USMC Birthday Ball 2015

This weekend we attended the 240th USMC Birthday Ball in Wilmington NC. It was an interesting weekend for us to say the least! I left my wallet at home, so I had no photo ID on me (no drinks for me!) or any of my cards. Not a good feeling. I also had a mini stomach attack in the car on the way down there that mercifully passed me by after just some very uncomfortable pain and nausea. Then we also thought the cocktail hour started at 6pm when it actually started at 5pm... and we found this out at 4:30pm. So needless to say I did not have time to do my hair this year! Oops. Luckily I got it cut and highlighted the day before so wearing it down wasn't too awful I guess? You would think we'd never done this before! But with all that going against us we still had a fantastic time.

We didn't really know anyone at our table, but we had other friends there to hang out with once the ceremony was over. This year's message from the Commandant spoke about the Legacy of the Corps and was really interesting to watch, as always.

We had some delicious food and were able to dance to a few songs together before it got pretty warm in the ballroom and we decided to call it a night.

Our professional picture... dang I wish I flipped my hair back or something!

Even though we had fun we ended up leaving earlier than we normally do... I realized that when we were snuggled in our pajamas in a giant hotel bed watching stand up comedy before 10pm! A surefire sign we are getting old. I can wear a fancy dress and heels and dance a lot or I can be in my pjs in a giant bed that is uber comfy? Hard choice! But we did have a great evening, I just didn't take that many pictures this year. We also ordered room service for the next morning to have breakfast in bed.

After we lazied about for awhile we met up with our friends Mark and Kayla to explore around Wilmington. We mostly ended up doing a lot of shopping and eating, but it was a lot of fun.

I love secondhand bookstores

We then found a painted mural that screamed photo opportunity! Mark and Ryan's came out the best I think... as nice as our couple-y shots were!

It was nice to have a day out with friends. We had a yummy lunch at Front Street Brewery, and I highly recommend their fried green tomato BLT!

Kayla and I enjoying downtown Wilmignton

After dinner Kayla and Mark introduced us to the deliciousness that is The Peppered Cupcake. Oh. My. Lanta. This stuff as heavenly good! All  natural ingredients, moist, delicious, wonderful flavors... I am a huge fan!

Hot Chocolate Cupcake

Shock O'lata Cupcake, my personal choice

After our cupcakes we headed home and watched the nail biter Giants vs Patriots game (SO. CLOSE.) and relax with some of the new tea we picked up that day. Even though we didn't get anything practical done (helloooo early morning vacuuming and laundry before work) it was really great to spend some time together and just relax and have fun. 

Very good weekend.

I'm Still Here

I know this blog has dwindled, but I am still here.

Ryan was in cycle most of June, then had some leave in July. We needed that time for sure to re-balance ourselves. Of course once we get our footing he usually goes back in to cycle again, but that's just the way it is these days. We try and make routines, stick with them, and spend as much time together as we can. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law came and spent the 4th of July with us and we had some much needed family time.

Sparklers just make everything better.

We've gone to the beach a lot, not quite caring about all the shark issues in North Carolina these days. Don't swim near piers, don't go out too far or in murky water, and just be smart about it. Freak accidents may happen but sharks live in the ocean. That's just the way it is. Plus it has helped us find even more teeth than usual!

Those teeth were all from one trip to the beach last Saturday. It was pretty awesome. Ryan found the big big one, I found the next big one. Both were slightly worn down but still definitely worth keeping for our collection. The square shaped tooth at the top right is actually a sting ray tooth. I know this thanks to my Marine Biologist best friend who solved that mystery for me!

Our other big news lately is that we have a niece! My oldest younger brother Sean and his girlfriend gave birth to a little firecracker girl on the 4th of July, Adrianna Marie. I think she is perfect and I cannot wait to meet her. Ryan and I are officially someone's uncle and aunt.... a first!

So, some things are different, some things are the same, but I am still here.

Hopefully you are too.

Ringing in the New Year

Our New Year's weekend was rather low key. After traveling for Thanksgiving and Christmas we decided to stay in town and just spend the weekend with friends. Saturday night Ben and Chelsea came over and we walked over to the bar and just had a good night letting loose. We played pool and talked and just had a good time. Sunday we recovered and Monday was New Years Eve.

