Real Pals

• Delightful homemade supper.
• Bacon.
• Folly Beach.
• Red's Ice House.
• Cinnebar.
• The pool.
• Quick boatride.
• Summer meal at mom's.
• Parents celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary.
• Bohicket marina
• Seabrook Island
• Kiawah
• Marble Slab
• Cold beer
• Laughing
• Appreciating sunscreen
• Sonic
• MTV True Life
• Friends

All things enjoyed this past weekend with my pals...it was sad to see them go. 

Faux Pals

I'm here to tell you, if you have yet to see Sex and the City 2, save your $10.  Maybe its because I love the first movie so much, maybe its because it hasn't been long enough for a second movie, or maybe it just plain wasn't good. 

There were about 30 minutes I liked -- basically Carrie and Big's story line.  But I always like the Carrie/Big drama. 

The best thing about seeing SATC2 was seeing it at Cinnebar.  Plenty of room, able to order food and beverages, clean, friendly waiters...a great movie watching experience.

Thanks, Mom

Me: Ahhh............I don't want to go to work tomorrow.
Mom: Well, sorry.  You have to.
Me: Yes, but you don't have a job.
Mom: Well, that is the choice I made.

Really?  Really?

Old Pals

I'm pretty stoked that I'll be spending time with some of my old friends this weekend!  Old friends that still mean so much to me.  I love these gals because their lives are so different from mine, yet its easy to relate to them, especially to Carrie and Miranda.  But I love Charlotte and Samantha, too. 

That's right!  I'm finally getting to see Sex and the City 2 this weekend!  Sure the reviews were horrible, but that can't stop my excitement.  In case you were wondering, the reason I haven't seen it yet is because I promised Krissie months ago that we would see it together.  And yes, I have resisted the temptation to see it before and then see it again with her (thanks Courtney for tempting me). 

And the really fun part?  I'll be seeing my old TV/movie friends with real live friends.  Since Krissie is coming, Courtney is coming, and since they're coming, we talked our Princeton Princess into coming.  Amelia Alice, commonly referred to as "Leigh" is awesome.  We met at Presbyterian and have been sweet friends ever since.  A bit of a label whore, Amelia is a connoisseur of good beer, good literature, good music, and interesting people.  She has not one, but two masters degrees from Princeton...I hear its a decent school.  She is a master of many musical instruments and is becoming quite the cook.  But the reasons I love Leigh the most are that (1) she challenges me on what I think and (2) you can tell her anything and she rolls with it.  I think the combination of those things makes her such a delight.  I'm really thankful that the Lord had her share a bathroom with my friends, so we could become friends...such a sweet gift to me.

So basically, I'm counting down the hours until I am in my home.  Cooking an appetizer and making a meal.  Rocking my fedora.  Being with good friends. 

Score!

So, I've been wanting a fedora for a while now.  And yesterday I purchased one.  Seeing that its a trend and I'm not sure how many places I can realistically wear a fedora, I didn't want to spend a lot of dough on it.  The natural place to look: Target.  I found this beauty there yesterday!  Let's be honest, I already love it.  I may have even worn it on the ride home from Target and for the rest of the night at home.  Here are some pics I took on my old friend PhotoBooth.  I don't look so hot, but the hat does. 

So pretty

I thought I'd post a few pictures from this past weekend.  I really am so thankful to live in a place that is surrounded by water and is GORGEOUS!

Folly Beach

The dock where we put the boat in

Up a creek

These same ole scenes never get old to me

The 526 connector from the boat

I almost forgot

I had to add an addendum to the post below.  So my mom LOVES see animals...namely dolphins and pelicans.  I cannot begin to imagine how many dolphines or pelicans she has seen in her lifetime, but I'm willing to bet it's a TON!  Every. Single.  Time. we see a dolphin, we have to stop to say hello.  (No, I'm not making this up!)  Dad and I are over the excitement, but she's like a 4 year old seeing one for the first time.  And EVERY time she sees a pelican, she yells, "Hey Pelly!"

