Christmas in Durham

Mom & me at the Carolina Inn - part of their 12 days of Christmas exhibit - we are in front of "Two Turtle Doves"

This was an amazing sand castle sculpture at the Inn - the detail was amazing!

We enjoyed our 3rd Christmas in Durham - this year was fun because my mom came to visit us on Christmas Day! Doug was on backup much of the week, but thankfully didn't get called in. He did work the two days after Christmas, so it was nice to have company.

On Christmas, we opened presents and enjoyed the beautiful weather with wine and cheese on the patio. Mom left below freezing weather, so she soaked up the North Carolina sunshine. Later, we made and enjoyed a wonderful Christmas dinner.

On Friday, Doug worked a 12 hour shift, so mom and I hit the after Christmas sales and saw Marley & Me. One of those great days where we were gone all day and did a ton of stuff - but I have no idea why we were gone for 7 hours.

On Saturday, we all went to the Carolina Inn to check out their holiday decorations & eat a great lunch at their beautiful restaurant. The afternoon was filled with playing our Wii and Wii Fit. Doug went to work a night shift and Mom & I went to see the Nutcracker in Raleigh.

Sunday included Church, a bit more shopping and movie watching, taking Willie on a walk, a nice afternoon on the patio with a great fire in the fire pit and a great dinner at a local restaurant. Such a wonderful, relaxing way to spend Christmas! It's always hard to see mom leave, but we're already looking forward to seeing her in New Orleans in February!

The perfect way to sum up our Christmas! Three of my favorite people, napping on one couch!

Happy Holidays

To get this Christmas Card picture:
(P.S. Can you tell we put treats by the camera to make him look in the right direction? That also explains the pathetic face - please let me have the treat!)

We had to go through all of these rejects:

Dogs make EVERYTHING more interesting! Wishing you and yours a very Happy Holiday!

Beautiful Biltmore

We packed up the truck (including the dog) to head to the mountains this past weekend. We stayed in Asheville- two summers ago, we had met our friends Brigette & Jaime up there and had such a great time. We got into town around 9:00, checked in and walked to find some dinner. It was a little chilly up in the mountains, so we didn't go too far.

Saturday, we had tickets to tour the Biltmore. For those not from NC, the Biltmore is the largest private residence in America - built by George Vanderbilt. It is now open to the public for tours. 250 Rooms, 175,000 square feet, this house covers 4 acres. The daytime tour was really interesting, as was the garden & winery tour.

That evening we had dinner at the Inn at Biltmore (AMAZING!) and returned to the house for a Christmas Candlelight Tour. The holidays are the busiest time at the Biltmore, and you can definitely see why. Beautiful Christmas decorations, all lit up at night - was really amazing to see.

On Sunday, we walked around Asheville's fun downtown area for a few hours before heading home. Such a fun town and great weekend getaway...

Biltmore house overlook

Garden Greenhouse - I thought it was so beautiful. And you couldn't take photos in the real house. I settled for the green house.

Garden Building

View from the house

Willie loves vacation!

Biltmore House at night

Beautiful tree Christmas Tree on the lawn

Our official Biltmore photo

Ba Hum Dog

Someone doesn't like his new Santa Hat...

Holiday Weekend

Last weekend, Doug & I kicked off the holiday season with a great start. Friday, we had tickets with friends to go to see A Christmas Carol at the new Durham Performing Arts Center. This was the opening week for this amazing new facility - and is such a great thing for the city.

On Saturday, we got our Christmas Tree and started decorating the house. That evening we attended the Holiday Party at my new job. Great evening at local restaurant Spice Street. It was such a nice event and a great way for Doug to meet some of the people that I work with.

Looking forward to other fun stuff this holiday season - next weekend in the mountains and my mom visiting for Christmas. Happy Holidays!

Our tree with fake presents underneath. :)

At the Holiday Party

Beware of the Doghouse

A really clever 4 minute webisode reminding guys to reconsider their holiday gift choices. Really great viral campaign (surprisingly) from JC Penney. Reminds me of a rule that I adopted from a friend and instated with Doug - "Don't ever buy me anything that plugs in." Just a good rule of thumb for the guys out there.

