The January Tree 2015

I spent the better part of yesterday getting the Christmas decorations down and the Winter decorations up.  January makes me think of white, blue and silver so the decorations lend themselves to just that.

Snowflakes and snowmen are the name of the game around here in January.

I actually got the table set in the theme of winter too.  This morning we had snowman pancakes to start the season off.

 

Ok the snowmen pancakes weren't perfectly shaped but they did taste good. 

Now to get my two winter crafts done and spend the rest of the month in hibernation.  

Just Being Lazy

You would think with extra time off I would be getting around to the blog daily.  But that just isn't the case.  In fact yesterday I had the best of intentions for getting up early and getting sharing some of our weekend fun.  But I was feeling lazy.  We had some light rain falling and a chill in the air.  All I could think about was staying in my bed and drinking coffee....so that is exactly what I did.  Eventually I did get up....Emma prompted that!  And I got on with my day of running here and there.  What is life without the freedom to sometimes spend a morning in bed doing NOTHING :-)

This last weekend Mark and I found four new wineries and can say we've made it to about a quarter of the wineries Virginia has to offer.  We liked all four but had our favorites.

 

You are not seeing things....that IS a giant cork screw

 

 

 

While we were off exploring Virginia this weekend my yard was busy blooming it's flowers off.  These popped open Sunday with plenty more to follow.  

If I'm not feeling lazy the rest of the week I'll share more about the wineries we visited and about a couple upcoming adventures we have in store. 

TGIF

Not only was Monday a long day, each day this week has been crazy busy at work and then just as crazy at home!  But that is all ok...because after today the weekend is HERE!  And this particular weekend I'll be spending time with the family doing something very special. 



Virginia Beach Christmas Lights



We're headed out of town to check out the light display at the Boardwalk in Virginia Beach.  My sister, my brother-in-law, my parents are all going too.  It will be my Mom's birthday so there will also be lots to celebrate!  I can't wait to share all the details next week.  Have a great weekend everyone!
 

Wine and Design

We've all heard of wine and cheese....but how about Wine and Design?  Wine and Design is a new spot in Richmond (and in North Carolina/South Carolina) for people interested in painting a masterpiece....while having a little wine.  O.k. you may not paint a masterpiece but you will probably come away with a pretty painting and great experience. 

A couple months back some friends and I bought vouchers off of Living Social for this studio.  We finally were able to give it a whirl this last weekend.  The idea is that you pick a night to go, take a bottle of wine and enjoy a couple hours of painting while sipping your wine.  A few things you should know....#1 You can choose the painting you want to paint.  Go to their web site.  Check out the calendar and look at what is being painted.  Don't like it?  Pick another day/night.  #2 You can buy wine, beer and choose from a menu of food there at the studio.  I like that the studio we went to had Virginia Wine.  My kinda place!  #3 Even non-painters, such as myself, can do this.  I have NO artistic ability.  NONE, I tell you!  But the class instructor will direct you through it.  Step by step you follow the instructor and it turns into your very own one of a kind masterpiece :)



They did the sketching before we got there.  That helped a lot



Invasion of the corkcicle

Before hitting this place up we had dinner at a local BBQ place.  That was good but next time I know I can get a bite to eat there at the studio.  This is the perfect place for 'girl's night', bachelorette parties, a couple that are looking for a new date night idea, or just because you are feeling like having some wine and working on something artistic.  I've already scoped out what I want to paint next!!!  I feel another girl's night coming on :)

Monday Love

This weekend was filled with lots of time with friends, family, walking and wine.  We crammed in so much that the time just flew by!  Good thing I took some pictures so I can go back and enjoy it! There was The NO BS Brass at the Camel Club, The American Heart Walk, and The 10th Annual Powhatan Festival of the Grapes.  We also managed to seal our own driveway....totally learned something new :)

Note to self...learn how to make one of these!

Whew I'm kinda tired just thinking back on it.  I just might go get some coffee right now and relax.....SIKE!  Hope the weekend treated you right too....

Weekend Love

What a great weekend....I'm still trying to recoop!  But once the week gets here the business just keeps on coming.  That's ok.  I'm prepared this week!  Bring it on!

Monday Love

This Father's Day weekend flew by like a flash!  Maybe it had something to do with trying to pack a weeks worth of events into one weekend?

We watched a play at Swiftcreek Mill Playhouse

 

Had Brunch with my parents and sister



Finally got the tree decorated



Nearly got scared to death while
gardening when this critter showed up



Poor thing was so tired she couldn't
even make it all the way into bed



This past Friday work started on getting that new fence up....today they are supposed to be finishing it up!  I can't even tell you how excited I am about that.  And this week is the first full week that Tommy and Christy are out of school.  So far I've heard "I'm bored" about 5 times.  When I tell them to clean a room or do laundry the boredom is suddenly gone.  I do have a few fun activities planned for the evenings but tonight I just might be sitting on the deck admiring the new fence :)

Weekend rewind

So much fun in so little time.  Where oh where did our weekend go?!?!

