it's a little steamy out there...

so it's hard to believe that i have only a week left to enjoy the freedom of summer. i'd love to have just a couple more weeks... sigh...

but at any rate, here it goes:

i had the pleasure to take dinner to katie and nathan and seeing adorable rory (and got to hold her while they ate!) forgive me for the sideways photo, but i forgot to rotate it and blogger won't do it for me.

also got to enjoy john mayer/ben folds/james morrison. the first photo is john mayer (you can tell more by the screens, i guess) and the second is ben folds (big grand piano gives him away). awesome concert, and i had such a good time going there with my coworker kelly. the pictures aren't great, but i didn't bring the big zoom lens camera cause i thought they might not let me take it in.

and the other big event in the last two weeks...linda and brandon's wedding. this is only one of many photos that are up on flickr, so please hop over there and check them out. i have to say i'm quite proud of this girl and how calmly she handled the whole weekend. she was gorgeous, the ceremony was beautiful, and we had a rockin' time at the reception. it was also great to catch up with some old EC scholars friends--ashley and mark were there, as well as john and his new girl sarah. i can't wait to hear how their honeymoon went in st. lucia in a couple weeks...

and the day is finally set--i'll be heading to fayetteville on sunday night to take the LCSW exam on monday morning. i've gotten into heavy duty study mode this week, studying for a couple of hours each afternoon and reviewing lots of material. i'm feeling pretty good about it, but i don't want to be overly confident cause there's a possibility that i'll have to take it again in another few months... nope, nope, positive thinking. and when i pass it, i will run right out and buy the new harry potter because i've been holding off until studying time is done. then, it'll be two awesome days of reading for hours until i go back to work :)

i've been trying out a gym that's close to the new house and i'm really liking it. it feels good to get back into that routine, because even though i've been walking and doing light weight-lifting, it's nice to have access to all of the big weight machines and classes.

and i think that's about it...later, y'all.

where has the summer gone?

it's quite hard to believe that tomorrow is the last day of july. i'm really not quite sure where all of the days have gone, but i'm slowly facing the fact that i will return to work in a little over two weeks. sigh...

in the meantime, i'm getting back into the swing of things here in greenville after spending a week at oak island last week and atlantic beach two weeks ago. the week in between was somewhat random--mainly getting stuff settled for my P-LCSW stuff and studying for my upcoming clinical exam (ugh!). it'll be 170 questions over four hours, and i hope to take it right before school starts. it's been a while since i've really had to study, and let's face it--unless you're doing psychoanalysis all the time, you really aren't familiar with the 20 some defense mechanisms that freud listed. theories, vocabulary, treatment methods, medication symptoms...i'm cramming it all back in after finishing grad school a couple of years ago. luckily, most of it is coming back quickly.

i'll take a break from studying when i head to raleigh tomorrow for the john mayer/ben folds/james morrison concert at walnut creek. so exited about this...the last time i saw john mayer in person was three years ago, when i was the corrupting older sister and took alan to see him and maroon five the night before classes started. it was one of the best live performances i'd ever seen, and i have no doubt that tomorrow will be just as good. i'm riding with a friend from work, and we're going to picnic in the parking lot beforehand and just hang out and people-watch. perfect :)

recent fun/exciting events:
the arrival of rory to proud parents katie and nathan last thursday. yay!

linda's bachelorette party this past saturday night and her upcoming wedding weekend beginning friday with a bridesmaids luncheon and rehearsal, and the wedding on saturday. it'll be a busy time, but she and brandon make such a happy couple and i'm looking forward to being a part of the big day. i had a great time hosting her and the rest of the bridesmaids this weekend, and i must admit--i love actually having the space to do that!

and of course, ashley and mark's engagement and the beginning of the planning for their may 2008 wedding in duke chapel. also looking forward to being a part of their wedding when the time comes.

and justin and i are working on the plans for a house warming party sometime in august. keep your eyes out for a date and an evite. we want to celebrate with everyone who has been so helpful during this long process. we just haven't gotten around to actually planning it :)

continuing summertime goal: toilet training the cats. it can be done (google it, seriously--there are videos) and we're in the middle of the process. today, i went from litter box on top of the toilet to litter box in the toilet. i made the switch this morning... and there's no evidence yet that they've actually used it. this is the step in the process that actually concerns me cause it's the biggest change for them. i'll keep ya updated...

alright, that's it for now. check out flickr for new photos from the beach soon--i'm working on getting them up in the next couple of days. later, y'all :)

hot time in july...

so we're having a blast in july--with fourth of july fireworks, grilling out in the evenings, and lots and lots of yardwork.

i'm currently posting from the beach, where we're wrapping up the end of a week-long vacation with my family. it's been days of sun, surf, swimming and visiting with family around here. hard to believe that the week is almost over, but we have another vacation coming up with justin's family, so i still have that to look forward to :)

grass is coming, thankfully, after a veeeeeeeeery long day of tilling, raking and seeding our yard. i'm not a big one for yard work, but justin says it's making progress back at home.

that's about it for now. beach pictures should be up soon, but in the meantime, check out my photos on flickr and our updated house tour video on justin's website.

summertime...

and the living is easy...well, getting easier.

we're quite settled in. the returns have gone back (almost). the boxes are unpacked (well, most of them). and the decorations are falling into place (except for those empty picture frames). the one thing that seems to be a common theme is that the moving is never done.

the most difficult part of the whole "new house" process? the new yard. we gave up on the seeding that the builders did and decided to do our own. so three hours on sunday afternoon, another $50 in mulch and grass seed, and our new lawn was set and ready to grow. until...

a half-hour thunderstorm on monday afternoon washed it all out. i mean, torrents of water down the lawn, washing all of our hard work and seed going down the drain--quite literally. i think we're coming up with plan B for this weekend. in the meantime... hey, we don't have to cut the non-existant grass!

