What happens when boys have a party!!

When boys have a party there are lots of sweets; lots of soda; lots of loud noise; lots of muddy shoes from playing football; and plenty of smells!

That is one big Reese's Cup!!

But boys are a lot of fun!!

A Serendipity Day!

Some days are fun and some days are just practically perfect. Not totally perfect, but pretty close!

We started out our Saturday before Christmas by loading up the car and heading to Columbia to do Christmas with my parents.  Champ was excited to be included.

He really was excited!!

After we arrived and ate lunch, we headed downtown Columbia to look around and see what we could see.  We shopped at the Mast General Store and then went ice skating.  Skating outside is fun even though both the boys were ready to end after a very short amount of time on the ice!  But it was especially fun to do something unexpected!

After walking around and not finding much open and trying to decide where we were going for dinner, etc., we saw a sign for The Nutcracker.  Smart phone out, we checked prices and availability and found tickets for $15.  So using my fingers to pick out our seats on a small screen, I was finally able to walk, choose seats, and pay for 5 tickets. I did mention the not so perfect, perfect day, right?

We decided to eat at Mellow Mushroom where we had to wait for a table for 6.  This made me think...I had only bought tickets for 5!!  So back to the phone while we ate dinner; and I was able to purchase a 6th ticket.  Crisis averted...I thought. 

We finished dinner and headed to the Koger Center. We were excited about the ballet, although we knew we were probably a little under dressed.  When we arrived and saw the tuxes and the little girls in frilly dresses, we were glad we didn't run into anyone we knew!  We didn't look too bad, but jeans at a ballet...well it would have been better if Dad had not worn white tennis shoes with his!  And I was very glad I had not let Nathan wear his baggy sweats!  

So we went to will call to pick up our 6 tickets...of which they had 5.  They looked it up and saw that I had bought the 6th one, however, for the next day!  But they were very nice about my mistake and gave us a seat for that night.  

So we were able to finally sit down on the very top row and enjoy the show!!

After we all had our cultural education, which we all actually enjoyed (Camden's favorite part was the rats!), we headed back to mom and dad's to open gifts at 11:00!  Short and sweet!  

Purses are very big this year..I got to choose between these two; or go find another!

And to end the evening, I got my birthday present early from mom and dad.  Very early, but very nice to receive!

So ended our serendipity day!  A day when we wanted to do something special, but didn't know what.  And a day in which fun things were allowed to happen.  It was not perfect...I almost messed up the tickets and we were not really dressed for the ballet...but it was pretty close!!  

New shoes and a new car!

I usually get new running shoes about once a year, which according to Nike is probably 6 months late.  But this year I did get a new pair about 3 months earlier than usual and by my standards, probably 3 months too late.  My shoes don't wear out up top, and they don't usually wear out on the bottom.  They wear out on the inside.

So my pink shoes, which still look  good, got me through several 5k's and a half marathon.  My purple shoes, which are the only ones that are worn on the bottom, got me through several 5k's, a marathon and all the training that goes into it, and a half marathon. The last race they ran in was in April 2014, but I have kept training in them until this October.  They actually were starting to hurt my feet.

The purple showing through was the final straw that made me turn in these shoes!

So I went and got a new pair of shoes that should get me through a half and a full and all of the training for them.

And part of the reason I have to train for another marathon (the first reason being I get a trip to LA out of this run!!) is that I have a new car and it does not have a 13.1 or 26.2 sticker on it!!  I now need to earn another sticker!  And since I plan on this really being my last full marathon, I had better not get rid of this car, ever!!

Getting away from it all

It almost seems funny to be blogging about getting away from it all!  Spending a weekend away from FB and emails and phone calls was nice.  So now I am using technology to talk about it :)  We spent a weekend camping with friends at Dreher Island State Park.  It is a beautiful campground and we had a great time.  The boys especially had fun playing with their friends and running free in the great outdoors!

Fun times with good friends!!

Worse before it gets better!

Just when I had almost finished unpacking the kitchen, the living room had to be moved into the kitchen!!  Well, at least the contents of the bookshelf. 

The floor on the other side of the kitchen was also messed up and had to be replaced.  They did a great job matching the stain with the new wood, and we are now waiting on it to dry.  I think the boys have been more displaced with these few days since the TV is not accessible!  Oh well!  But on Sunday, the bookshelf and other furniture will be moved back.  And I think we will be done with our summer kitchen project!

No more eating out!

We are officially eating at home again!!  Our kitchen is almost complete!  We have some cabinet issues that should be resolved soon, and some boxes that have to finish being unpacked, but it seems finished finally!  I love the colors of everything and don't think the pictures do it justice.  So you will just have to stop by for dinner sometime.  And it won't be take-out :)  

Getting closer to the end!

It is Saturday morning and I am about to start to put things in my top cabinets!!!  Over the last week we had the walls painted; holes patched and repainted; tile put in; and the correct doors put on our cabinets.  Well that is almost done due to them losing a couple and not getting the bank of drawers delivered safely.  But we get our appliances delivered tomorrow and the countertop should be installed on Monday!!  So maybe, just maybe, we will be in our kitchen this week :)  The biggest question the boys have is where do we go out to eat for the last time before we eat at home again!

Our new memo center

Our hidden trashcan...just try to open that up Champ!