Happy Thanksgiving!

I posted this photo from the Pub the night before Thanksgiving. I honestly don't even remember doing it.

On Wednesday night I checked off an item from an earlier 101 list item - #78 - Sing karaoke with a local celebrity. I got to sing Bohemian Rhapsody with Niki Barr. I of course wanted to sing my go-to, I touch myself, but she wanted to sing that awesome monstrosity.  

Check out her new band, The Last Year... and their new single, Sugar. I can't get enough of it!

Actually, while you're at it, go buy the album. It's awesome.

I still haven't seen the new band live, but I'm hoping to check them out soon. 

Almost Wordless Wednesday - More trip pics

All of the photos (at least those we are sharing) from our trip are finally up. Check them out on Shutterfly!

 

25 Things - The 2012 Year in Review Edition

It's true that 2012 is ending on a somber note for most of this country. The tragedy in Newtown, CT and the senseless shooting of two firefighters in Webster, NY didn't put most of us in the holiday spirit.

Because of all the dreary news, it's easy for me to overlook all of the good things and fun times I've had this year.  I've compiled some of my favorite trips/home project accomplishments/happy days from the past year (in no particular order):

1. I celebrated two years of marriage to my darling husband. 
2. I got a new job about 20 miles from home, which saved me at least 370 hours (that's 15 DAYS of my LIFE) and 26,270 miles of commuting this year (based on working 37 weeks, since I started working in March).
3. I started this blog. :)
4. Built a chicken coop and raised 10 chickens from peep-hood for fresh eggs.
5. Had a fantastic time on a cruise to the Bahamas - had the best snorkeling experience ever at Paradise Cove in Freeport.
6. My sister-in-law Colleen visited for two weeks over the summer and we had fun drinking too much wine, making zombie detours, parties, chickens and all sorts of stuff. 
7. Had an awesome day in Caroline County with some fabulous ladies (including Colleen) - alpacas, outhouses and tattoos, oh my!
8. Traveled to Rhode Island for a paranormal investigation of Rose Island Lighthouse... complete with a rather creepy and foggy ferry ride across Narragansett Bay to Rose Island. During this trip, I also experienced Connecticut style lobster rolls at Abbott's Lobster in Noank, CT, visited my cousin Heather (& family) in Boston and Jay's cousins in Naugatuck, CT.
9. Built a raised garden bed and started a compost pile. Sadly, the chickens destroyed most of our plants, but we got a lot of jalapenos and green peppers.
10. I purchased a canning kit, made and canned apple butter for the first time.
11. We finished our upstairs bathroom - drywall, tile, trim, and paint. 
12. Close to finished on our fourth bedroom - drywall, laminate flooring, and paint. Trim has been cut, it just needs to be nailed to the wall.
13. Finished the upstairs and downstairs foyer/hallways - drywall, laminate flooring (or refinishing hardwood) and paint. 
14. Finished the reading nook - drywall, laminate flooring, paint, installed banister & railing, AND scored 2 fantastic chairs at a great deal.
15. Finished the kitchen - ripped out and replaced previous tiling job, installed cabinets, sink, dishwasher (although it's still not hooked to power), installed laminate counters.
16. Installed exterior siding with R-5 insulation value.
17. Got a subpanel installed for Jay's to-be-built shop/shed/man-cave.
18. Had a great time at the Southern Summer Cocktail Party. :)
19. Had many fun nights with my book club ladies.
20. Making an effort to buy local, organic, and/or natural foods when possible- I'm now a regular at Nice Farms Creamery and Cedar Run Cattle.
21. Hosted a crazy fun party and featured aforementioned local food.
22. Participated in many happy hours at Harry's on the Green with some of my favorite ladies. Some of these happy hours turned into late night shenanigans. One such night ended with a potted petunia in the bottom of a friend's hot tub. Oops!
23. I survived the release of my first holiday schedule and planned the holiday party at work. The schedule was awful, but the party turned out great. I'm still getting compliments on it... mad props to Lorraine at The Milestone and Jimmy at It's Your Day DJ. They did an awesome job.
24. I began putting myself first again and started enforcing boundaries with people.
25. Celebrated Christmas quietly with Jay - we opened presents, feasted like Kings and watched TV all day.

Soon I'll be posting 25 goals or plans for 2013. It's not going to be a resolution list (although I imagine a few things are resolution-esque), but more of what I'm looking forward to in the next year.

I've also seen an idea that I really like on Pinterest... it's cheesy in some ways, but I think it's a great idea. Each time something good or fun happens in 2013, write it down on a scrap of paper and put it in a mason jar. At the end of the year, for Christmas or at NYE, open the jar and read all of the scraps. I think it's a lovely idea... even when you're feeling a bit blue, you can open the jar and smile at the great memories you've made. 

I plan on 2013 knocking the socks off of 2012!

Wordless Wednesdays - the Florida trip edition

Party Rock

Well, we never ended up tearing up the carpet. Maybe we’ll leave it on until the drywall is installed in dad’s old workroom.

A good time was had by all, even though there were two significant injuries. Doug and Marty were horsing around and Doug’s head met our brick steps. I’m surprised that he didn’t break the bricks! He could’ve used some stitches, but he said he’d be fine without them. The second injury was to Beth, who slipped with the oyster knife and stabbed herself in the hand. Fortunately first aid supplies were close at hand after Doug’s injury, so we got her patched up without too much trouble. The cat knocked over our dessert & Arnold Palmer table, which made a huge mess… and the cops cruised by after one of our guests decided to set off some fireworks late in the night. They stayed around the corner for a few hours to make sure it didn’t happen again.

We’re still trying to count the number of people that came, but I think it was around 45. Definitely a huge crowd.

I wish that I’d had time to take more photos, but I was too busy running around. It took me 4 hours before I was able to eat and grab a drink… then it still took me another 2 hours to eat my plate of food and finish my drink. Hopefully I lost some weight with all of my running around and lack of food!

Here is the night in photos (and a texting fail)