After years of watching/hearing my mom yell "Hey Pellys!" at the beach, some of my family members have even started doing it, too.  Wow.  So yesterday mom changed her pelican greeting to, "Hey Pelly!  Don't go to Florida!  Stay in South Carolina!"  or "Pelly!  Don't fly to Louisiana!  Stay here!  Ok, you can go to Georgia..."

I love mom.

It's a BIG one!

Donald Miller's blog post on Friday made me remeber how grateful I should be that my dad loves me and is a strong presence in my life. 

http://donmilleris.com/2010/06/18/a-message-for-fathers-day/

So I decided to do whatever he wanted on Sunday for Father's day.  He wanted to go fishing.  Awesome!  I love fishing!  I don't however like getting up at 6:30 in the morning to go fishing...but I would do it for dad.  Luckily my parents were running a bit behind as well, and there was less pressure to be "uppity."  I swung by the grocery store to snag lunch, then met my parents, and we were on the water by 8 o'clock.  AM! 

We headed out to the "grilledge" off of Sullivan's Island.  It was beautiful.  However, I do have to wonder if my stomach is getting weak in my old age...I got queasy being out there.  I didn't feel well, but the Ritz crackers helped...and then there was no time to be queasy when Dad's big line went off.  From the minute we saw the rod tip bend down, we knew this fish was going to be a fighter! 

Yes, it was my Dad's rod.  Yes, he casted the rod.  Yes, it was Father's Day.  No, he did not stand a chance of reeling this fish in or getting to claim it as his own...that was all mom!  Ha!  It fought her for a good 5-10 minutes, and according to Dad, with the type of line and drag on the reel, that's a big deal.  I'm pretty sure this was one of mom's top 10 moments of joy in her life.  It was pretty fun to watch her be so excited!

The fish weighed 20 pounds!  While we didn't measure it, Dad and I both think it was at least 3 feet long!  Of course, Mom now wants to catch a 42 inch Red fish!  Haha.  There has been talk of submitting it to a magazine or something...I'll be sure to let you know if that happens. 

Rain, rain, go away...

I was planning to hit the beach after work this evening before I met some friends for dinner on Folly.  I even packed my bathing suit to change at work.  The dark clouds outside my office look like they might be squelching my plan.  Boo!

A Taste of Asia at Home

Thanks to Maggie, I have learned the easiest way to make Asian at home.  She told me about these boxes of Asian yumminess.  All you do is boil the noodles, then add the sauce.  You're done!   I add chicken (seasoned with salt, red and black pepper, and ground ginger), chopped green onions, scrambled egg, and nuts.  Peanuts are the best, but last time I just had some sunflower seeds, so I rolled with it.

It ends up making quite a bit, and its good leftover.  I dig it!

Anyone else?

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that President Obama sounds like the infomercial guru, Ron Popeil? I think about it every time I hear the president speak.  Last night was no exception.  Check it out:





For the record, I am not endorsing or bashing either of these folks.  Nor would I like to enter into a political debate.

Comfort Food

Sometimes I feel like all I talk about is food.  Sometimes I'm ok with that.  I just ate lunch with some fun friends (Jenn & Ryan, and Ryan Reese) and had a great little sandwhich.  Bacon, lettuce, and (fried green) tomato on toasted whole wheat...and goat cheese.  Mighty good. 

Eating lunch made me remember that I need to make a casserole tonight for some friends of friends...its a long story.  I'm making an oldie, but a goodie. 

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

• A couple of cooked chicken breasts, chopped.
• 1 8 oz. can sour cream
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 sleeve of Ritz or Town House crackers, crushed
• 1 stick of butter or margerine, melted
• Poppy seeds

Mix the first 3 ingredients and place in an 8x8 dish.  Mix the last 3 ingredients and place on top of the chicken mixture.  Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.  It's always a crowd pleaser and can be frozen (even with the topping!). 

Weekend Recap

This past weekend was super fun.  I drove to Spartanburg after work, met Courtney, and got another fabulous Spicy Chicken Sandwich from Chick-fil-A.  Man, they are so good!  Then we headed to Shannon's in Greenville.  We spent many hours on her porch laughing, catching up, and getting acquainted with a new friend, Chris.  He is a foot and a half taller than me, laughs a bit like Beevis & Butt Head, and all around rocks.

