RIP..

Well hello there! I has a great weekend barring the fact that my Jeep decided it had lived a good enough life and was ready to move on to the fabulous life of a junkyard. Tears...I LOVED my truck and it has shared alot of memories with me for the past 7 years....not sure who owned it the 3 years before I did but they took great care of it!

So the search begins for a new truck....oh and it MUST be a truck/SUV. How else will I get onto the beach this coming summer? Walk on like the rest of the world? I think not.

Here are the options:

Another Grand Cherokee, a Lexus RX or GX, Acura MDX, Volvo XC90, Ford Explorer or a Range Rover LR3. I need to test drive them all before I buy and hopefully that won't take very long! Any suggestions, warning, deterants etc....???

Finally Back!

Hello Girls...sorry for the very LONG hiatus but I am back and ready to blog!

I have to say that I am relieved that holidays are over! Back to reality - it just takes so long to readjust.

I spent a fabulous week in Marathon, FL a few weeks ago. My cousin Kelli, who is pregnant with TWINS, rents a house there every year for a MONTH...must be nice is all I can say! Well, I decided to take advantage of this and visit them - they were so welcoming. I can honestly say is was probably one of the most relaxing vacations I have ever taken. I don't think I wore anything but comfy cute pj's and bathing suits the WHOLE time. I read 3 books; one in its entirety while laying in the sun on the beach in the front yard. I also took an obscene about of naps outside in a comfy chair by the dock and pool....soooo nice!
Now Marathon is a beautiful place but I could NEVER live there! There is no decent shopping - although Miami is a 3 hour drive away!! And the town is full of old couples...which is so cute to see but a girl can't find a decent man among 70 year old men. I must admit to watch the older couples interact is quite heartwarming. The day I read the whole book on the beach was a little chilly - 65 degrees. I know, I know...not that cold but for them it is really cold. I was laying there in my chair with my sunhat and my bathing suit and the couples just kept on coming...they were decked out in their hats and fatigue suits laying out blankets and having picnic lunches followed by seaside naps in each others arms....SOOOO ADORABLE! I loved every minute of it!

I could go on forever but I digress, time have changed!
Tonight I am heading to Baltimore for the evening! My cousin is co-hosting a benefit for the Maryland Food Bank and I wouldn't miss it for the world! There will be a ton of fabulous bands great drinks and an after party that lasts till 6am!!! Of course I will not last till 6 am - I predict I will be back in my hotel, in my cute ever so comfy pj's, face washed and re-capping the night by 2 am.....and that is REALLY late for me! I will fill you all in on the festivities later this weekend!!

Hope your having gorgeous weather like we are here! Happy Friday & Wishes for a FABULOUS weekend!

BBRRRR.....baby its cold outside!

Wind. I mean really! Is is completely necessary that it be this cold outside? Wind chill is bringing the temps down to about 21...can you say BRRR!

To make it worse I have a hair appointment this afternoon! This is normally a fabulous thing, however, she squeezed me in and will not have time to blow dry meaning that I will be in the freezing cold with wet hair, which will probably be frozen by the time I get to my car :( Sad days!

On a happier note yesterday I was a baking wrapping machine. I wrapped all gifts that are to be given before this weekend and made my thumbprint cookies ALL day! They were quite good this year as I used raspberry, strawberry and apricot preserves. AND...I did not burn a single batch! That is definitely a record for me - guess I have to give credit to the timer which I usually never use.

My sister is coming home tomorrow from Charleston. I am so excited to pick her up at the airport! She is a mess (not a life mess, just super bitch or baby bitch as my father so thoughtfully likes to refer to her). Terms of endearment are so thoughtful!

Well, back to the grind so I can take the rest of the year off and relax!

I LOVE Marshalls!

Hello all! Not sure if anyone is reading this but I will continue on!

I have a very large family and circle of friends which is wonderful, however, it also means Christmas time is crazy busy with shopping! Don't get me wrong. I LOVE to shop! But finding the perfect gift for everyone in my list proves to be quite the challenge!