i'm still making it out to school a couple of times a week, particularly with all of the commotion that has gone on recently. let's just say i hope oakwood is as wonderful an environment for me and all of my friends next year as it has been for the past two years--but there are a lot of changes going on.

i have been relaxing, watching some new movies (finally got to see "dreamgirls"!), and keeping up with the always varied options of summertime TV. a couple of things i'm looking forward to--the return of "the world series of pop culture" on VH1, and TBS's "my boys". i've also enjoyed watching samantha brown's new series, "passport to latin america", and she continues to have my ideal job. anytime she wants a break, i'm ready and willing to fill in.

i've kept a steady schedule of working out three times a week with a coworker, keeping busy with my other out-of-school teacher friends (katie's about to pop! anytime now, anytime...) and had a wonderful trip to benson for a DCI show last week. pics should be up soon, along with updated photos of the house. i'm still taking care of photos from the bar mitzvah, but i should have time to get things up in a day or two.

alright, that's about it for now. later, y'all :)

playing house :)

so we're in, we're somewhat settled, and we're learning all of the things that go along with having a house.

for example--trashcans and mailboxes don't come with the house. you have to get those. you don't get mail until you have a mailbox.

blinds, too.

and in our case, grass didn't come either.

but other than that, it's been wonderful and such a learning and growing experience. i love having space for everything, even though i don't like figuring out where to put all the stuff. i love having room for all of our furniture, though we're still figuring out how to make it match--and some of it might not, but we're atleast attempting it.

we have more channel options on satellite that we know what to do with, and i'm getting caught up on all of those summer doctors, vet and dentist appointments that i always try to schedule for the week after school. milo's going to the vet tomorrow--and after our embarrassing display last time where it took the vet, vet tech, myself and a towel to restrain him, we have some pills to sedate him and hopefully make it an easier time for all of us.

i'm still in that weird transition time, though, between school and summer when i'm not quite sure what to do with myself, and feeling a constant need to be productive. i am getting up to work out with a friend from work in the morning during the week, and i'm loving the weather in the evenings for walk around the neighborhood. it hasn't quite hit that humidly hot weather yet--except, of course, on the day we moved. otherwise, it's running errands, doing stuff around the house and making plans for the rest of the summer. it looks like there will definitely be some beach time in there :)

alright, that's all i can ramble about right now. i promise to have pictures up of the house once it's in some sort of order. later, y'all

i am surrounded by boxes...

two cats, a bunch of plastic bags, and more stuff than i know what do with.

moving is fun, right?

well, school is out--for good. we had our last day of teacher workdays yesterday, wrapping everything up with a bowling party. this was after we were out late on tuesday night for the board of trustees dinner and some fun afterwards at chefs 505. and, of course, the three days of meetings. don't forget those! and erin's wedding on saturday...wow, lots of social stuff with work lately.

i've learned that the end of the school year is tough on me, very bittersweet and nostalgic. trust me, i'm happy when summer gets here. that's one of the perks of being on the summer schedule. you work really hard for 9 months and then get three months off as a reward. however, the transition time is difficult. i love my routines, i love seeing my favorite students all the time, and when it's time for people to move, or leave, or teachers to get switched around, it always leaves me wanting things to stay the same. i'm going to miss some very sweet kids next year, i'm going to miss some fabulous co-workers, and i won't find out what that's going to feel like for another two and a half months.

back to erin's wedding--erin has been my fellow bride-to-be this year. she was a new teacher, i came back to school engaged, and we realized our weddings would only be a few weeks apart. it was so nice to have someone with which to comiserate when you'd made your fourth trip to david's bridal in a month, or you couldn't figure out where to hold the rehearsal dinner. we had a great time at each other's showers, planned the talent show together at school, and i was always dropping in at her chorus class (just cause it made a nice end to my day). her wedding was beautiful, at the episcopal church downtown, and just so "erin and matt." i mean, who else but a couple of chorus students would have the bride walk down to a choir singing acapella latin hymns? the reception was held at their home on 5th street just a little ways down from the university. gorgeous, even with a little drizzle of rain, and i've never seen her look happier.

and now, with all of those social events over, it's time to focus on the move. we have our final walk-through and closing tomorrow, and then we pick up the big truck and get started. it's overwhelming right now, but i know it'll turn out okay cause...it has before. and it's so nice to know that this is the last move we'll make for several years. as someone who has moved every year for the past six years...i'm excited about a feeling of permanence. it will be a couple of weeks before the place truly feels like it's our own, until all of the little details and touches are taken care of. but tomorrow, it will be OURS and that's an awesome feeling.

(and justin is a wonderful husband cause he's letting me go off on saturday and take pictures for a student's bar mitzvah and i'm leaving him there alone to set up the house and all of the electronics--he's so good to me).

alright, i suppose i should pack...

later, y'all :)

three and a half days...

that's all we have left of the school year with kids. granted, there'll be three more days of meetings the next week, but still... it's getting close.

justin and i celebrated our month-iversary on monday of last week. it's hard to believe it's already been a month, and we're also nearing our next milestone--the house closing--in just a little under two weeks. i've already started packing boxes, but it's awesome to know that this is the last time i'll be packing things up in several years--YEARS! as a girl that's moved atleast once a year for the past six years, this is a huge sigh of relief.

our weekends have been crowded lately, so it will be nice to be a little settled in a while. we're busting out of the apartment, between justin's stuff and wedding presents, so it's actually been good to be out of the place during the day. maggie's wedding in winston-salem was fabulous, a classic southern affair in black and white, complete with horse and carriage, champagne toasts and huge oak trees. the next weekend was a weekend of showers, with linda's bridal shower brunch on saturday and katie's baby shower on sunday. and this past weekend, for the holidays, we headed to fayetteville to redo my room at home so it is now gender neutral, clean, and can accommodate justin and me quite comfortably. we were also able to squeeze in a trip to the beach yesterday for justin's sister's birthday. though it was crowded in the parking lot, fighting the traffic was well worth it once we got on the sand and in the water. a beautiful day for beaching and cooking out.

