So Stinkin' Cute!

Our little Roxie is just so stinkin' cute!  Brooke found this sundress for her at Petco today, and since it was on sale...we just had to buy it!  Even Jamie, who swore that this dog would just be an aggravating addition, loves her.  She has become his lunchtime pal...the family baby...and just a little something sweet that we all have fallen in love with...our Roxie!

The Olde Pink House - Fabulous Way to Celebrate 18 years!

Here we are...celebrating 18 years of marriage! I still get butterflies in my stomach when I see him, and I hope that I make him as happy as he makes me.  I cannot imagine my life without him.  My heart is full as I think about all he means to me as a husband, friend, and daddy to our children.  (I really need to stop and say a special thank you to Amy and Jim because if it was not for those two, we would have never ridden around town that fateful Saturday night nearly 24 years ago.)

As you can imagine, such a wonderful occasion deserves special recognition.  Over the past few years, Jamie and I have taken an overnight trip to celebrate our anniversary; however, this year we have a new addition to our family (Roxie Bear the Yorkie Poo), so we decided to go out to eat to celebrate our wedding anniversary.  Where should we go??  It had to be special...a little something out of the ordinary...something we would definitely remember.

I asked several friends for their suggestions.  Next based on these suggestions, I read reviews on TripAdvisor and Frommer's. Jamie and I looked at menus online and finally decided on the Olde Pink House in Savannah as the destination for our celebration.

As you can see, we were not too quick in making our decision, so we did not call for a Saturday night reservation until the Friday evening before.  I was very disappointed to learn that the earliest available reservation would be at 9:00 PM.  The young lady on the phone was very quick to let me know that there was seating for those without reservations as well.  We decided to try our luck with the 1st come/1st serve seating and see how the meal unfolded.

We arrived at the Olde Pink House a little after 5:00 PM, and we were seated in a bar area.  At first we were concerned that it might be loud or crowded, but it turned out to be quite cozy.  Our server, Yuri, was fantastic! She seemed genuinely pleased to be serving us, and it seemed that she took delight in making recommendations from the menu. Yuri served our meal in three courses to us.  First, we began with a sausage strudel.  While it sounds a little weird, it was very tasty, and it made a wonderful beginning to our meal.

Next, we tried the she-crab soup with sherry. Yuri split the one serving into two bowls without being asked so we could easily share.  She added the sherry to the soup at the table....and then, I thought I heard the angels sing!  The soup was so good I could have bathed in it!  It took great self-control to not pick that bowl up and lick it clean.  We both used a corn muffin to soak up the last bits of the soup; it was just that good.  (Now, I feel that I must share that on the ride to Savannah, Jamie and I discussed how neither of us like food with wine sauces.  We both share the view that wine tends to overpower the food. While I am not sure how sherry and wine are different, I lump them into the same category...be it right or wrong. We quickly realized how wrong we were on the whole sherry/wine thing and food...we had just never had it "done" right.  The Olde Pink House knows how to "do it" right!)

We ended our meal with flounder and grouper.  Jamie ordered flounder with grits and collards, and I ordered the lump crab stuffed grouper with mashed potatoes and mixed green beans.  Now, I am not one to usually order fish because (as odd as this sounds) I don't like my fish to taste fishy, but Yuri told us that both of these entrees were delicious.  She did not mislead us one bit!

(Jamie says that I should have taken a picture of the food before it looked like it had been attacked by a pack of raccoons, but it was so good that I did not think about taking a picture until...well...we had already done some damage.)

Additionally, I was again proven wrong.  The grouper was served with a white wine lemon sauce, and it a delicious compliment to the fish. We would have loved to have dessert, but we were too full.  As a matter of fact, we could not eat everything.  The food was really delicious, and we will most definitely go back...with reservations because next time it will not take us long to reach the decision of "where" we should go!

I want a garden!

I told Jamie that I wanted a garden.  He looked at me and said, "Alright."  I should have clarified or asked questions, but we have been married almost 18 years...surely, he understood what I meant, right?  I wanted a Southern Living magazine garden.  You know the kind...weedless, shaded, bug-free.  The kind of garden the yields basketfuls of fresh produce that magically find their way to the freezer.  Well, he did not plant me that kind of garden.

