Back Home

Well, I'm back from vacation. I had a lot of fun with my family, but it was really nice to get home again. My last vacation update was on Tuesday. Our family had so much fun during our vacation. Wednesday, we went to colonial Williamsburg and played toursist. On the way there, we rode across the Chesapeake Bay (part of it) via ferry. Let me tell you, I odn't want to ride a ferry EVER again. LOL I get motion sickness, and this was no exception. I definately had to get out of the car for the maority of the trip. Silly Melinda. We had also planned a picnic that day, but it was raining...so we ate our picnic in the car. We also stopped at the oldest Gothic (referring to building style) church in the US. That was really REALLY cool!!

Thursday, we went to the beach. That was fun. It was Cynthia's first time "in" the ocean --just her little feetsies -- and it was kinda funny, but poor baby. The water was brrrr -- cooooold!! She did like the taste of the salt water on her hand though. That was cute!! Thursday night, we went Mark's bosses' house for dinner. I've met the Mallory family a couple of times before, and I really like them a lot. It's so nice that Mark and Krystina have a nice family there to hang out with.

Friday we just kinda hung out. I don't really remember what we did, to be honest. Oh yeah -- Mom and I did some errands and stuff. It wasn't anything especially spectacular, but we had fum hanging out together. I think we wen swimming that afternoon and then we had our family picture taken. Shannon, Josh, Mark and Krystina found a really cool place just off the bay. We got lots of different versions, but here is the one with our whole family. After the picture, we went to Sonic and got ice cream. Yummyful!!

On Saturday, we all (except Krystina b/c she had to work and David b/c I'm not sure why) went to the Patrick Henry Mall and hung out. Mark treated us to Chili's....thanks, Mark! Then, we went swimming again and had a tastyful BBQ with hamburgers and hotdogs. Saturday night we went to Williamsburg to this Put-Put Golf and go-kart place. Very fun. I lost at golf....but I always do. LOL

Sunday we all went to Mark and Krystina's church. It's a really nice church. I like it a lot. Then Sunday afternoon, I went home. I was sad to leave my family...I almost cried....but I was ready to get home again.

So, there you have it. That's our vacation. I'll leave you with a cute picture of Cynthia and I. She's sooooo cute!!!

Back in Virginia Beach.....

.....or Hampton, to be specific. We spent the day yesterday in Washington, DC. First, we went to the walk by the Capitol building. That was really cool....all of the buildings there are sooo beautiful!! Then, we walked for a while and ended up at the Smithsonians. We went through the Botanical Gardens. That was really nice....and I love flowers!! There were some really pretty ones there, too. Next, we walked to the Native American Museum and had lunch. There is a really cool cafeteria there....you can kinda pick your luch a'la carte. Mom and I had Bison Prime Rib....very tasty. You can't go wrong with that, can you?? Then, we went to the Air and Space Museum. That was really neat, too. There were some great displays there. Last but not least, we went to the Holocaust Museum. Wow - that is a really powerful place!! There are some thought-provoking displays and pictures. One of the most powerful parts of it, for me, was a train car that they actually used to transport the Jews to the death camps. Wow -- we walked right through it. That place in general makes me want to read The Hiding Place again.

Well, here are some pictures that Dad took. I hope you enjoy them.....

Today, Mom, Cynthia, Marilyn and I went to the Potomac Mills Mall. That was fun, too. We met my friend Silvia and her kids David, Mela and Bella there. So we did lots of shopping and had lunch together and did more shopping. I got some really cute stuff for Cynthia. There is a onesie that says "I love my Auntie"....I've been looking for something like that for her since before she was born....they are hard to come by, and I would have settled for even a bib. I also got two shirts and a pair of capris at Lane Bryant...love that store!!

Then, Mom and Dad and I left and drove down to Hampton. Here I sit now at Mark and Krystina's. That's the end of my day.

Well anwyays, it's late and I need to get going here....my poor little brain is fried. I stayed up way too late talking on the phone last night. LOL!!!

Happy Birthday, America!!

I love July 4th....it's like EVERYONE'S birthday. So in honor of us (and because any day off work is a good excuse to party) I had a cookout. Everyone was here. And I have pics now, so you can all see who my friends are.

Tonight, John and I to see Wall-E and then the fireworks.

Well, I'm off to pack for my vacation. Ciao!!!

VACATION!!!!

I leave in two days for vacation!! I am meeting my family up in the Washington, DC, area (where my cousin Marilyn lives) on Sunday. WOOT!! Everyone will be there, except David. He is flying in on Thursday. I am sooo excited to see everyone again...especially Cynthia. She is getting soo big and sooo cute these days!! Here are some pictures from her eight month photo shoot. You can also check out a super cute video that Shannon posted on her blog HERE.

And here are some pictures of her:

Something Old, Something New

So a while back, Ben and Tiffany (neighbors) got a new couch and love seat. Since our apartments are furnished, they brought their couch over to my place. The landlord let me keep it for a while, until he needed it again. Well, it was really nice to have a "foster" couch....but I had to give it up. It was a sad time....we were all attached to the little booger. Sooo....my friend Stephanie and her husband, Hugh, gave me a couch (they got some "new" furniture from his parents and didn't need this one anymore). It's a pretty nice couch, very comfortable, but a little ragged on the seat. So, I got a fitted sheet to cover the treadbare spots and VOILA....problem solved. The colors even kinda go with my other one. Nice, huh??
SO my walls have been nekked since I've moved here, and my friends have been "complaining" about it. So tonight, Tiffany and I were at Old Time Pottery and I decided to see if I could find anything. I ended up getting a really cool mirror thing and another wall sconce. They are sooo awesome!! I still need more stuff, but these are definately a good start!
ALSO I made an afghan for my friend - and adopted sister - for her college graduation. It's really cool.
Here are some pictures.....

Shout out to Silvia

My friend Silvia said that I didn't give her enough recognition on my 6 month re-cap of things. Sorry, Silvia!!

You can check out Silvia's blog HERE it's really cool!!!

Go Celtics!!

So what have I been up to lately? Well I'll tell you...there have been lots of things going on. One of the most interesting developments is my new-found "love" of basketball. My friend John and I have been watching the NBA finals (he is a Celtics fan) and I've discovered that it is a pretty fun thing to do, too. I think it's because the game is so fast-moving as compared to other sports.....or maybe it's because the Celtics are green and green is my favorite color. Hmmm...... Anyways, I'm even learning some of the rules of the game. I even have a favorite player -- Kendrick Perkins #43. Yeah he's like 6'11 and totally DOMINATES the court...well, when he's not being fouled by the other team, that is. I also like Ray Allen. He exudes this amazing amount of confidence and almost all of his shots go in. Soooo....there's my bit about basketball.

On Thursday, I had a huge tailgate party to kick off the first game of the playoffs. It was SWEET!!! I grilled chicken and burgers and hotdogs. Tiffany made pasta salad, too. There were a whole bunch of people there, and we had such a good time!! One of my co-workers, Alan, and his wife, Michelle, came and brought their two little boys...but I can't remember their names right now for some reason, but they were SOOOO cute!!!

So what else has been going on? Well I've been keeping pretty busy. John and Ben and Tiffany and I hang out a lot. We went to see Iron Man a couple of weeks ago, and that was really fun.

Work is going ok. It's not the best job in the world, but it's better than not having a job at all, and besides that it's where the Lord wants me to be right now....so I'm working on contentment.

Well, it's time for me to get to work. Have a great day. I'll try and to better about getting things updated here.