Nicole invited us to her house for dinner and games and we had a blast. I tried some no heat curls to fancy myself up a little and I think they turned out pretty well! Ryan was funny since he never heard of any of the games (um, I hadn't really either!) and he kept saying he was being played. Actually by the end of the night we were three dollars up some how! Not bad considering how many games we both played and lost before we won.

We played dice games (left, right, center), golf, 99, and screw your neighbor. Nicole and Laura sang karaoke but I know better than to sing in public so I stayed at the game table!

 I was the DD for the night but I did have some champagne at midnight! Delicious!

Our New Years kiss! After watching the ball drop Ryan danced me around the living room to Frank Sinatra. Perfect.

My hand from the one game I won!

 New Years Day we went to Buffalo Wild Wings and watched the Gamecocks play in the Outback Bowl.... and they won! We sat there for about four hours watching the game and dragging out our dinner, but it was so worth it.

THE hit heard around the world! We literally jumped out of our chairs when it happened!

 Yesterday was a trip to the commissary which was absolutely heinous. I normally shop during the day and on my own and never on pay day. Between everyone checking in and then the registers all crashing the line literally went around the entire store back towards the entrance near the produce section. I took my time shopping and after Ryan checked in he came and stood in line for me while I finished up. Luckily I always do self check out so the line was a little less bad, but still pretty awful.

Now there may be a mini employment thing in the works, I will blog about it more later when I have more information.... but there is a trial run tonight! Still waiting to hear from the library.

Tomorrow I am getting my wisdom teeth out (and completely freaking out) but I assume I will be lounging in bed this weekend and not on the blog world. I hope you all had a wonderful New Years and are kicking off 2013 in the best way possible. See you all soon!

15th Annual Polish Fesitval

A few weeks ago in our church bulletin I saw a notice about the 15th Annual Polish Festival at St. Stan's, a Catholic Church maybe an hour or so away. For those of you who don't know me too well, I am very Polish. My Babci (Polish for grandmother) is 100% and is fluent in the language, as are her sisters. We always knew they were talking about something good when we were growing up because they switched to Polish so us grandkids couldn't understand. Every birthday on my mom's side of the family we sing in English and then in Polish (Sto Lat) and all of us know a few phrases at least. My Babci makes the most amazing Polish food that I miss dearly so I knew we had to go to the festival.

Saturday we slept in and made our way down to Castle Hayne NC. The festival went from 11-5 and we arrived around 2:30 or so. It was perfect! Free parking and free admission. There was a ton of Polish food, crafts, beer and music... a live Polka Band! We naturally started off with the food.

Clockwise from the top we have potato pierogies (dough like dumplings with potato inside) with buttered onions, glumpke (meat, rice and spices wrapped in a cabbage leaf with tomato sauce) and kielbasa (a sausage) with sauerkraut and a roll. Ryan and I split the plate and were perfectly content. After we ate we walked around for a bit.

We did miss out on the potato pancakes (by the time we were hungry they sold out) and only managed to get some small cookies from the bake tent. Still delicious. We also browsed the crafts (I got a Coca Cola airplane made from a can to put in my bathroom) and it made me really miss my Babci. The afghans and blankets were like the ones she knits. We skipped out on the silent auction and made our way to the music and dancing.

 Have you ever seen andyone Polka before? My grandparents did it at our wedding (and many times growing up) and let me tell you, there is no such thing as a fat Polka dancer! It is fast and fun and those old people can totally cut a rug! They were spinning around us like it was as easy as walking.

 Obviously in a still picture you can't see the speed, but these people were flying around the floor!

 We joined in for one or two dances. I know some basic steps and Ryan and I basically just hopped around a lot! Luckily I was able to bribe him with Polish beer so he was much more cooperative about dancing than usual.

The band was fantastic too. I heard songs I remember hearing at Babci and Poppy's house on the radio growing up and they even made some modern songs into a polka (see Boot Scootin Boogie and You Are My Sunshine). Naturally I wanted to get a tshirt, and a Christmas ornament, and my husband only rolled his eyes a little at my cornieness.

 Regardless we had an amazing time and definitely plan on going back next year! I also heard Jacksonville does a Polish Day in January that we also may have to check out.

Normally you don't see a lot of chubby cheeked, blonde haired, blue eyed people in one place but you could tell at the Festival that I was among my people! I was a dime a dozen in Castle Hayne!

