Christmas on the Road

Two and a half weeks on the road and we are finally home. FINALLY! Since October 24 I have spent a total of 24 days at home. That is insane. I'm so happy to be home...with no travel plans until May!

On December 18 we headed to my in-laws in Raleigh. I was sick...so, so sick. I shivered the entire night and by morning I was sweating to death. We made the ten hour trip to Danny's dads in Ohio. It was a long crappy ride. I loaded up on the cold meds the entire way. But not one to be tied down we had a full trip while we were there. We went to the Cleavland Natural History Museum, which was awesome! And Melt. I love Melt! We visited with lots of family and took Kaleb and Amirah to the rainforest. We left Christmas Eve and made our way to Massachusetts.

We had a home cooked meal, watched Polar Express, sent Kaleb to bed and then Santa got to work! Christmas morning was fantastic! Kaleb must have been really good! He got a bow, a Nook, a scooter, so many games, clothes, toys...so much! I got Alex and Ani, clothes, lots of goodies! We spent the day with the family, having lots of fun and laughs. Mom made an awesome meal. It was such a great day!

The rest of our trip was filled with lots and lots of board games. I discovered I love Life. We all love Hedbanz. I hate Skip Bo and Kaleb hates Spoons. Kaleb got to hangout with his friend Jonathon. Me and Danny went out with my cousin, Brian, for a night. We had sushi with Michelle and Steve.

We spent a week there, then we headed back to Ohio. We had Christmas with Danny's family, "enjoyed" some snow...and finally headed back to North Carolina TODAY!  I always hate saying "see ya later" to Kaleb, the house always seems so quiet after he leaves. Still, I am so so happy to be HOME! 

So...happy 2014! Here's to many more adventures!

Don't Call it a Comeback....

Oh yes, my friends...I think you can call this a comeback! I've missed my blog, I've missed sharing my life with you. I tried my hand at a new blog but I just couldn't get into it. So, here I am...after a three month hiatus from Flip Flops and Combat Boots....I'm back!

Let's play catchup! We left off while Kaleb was visiting. Well, Kaleb's visit was great, a lot different than his usual trips. We didn't get to do a lot of traveling, but he had a great time with his friends! Because Danny was getting out of the USMC, he didn't want to take any leave, so unfortunetly we missed out on taking Kaleb to Maine this summer. Here are a few pictures from Kaleb's summer visit...

Next major update? My job. I quit. I just couldn't take it anymore. After switching us to a new program, changing hours & losing benefits, I did 5 weeks of training, took a leave of absence and then quit. I've been selling Scentsy ever since, and I'm seriously wishing I started this years ago. I've been doing fantastic! I've reached every goal the company (and myself) has set for me. So, if you need Scentsy or want to join my team...I'd love to chat with you!

Another development: on July 2 we put our house up for sale. I'll make an extremely long story short: we had an offer, they backed out, and now we have NO CLUE what we are doing. We have two options, pay to get out of the contract or pay for an engineer. At this point, I don't even know what I want. My family should probably just move down here to make it easier for me!

In July we traveled to Ohio and Massachusetts. We went to Danny's cousins wedding in Ohio and got to hangout with the family in Massachusetts.

Mom and her grand-puppies

I've been keeping up with my girls nights. In June we went ziplining, July was kayaking (my favorite!) and in August we did a bike tour of Beaufort. We haven't done anything for September, everyones schedule got a little hectic, but there is still time!

On August 25, me and Danny left early for Massachusetts. We hit so much traffic and made it home at 11:30PM. I made it home to see my Nana for the last time. She passed away August 26 surrounded by everyone who loves her. She was 95. She had a beautiful funeral, so many people came to say goodbye to her. I will always miss her.

We spent Labor Day weekend in Maine, Danny went to golf weekend, I took a cooking class with Mom and I sold a lot of Scentsy!

When we got back from Massachusetts, I packed A LOT. Well, since they backed out of the offer, I'm currently (kinda) unpacking. I mostly just wanted the house decorated for fall! The weather has been gorgeous! I'm still really upset about (possibly) not moving back home. Things have been incredebly stressful right now - but I'm trying to keep upbeat. Danny got his A&P license yesterday, so we're hoping for a job soon. Until then - we're keeping busy!

So, I think we're all caught up. And yes...I'm BACK!

I Went to Boston!

Every year around this time,  I go on vacation. One year it was St. Thomas, then Aruba, Jamaica, and Disney two years in a row. So, this is the first time in a long time that I didn't have a vacation planned. But I had the itch, so on a whim Wednesday morning I purchased tickets and left Thursday morning for Boston!

I was in Boston by 10AM on Thursday. My first stop? To visit my sister and her new puppy! I was so excited to meet Maggie! She was crazy when I first met her, eating my hair, biting my fingers, and playing fetch. She's just so damn cute!

I didn't tell my Dad I was coming up, so next up I had to surprise him! And he was SO surprised! That night Mom made dinner and we had some fun just hanging out around the house.

