy for Danel).  Just take one of those shelves with a pretty iron bracket and turn it upside down.  I've been searching high and low for the right kind of brackets (according to Daniel.. what he thinks we need), and I finally found some!  Here's the finished product... and I love it. 

The iron goes perfectly with the Charleston feel to the bathroom - the old tin mirror, the "Angel Oak" picture, and I even added some Charleston touches - Sweetgrass rose/basket and scrollwork frames.  I still need to add pictures to the frames, but hey, I've done the hard part so far.  I need a breather.

Kelly started our week out perfect - she was able to get Abby's hair into her first set of pigtails, and sent us this gem:

Back in January, a retired football/baseball coach at Thomas Dale suggested the baseball field be named after Matthew Gwaltney - Virginia Tech student (and TD graduate) - who was killed during the shootings on April 16th.  I sent in my "letter of recommendation" on why it's such an awesome idea, along with the rest of Chester (I'm sure).  The School Board unanimously approved - and yesterday was the dedication to the field.  I'm so proud that things like this have and are happening.  It shows that we are honoring the lives of those 32 - and, that we have prevailed.  We are focusing the attention in the right place :)

Unveiling the plaque

Matt's dad, Greg, throwing out the first pitch of the game



Last night, I got to catch up with my bff Robin over Don Jose, and we met Wanda & Kay at the movies and saw The Big Wedding - lots of laughs, and I went to bed a happy girl!  I don't get to see her as much as I'd like, so it was a fun hump-day treat.  This weekend, Georgia, Annabeth, and I are spending the weekend in Williamsburg - relaxing and shopping to celebrate Annabeth's 21st birthday.  I'm looking forward to a fun weekend away :)