Friday night fun at the pool

Exploring the Rappahannock River on
a river boat

My boy growing so fast and looking
so handsome

Emma has Daddy in the palm of her hands

This long weekend provided us enough time to work on a few projects we've been trying to get too as well as enough time to sneak in an adventure.  I'll be posting more on that in the next couple days.  We also had a little mishap on our way home from the adventure :(

We are happy and beyond thankful to report that no one was hurt.  Emma and I were asleep when it happened and she managed to stay that way until all the commotion afterwards.  The fact that no one was hurt had to do with the fact we had seat belts on (at least in my opinion)....So people buckle up!!!

How did everyone else spend their time off?  This week is shaping up to be a busy one.  Hope it's off to a great start.

EEK!!!! Friday the 13th

EEK! It's Friday the 13th....That congers up images of Jason and Freddy Krueger in my head!



Remember this guy? 

I have never liked scary movies!  I didn't even watch Friday the 13th until I was 20 or 21 years old!  And even then I would turn on all the lights at night just to walk to the bathroom.  I was a scardy cat!  There are still times if I hear a funny noise at night I panic thinking it's the boogy man....geesh! 

But I know that Jason and Freddy and even the boogy man are not real....so I'll forget about them for now(until I hear a stange bump in the night) and today I'll focus on the fact that it is FRIDAY!  Tonight were going to a Richmond Squirrels baseball game where I plan to eat hotdogs, nachos, fries and cotton candy.  It is part of their opening weekend celebration and there will be fireworks afterward.  Tomorrow the family is vounteering with Rebuilding Together in Petersburg and then Mark is going to watch a Richmond Raiders game.  Sunday we are hitting the park for a little workout and then I have to work :(

I hope you all have a great Friday and weekend!  But before you go....what does Friday the 13th make you think of?  Am I the only one that worries about Jason?

Friday Fun

On a rainy Virginia morning, that also happens to be a Friday morning, I'm dreaming of a spring that looks something like this.........




I just can't wait for the warm weather and the sun shine!  Our themometer has been slowly climibing and there are early signs of spring all around the yard.  This weekend we are staying close to home and there will be a few projects that we tackle.  I'm sure we'll have a few outings, maybe attend a winery open house, Mark will hit the season opener of the Richmond Raiders Football and I can buy that paint I've been taking about for a year now.  I even pulled ribs out of the freezer and found a crock pot reciepe that I am going to try....I'm feeling a little spunky ;)

How about you....what are your weekend plans?

Friday! Friday! Friday!

Ohhhhh I am so glad it's the weekend.  The work week for me was short.  But it felt so long!  So let the Friday happy dance begin!  OK glad you guys can't see me doing that, cause that would be embarassing :)


So this weekend.....




Christy and I will be going to see The Lion King at Landmark Theater in Richmond.  I am so excited.  It will be just the two of us going and I think that some much needed girl time was long over due! 

Saturday night Mark and I will be going to the Have a Heart Red Dress Gala.  This is a fund raiser for the American Heart Association.  So a fun night to support a good cause....win-win. 

Sunday we will be getting outside to get in shape for all the up coming races we've signed up for.  We're going to Henricus Park (which I blogged about here) with some friends to get in some running. 

We do have a couple other things in store for the weekend....I really need to get some paint to work on my kitchen :-/  and I'm working on a new craft that involves making a bunch of these............

Hope everyone is doing their own version of the Friday dance :)  See ya on Monday!

Oh what a ride

This past Saturday The Bryants and some friends loaded up and headed to Wintergreen Resort.  I had already tried my hand at skiing many moons ago and I found that skiing is just NOT for me.  It takes a fair amount of coordination and my body just does not cooperate!  So this time we planned on just sticking to snow tubing :) 




Get ready to ride.

I had purchased my tickets about a week in advance online.  You can't purchase them much further in advance per Wintergreen's policy.  That way in case of a major warm up or they can't make enough snow they are not having to refund a lot of tickets.  And don't wait too long before getting tickets because they WILL sale out!  Tickets are $28 a piece and there are certain restrictions on size (check their website for all the info).  We arranged for the 10-noon tubing time.  At first I thought 2 hours seemed like it wouldn't be long enough....but trust me....it MORE than enough.  We got to the resort about 9:15 and got checked in easily.  We had to wait until exactly 10 before we were allowed on "The Plunge". 




Go ahead....take the plunge!



This girl is ready!



My biggest kid :)

They send everyone down their lanes at the same time and you get a count down before heading down.  Once down at the end you just grab your tube and head over to a conveyor belt that hauls you back up.





I'm glad I didn't have to climb up myself.

The Plunge park is right next to some of the skiing and just below one of the lodges.  You could easily head up for some hot cocoa or to warm up by the fire.  

The lodge.



Tommy keeping warm.

Just before the our session ended the zip lining open up.  I had already planned on us doing that but needed to purchase the tickets there at the resort.  Christy was more than excited about this.   I am going to have to keep an eye on that girl....she is my thrill seeker!





Waiting to zip line





The plat form






About to jump!

 
The zip lining is right next to the tubing park so you are not running all around the resort to get from one area to the next.  Mark and I also did the zip lining :)  It was pretty awesome!  It's $10 a piece to do this and for $15 you can go twice.  Before leaving the park we grabbed a quick bite then made our way one to the next stage of our adventure.  I'll cover that tomorrow. 

Me and the kidos.



The ski slopes.


It was an awesome day.  I was a little sore that night and the next day but not enough to not go again!  The kids loved it and seeing them grin and smile almost the whole day made everything totally worth it!