and today--well, justin had to work, so i'm catching up on cleaning, errands and packing. quite productive and preparing for our last week of classes. summer's almost here...

later, y'all.

the honeymoon

if you need to get caught up, read the previous post. then start here :)

so with a 8 am flight, we needed to be at the airport around 6:30. we caught the shuttle from the hotel and made it through check-in and security without any trouble. during the flight, we got to see charleston, sc, and kennedy space center from the air. we landed shortly after ten, and not knowing when the next meal might be, ate a quick lunch at the airport. as we went towards baggage claim, i heard my name being paged and headed over the baggage counter as quickly as possible.

on our flight, we had a passenger in a motorized wheelchair that was stowed under the plane with the luggage. this was a fairly small plane, though, and the weight distribution was thrown off so a few suitcases had to be left behind to follow on another flight. they assured us that it was luggage that had been checked plane-side. however, as i made my way to the baggage counter, it became obvious that that wasn't the case. we were reassured that my suitcase was coming on a flight from atlanta and would definitely be here in time to get on the boat (to lessen the suspense--it did).

so then it was over the ship on the bus and through the long process of checking in. we were actually in our room by about one o'clock, so we ate lunch and explored the ship, had our muster station drill, and came back to find that yes, my suitcase made it. we got cleaned up and had our first dinner on the ship, watching the sunset off the stern of boat afterwards.

our two days at sea were a lot of sleeping in late and having breakfast in bed, lounging around on the sun deck (well sun-screened, of course), exploring the ship, taking in movies on the big LCD movie screen, watching shows in the theater, and enjoying huge five course meals. though we enjoyed our time on the ship, it certainly was exciting to wake up wednesday morning to bright sun of st. maarten/martin.

we boarded our bus outside of the ship to take us on our tour of the island. we stopped first at a souvenir marketplace called the village plantation, where we were offered rum punch and the chance to buy various trinkets. the rum punch became a theme at all of these places--more likely for you to buy things, i suppose. next stop was the flea market in the french capital, marigot. this was my favorite stop, simply for the photo opportunities and the wonderful crafts that were being sold. we picked up a small watercolor painting there, as well as a quick snack to tide us over until lunch. i loved the colors, the sounds, the smells, the whole environment of the flea market. we took our still-warm sandwiches back to the bus and headed on to the beach.

the boo boo jam beach (yes, actual name) was located on part of orient beach, the widely popular "nude" beach on the island. though our touristy beach section was pretty much free from nudity (thank goodness) we did see some as we strayed away to more public sections of the beach. the water was gorgeous, though, clear and amazing blue all the way out to the horizon. we slathered on sunscreen, drank lots of water, and swam to keep cool in the almost noon-day sun. alas, this where i got my sunburn for the week, but it was a great beach experience otherwise.

we headed back to the ship to shower and eat lunch before we ventured off once more, just long enough to explore the shops around the port and get a drink at one of the bars nearby. as we watched catamarans come in and all the passengers walk back and forth from the dock, we talked with the locals working there and took it all in. such an interesting island--a mix of french culture, dutch heritage and the tropical lifestyle.

st. thomas was our next stop, and the morning presented itself rainy and windy. i had invested in a floppy straw hat after my day in the sun before, but that proved not to be a problem on thursday morning. we ran through the pouring rain from the ship to our open-air safari vans. thankfully, the rain let up in time for the tour to start, and it was overcast but comfortable for the rest of the morning. we visited mountain top, where we sampled their world famous banana daquiris, drove around to various vistas off of the moutain roads, made another stop at st. peter's great house where, yet again, rum punch was available, and then headed to downtown charlotte amalie where they were celebrating "carnivale"--their own version of mardi gras. the streets were crowded with locals in very skimpy carnivale costumes, roads were closed, traffic was crazy and as we were let off at one of the major intersections, that's about the time that the bottom let out and it began to pour again. we took a wrong turn, ended up in the not-so-good neighborhood, and had to walk back to the shopping area in the rain.

this was the point at which i had my mini-melt down. i don't like being lost in a place i don't know surrounded by lots of locals in the pouring down rain. it's slightly stressful and not that much fun.

justin saved the day by getting us back to our starting point and taking us far enough in the downtown area to catch a cab going to the other end of the town. we finally got to our destination, paradise point, and rode tiny trams up to the top of the mountain where we were greeted with shops, a wonderful restaurant and, eventually...sunshine. after some food and an amazing concoction called the bushwhacker, the sun came out and we were able to enjoy our view of st. thomas and charlotte amalie before heading back to the ship.

our day at sea was a busy one, with a tour of the galley and cooking show in the morning, ice carving demonstration in the afternoon, and a big event for me--the "on deck for the cure" 3k walk for the susan g. komen foundation. this was the first week the ship had held the walk, but they're trying to raise $1m for breast cancer research along with other ships in the industry. though it was warm, it was definitely worth it and i had a great time (and have a cool hat to remember it). we got ready for our last formal night and then had a full evening of dinner, comedy, hypnosis, champagne waterfall and "london pub night" which kept us out until 1 am.

we did have to get up the next morning for princess cay, the cruise ship's private island in the bahamas where we were able to snorkel, swim, eat (of course), and relax along the sandy beaches as we watched people fall off the banana boat rides. seriously, they had a ton of watersport activities with sailing, paddleboats and those big bike contraptions to keep everyone entertained. after a few hours on shore, it was time to take the tender back in and prepare for our last night on the ship.

along with a wonderful dinner, our last night was spent staking out spots to watch our favorite entertainer, bert. i first heard bert the second night of the cruise as we walked past crooner's bar along the atrium. he was leading all of the audience in his own rendition of "sweet caroline," and i told justin, we should come back and see him tomorrow night. well, we did and we were both hooked. he's a combination of jim carrey and victor borga at the piano, with an awesome repetoire of broadway, oldies, rock and roll and his own material. he coins phrases, encourages audience "participitation," and actually makes you sing parts over again if he doesn't feel you did it up to snuff. we ended up standing outside of crooner's several nights singing along with bert, and made it to his full show in one of the lounges as well. i can't really explain why he was so addicting, so you can look him up on youtube or check out his website, www.bertstratton.com he actually has fans that book their cruises based on which ship he's on at the time.

