Attention......

that is all...

later.......

May family gathering.....

We had a "wrap" bar....make your own wraps!

I also served homemade lemonade, grilled corn salsa, pasta salad and potato salad. And it was all so yummy!

We had all of our family together today to celebrate events with our family. My brother had a birthday as did my son and BIL. My Dad's is at the end of the month. And we had 3 wedding anniversaries!

Since the weather is warming up I decided to do a "summer coolness" theme. I covered both the kitchen table and the dining room table in over sized beach towels. 

I also decided to have all foods "cool"....as in "no cooking"!

We had fun! We always have fun with my family...we sure are a loud group!

later........

31 years married.....

Today Johnny and I celebrate 31 years of marriage.

And I can honestly say it's been 31 years of more happiness than I could have ever imagined.

I feel so blessed as I often hear of people reflect on their marriage and say things like...."there's been the hard years" or "we've had our ups and downs". But I can honestly say that we haven't. If they are referring to money being tight or crying babes, well, that just brought us closer. And I know most people are not going to believe this but I'm speaking the truth when I say that I can count on one hand the number of times Johnny and I have had an argument in 31 years! There's just no arguing......if he makes me mad, I tell him and vica versa. That's it...it's done, there's no arguing....just put it out there, explain it and apologize and that's it! Because really, what is the point in arguing!

We are so fortunate to have always gotten along, always wanted to be together and always laughed. And we have often wondered how in the world we could still be so ridiculously happy after all of these years....and I do believe it does take more than love. I think it takes a good sense of humor. I also believe it takes a huge amount of respect for each other. Trust is important and it takes having a true friendship. To me, all of these things combined make for a good marriage.

I would rather hang around with Johnny more than anyone....and I'm pretty sure he feels the same about me!

I asked him the other night if he would hang with me another 31 years and he said he wasn't too sure........he wasn't sure he wanted to live to be that old! haha....but he did promise me another 21 years and I promised back to him.

I love that guy!

so here's some very, very old pics from our wedding. And 2 bouquets of flowers he brought home to me and 2 calla lilies. Now we're off to dinner at Maggiano's. We'll celebrate our anniversary more next week at the beach!

this is with my mom and dad...and look at Johnny! he looks terrified!! haha

all of the groomsmen

and all of the bridesmaids

later......

Bullet points......

I cannot even believe it's been this long since I posted......so here's some highlights as to what has been going on.

• My manager is transferring to Texas so we all went to his house on Friday and he cooked us some Low Country Boil. He had crawfish from Louisana flown up and yum it was good!
• Saturday I went to Harrisonburg to shoot engagement pics of a friends daughter. The daughter and fiance attend James Madison University so we shot the pics on campus. And what a beautiful campus it is!
• While there, we went over to the Green Valley book fair and wow! You have just never seen so many books. I guess they are overstocks and they had prices that you wouldn't believe. Kids books were $1 and $2. I bought 14 books and spent $45...can you believe it! I def want to go back there before Christmas.
• On Friday as I was driving home the little computer on my car's dashboard said..."Service Air Bags". Well dang, I didn't know you had to service them. So I called the dealership and the guy acted all panicky and said you must get it in asap as your air bags currently will not deploy! I kind of laughed because really, I drove for many, many years and cars did not even have air bags. But my son Jake dropped it off today and it was a sensor had gone bad so they are ordering the part. Oh my...now I must drive this week with faulty air bags!
• Sunday I went to the market and bought kiwi, pineapple and strawberries. Then I went to World Market and bought some Sangrai from Spain that they had on sale....you know what's coming next right? I cut up the fruit, put in a pretty glass, added a bunch of ice and added some Sangrai  and waaaalllaaaaa........my summer drink for 2010! It was so refreshing!
• Last Friday was an anniversary for me........3 years of being smoke free!
• This Wed coming up is another anniversary for me.....31 years with my Johnny boy!

I didn't really take any pics there........just of the couple. But here is one from the campus and one from the gardens.

later........

Before and after........

Chrissy before...........

Chrissy after.......

later........

Free drinks!

Liquor in Virginia is sold in ABC stores......they are managed by the Dept of Alcoholic Beverage Control which was started after Prohibition ended. State law in Virginia has only allowed liquor by the drink since 1968. Also, we are a "blue law" state and beer cannot be purchased until after noon on Sunday's........though I thought that had changed. Some ABC stores are open on Sunday and some are not. A lot of control around liquor....and that's fine, probably good.

But now, our ABC stores have been approved to give out free drinks! You know like maybe you're thinking about buying that vodka but wait, what does that other one taste like. Well now you can try it out! ABC stores are allowed to give to one customer per visit 1/2 oz each of 3 different drinks.  Which is equal to one beer or 1 glass of wine. These are being called "tasting events". And I know...what's the difference of being in a bar but it just feels weird to me.

Like we are home to Philip Morris and if they decided to give out cigarette samples, these health groups would be all over them, lawsuits galore and you name it. But for some reason, not much is being said about the free drinks at the liquor store.

just kind of weird

later........

This and that....

check out this gorgeous flower....it's called Mandevilla, also known as Brazilian Jasmine. We picked it up at Lowes and will see how it does. It is supposed to bloom from now until fall.

and I always love to add some Foxglove to the garden.

I'm going to work with that Mandevilla and see if I can get it to go up the deck railings.....it's a vine so it should be easy.

also.....I really wish you would check out this gal's website.

http://kreaturesbykelsey.com/default.aspx

Kelsey is the daughter of one of my good friends at work...who I happen to love, love, love! Kelsey is getting ready to graduate from college...this Saturday! And she makes these wonderful sock monkeys. They are too cute and she will custom make monkeys for you. They are all hand sewn....no machine. That's quite impressive to me! So I hope you will go check her out and maybe post her link on your blog. You know how we bloggy people are......we can spread the word quicker than CNN! well, not really.....

but check her out....they are such sweet little monkeys!

later.......

Ta-da....

Connie guessed right....I was making an apron! I think the next one I make will have a different fabric for the large ruffle at the bottom. Like if I had done this ruffle in a coordinating fabric...maybe red.

later....