See, I got the garden that has weeds that grow faster than the plants.  The one with cucumbers, squash, and zucchini that triple in size and amount overnight.  My garden has bugs, and it is not shaded.  My garden needs attention everyday, and it yields bucketfuls at time that have to be cleaned, cut, blanched, jammed, or pickled. My freezer is full as well as my cabinets, and there is more to put up. Just where??  As I look around my dining room I see 48 jars of pickles and 12 jars of jam looking for a cupboard in which to be stored.  Only my cupboards are all full!

I am really not complaining; it is just that I had no idea how much work was involved in gardening.  I have a renewed respect for farmers as well as my mama and grandmama, who canned, jammed, and pickled every summer while I played blissfully unaware.  My friend Kerry tells me that this winter when we are enjoying the fruits of my labor it will be all worth it.  I know she is right, so I guess I better go and pickle some more okra.  I also hear that you can freeze watermelon.  I think we may need another freezer...

And remember, no making fun of my farmer's tan, I earned it...in the garden!

A Very Good Day...

Today has been a good day!  I met the gang, and we had  fun socializing while we walked.  During our walk, I even saw Mrs. Barbara, my mama's best friend.  She was like my 2nd mama when I was little, and she always let me help...with her make-up, hair, cooking...whatever seemed like a good idea to me at the time.  I guess she knew that I would go home, so she was very patient with my messes.  I still love her dearly, and seeing her just made my day feel like it had the right kind of start.

Next, Brooke, her friend Savannah, Zach, and I picked up our new addition.  She doesn't have a name yet, but she has adjusted well.  (We'll see how tonight goes...) As the picture illustrates, she dresses well, and is not afraid to attack a stuffed bunny...though the bunny did not put up much of a fight.  The children and I also took the puppy to the vet to have a health check.  She seems to be healthy, so hopefully it will be smooth sailing from here.

Once back at home, Nana and Papa rode over to see what the fuss was all about...they soon understood.  I think I have caught Jamie smiling at her more than once.  Brooke is convinced that once we go back to school the puppy will be laid up in Jamie's lap everyday at lunch.  I am beginning to believe that she might be right!

Our day has not just been about a puppy though...Savannah, Zach, Nana, and I shelled peas.  I was able to put up four quarts as a result of our efforts.  I also made some blueberry jam from the blueberries that Jamie, Zach, and I picked yesterday across the road at Mr. Hardy and Mrs. Alma, our neighbors.  After sampling the jam tonight, I think I may make some more tomorrow.  I have definitely been busy today, but it has been a very good day.

A Beautiful Bride...

Elizabeth & Wiley   July 2, 2011   St. Simon's Island Lighthouse

Recently, my best buddy, Kerry, celebrated her 19th wedding anniversary.  There was a lot of "chatter" on Facebook as many shared their memories of Kerry and Scott's wedding day.  It seems that there was a sudden storm, but it did not dampen the spirits of the bride or the groom.  Kerry's face lights up in a smile as she tells me all about her eventful day.

Kerry's niece, Elizabeth, was married this past weekend.  A couple of weeks before the wedding Elizabeth and her mom decided they would really like a video of the day in addition to pictures.  After not having any luck securing a professional, Kerry asked me if I would consider helping out.  I talked to Jamie to get his opinion, as I know there is nothing professional about my ability to take a picture or video.  Jamie said that they probably just wanted a memory of the day that they could pull out and watch years down the road.  With that in mind, I told Kerry that I would be more than happy to help.

Brooke and I left headed toward the beach on Saturday morning to capture some "gettin' ready" on tape.  We took turns snapping a few pictures with my digital camera as well. I found myself smiling all day long.  I have known Elizabeth for over 8 years.  She was in my 6th grade language arts class the school year I had Zach. As a 6th grader, she seemed quiet and shy but also creative with a ready smile. On Saturday, I was pleased to see that she has become a gracious and beautiful young lady, and her shyness has been replaced with confidence.  Any observer could easily see that Elizabeth is highly thought of by many...especially her family who all worked diligently to make Elizabeth's day extra special.  Elizabeth still has her ready smile, and her blue shoes were a sign that the creativity is still there as well.  I am happy that I was able to share her day with her.