Gala

Me with three other girls from work.

A few weeks ago, the agency where I work for invited me to a gala for one of our clients. It was a very nice evening - great food, great program. I was very excited to be part of such a great fundraiser.

The program were the speakers Bob & Lee Woodruff. Bob is a journalist who was injured while covering the war in Iraq. Here is the LINK to the story about the event and more about Bob & Lee's story and their charity.

Holiday Favorites?

So, as I was video chatting with my BFF April last night, we got to talking about our favorite Christmas songs. And tonight, I am thinking about ALL my holiday favorites and thought I would start a little poll. So what do you say fellow blogger friends? What are your favorites? - Mine are below. Any other catagories to add? Repost or if you don't have a blog, just leave them in the comments. Such a fun time of year...

Favorite "Church" Holiday Song:
O Come All Ye Faithful

Favorite "Other" Holiday Song:

Santa Baby

Favorite Holiday Movie:

White Christmas & Smoky Mountain Christmas (tie)

I know, it's so embarrassing but I LOVE Dolly Parton.

Favorite Holiday Tradition:

Making Christmas Candy with my family

Yes, I took this picture

If you have ever driven to the Lake of the Ozarks through Cole Camp, you have seen this sign.  And you know you wanted to take a picture, too.  You have to admit, it's pretty funny.  I laugh every time.  Aaron & I wanted to get out & get our picture by the sign.  But it was snowing.

Giving Thanks

Aaron, Taylor (hiding behind her hair), my mom and me at Evie's Birthday Party

Mom and Taylor

Kayla & Taylor - stirring the gravy.  Our family tradition is that everyone has to stir the gravy.

Aunt Evie & Grandpa John

Mom & Kari

Turkey time - Uncle Bill and Aaron

Our (small) snowman

California Girl Taylor playing in the Missouri Snow.

Yes, gas was $1.43.  I had to take a picture.
Taylor cheering in her new Tiger cheer outfit from Uncle Doug.  I think she might have needed to cheer a little more....

Taylor & her dad making breakfast

I was truly thankful to be in Kansas City with my family for Thanksgiving.  Unfortunately, Doug had to work, so it wasn't quite perfect - but it was great to see so many friends and family - especially my mom, brother & niece.  

Besides the holiday, we spent time at the lake house cleaning, visiting a few friends and attending my great Aunt's 90th birthday party.  A little winter mix gave us enough snow to make a snowman and delay our trip home.  We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, surrounded by friends or family.  After a tough readjustment year for our family, it was truly a blessing for us to be together.

Thankful

I'm thankful for so many things, but this post is about good customer service.  Recently, I lost my keys in a department store.  No amount of searching through the racks would make them appear.  I was really upset because on my ring included my new office key.  Really, really long story short - I gave up on finding the keys and figured they were gone for good.  If anybody has these new keys like my VW, you actually have to order them them through the dealership and they are really expensive.  Right before I decided to order a new spare key, I received a package in the mail.  From Kroger, the grocery store.

My keys were magically inside.  

Kroger has a free key-return policy through the loyalty cards that you keep on your keyring. For example my small Kroger card says:  If found please drop in any mailbox.  Postage Guaranteed.
  

Kroger pays the shipping for my keys to get to their corporate offices.  Using the UPC code they scan the card and find out the keys are mine and then pay to ship them to me - as a courtesy.  The letter I received with the keys explained this policy along with their commitment to my family and our security.  Excellent customer service and I must say, I am now brand loyal to my Kroger store. 

As I look at the other cards on my keyring, many of these cards have similar policies.  Remember this if you find a set of keys.  Also, as Kroger pointed out to me - remember to change your contact info on your loyalty cards when you change addresses.  This service would not have been possible if I had an old address associated with my card.  I know where I am purchasing my turkey this year...

It's Snowing... In North Carolina!

It snowed today!  Sure it was only for five minutes, but it was still exciting.  This is a horrible photo from my office window, but it's proof!