other interesting notes about the ship:
justin ate a ton of food. those of you who know justin know that he is not a big eater. but man, there must have been something in the water cause the boy ate all the time. didn't gain a pound, but atleast he tried :)

only one towel animal, but he was cute.

best coffee i've ever had from a non-coffeehouse place. i had coffee all the time just because it was so consistently good.

i remembered to tip people. made me feel very grown-up :)

and finally--if you have the pleasure of going on a cruise, eat dessert. every night. trust me.

disembarkation was uneventful, and we had way too much time to kill at the airport before our flight. the transition from cruise food to airport food is a difficult one. and now we're back and in to the end of school routine, waiting patiently for our house to be ready so we can sign the papers and move on in. we had the joy of watching maggie and baxter get married last weekend in winston salem, and this weekend i'm helping celebrating linda and brandon's upcoming nuptials and the arrival of baby girl mcanally with katie and nathan with a couple of showers. life is good for everyone right about now...

check out flickr for pictures and anything else i might've missed. videos are posted on justin's website, the link is to the right.

that's all for now. later, y'all...

"mrs. thorn, please call 210, mrs. thorn, call 210"

so i'm still getting used to hearing that over the intercom at school. almost a week back now, and i'm never quite sure what i'll be called, or what to call myself as when i'm introduced. guys never have to worry about this, but i must admit--i love it.

it's my first post back, and i imagine this will come in a couple of drafts. there's so much to share since i last wrote, and it's hard to put it all down into words, but i'll try.

we're married, we're living in my tiny one bedroom place for the next month, and we haven't even touched the majority of our presents. it's nice to be home, and it's wonderful to be back in the real world as a married couple. yet it's so hard to believe that just two weeks ago, i was heading to fayetteville to get ready for the bridesmaids luncheon and all of the last minute details before the rehearsal. it feels like ages ago--and yesterday--all at the same time.

so i'll do what i can to touch on the past two weeks. i might even add some pictures, though if you want a full run-down photograph-wise, you need to go to my flickr site. there are quite a few. just click on the "wedding weekend and honeymoon" set and put it on slideshow.

friday, april 20th--we start off by running a few errands and heading down to the kyle house for decorating, and the church to figure out where people will sit, where the wedding party will change, etc. i manage to meet linda downtown and she goes with us to pick up my bridal pictures before we all head to my bridesmaids luncheon at john and mary's house. it was a beautiful afternoon--kinda chilly, but we were able to eat outside, have our "charm pull" for the cake (i got the castle meaning "happily ever after" while grandma got the engagement ring--ha!) and spend time with all of the wonderful women in my life. afterwards, the girls and i went back to my mom's house and painted our nails before we all left to get ready for the rehearsal.

the rehearsal was at 6, and we all began gathering at the church to do a run-through. it was amazing to see all of our family there together. with the distance and family situations, it's rare that you see them all in one room at one time. but tonight, almost everyone was here and it went so smoothly. we practiced the ceremony once, gave the guys a lesson in ushering, and before we knew it, it was time to eat again!

the haymont grill and steakhouse holds many childhood memories for me--i remember going there as a kid after church for lunch and getting spaghetti, or the hamburger steak. it was the best option for us when we started looking at banquet rooms, and they accomodated us so well. i went around to all of the tables, playing hostess, and enjoyed visiting with all of our family that had come in town. we had toasts, including a touching one from scott, a funny one from linda, a suprisingly calm one from justin and as for me...well, i told myself i wouldn't get choked up, but it didn't happen. we had the best time, though, and afterwards, the bridal party headed back to the hotel where most were staying and had a quick drink before bed. though i had been afraid of not sleeping, by midnight, i was exhuasted and immediately fell asleep.

we started off the morning with a quick visit to great harvest for some scones, hot coffee and well-wishes from the bread heads there. with time to kill, we headed back over to the kyle house to help with decorating with grandma and all her friends. then it was off to lily's for the third and final styling of my hair. sprayed in place, we went back home where i did my make-up, figured out what was going with us to the church, and picked up lunch from subway decked out with my veil (that got a few looks). quick lunch in the fellowship hall, fun times getting dressed, and the photographers appeared. i was handed my flowers and waited patiently to see my groom. though he had seen me in my veil earlier, this would be the first time he saw the gown and jewelry and i was so excited to see him in his tux.

he walked in to our quiet little space tucked back behind the sanctuary, and we had our moment just to look at one another and take in everything. we hugged and shared a sweet kiss as the photographer snapped away. i got teary and was quite happy to have had my waterproof mascara. after a little bit of dabbing and a couple more pictures, we went out to join the rest of our group for the formals.

suprisingly, a half hour passed by and we were done. justin and i got whisked away as guests started arriving, and we did a few pictures in the back, as well as some fun shots with the bridesmaids. there's a lot of time to kill that half hour before the ceremony. i do remember waiting outside as my bridesmaids went down the aisle, hiding behind the door until they called me into the narthex. everyone said i booked it down the aisle, not that i was really paying attention to my speed, and suddenly, there we all were.

i don't remember specifics about the ceremony except that my feet were starting to hurt being in heels and standing on a slope up front. i shifted my weight back and forth the whole time. justin's hands were sweaty, and he had a little bit of trouble putting my ring on. we tried to speak clearly. according to everyone, we did and it was great cause sometimes you can't even hear the vows.

we kissed, turned around and smiled, and i kept justin from going down the wrong aisle. then we were whisked away again until the majority of the guests left and we could come back in to recreate a few key moments for the photographer. we piled into justin's car, drove the three blocks to the reception, and came in a very crowded house with a lovely tent out back. i found my beaded white flip flops as soon as possible. if there's one piece of advice i'll give any bride, have a back up pair of shoes. you'll be grateful. trust me.