Friday I visited with my great-grandmother and grandparents. Me and Mom did some shopping. Tried to watch Lincoln (yawn) and did some more shopping. That night me and Michelle went out for dinner. Thank goodness the beer flights were good because it's probably the worst meal I've ever had! I had a good time just catching up with my sister though. During dinner she mentioned that her and her boyfriend, Steve, were both working on Saturday....so I offered to puppy sit!

Soooo...I was up bright and early with the puppy on Saturday. She played rough with Roxy for a few hours - I can't wait to see what they are like with Miley this summer! Maggie was so snuggly with me all day...now I have puppy fever!

"Auntie, she's teasing me! I'm too small to go down the stairs!"

I hungout with my friend, Lindsey, for a few hours on Saturday. Went out to lunch...but I'm not sure if we actually ate anything, we were so busy talking! 

Saturday night I went out with the family for dinner - parents, sister, Steve, cousins, aunt and uncle...the whole family! There was a lot of laughing, food, and beer...we had a good time! I love seeing family when I go home, even if it's just for a quick dinner.

I passed out early Saturday - I had another early flight on Sunday. I wanted to make sure I was home for Easter with Danny. Not that it mattered - we tried finding a fantastic place for Easter dinner...but that didn't work out so well. But we did end up with a delicious pizza and Easter baskets from my Mom!

I had such a great trip home...I'm already counting down the days until we go up for our summer vacation!!

Homeward Bound!

You know when you're looking forward to something it makes everything else crawl by? Well, last week went by at a snails pace....because I was so excited for my trip up North! But even though the week went by slow, for some reason I still waited until last minute to pack: which means I forgot my camera. Pictures are limited for this trip....but it was such a great time!

Saturday morning I was up at the crack of dawn for my flight. I was on the ground and with my parents by 10AM. When I originally planned my trip I asked Mom if she could make her stuffing. She took that request and ran with it...she spent the day Saturday preparing a Thanksgiving meal for 20 people. Saturday night my sister, her boyfriend, aunts, uncles and cousins all came over and we celebrated Fakesgiving. It was such a great time! The only thing missing was my Hubby!

Sunday morning I woke up to a surprise...Mom surprised me with a new outfit...ripped straight off of my own blog! She even got me that exact necklace!

After putting on my new outfit me and Mom headed out for the day. Our first stop was the cemetery to visit Pa and put a new flag at his grave. Then we headed off for a day of shopping. And just like real Thanksgiving, we feasted on leftovers! Sunday night I crashed my parents date. They are way too cute together. They are such great role models for me and my sister...30 years married and they still totally in love!

Sunday night me and Mom attempted to watch Magic Mike. She claims the acting was bad, and I was totally uncomfortable...so we turned it off and settled for a nice family movie! I did bring Magic Mike home to view in the privacy of my own home!

I wanted to make sure I got to enjoy my whole long weekend so I scheduled my flight for late Monday night. I spent Monday morning at my great-grandmothers house..who had me and Mom cracking up all morning. 94 and she's still making everyone laugh! After that me and Mom grabbed a quick lunch and just hungout for the rest of the day.

It was such a great trip home! I'm sure some friends are upset with me for not making plans with them...but I really just wanted to see my parents this trip. I've missed them a lot over the past few months! I seriously already miss them...and am counting down to their trip to visit us!

Weekend Visitors!

Me and Danny are famous for our weekend trips. Once we even flew to Massachusetts for 24 hours. But it's extremely rare that we have the same kind of visits. So, that's why when Danny's sister asked us if she could come down for the weekend we were so excited! I requested the day off from work, decorated Kaleb's room and got ready to use our pull out couch for the first time. 

Kaleb, Rachel and Amirah arrived around 10:30 Friday night. After a 11 hour roadtrip the kids still had so much energy! Kaleb was so excited to show off his room to his aunt and cousin. He even gave them the full length tour of the house, complete with telling Amirah all the rules: no touching the walls and no eating in the living room. I love that kid!

Every weekend there is a ton going on in North Carolina - always some kind of festival or fair. But, of course, there was nothing going on this weekend. So, we said 'carpe diem' and drove two hours to Myrtle Beach! First stop was the beach! It was so gorgeous out, 65 degrees in November is unheard of in Ohio so the kids were loving it!

Then we made a stop at the arcade to play some games and win some prizes. Which included a whistle and a harmonica. More on that later...

 Next stop! Pirate Voyage! The show was so much fun. The preshow included fun songs and juggling...and beverages for the adults. Then we moved into the arena where there were pirate boats, animals and, of course, pirates. And oh-em-gee....enough food to feed 10 of me. I bought the kiddos fun flags and Amirah proclaimed it the BEST DAY EVER!

When we got home the kids decided they were starting a band...with the whistle and harmonica. They sang a rousing rendition of Old McDonald for about 45 minutes...Miley even joined in with a howl every once in a while. I think she was trying to tell them that they were hurting her ears!

This morning there was lots of lounging, coffee and donuts. And our weekend visitors were back on the road by 9:30. It was a quick trick but I'm so glad it happened! I love that we are getting closer to Danny's family and I hope it continues...and that there are many more trips in the future!

