Gearing Up

Gearing up for another round of rough weather over the next couple of days.  Depending on where you live in the Metro DC area, you can get up to 10".  Of course, we fall right in that area.  It's all good.  The snow doesn't bother me one bit.  We're a snuggly family and love spending the day in our PJ's, relaxing, watching a good movie or reading a book.  KJ usually goes sledding with the neighborhood kids and we all pitch in and shovel the driveway.

Had such a great trip to Mississippi this past weekend!  Both my in/out flights were great and I had my luggage when I arrived!   My flight from BWI to MEM arrived more than 20 minutes early and was practically empty.  My "friend" Karen was working the Southwest counter in Memphis when I flew home Monday night and remembered me from this past summer.  Too funny!

Lots of new faces at this year's Miss Miss orientation, some familiar friendly faces, too!  It was nice seeing the girls and their parents again and we had a lot of fun at dinner Friday night.  This year's production should be great and the costumes looked super cute.

When I landed in Memphis Thursday night T, Pony Boy and I met Mel, Lou and the kids out for dinner.  What a hoot!  We laughed so much and got the kids really wound up.  That's what Aunt Valerie does best!  After we got to Oxford, T and I met Tana and Laney out for daiquiri's at Funky's and I spent the night in her dorm.  I was freezing cold but slept pretty good all things considered (meaning = considering I'm 45+ years old sleeping on a air mattress in a college dorm!).  Friday morning we had BBB and T got her nails done while I ran to Rebel Rags for a t-shirt for KJ.  We made it to Vicksburg in plenty of time for Friday night's meeting and Saturday she was at the YMCA for most of the day with her little ones learning their production numbers.  Thankfully T loves little kids.  There are almost 100 prince and princesses this year.

T's had a busy week and it's only Wednesday.  She had classes Monday morning, worked for a couple of hours, drove me to Memphis Monday afternoon, had Chapter meeting Monday night and on Tuesday she volunteered at the local iHop for National Pancake Day which benefit's one of Miss America's charities, the Children's Miracle Network.  The pic above is with a couple of other Ole Miss girls that will be competing with her in Vicksburg this summer.  France (left) is the current Miss University and Kristen (right) is Miss Southern Heartland.  Kendall, Carol and Ivey are Ole Miss girls who are local tittle holders as well.  After iHop, T attended a broadcast seminar/luncheon on behalf of one of her professors and from there she campaigned on campus for one of her sorority sisters who is running for something or other.  Next week is Spring Break and T did have plans to go to the beach but at the last minute the local Boys and Girls Club asked if she would speak to the kids each day so she decided that was more important.

KJ had lax try-outs this past weekend but we haven't heard if she's made JV or Varsity yet.  The weather is killing the season before it can even get under-way -- the fields are covered and they've had to do a lot of their practices and conditioning in the gym.  She was so excited to get her spirit wear the other day.  I made her try everything on and she said came out of her room and said, "I look like a big green bean!"  In a little nod to her daddy, she's wearing his old lax number, #17.  I'm so freaking proud!

She's still got volleyball going on.  This year's season seems to be going on a bit longer than last year's.  Her coaches sent out info about a Memorial Day weekend tournament.  Usually her season ends by April.

HoliDaze

Hope everyone had a wonderful, happy, safe holiday spent with loved ones!  We had such a great time in PA and NY and although I love to travel and be with my family, it's kind of nice to sleep in my own bed. 

We took our time driving up to my brother's last Saturday and woke up early Sunday to go to church w/ them.  My parents came down and we all got to see Mr. B and my cousins John and Rachel in their Christmas performance.  Afterward we had my mom's side of the family Christmas gathering and it ended up being a really nice day so the kids broke out the lax sticks and had a throw around.  After lunch and presents we went back to my parent's house but stopped at Candy Cane Lane on the way. We were absolutely exhausted so we slept in a little bit on Monday and the girls went sledding during the day.  At night we played a fun game of Mexican Train and my aunt and uncle came over for a bit.

Christmas morning was low-key until the kids came over.  Miss C got an American Girl doll and lots of fun accessories.  Mr. B was really into his Lego's this year.  T got lots of monogrammed stuff and lots of AOPi things and a Tory Burch bag, KJ definately had a Hello Kitty Christmas.  Cosmo and the girls took great care of me and bought me the big lens for my camera.  I was THRILLED and couldn't wait to try it out!  After lunch the kids (and Uncle Cosmo) went sledding again and we shot off some guns (Mr. B got a .22 for Christmas and let everyone shoot off a couple of rounds).  Pop got out the pistol too.  KJ was very, very accurate with the .22 and T did better with the pistol.  As girly-girly as my girls can be, they also like getting down and dirty.  It's so funny.  I swear, KJ looked like Miranda Lambert with the .22 in her hands. 

We headed out to NY bright and early Wednesday morning and ended up spending the night at my mother-in-laws because the weather had gotten pretty bad.  We also did a trip down memory lane and showed the girls our first apartment, our first house, my parents old house and our high school.  Thursday we made our way into Mid-town and spent a wonderful, wonderful day doing the touristy thing.  KJ made us all go into Chanel, Dior and Michael Kors and was dying to go into Tiffany.  Cosmo ended up buying his girls trinkets at Tiffany -- hey!  It's all about that blue box!  We did Rockefeller Center, Times Square, FAO Schwarz, a little walk through the Park, the windows on 5th Ave, Bryant Park.  You name it, we did it.  Friday morning we went to The Cake Boss's bakery in Hoboken and the original plan was to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and have pizza at Grimaldi's.  It was a little colder than we thought and spent more time than we had anticipated at the Freedom Tower.  On our way home we stopped to take some pics in Battery Park and got some gorgeous shots of the Statue of Liberty at sunset.  No matter how many times you see Lady Liberty, it's still a thrilling sight.  You can't NOT take a picture.  Gets me every time.