Saturday we headed to a buddy's pool, also referred to as Fort Knox.  It was nice to lounge in the sun for a few hours before we got all gussied up for Katie's wedding.  Some of our other friends arrived and a total of 8 of us caravanned up to Pretty Place outside of Greenville, SC for a lovely and intimate wedding ceremony.  Of course we ended up leaving a smidge later than planned, and the ride took a bit longer than anticipated, so we got there about 5 minutes before 6.  (I have never been that late to a wedding before.  Ever.)  We were seated JUST before the family.  Good thing there were only 8 of us so it wasn't too noticeable.  The location was gorgeous and the ceremony was so sweet!  Katie was STUNNING!

Heading back to Greenville for the reception at Zen.  It was awesome!  They decorated it really well and the food was awesome, especially the pasta bar.  Yum!  Also, they served a signature cocktail of Sweet Tea vodka...in a word: fabulous.  We danced with the band all night long.  AND they had a photo booth.  So fun!  All in all, I LOVED the way Katie did everything.  Here are some pics for your viewing pleasure:

The beautiful bride:

Our Presbyterian girls!  (We missed a few of you!)

The entire Blue Hose gang!

One of the band members was sporting a fab fedora and was gracious enough to let me borrow it!

Mr. and Mrs. Dillard!

We headed out for a bit downtown before heading home.  I'm proud to say that I made some Canuck friends.  In case you're wondering, Canucks are those from Canada.  And we (of course) made a pit stop at McD's on the way home.  I had my first (plain) quarter pounder with cheese and it was de-lish.

The next morning, Courtney and I woke up fairly early to head back to the Burg for church.  There was a guest pastor, who heads up Mission India.  It was pretty cool to hear about his life and ministry as they try to reach the 1.2 billion people for Jesus Christ.  After waiting in line for about a year for our footlong sandwiches at Subway, we met Rachel and Stuart at their pool.  It was hot as blue blazes, but I'm proud (and a little embarrassed) to say that I ate all 12 inches of my Italian BMT sub.  

Then we swung by the Lightcaps house for some quality time with the kids, Frances, and Jamie.  It was a great time of catching up, chasing kids, playing dress up, and dancing to classical music. I've said it before and I'll say it again: the kids are super awesome and fun (and cute!), and I just love their family.  Thanks for letting us invade your home!

I mean, aren't they precious?!?!

After hitting up the Bell for supper, I made the trek home Back to Charleston.  All in all, it was one wonderful weekend.

Yay

for Katie and Michael tying the knot this weekend!  Excited to head to Greenville after work and play with PC girls all weekend long!  (Katie's the cute red head in the front!)

A Tasty First!

Yesterday was a real milestone for me.  I had my first meatball sub.  We had homemade ones at my office.  Toasted delicious rolls, yummy deli cheese, well seasoned meatballs and sauce...oh yeah, it was love at first bite.  Now I was a bit worried about eating this sub -- would a meatball fly out and hit someone in the eye?  I tried to be really careful!  The first few bites were successful.  But then, out of nowhwere, a meatball flew out of my sub, allegedly hits the man's pants that is sitting next to me*, and bounced on the floor.  It was special.  But I LOVED the meatball sub!  And I'm hoping there are leftovers for me to have another one today...sans the accident.

When I reported my mishap to Maggie, she replied: I totally knew something like that was going to happen

We also had these chips with our subs: Baked Lays Southwestern Ranch.  Oh my, they are awesome! 

* I saw NO trace of sauce or a stain of any type on his pant leg.

Friendly Reminder

Just in case you'd forgotten how cool I was, I thought I'd share something to jog your memory.   Yes, after work yesterday, I walked to my designated voting location (of course I forgot my list of candidates and had to wing it in the booth).  And because it was uber hot outside and I needed to carry my voter registration card, ID, key, and cell phone, I wore this.  My Camelbak!  It also kept me very hydrated.  