Autumn in Ohio

This past week was a whirlwind. Last Sunday I went to bed preparing for a full day at work on Monday but was woken in the middle of the night with sad news from Ohio - Danny's grandmother had passed away. I was heartbroken for Danny and so nervous that I wouldn't be able to leave my new job for a few days. Fortunately, my training manager is amazing and let me leave work for the whole week. I will always be thankful for that.

It feels weird saying it, but we had a great trip to Ohio. The trip was under terrible conditions, but it brought together people who never get to see each other. I got to meet a lot of Danny's family, I got to bond with his sister for the first time ever, hangout with Danny's niece, Amirah (who calls me Aunt Nicole! I can officially call her my niece!) and spend time with Kaleb.

Our first day in Ohio was Tuesday. Me and Danny had lunch at Lockview in Akron. It's a grilled cheese restaurant with a ton of awesome beers. After lunch we went to Danny's grandma's house to see the family. We all sat around looking at family pictures and sharing memories. A ton of people dropped off food, including chicken and jojos - in New England we always called them potato wedges but I got a lot of weird looks when I called them that!

Tuesday night me and Danny went out with Rachel (his sister) and her boyfriend. It was so great to actually sit back, relax and get to know my sister-in-law. We've met a few times but have never actually bonded. We just laughed, and talked, and had a great time!

Wednesday and Thursday we went to the wake and the funeral. It was a beautiful, very emotional, service. Following the service we had lunch at the church and went back to Danny's grandmothers. All the girls chose a purse and scarf that they wanted to remember Grandma with. We also took home a few special mementos, including a Julia Child cookbook!

Friday was Amirah's 6th birthday, so me and Danny surprised her at school with cupcakes! That night me, Danny, Kaleb, Amirah, Rachel, Chris and Dan (Danny's dad) went out for hibachi! Saturday morning the entire family went out for breakfast! Needless to say I probably gained 20 pounds on this trip!

Saturday we took Kaleb to a fall festival. The weather was gorgeous, we did a corn maze, watched pumpkin chunkin, and did a wine (and soda!) tasting! It was so much fun! It made me realize how much I miss New England and the fall weather I left behind!

We got a late start on the road Sunday. We made an appearance at Amirah's birthday party for a few hours. And I also got a siblings picture of Danny, Brandon and Rachel!

It was a great trip to Ohio, I hope to make it back up there soon under different circumstances. And I'm so happy that I got to have fall weather this year! I was starting to think I was stuck with 80 degree weather until winter hits!

Family Picture Time!

This is by far one of my favorite traditions we have started with our little family. Last year we had our family pictures taken in Downtown Jacksonville, next to the river. I love those pictures! This year our photographer brought us to a park in Richlands (that I had no idea existed!) for our photo shoot. It was hot, hot, hot out, the sun was in our eyes...but we sucked it up and got another group of great family photos! 

Please do not steal my pictures! If you are in the Jacksonville, NC area please contact Peace.Love.Focus Photography to set up your photo shoot!

Family Vacation: Maine Part 2

Day 10: More Fun!

Nana and Grampy came to visit on Wednesday. We spent all the day on the beach having fun...they even came in their party shirts!

Kaleb went knee boarding, he's such a pro...he got up on the first try! Cornhole was played, the doggies sunbathed, Kaleb went on a kayak ride with his crush. I'd say it was a great day! Everyone was exhausted super early!

Day 11: The Puppies
After a morning of golf (the guys,) and breakfast (the girls plus Kaleb) we spent the rest of the day on the beach. The weather was perfect but spending all day everyday on the beach made the puppies super tired. Miley spent most of the day hiding under a chair!

Day 12: Friday!
Even on vacation I still look forward to Fridays! The day was spent on the beach (of course!) with a new toy...Dad's new jetski! And for the for time all week...the puppies went swimming!

   Friday night Chelsey came over to watch Kaleb and the dogs...while us older kids went to the casino! We were all so excited, we were looking forward to it all week! I guess we would have had more fun if someone actually won, instead...we all left with our heads hanging...and I came home with a 17 cent voucher. Bummer!

Day 13: Sandbar!
Even though we were in Maine all week this was the first time that everyone went out on the boat! We anchored out at the sandbar and hungout in the water for hours. It was such a fun day!

Day 14: Almost the End...
Thanks to Kaleb, everyone's weekend ended with a good laugh!

Then, we packed up the cars and made our way back to Massachusetts for one last night. Danny and Dad went golfing, Mom hungout with Kaleb, and I had dinner with my college roommates. After a few hours of hanging out it was time to hit the hay for one last night of vacation!

Day 15: The Roadtrip Home
We left Massachusetts at 3AM, which I still think is the best time to leave! We didn't even hit traffic going over the GW at 7AM...we totally lucked out! When we finally made it home we had a huge pile of mail waiting for us...thank goodness most of it was free samples and giveaways!

 I'm so happy to be home, but I always hate leaving my parents and sister. I swear it gets harder every single time. I usually can't talk about my favorite part of vacation for a while without tearing up because it makes me miss them more. I'm crossing my fingers that they get to visit soon!!