we ate, we did the whole champagne thing, we got frosting on each other's noses, i threw a small bouquet, justin threw my garter, and we faked our exit with lots and lots of bubbles. in between all that, i saw tons of people and said "thank you" a million times and posed for pictures and caught up with old friends. it was so awesome--everyone was so happy, and it was like everyone that i loved and cared about the most was there to see me and my wonderful husband. it was the biggest and best party i could have ever been a part of.

i could've stayed there forever...
but we had a 8 am flight in the morning and reservations in raleigh. so it was into our "just married" life is good shirt, back to pick up my big 'ol suitcase, and off to prepare for our tropical vacation.

last post as a single girl in g-vegas :)

so it's been quite a week, and the handy "countdown" on my google homepage says that the wedding's in 3 days.

my first inclination is to say, "no way, where has time gone? it feels like it shouldn't be that close." but i would be lying. it should be that close. it should be here. and i will love every minute of it, and love the fact that i will have a week off for my honeymoon. no more putting this off, saying there's so much to be done. it's done, i'm ready for it, and if someone were to say, "hey, want to have your wedding in the next five minutes?" i'd say "sure thing, show me the dress."

i think this might be what happens to all brides the week before their wedding. i've tried to play it off all this time, saying i'm not a bridezilla, i've been very low-key and really stayed calm through some trying times. but this week--all bets are off. the one thing i can say is that when friday gets here, i will be ready to see my friends and family, celebrate and enjoy this entire experience. until then, it's somewhat stressed-out, tired, emotional and hanging on by a thin thread of sanity lauren. she's a fun version of me :)

non-wedding related news--we have a very complete looking house. only missing carpet, some major appliances and a yard.

talent show auditions today, and my school has some talented kids. can't wait for the show in may.

this weather is way too cold for april, i'd like to say.

praying often for the students of VT.

and excited about seeing all of the people coming in town.

that's it for now. i'll be unavailable until the 30th. but i'll be back with lots of stories and pictures :)

later, y'all.

tick, tock, tick, tock..

so i'm in fayetteville, getting all of those last minute details finished and taken care of. the end is in sight, and i'm ready for it to be here :)

in the past 24 hours, we've gotten my car to the shop, my dress to be steamed, the programs printed, the bridal portrait chosen, frame for the portrait purchased, the check-in for the caterer (and tomorrow, the florist and the rental people), thank you notes written, and... well, if i think of anything else, it'll get done tomorrow.

things that i am looking foward to:
-packing for the honeymoon, and let's face it, the honeymoon itself. the fact that in just a little over a week, i will be on a balcony of a cruiseship, heading towards the virgin islands--that's just awesome.

-seeing all of my friends and family that are coming in town.

-getting dressed up. as much as you may not pin me as "the girly girl," i have to say--putting on a big white dress and a veil makes everyone feel like a girly girl. it's fun, and if only for the afternoon, you feel like a princess.

-being one step closer to having our house. soooo excited about that.

-and, of course, being mrs. thorn. it's gonna be a great 10 days... :)

later, y'all.

two weeks... seriously?

so as we're nearing the two week countdown to the wedding, things are amazingly busy--and not busy--at the same time. it's like running a race in slow motion. the days are full, but not necessarily of the immediate things. there are things that still need to be done, but they're always "well, next week," or "on spring break." so it'll be crazy when that time finally gets here and those things need to get done.

it's been standardized testing for the younger kids at school, and i've been helping out with a small group that gets extra time and read-aloud for the test questions. wow... talk about exhausting. there's also been planning for the talent show next month, the semi-formal, and all my typical appointments with kids.

outside of work, it's worship focus committee for church, doing all the last minute details like programs, dress steaming, florist/caterer/photographer check-ins, etc.

and, of course...
my bridesmaids weekend in virginia beach.
i have no pictures for this yet, though there should be one out there of me with a light-up sash and sparkly "bachelorette" tiara with about a dozen strands of beads around my neck before we went out. when i get that one, i'll let you know ;)
let's just say it was a fabulous weekend with my dear girls, where we got to have a great time together, see linda's new apartment, eat at some fabulous restaurants and stay at the hilton garden inn at the virginia beach town center. couldn't ask for a better time!

and tomorrow, i get to enjoy a potluck lunch at work for my other fellow bride, erin, and me. justin and i will head to fayetteville on saturday by way of clinton, have easter sunday at hay street, and head back in time for his family's celebration. and then....

spring break. hallelujah.

later, y'all :)

where's the time going?

it's been another hectic week with wedding deadlines, busy times at work and an ever-productive social calendar. i'll be looking forward to the honeymoon just to have a week of doing nothing...

so--here are the highlights:

the lovely weather and a trip to little washington on friday night. i finally got to try out "backwater jack's" and their amazing sweet potato fries. SO GOOD. also enjoyed the sunset and a lovely walk along the waterfront. pictures at flickr, of course.

another great photo shoot with my girl michelle. also on flickr :)

final marriage counseling session and getting together the wording for the program--coming together, finally.

hail storm last night, leaving some lovely dents in my car hood. nice...

oakwoodettes final party today after a rousing performance at auction--also fun times.

and last but not least, packing for virginia beach and a wonderful weekend with my bridesmaids. i'm very excited about seeing my girls!

that's all for now... later, y'all.

one month

that's all i'm saying. one month from today...

i'm digging the cough syrup with codeine...

so i've been sick for the past few days, and i'm just now getting my normal voice back. lots of coughing and hacking and a fever will do that to you, but i'm starting to feel much better. the cough syrup helps with that :)

so it's been a crazy couple of weeks, with lots of stuff going on at school. changes in staff, auction, my health classes, practicing for oakwoodettes--all taking up tons of time. again, we should be finally slowing back into a normal schedule around there. the auction was fabulous, with a wonderful performance from all of my fellow oakwoodettes and a great time with my friends.