Courtney gave me my Camelbak for my 23rd birthday.  Not gunna lie, I used to just wear it around the house.  Its perfect for walks in the humid heat.  Mine looks just like this one, but its green, instead of blue.  I recommend them for anyone who likes to keep hydrated and look really cool.

PS.  Around certain colleges, certain people fill up their Camelbaks with "brown water" aka whiskey, bourbon, scotch.  I am proud to say I have never done that.  Lets be honest, if I did, I'd probably be dead in a ditch somewhere.

SC Primaries

On the way to work this morning I realized tha today is the SC primary.  I'm so glad I realized it was today!  While I've been hearing about lots of the candidates and seeing lots of signs, I only knew about some of the people running.  Luckily this morning I was able to do some research.  I've made my list and am thankful the poles are open until 7 pm so I can do my civic duty.  AND as a bonus, I can walk to my designated voting location -- built in exercise!  Two birds.  One stone.

Reunited...and it felt so good!

B5 Weekend was a blast!  I think I might be going through withdrawls today...

Margaritas

Sangria

Black Crown candle Tiki torch passing

Folly Beach

Eating
Eating
Eating

Diet Coke Cake

Bowens

Laughing

Catching up & being together.  Ladies, it was a blast!  Can't wait to see you most of you again SOON!

Brownie/Frownie

While its still early, I'm pretty sure I already know the high (brownie) and low (frownie) parts of my day today.

Low = Waking up at 5 am to an unfamiliar noise.  At first I thought it was part of a dream...then I realized it wasn't.  I couldn't figure out what it was so I went looking for it in the house.  It was in the kitchen.  My roommate just bought a BlackBerry and for some reason an alarm went off at 5 this morning.  Ugh!  I couldn't figure out how to dismantle the alarm, so I turned off the phone.  Apparently I didn't turn it off or it has some crazy alarm gizmo because a few minutes after I'd returned to bed, the damn thing went off again!  This time I woke up roommate to hand her said BlackBerry to turn off or destroy it.  Either would have worked for me.

High = B5 reunion starts today!  Once a year, my college roommates from senior year get together.  I can't believe this is our 6th reunion!  We've gathered in Atltanta, Charlotte, Greenville...and this year they're all coming to stay with me in Charleston!  We always have SO much fun together.  Catching up, eating a lot, being silly, enjoying an adult beverage or two, and trying to catch some sun.  We're heading to the beach tomorrow and I can't wait! 

I really am so thankful for each of these girls and the friends that they are to me.  Individually and as a group, I love them.  We're all funny, unique, and have lots of personality.  Its fun to see how the Lord put us in a group...so many years ago Courtney and I laid in our bunk beds trying to plan who we could live with the next year.  Our plan was awesome!  I'm so excited for them to arrive and to have fun all weekend with these lovely ladies.

How's your marriage?

The other day I noticed that I'd written this in my Bible: how's my marriage to the Lord?

Hmmm...
I have no idea what sermon I heard that made me jot that down, but it really got me thinking. First, I love that all believers are married to the Lord. So that relationship is/should be our priority. Second, I think God is beyond gender, so if you're a man, you are still married to the Lord. Third, (ok, I actually read this somewhere) people are not called to be single. We are all born single and some are called to get married. So even if you are single (like this awesome curly-haired short girl I know), you are able to grasp and experience, marriage.

I've been thinking a LOT lately about what it means to be in a relationship with the Lord.  He's your spouse, your best friend, your sister/brother, parent, coach, mentor, all in one.  He's the God of the universe.  He created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them.  Think about that for a second.  Wow!  AND he wants to be in a relationship with me...the only problem I've run into is: what does that look like?  So I've been trying to think about God&I as a marriage.  And since I'm not married, the best way for me to grasp marriage is to look at the marriages around me and draw from my other relationships.  I'm pretty sure that if I get married, I'll have to thank my best friends for preparing me.

We love each other, serve each other, fight, press on, make each other laugh, tell each other the truth, spend lots of time together (when we are able), and eat good food together.  But I think it is more challenging when you are the only one walking around in flesh (currently). 