Well let me just tell you that I have gotten so many crossed off my list at Marshall's! I am ALWAYS in there for things I need however, I just never thought about gift giving from there....I am a changed woman! I found the cutest little pie pans and measuring cups which I will package together with my favorite pie recipes; anthropologie mugs which I paired with the cutest little napkins, a great le crueset pan which I will attache a recipe to, gorgeous table runners and napkins, a beautiful sweater sweater for one of my Grand-mother's a beautiful coach purse for my sister and a great book on horses for one of my friends daughters!!

I think I may hit up the Marshall's one town over this weekend to see what other goodies I can grab for Christmas and maybe...just maybe I will find something for me ;).

Oh! and I love the idea of posing what your wearing.....so here goes:

Completely not that interesting by fun nontheless!! Oh, and super comfy!

Merry Christmas and Happy Shopping!

Gracious Donation!

So one of my families that I had adopted is a family of 6; 5 children ages 7-14 and a single mother who is terminally ill. These children will all be placed into the care of the state once the mother passes. It is so heartbreaking I can hardly stand to think about it!
In an effort to at least give the children something of their family to hold onto once this happens I recruited my family's photographer to donate her services and prints!! She is very excited to do this for the family, in fact "honored" was the word she used! I am just so pleased and blessed that I live in such a great town where people are so willing and generous with their donations, helpfulness and just plain good-heartedness.
Also, I must mention that my friend who took on this large family did so with the promise from a few of her friends that they would help with the cost...they backed out so my Dad stepped in!!! yeah Dad...he is always there to save the day!
I love my town, my family and my friends!

Merry Christmas!

The Hickory Christmas Shuffle

So I am not quite sure what I have gotten myself into!!! Every year my office had chosen to forgo gifts to each other in lieu of adopting 3 or 4 families (single moms/dads with 2 or 3 kids each). Well this year the organizations I touch base with regarding this matter sent me an overwhelming about of families meeting our qualifications; 18 families; 48 children! Since neither my office or myself personally is able to adopt this many children I got the word out to my many gracious friends and have gotten all 18 families adopted!

This is great right?!? Well I thought it would be - until all the gifts (wrapped and addressed TO: CHILD'S NAME, FROM: SANTA) started arriving!! My goodness, where in the world am I going to put all of these gifts until it is time to deliver them!?!?

Geez...I think I have my work cut out for me these next two weeks between work itself, work parties, social parties, hair appointments, shopping trips outta town for those special gifts, delivering presents for 18 families, wrapping my gifts for others, praying for a white christmas, baking and completing my plans for Christmas dinner/breakfast!!! I think I shall name these next two weeks the Hickory Christmas Shuffle!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Hickory

Cold Craziness!

Life was crazy this weekend! I babysat my favorite little munchkins (all 4 of them; 6,4,2 & 9 mos)) from 7am Sat until 6pm Sunday! They are great kids and I have been watching them since the oldest was born - so that is about 6 years now. I was dead tired when I got there Saturday due to the fact that I decided - how hard can it be to bbsit 4 kids for 2 days? So Friday night I decided to go see my favorite band (a good friends band) play...till 1 am!! BIG MISTAKE! I was so tired and had ZERO patience all day!
First off I managed to get all 4 of them bathed, dressed and out of the door by 10 am.....doesn't sound too bad right?! Oh...it gets bad! We were off to a craft bazaar at our church and thankfully another sitter was meeting me there to assist. We walk in and the kids scatter...I mean really scatter! Had the youngest not been in a stroller you can bet she would have been scooting her little fat butt into the madness of what can only be called a toddler mash pit.
Great...they are all rolling on the floor or running in crazy directions with all parents looking on thinking - THIS IS THE WORST PLACE ON EARTH! I mean really...its one thing to have a craft fair but to have the very first project be a sugar cookie decorating extravaganza...HELLO!! 30 kids on a sugar high...NOTSOMUCH thanks!
Thank goodness the other sitter was there and we managed to get the munchkins under control! We left shortly after, hit up McDonalds and were homeward bound - not to venture out AGAIN for the rest of the weekend!!
Sunday went off with out a hitch and the parents made it home by 6pm....I was EXHAUSTED!
I went home took a very hot shower and was in bed asleep by 8 and slept till 8am!!! 12 hours of much needed completely heavenly sleep! How mothers do what I did all day everyday is beyond me! My mother had 7 in 11 years...she must be a saint because I would would be in a mad house!

Well, I am going back to work now and for once, I am very happy to be here!!!