wedding stuff is moving along as well... marriage counseling, bridal portraits, favors, napkin designs and all the rest of those little details no one really tells you about at first. it's hard to believe that it's only a month from wednesday. whoa...

and i leave you with pictures from st. luke UMC in sanford, where we're meeting carl for our marriage counseling. i loved the stained glass in the sanctuary and decided to take some pictures while i was hanging around. more on flickr, of course.

later, y'all...

quick notes:

-bridal showers? check

-pictures from those showers on flickr? check

-thank you notes for all of those tons of gifts? check

-turmoil at school? check (but hopefully being resolved)

-updated house pictures also on flickr? check

-paint on the walls, vinyl/carpet, lighting fixtures and appliances chosen? check

-wrong countertops put in? check (unfortunately, but also hopefully being resolved)

-bridal portraits taken? as of monday--check

-carolina in the acc tournament final? check (and i'll be watching tomorrow until we leave for marriage counseling)

-ready for my life to no longer be a bunch of list? check...

stopping to breathe...

so it's been a busy weekend, with showers on friday and sunday and an evening out to the theater on saturday.

the "tool time" shower with the girls from work was fabulous. they had a custom cake, fake hardhat and tools, and all the hoses, shovels and laser levelers i could ask for.


saturday, after we checked out a few places for house stuff and updated registries at a couple of stores, we got ready for a night out on the town. dinner out and then over to ecu for their most recent musical, "urinetown." i was excited to see this unconventional musical and show justin that musicals are not just "rodger and hammerstein" stuff. overall, not bad and definitely not your typical stage show.

sunday, mom and grandma came into town and joined me for my shower at church. my friends got pictures of me and justin, decorated the place and had some great food. it was amazing and such a great time. i should have some more pictures up soon.


and the fun times continue this coming weekend in fayetteville. i'm so excited to see some old friends, and of course, my bridesmaids who are able to be there. it feels impossible that tomorrow is march and we're only about 7 weeks away from the big day. where has the time gone?

okay, that's all for now. gotta start dinner. later, y'all :)

big weekend...

the rest of the week flew by after valentine's day, and before we knew it, it was time for our three day weekend (or for us oakwooders, three and a half days--i LOVE half day fridays).

so justin and i continued our house search and stopped in at the model home of the neighborhood at the top of our list. i had gone to an open house last weekend and talked to a real estate agent there, and he happened to be at the model home that day. we looked at floor plans, got to see a couple of homes that were in progress, and by the end of the afternoon, had seen a house that was about 4 months away from being completed. if we got in now, we could choose our carpet, tiles, paint colors, countertops, lighting fixtures, appliances--pretty much everything except for the vinyl siding and shutters (which was already on the house, obviously.)

we left the house and i said to justin, "i really liked that house." he replied back, "i loved that house. we need to get it." and coming from his background of architecture and designing huge, luxurious homes, that's saying a lot. i had been reminding him that we weren't going to be able to have our "dream home" in our starter home. however, in this situation, i think we're going to be able to come pretty close. granted, it's not the exact layout that he's had in his head for years, but it's definitely a great way to start out.

so we spent the rest of the weekend talking to a few more mortage places, and on my school holiday today--i went and signed our contract for the home. we put some money in escrow (i keep thinking of joey on "friends"--"and i looked on the map and i can't even find 'escrow'!") and now have a ton of paint, countertop and marble samples to choose. just when i thought all the decision making had ended with the wedding planning--we're back to square one :)

but we have a closing date (june 8th--right after i get done with the school year) and a lot to be excited about.

sights of valentine's day at work...

valentine's day at any school is a little hectic. lots of candy, emotions running high, and tons of class parties. so while i had some free time this afternoon, i went around and took some pictures. enjoy my favorite pictures from today and more, of course, to the right on flickr :)

keep on trucking...

so my 24th birthday was fabulous. it was quite the productive trip to fayetteville where we had a practice hair appointment, ordered flowers, and saw a wonderful production of "cinderella" at the CFRT. we were also able to eat lunch at the haymont grill, our recently chosen rehearsal dinner spot. by the time we got back, we were heading to the annual super bowl/chili cook-off at church for some good food and the first time seeing friends there in a couple of weeks. we also celebrated with them the next night for my birthday, so it was wonderful to catch up.

my friends at work had a great lunch planned for me on monday, complete with homemade cake and festive candles. it was very sweet and i was reminded how happy i am to work there! the rest of the week really seemed to fly by, with a fun night of trivia with jennifer one night and a couple of relaxing evenings with justin as well. it helped me prepare for last night's festivities, the valentine's day dance.

i am proud to say that my middle schoolers did an excellent job of getting ready. we also have some awesome parents that are born party-planners and are happy to step in with decorations. we went out on a limb and hired a high schooler for the DJ--a wise move, as he was not expensive and did an awesome job. he had done several other parties for our students and was extremely popular. everyone behaved well, looked gorgeous and we only had to reprimand a couple of some close dancing. the clean-up was done by 10:30 and i was home right before 11. that's a good night in my book :)

today, justin and i headed over to minges colesium to watch his niece, destiny, perform in a cheerleading competition. i must be honest, though i've occasionally paused on the cheerleading competitions on ESPN, i've never actually attended one. the parking lot was full and we made it in just a few minutes before her performance. i did get to witness one of the "individual" performances, which is exactly what it sounds like--one girl performing a routine on her on. destiny's group did extremely well, and even though it was just an exhibition performance and they weren't competing, they have an exciting couple of weeks coming up. their group won the last competition in charlotte and are on their way to nationals in atlanta next weekend. i'll add a couple of pics here on the end.

and on the house front, we are now pre-approved for a mortage. let the house shopping begin!

that's all for now. later, y'all...

the last few days of being 23...

so it's less than a week until my birthday, and oddly enough, i keep forgetting this.