I read this and think it says what I want to understand/live out: The abiding awareness of the Christian life is to be God Himself, not just thoughts about Him. The total being of our life inside and out is to be absolutely obsessed by the presence of God. A child’s awareness is so absorbed in his mother that although he is not consciously thinking of her, when a problem arises, the abiding relationship is that with the mother. In that same way, we are to “live and move and have our being” in God.   http://utmost.org/are-you-obsessed-by-something/

So I'm not sure how my marriage with the Lord is going.  I think we're still feeling things out.  It seems funny to say that since I've been a Christian for almost 11 years.  But I think about my parents.  They'll celebrate their 30th wedding annivsary this month and they're still learning things about the other person and how to live together, etc.  I know that I know the Lord more today than I did a decade ago and I think that means I'm moving in the right direction.  And sometimes that's all I can ask for...

De-licious!

Chick-fil-A, how I love thee!

Yesterday was a day of anticipation for supper.  I tried my FREE spicy chicken sandwich yesterday at CFA and LOVED every bite!  It was spicy, but not too spicy.  The pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickle really worked with the spice.  I don't even eat the pickles on the regular sandwich (chick no pick!), but it really worked here.  The only thing that would make this sandwich better would be washing it down with a peach milkshake. 

Vacation Hangover

I deemed last weekend a mini vacation.  And it was!  Friday night, Courtney and I ate with my parents at Supper Club at the pool.  It was margarita night and pretty fun...its always interesting to see people I haven't seen in years.  Then we headed to meet some PC friends for a beer.

Saturday was the first of three beach days.  It felt great: a steady breeze so it wasn't hot and the water was warm enough to enjoy a swim.  Surprisingly, the beach wasn't too crowded, especially considering it was a holiday weekend.  Sadly, Courtney burned that day, but she was a trooper and made it out the other two days as well.  We enjoyed some homemade Asian cuisine (thanks for the recommendation Maggie!) and made some cookie dough.  We forced ourselves to stay up and then retrieve Festa from the airport.  It was so fun to see her and catch up!

Sunday and Monday provided much of the sun: good time with Courtney and Festa on the beach.  Sunday night Courtney and I ate with my parents.  Dad fried some fish he'd caught earlier in the season and it was awesome.  We headed back to the beach for a glass of wine on Festa's beach house porch.  Who doesn't love a rocking chair at night when you can see and smell the ocean?!?! 

Monday provided extra entertainment at the beach when we realized that the beach house had about 10 boogie boards.  While Festa rocked the surf board, Courtney and I boogie boarded.  It was awesome.  Awesome until my body couldn't take it anymore.  The waves tore me up; they forced my body to flip, twist, and turn, as well as be drug along the bottom of the ocean (sand) into the shore.  There's only so much my skin could take! 

While walking into the ocean:
Me: that girl looks a lot like Lauren Edmonds.
Courtney: maybe it is?
Me: (continuing to walk forward) Lauren
It was her!  It was fun to catch up with her and her husband.  I'm sure she wasn't too shocked to see Courtney and I together.  Haha!

Monday night we tried to eat at Bowen's.  Because it is the best.  Sadly, they are only open Tuesday - Saturday.  Not sadly,  we ended up eating with Festa's family.  Her Uncle Stu made homemade pizza.  He's Italian and it was AMAZING.  I wolfed down 4 pieces and had to force myself from getting a 5th.

It was such a fun Memorial Day weekend.  So thankful for it!

Also...throughout the weekend Courtney and I watched episodes of Friends.  One.  I forgot how funny that show is.  So good!  Two.  Its awesome to watch it now that we are actually their ages and experiencing (some of the) things that they are...even the theme song makes more sense now because I feel like off and on it is my life. 

Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's DOA...

And I am thankful to have my best friends to live life alongside me just like Monica, Joey, Rachel, Chadler, Ross, and Phoebe. 

And...one night we watched MTV's True Life: of a Polyamorous person.  That is not something I will be trying. 

BUT now I have a vacation hangover...work, bills to pay, real life.  It was worth it though!