As weddings will do, I thought back to my own wedding day, July 17, 1993.  Wow...it is hard for me to believe that nearly 18 years has passed since Jamie and I vowed to love each other for better or worse.  I remember our wedding day as the beginning of something wonderful, and there has been a whole lot more "better" than "worse." On Saturday, I think I witnessed the beginning of another something wonderful.  I wish Elizabeth and Wiley a lifetime of happiness and a whole lot of "better."

Now to try and edit that video...I just hope it does their day justice!
 

Our newest treasure!

Countless letters, two research essays, and hours of bargaining/begging by Brooke had finally persuaded me to talk seriously to Jamie about finding Brooke a lapdog.  She has been asking for one for at least three years.  Jamie had been completely opposed, but recently he had somewhat a change of heart. I began looking for a puppy that would fit the description of what Brooke wants:  a lapdog...something like a Yorkie.  I first checked with animal shelters and humane societies, but what I found were a lot of bigger dogs...majority being some type of Pitbull mix or Lab mix.  None that would be small house dogs, and very few puppies. 

I next began checking with breeders.  Who knew such small dogs could be so expensive??  I had no idea.  We wanted a puppy to become part of our family, and we do not plan to breed her.  With this being the case, we do not need an expensive show-quality dog. I really was thinking that we would not find anything within our budget.

Finally, I found a lady who had a litter of puppies that will soon be ready to go to new homes, and the price was within our budget.  After talking to the breeder on the phone, I decided that the children and I would go and visit.  I tried to call Jamie at work to let him know, but he was not in the office.  So, without his consent, the children and I visited the breeder and the litter of puppies.  This little girl is a Yorkie Poo, which is considered a designer dog.  Brooke loved the idea of that...plus she and "treasure" seemed to fall in love with each other.  After we as Zach says "bought half a dog," I called Jamie and told him that our search had ended.  His only question was, "How ugly is she?"  Not ugly at all...

Just relaxin'

While there are times that I miss them being babies, Jamie and I have really enjoyed playing with them this week.  Last night, we played Rummikub, and Zach won two of the three times!  (Okay, maybe I helped him a little, but we had a blast!) So far, this has been one of the best summers!

Lazy Days

We arrived at the beach on Saturday for our family vacation.  While I am enjoying myself, I feel very conflicted...part of me believes that when you go somewhere on vacation, you should take in all the sights, sounds, and history that the location has to offer.  However, another part of me thinks that a vacation is a time to simply relax with your family.  So, what do you do?  So far, I have just taken my cue from the children and Jamie...that means we are just being lazy!  Our days consist of sitting on the beach, riding waves, and taking leisurely walks.  I have lost track of the day of the week several times, and my biggest concern is reapplying sunscreen.  We are truly enjoying our time with each other, and we are making memories.  Life is good!

(Who knows...maybe if it rains, they will turn to me for a list of things to do, and I can sneak some history and learning into the week!)

Ft. Pulaski

Jamie and I have been wanting to take the children to Ft. Pulaski for some time now.  We knew that Zach would especially love to see them fire the cannons.  On Saturday morning, Jamie, the children, Nana, and I headed to Savannah.  The demonstrations at the fort were interesting and impressive.  Nana was amazed at the huge fig tree inside the fort. (It was planted in 1907, and it was the largest tree in the United States until just a few years ago when they trimmed it back.)  I had no idea that 600 Confederate soldiers were held as prisoners at Ft. Pulaski during one winter of the Civil War. We all enjoyed our time at this historical fort.  It was also extremely affordable as children under the age of 16 get in free, and adults only pay $5 each for entry. (Plus you can re-enter as many times as you wish over the week following your visit!)  This was another great day of making memories with my family!