it might be because we're in the middle of the last big push of wedding planning. in addition to my fayetteville birthday theater performance at the CFRT (this year it's rodger and hammerstein's "Cinderella") we also have a hair run-through, a meeting with the florist and with the rental people for tables, chairs and tents. We'll also meet with people at the church to start planning the ceremony, and we did have a wonderful first meeting with our pastor last weekend. It was so good to see Carl, Mary Ellen and Ellen again--I know they will make the wedding wonderful!

i should be back in time for the super bowl party on sunday afternoon, and though i don't have any huge plans for my birthday, the bridal showers and bridesmaid parties over the next few weeks should make up for it.

it's been incredibly busy at work as i received several new referrals and finished up my case study for the first review period on my LCSW. things don't seem like they'll slow down anytime soon, but i did enjoy watching the kids play in our brief snow flurry this morning. if only it had stuck...

that's about all i have time for now. later, y'all :)

feels like winter again...

this is a media-filled post...

the past couple of weeks have flown by as i've gotten back into the swing of things at work with dance, superbowl and wedding planning. lots lots lots and lots of planning. it can be overwhelming at times, but i know in the end, it'll be worth it.

we were able to enjoy a wonderful 50th anniversary lunch with grandma and grandaddy down in beaufort last weekend, with gorgeous blue skies and 70 degree weather. quite a change from this weekend, with temps not getting much out of the 40's and rainy, dreary weather.

thursday night, we were able to go have some engagement pictures taken. though i went in only planning to get the traditional "shoulders up" portrait for the newspaper announcements (we're putting out 6 in total) we ended up getting some of the other poses they took. my favorite is below, and we'll be sure to have links when the other announcements get posted.
friday afternoon was casino day at school, and i had a great time taking some more "artsy" photos as well as pictures of the kids enjoying the games. it took a lot of work to set up--it's a huge fundraiser for our athletic department, and they're trying to add new stuff every year--but the kids loved it and it was well worth the time and effort we put into it this week while the students were taking exams.



and finally, today we got the enjoy the smooth sounds of the equinox tuba quartet. alan asked me to come a little early to take pictures of the guys, and i was also able to record a couple of the pieces they performed. they have a great sound and definitely performed a variety of music.
and a couple of their songs "with this love" and "power"




three months and counting to the wedding... later, y'all :)

quick post

there are tons more pictures loaded up on flickr--check 'em out.

the impromptu FTS band reunion picture that has been making it around facebook as well.



and our brief stop at the kyle house to see our future reception site all decked out for christmas...
a crazy new year's eve young adults' style--matt watching in awe as nathan chugs the leftover sparkling grape juice. imagine what would happen if we actually drank alcohol...
and the family photo of the livengood/britner dinner we had this past weekend. it was great to have everyone there together...
other noteworthy occurances--
arranging ceremony musicians, ordering invitations (that had to be re-printed because of a typo), and going in for my first gown fitting.
going back to work and staying in greenville for the entire weekend for the first time in about a month--here's to falling back into a routine!
and being reminded today that my birthday is less than a month away... it just kinda snuck up on me...

that's it for now... later, y'all :)

post-holiday wrap-up

so after several days of traveling on the road and visiting family, it's nice to be back in greenville and settling into my vacation routine. makes me miss summer a little bit, but then again, i am almost getting to the point where i miss daily social interaction. always happens about this time...

we had a great time in fayetteville, even though we were trying to avoid a virus that was going around. had lots of meals at grandma's, a couple of church services on sunday, and a big breakfast christmas morning before we opened presents. i'm also failing to mention the dissapointment that was the papajohn.com bowl. poor pirates...

then we "swam" back to greenville (cause it was pouring the whole time) for lunch at justin's mom's house with all of the family here. again, tons of presents, playing games, and by the end of the afternoon, i was about ready to crash. it all catches up to you eventually.

so now it's just been taking care of mundane details, getting back to the gym, and shopping for wedding accesories. i've been successful on most parts. i still have a ton of stuff to do, but it's getting taken care of, slowly but surely.

and we'll be heading back to fayetteville ONE MORE TIME for sarah's wedding on saturday, along with some quick wedding stuff. i'm hoping ordering the invitations and scheduling a fitting for my dress. we'll see.

quick hop to tv watching--my new favorite show that has also won with the critics? tbs's "my boys," which wrapped up it's "season" tonight. but all of the episodes are available online for free at tbs.com. think girly show about relationships with a baseball twist. it's been a welcome change to all of my reruns.

and if i don't get a chance before it comes, happy new year, y'all. see you in 2007

back from the mountains

as promised, a picture from the former "ec scholars" night on the town...


so we're back from our trip to west virginia, and had a great time--even though it didn't quite feel like winter. it was in the mid 50's or 60's most of the week, no snow at all, and though we had ski clothes, we didn't get a chance to use them. it would've been a waste of time and money. we did get to see lots of family, spend time with justin's dad, stepmom and stepsisters, and help out with the youngest one, his nephew river. at a little over a year old, he's full of energy and requires a lot of attention!

now i'm in fayetteville, with justin and alan joining me tomorrow in time to watch ecu take on usf in birmingham at the papajohns.com bowl. we'll do the traditional christmas eve at hay street on sunday and then breakfast and presents and such here at my grandma's on monday before heading back to greenville for lunch and presents with justin's family for the afternoon. busy day, but it'll be well worth it.

i leave you with some pictures from the mountains. a gorgeous sunset and some shots from our adventure of cutting our own christmas tree at a farm nearby. enjoy, merry christmas, and take care as everyone is traveling. if you want to get together sometime next week in greenville or fayetteville, feel free to drop me a line. i'll be looking for some company :) later, y'all.

seasonal slacker

alright, alright, i know i haven't posted in forever.

but i do have excellent excuses.

