just a quick post

i am trying to decide how to neatly end the year..do i find my "best" pictures or write a "best of" list? or, do i simply sum up 2009 and list my goals for the new year? i have just a couple days to decide....

also to come: i found a recipe on a food blog i follow (well, 2 recipes) that i made last night. the food didn't finish its time in the oven until nearly 10pm so i didn't get a chance to taste it last night, but man, oh man, am i excited for dinner tonight! honey lime chicken enchiladas with chipotle tomato rice (minus the chipotle..couldn't find any). i took a picture too, just because it smelled so good so i'll be sure to post it as well. i made 6 (and there's plenty of chicken and rice left) so it is sure to be my meal for the week. i'm excited. :)

breaking up with your breakdowns
standing tall in your white gown
you're going nowhere, you're going fast
slowin' down, but it never lasts
take your time, woman
take your time

it's the wrong dream, with the wrong man
with a cold gun, in your wrong hand
get it right this time, get it off your mind
let the summer rain bring rest and shame and love

carve your name in a black stone
swear to God we won't let go
if you can't love, babe, then you can't hurt
we take the good times, with the worst
take your time, woman, take your time

it's the wrong dream, with the wrong man
with a cold gun, in your wrong hand
get it right this time, get it off your mind
let the summer rain bring rest and shame and love

bridge

it's the wrong dream, with the wrong man
with a cold gun, in your wrong hand
get it right this time, get it off your mind
let the summer rain bring rest and shame and love

let the summer rain bring rest and shame and love
and love..
and love..
and love..
and love..

and love.

rest, shame, love ~ augustana

can you tell i am in love with http://www.picnik.com? ;)

thursday, i took a half-day from work and got my hair cut (eek!). i came home and cleaned the kitchen & took out the trash..and realized that i still needed to pack and would be leaving during rush hour. so, i took my time..we finally headed for raleigh around 7:45. i spent the night in raleigh and headed down to greenville friday afternoon because....

after 7 years of money issues, taking time off, and working full-time, my best friend, has done it! friday evening around 5:15pm, adina and her purple chucks walked across the stage to officially graduate! i am so proud of her for pulling through and finishing her degree.

after the ceremony, it had started to rain...ugh. after losing adina in the parking lot (she ran off--silly girl!), we went back to toby & jenn's to start the celebration with some super mario on the wii. her "boyfriend" was there...that's a whole other story. i will say that it was nice that he came to her graduation.


i love my girls. here's the picture of the FIVE of us ready to go over to paul & stephanie's (jackie is pregnant!).


it was so nice to be able to see jackie (we didn't plan to match either!) and hannah. i can't wait to plan a baby shower for baby brown! :) it's due in june--what a great birthday present that'd be!

i will refrain from talking about friday night because it reminds me why i have come to hate greenville. it was great to see jacob & the guys, but let's just say that i'm not planning a trip back until hannah gets pinned for her associate's from pcc (in 2 years).

i headed back to raleigh late saturday afternoon and stayed with my folks. with the threat of wintry weather, i didn't want to be driving in the dark. we decorated the tree and watched "ratatouille". after a wonderful brunch of my mom's french toast & my dad's scrambled eggs, i packed up the car and we headed back home.

parental recap

my parents came to visit me in charlotte this weekend...my dad hasn't been here since he helped me move in march! we had a great time (bella too!) spending the time together, however brief it was.

saturday, after we ate a quick lunch (they got to my home ~1pm), we went and looked at a couple of apartments that i haven't visited yet (b/c they are new): the circle @ concord mills and arwen vista. my lease is up in march, so i'm contemplating leaving addison yet again. i'll do a comparison post in january, but at this point my options are: the circle, arwen, bexley @ concord mills, the reserve at stone hollow, phillips university center and ashford green..and addison of course.

after looking at apartments, we went to the billy graham library. to say it was "nice" would be an understatement. i really enjoyed it and is blessed to have shared the experience with my parents. there was a live nativity complete with a donkey (that looked cold & tired/drugged), a camel, a couple sheep and a goat, some kids...baby jesus was a doll of course. i learned a lot, and would recommend it to anyone..bonus--it's free!
after the library, we drove out to mcadenville/christmas town usa. i really wanted to see the lights. but traffic was a nightmare. i'll have to go on a weeknight i think...or earlier in december! so, we bypassed the lights and went onto dinner...at the olive garden by northlake. it was delicious! yum, yum!! after dinner, we went back and played with bella. she was extremely happy her grandparents were here..especially her grandpa. they are too cute together!

sunday, we went to hickory grove north for worship and then home for eggs and bacon. after brunch, we loaded the car back up and they headed back to raleigh.

after they left, i went to ulta and finished my christmas shopping (picking up a few things for me of course)-except for my dad and went to the grocery store. then it was an evening of laundry & cooking (i made a tender roast and veggies/broth in the crock pot)...i can't wait to have some when i get back from my artitudes event tonight! :)

hope everyone had a great weekend. i'll do a weekend & end of year preview later in the week. :)

can't help but share

when i picked bella up from suite paws (for the wedding), i also picked up this super cute bandana. it's pink (so she won't be mistaken for a boy!) with hearts and skulls (for the pirate in her!) & so cute. isn't she pretty?!

my parents just e-mailed me photos from our christmas card photo shoot from thanksgiving weekend (my batteries are dead, so i have yet to pull the ones off my camera). i'm not sure which one will win, since i haven't seen them all, but here are a few that i think are particularly cute (of bella..). :)

getting set up...she really only poses if no one is in the picture with her.
her grandma (my mom) bought her the harlequin collar at ps. :)

Really, Mom? Another picture? I just want to play!

I love when she smiles. :)
This one might be the winner...

I have decided, however, that I won't be making my cards this year. My parents are coming this weekend (Sat-Sun), I'm in Raleigh/Greenville the following weekend (Thurs-Sun), and then it's Christmas. Poof! Just like that! The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas just seems to get shorter and shorter every year!

YAY PIRATES!
YAY PIRATES!
YAY PIRATES!

Back-to-back Conference Champs!

Skip & the boys are heading back to Memphis & the Liberty Bowl
to take on Arkansas, January 2 @ 5:30 on ESPN.

GO PIRATES!
GO PIRATES!
GO PIRATES!

100

this is my 100th post. yay.

some may think i'm wasting it, but i got this e-mail yesterday on the ncplan list serv and it made me smile. because someday, if i stay in the public sector, i may want to hold this position or something like it:

Regional Planner needed to assist with implementation of the Military Growth Task Force (MGTF) Regional Growth Management Plan in eastern North Carolina. See www.nceastmgtf.org. This is a 2-year grant funded position with further employment potential. Reports to the MGTF Executive Director and is located at the Eastern Carolina Council offices in New Bern, NC.
Regional Planner will perform advanced planning work and provide coordinated guidance in the principles and practices of regional planning, land use planning, and community development. Skill in the collection, analysis, and presentation of technical data. Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing. Proficiency with ESRI ArcGIS software. Ability to build positive working relationships with local governments and key stakeholders. Ability to organize and coordinate public participation.
Requires graduation from a college or university with a degree in a related field and considerable planning experience in public sector planning, AICP preferred. Salary negotiable up to $110,000.

(ECC is a quasi-governmental planning organization serving Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico and Wayne Counties.)

I particularly like that negotiable salary. ;) happy 100th post to me. :D