Sunday we donated blood to try and help with the shortage from the Hurricane. Ryan is O- (and naturally afraid of needles) but we both knew we had to try and help out. We also have made financial contributions to the Red Cross and Americares. Please donate if you are able; whether it be time, money, blood, clothes or prayers all are appreciated in New Jersey and New York and all the areas hit by Sandy.

Post blood donation we made our way to the Olive Garden and had a nice dinner (and did that special deal where we took home dinner for another day, awesome concept) before coming home to watch the Giants lose. Sigh. Can't win them all! Overall we had a wonderful weekend and hopefully many more like them to come!

And if you didn't already, don't forget to vote today. I am off to the polls.... hopefully the lines aren't too long.

My give away is almost done! Have you entered yet?? Another awesome give away will be up later this week!

Hurricane Sandy

Here in Eastern North Carolina Hurricane Sandy wasn't very bad. Friday I went to Ben and Chelsea's to celebrate Ben's birthday and when I woke up Saturday morning the rain had started. It was a day of staying in my pajamas and watching TV and snuggling on the couch with Rylie. The wind picked up last night but it wasn't too bad. I ordered Chinese and did not leave my house.

So for the past two days that has been my main source of sustinence. No need to cook when the hubby isn't home! I woke up this morning and went to church and by the time I got out the rain had stopped. I made a pit stop at Lowes for some spackle and then came home. All day it has been pretty windy but the rain hasn't come back. It is definitely chillier today than it has been since we have moved here but its not bad. The sunset made everything glow pink for about half an hour.

Now I am done with my weekend football games (victorty to both South Carolina and the Giants!) and catching up on my poor blog. To all my family and friends up north, especially in New Jersey, please stay safe!!!! I am thinking about you and praying for you.

Don't forget to enter my give away!

Mum Fest

Rehearsals are going well. We have officially entered Tech Week... aka Hell Week. So there was rehearsal this morning and run throughs with lights and cues, a "cue to cue" run, and a lot of time of me up on a ladder! When I got home Ryan and I got in the car and headed off to New Bern for the Mum Festival. North Carolina is big on festivals and I was pretty excited for this one! All of New Bern was covered in booths and tents... everything from food to games to sellers to rides. We spent a good bit of money but we planned it in advance so we were prepared!

We arrived in the late afternoon and the place was definitely busy!

Neither of us had really eaten anything big beforehand (luckily!) and the first thing we did after getting a lucky free parking spot was hit the food.

All this for $20! Ryan got a gyro and I got a "steak and cheese" which we swappedx back and forth. Then we got dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) with greek salad and wing chips. Delicious! We found a curb at the bank drive thru and chowed down. Once that was finished Ryan went on a mission to get some fresh lemonade and not have to spend $6 on it. He was gone for awhile and I was starting to get antsy, I had his phone to boot, but he came back with not just lemonade...

He had fried oreos too!!! They are a huge favorite of mine and I rarely get them! I was so excited that I didn't even glance at the $4 lemonade. Good job Sweetie! After we ate about 3,000 calories each we walked around to all the tents and made our way to the rides.

Ryan tried to get me on the ferris wheel but I am terrified of them. It was 4 tickets each and a dollar a ticket so I was not spending $8 to do something I am a little petrified of. Then Ryan made the mistake of talking to the carnies at the games. Big Mistake. We got suckered in to no less than three games.

Check out my $15 bounty! $5 each and if we played just one more time it could have been bigger. No thanks. Ryan caught on and we walked away with the little gang I had collected. We picked up some more food stuffs to take home.

Naturally my husband found the hot sauce guy and bought a bottle of something he had gotten many times before at Firehouse Subs. I also got a box of beer bread from a Tasefully Simple lady after I explained to my husband the concept. We also hit up the NC Lotto area and bought a bunch of scratch offs, won a tshirt and then won back $12! We had maybe a total $2 profit since Ryan used his to buy more but I held on to my bounty proudly.

As the sun and the temperature dropped we made our way back home. I jokingly started to play Pididdle with Ryan in the car and by the time we got back to Jacksonville we were both shoeless, shirtless and Ryan was beltless. Forget mid twenties, we are kids at heart!

Now Ryan grilled up some chicken and we are going to watch the Gamecocks take on LSU. Go Gamecocks!!!!

Happy Weekend all! And thanks for sticking with me in my lack of bloggingness lately. A review and give away will be up shortly as will more information about my show.