they would include:
various holiday parties and concerts
shopping
eating (a whole lot)
tons of travel time on the road
seeing some long lost friends
and general holiday merriment

the more important occurances from these past few weeks:
-holiday banquet at church and the return of rob and nathan in the young adult parody of gnarls barkley's "crazy"--they were awesome, the slide show behind them was awesome, and they initiated justin into the group properly. honorable mention: "the coastal plain companion" (parody of "prarie home companion" on npr) and matt's fabulous re-telling of what might happen if i tried to organize a live nativity play with all of the kids and animals including "yo momma" the llama. yeah, you just had to be there.
-singing christmas tree at snyder and getting to introduce mike and debbie to fayetteville, to hay street church, and the holiday tradition that is "the singing christmas tree." so great to be there for this special time of year.
-traveling to durham this past weekend for an awesome time with ashley, linda and mateo in the brightleaf square district, as well as a fun afternoon with my bridesmaids (minus maggie--we missed you, chica!) painting pottery in the city market area of raleigh.
-concerts at school and dip day/secret pal reveal--i love this time of year!

and finally--our beginning preparations for the trip to west virginia. we're leaving friday right after i finish at work, and though it won't be as cold as last winter, it still will be a december trip to the mountains. i'm keeping my fingers crossed for enough snow to make skiing fun, but not so much that we can't get back home :)

i'll try and get pictures up soon from my evening with the college buddies. i can't find the cord that goes with my camera, but i'll keep looking. should turn up somewhere.

that's all for now--later, y'all.

quick one

alright, don't have much time to talk right now, so here's what i see as being important at this moment--

love is in the air. here's to the future mr. and mrs. alan and rachel and mr. and mrs. baxter and maggie :) lots of diamonds coming out, people... must be the holiday spirit. not to mention two weddings in the next month, helping plan a couple more, and my own. it's kinda cool joining the married world with the rest of my friends.

i'm about wii-ed out. it's been played non-stop around me for the past week, but man--it is cool. here's to entertaining family and friends across the state with justin's newest toy.

one step forward, two steps back. here's to guest lists, rehearsal dinners, ugly invitations, florist losing information, and save the date cards. all in my brain right now... so ready to get some of this stuff officially checked off.

and here's to the holiday season. i've got the tree up, tickets to see snyder's singing christmas tree on saturday, presents bought, a few christmas parties to attend, and i'm loving every minute of it.

that's all for now-- later, y'all :)

turkey day

so it's been a while...

but it's been busy and i'm soooo glad it's finally thanksgiving break. lots of meetings, lots of events and just a general build-up to these next few days of relaxation and family time.

spirit week turned out so well and we had a fabulous time with our final "pie in the face" contest. we ended up having not one, but three participants, and the kids loved it.

a picture of the "pieing"...

i've also gotten back into doing some kid photo shoots--lots of parents wanting them for christmas cards, etc. i had one this past saturday that turned out so well, and it's ended up getting me a lot of "word of mouth" advertising. i am definitely enjoying getting this experience and taking some pretty awesome photographs.

so i have today off, and tomorrow justin and i are heading to fayetteville for thanksgiving at my grandma's (along with invitation choosing and honeymoon booking--we're determined to be productive!) saturday will be thanksgiving at his mom's house, and sunday will be thanksgiving with my dad's side of the family. we'll be doing WV family right before christmas. i'll also try to be extra productive today with some possible christmas shopping

and i guess that means i'd better start getting ready... happy thanksgiving! later, y'all

back in the swing of things...

so it's spirit week at school, which means i'm figuring out the appropriate way to celebrate themes like pajama day and celebrity day as a faculty member. i always loved homecoming week in high school, so it's kinda cool to be so involved this year with our similarly planned spirit week.

and in true nostalgic fashion, i was able to go back to dear ol' FTS this past friday night to watch them compete for (wait for it, wait for it...) the conference championship. those of you who came through during the late 90's, early 00's with me will be gasping in disbelief much like i did when i found out what was at stake. i mean, c'mon, this was the football team that led us on an 0 and 11 season my freshman year (and made the cheerleaders yell at us because we didn't show appropriate signs of respect for our losing football team on the way back from one of the games--hello? if you want respect, win some games. 'nuff said). anyways, it was senior night, way dejavu to be back, and so cold. i mean, soooooooo cold.

so we were freezing our tales off and got to see chris emano who was also in town, a glimpse of wood stewart, and a conference title for my alma mater. it may have been won in overtime, and they might have allowed pine forest to score with 40-some seconds left in the game and tie it up with a 2 point conversion--but the bulldogs are conference champions for the first time in 20 years and i was there to see it :)

a few pictures to commerate the occasion:

the student celebration on the field after the 24-21 victory in overtime (you can just see the scoreboard in the corner)


the new field house at the baseball field end of the stadium. i was quite surprised to see this addition!
and us after three-plus hours in the cold. you can tell the temperature by the shade of pink on my nose...

i also took some pictures of the band trailer and names on the back...but by that time, justin was freezing and it was time for me to stop taking pictures.

we also got to see a ton of family at my great-aunt betty's 80th birthday party. it was a potluck (yum!) out in the middle of the woods near hope mills (brr!) but still a great time. we headed back to greenville afterwards and joined justin's side of the family for dinner yesterday afternoon. lots of plans being made for the holidays and wedding stuff. if you want to get on our calendar, let us know now! (it's filling up fast).

that's all i can think of for right now. later, y'all...

and october's over...

where'd it go?

so happy halloween to everyone and i hope you're all having a safe and spooky evening. i apologize for the lack of posting, but it's been one crazy latter of half of this month and i'm just now getting to the point where i'm catching up.

we had a weekend full of wedding stuff (where i did get a dress, a florist, and eventually a photographer), homecoming weekend complete with parade and winning football game (check out the pictures on flickr!) and a halloween themed weekend with a school dance, a family wedding and trunk-or-treat at church. should have pictures up from that soon...

and in between, it's been busy at work and busy with my friends and family. so much going on... and just keep my family and my school in your prayers. just taking things day by day.

i'm ready to see what november brings and looking forward to some more beautiful fall weather. lots of fun stuff coming, and i'll be sure to keep you posted :) later, y'all...