Video Shoot & a Mascot

I coordinated my first video shoot last week at my client's hospital.  It's a very cool project - a video that helps kids get over their fear of going to the hospital.  The shoot went very well & one of the scenes called for the Hurricanes mascot.  Knowing my love of mascots, I just had to get a photo.

Wilmington Sunday

Along the river walk

USS North Carolina

With Doug having only a few weekends off last year, we are really enjoying his weekends this year.  He works about one per month, which is such a luxury compared to last year.  Last weekend we took a Sunday day-trip down to the beach enjoying lunch in Carolina Beach and a walk along the beach and pier.  It was a beautiful fall day, 68 degrees and sunny.  Then for our afternoon,  we walked through historic Wilmington, finally grabbing dinner at a great French restaurant Caprice Bistro before heading home.  

Took this pic for my dad.  Interstate 40 runs the entire length of the country.  My dad had driven out to California & back to visit my brother on Hwy 40 - ending in Barstow, CA.  When dad came to visit us, he drove again on Hwy 40 the whole way to Durham.  We took a trip to Wilmington so he could say he traveled the entire length of road - 2554 miles.  We tried to take this picture on that day, but it didn't turn out.  This time - it was a keeper.  

My Dad

Today would have been my dad's 68th birthday.  As many of you know, we lost him to Lung Cancer almost a year ago.  But instead of paying tribute to him on the anniversary of his death, I choose to remember him today.  I choose to remember him healthy  - sitting down on his dock at the lake, with a fishing pole in his hand.  Or dancing with me at Doug's and my wedding.  That is what he would have wanted.  

I miss him everyday and honestly I think the pain gets worse.  Worse because I see all the things he is missing in our lives.  67 was not long enough.  Regret is a horrible thing, and while my dad lived his life with the utmost integrity, love and honor - he regretted the fact that he smoked.  

Live a healthy life.  Take care of yourselves. Value your time with your loved ones.  

Willie's Terrible Twos

Birthday present rawhide.  Willie's other present was 12 

brand new tennis balls.  He is in heaven.

Can you say beggars?

At lunch in the tobacco district - have you ever seen a cuter face?

Round 399 wresting

It was Willie's birthday this weekend and we celebrated by dog-sitting his best friend Bo.  They were able to wrestle, pal around and get into trouble all weekend together.  We also did some of Willie's favorite things - a hike at Eno River State Park on Saturday.  The dog park, a visit to Petco and lunch outside on Sunday.  

While Willie becomes a better trained dog everyday, having two dogs this weekend felt a little overwhelming at times.  Maybe we'll just stick with the one!

Happy Halloween!

My friend Elise came over last night to carve pumpkins!  So much fun to catch up & make some really cute Jack-o-Lanterns  (if I do say so myself!)  I also tried on Willie's costume last night.  He's a construction worker & the back says "Dog at Work".  There was a really cute yellow "hardhat" that went with the costume, but Willie doesn't like hats.  Happy Halloween!

Voting = Free Donuts & Ice Cream

Yum!  Go vote & claim your sweet reward :)

Pilot Mountain Day Trip

He's a mountain Dog!

Beautiful fall colors at Pilot Mountain overlook

Our family pic

My two guys

Doug and I decided to take Willie on a day trip to Pilot Mountain on Sunday.  We were hoping to camp out the entire weekend, but it was cold and rainy on Friday and Saturday.  Sunday turned out to be a beautiful day here - 75 degrees and sunny.  The nice thing about traveling west during this time of year is that we see much more vibrant tree colors.  Driving up the mountain on Sunday, it really felt like Autumn in Missouri.  

Everybody else had the same idea that we did about taking advantage of the weather on Sunday and there was a wait for a parking spot at Pilot Mountain.  We did a short hike and then took our place in line to drive up to the top.  Once we drove up, we were glad we decided not to walk to the top!  It was quite a hike.

We took advantage of the many overlooks of Pilot Mountain and then did a hike around the base.  Willie was such a great dog.  We actually got him a dog pack to carry our water and wear him out a bit more.  It worked beautifully - he was really focused during the entire hike.  We passed countless people and dogs and he just stayed right on track.  And a bonus for us, it really wore him out and he was a calm, snuggle dog the rest of the day.