Tag Archives: tom

Day date!

Yesterday Tom and I did something completely different – we went on a date during the day…to a bar.  :)  Our friend, Josh, was having his birthday lunch at VGBG in the NC Music Factory complex.  VGBG is a bar that serves many beers on tap, has games to play and a half dozen sand volleyball courts that were packed full of serious volleyball players.  The day couldn’t have been more beautiful.  It was so relaxing to sit outside, eat lunch, drink a beer and enjoy the weather.  I felt like I was back in college again (except that I only had one beer and had kids to go home to).  I made Tom take a picture with me so that I could prove that we were actually out on a date together.  We enjoyed lunch for a few hours, went home to take a nap, and then had a realtor come over to tell us what we could get for our house (which will be a different blog post at a later date).   I enjoyed spending the day with Tom and our friends.  I would love to do it again sometime very soon.

Ninth Anniversary

I have been a TOTAL SLACKER when it comes to writing this blog. It has been over a week and two major things have happened, one of which was mine and Tom’s ninth wedding anniversary. Our anniversary falls right in between two birthdays so it typically gets a bit overlooked. This year we actually went out together on the 15th. Amazing! We were planning
to go out to dinner but I didn’t want to take the chance that we would start talking about sensitive subjects and end up arguing on our special night out (yes, that happens sometimes). I decided that the best way to avoid that situation was to go to the Comedy Zone uptown. We always have fun there.  We needed an enjoyable night out together doing something fun and different ….and laughing. As usual, I had a Groupon that needed to be used at the Comedy Zone so I made reservations, got Sidney to babysit,  and off we went.

It was a lot of fun. Refreshing actually! Before the show, we belly-ed up to the bar and ate dinner at the Mexican restaurant upstairs from the club.  Then walked down to hear the comedians. There were four comedians total and two of them were quite funny. Oddly enough, we had seen the headliner last year when we went to the Comedy Zone with some friends.  It was a great way to spend our anniversary – no kids, no serious conversation, and lots of laughter.

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I should also add that Tom did a fabulous job picking out a present for me. He went to three jewelry stores before our anniversary and picked out a necklace and a ring to match…..and he kept it within budget! I was so surprised and loved what he picked out. Here is the ring…

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Labor Day Parade

We were told that the town of Matthews had the largest Labor Day parade in the southeast.  Who knew?  This was especially surprising since Matthews itself is such a small town.  We decided that we needed to check it out….everybody loves a good parade.  I packed up the car with the kids, and Tom’s dad, and we drove the three miles to the parade site.  (Matthews is right next door).  :)  I don’t even know if I have to say this anymore or if it is just assumed by now, but the Youngs went to the parade with us also.  As luck would have it, we sat right in front of the announcers booth for the parade.  The first group in the parade was a high school band and then the Matthews School of Dance.  The dance school did a routine of their own, and then they played two songs for the crowd to join in.  Sidney jumped right up and took the kids out onto the street to dance.  The kids loved it!!  As you can see, the four kid are in sync with each other, but not the crowd.  They were dancing to the “to the right, to the right, to right…” song.  I have no idea what the name of it is.  It is basically another version of the electric slide.

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Wilson got to sit on Grandpa’s shoulders for a while….and wear his hat.

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Ella and her dad Erik also joined us at the parade.  Here is Miller, Faith, Ella and Wilson….

 

 

 

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The kids loved the parade because of the music, the princesses, and the mass amounts of candy that they consumed.  I think we will definitely do this again next year.

Toms 51

Tom turned 51 on Sunday. As with most of his birthdays, he wanted a low key day with our family. After church we went to the Harris Y to swim. Wilson kept begging us to go to the indoor pool so that he could go down the very tall, tube slide. We finally conceded and took everyone inside to the slide. It wended up being hilariously fun. Faith and wilson went down the slide first. Faith sat up on the slide and went at a normal speed. Wilson laid down and came shooting out of the slide like rocket. It was funny to us but it scared him from doing it again. We decided that Tom should go next. Because the tube slide was too short for adults to sit up in, he had to lay down. Inevitably, he shot out like a rocket as well. This provoked much laughter from us and other families and began a line of fathers going down the slide. We laughed with each father sliding out of control and into the pool. I even tried it. I went so fast that I couldn’t hold my head up off the bottom of slide. I felt like a pilot fighting g-force. I had to put my hand under my head so that it would not hurt as I flew down the slide. It was intense. I was like wilson and didn’t go down the slide again. We had a great time laughing at tom and the other men go down the extremely fast children’s slide. I wish I had a picture.

After the pool we went to Tonys Pizza for Toms birthday dinner. We were going to go to a fancy restaurant but decided that pizza would be better for our family that day. It was a good decision. My parents met us at the restaurant and ate dinner with us.

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After dinner we had the usual (yet very unusual) teddy bear birthday cake. I think that this is Toms third straight year with a teddy bear birthday cake. The kids and I make the cake each year and I only have two types of cake pans: round or teddy bear. Of course the kids choose the teddy bear. I guess that is what happens when you have three kids choosing the cake style. The important part is that is has candles, tastes great and was made with love. :)

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Hiking and camping

In the past week tom has taken faith and wilson hiking and camping twice. Last Monday he took the day off and went to Crowders State Park with them to go hiking. In all, they hiked over five miles and made it to the summit of Kings Pinnacle. Tom was amazed and proud of how well faith and wilson did on that trip. I think he said that the walked at a snails pace: less than one mile per hour. Stopping to smell every flower and climb on every rock. Her are a few pictures from that trip….

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After that trip tom decided that it was time to take faith and wilson camping at the same location. Tom packed in the forty pound pack while the other two carried a small backpack. They had a blast! They were gone over twenty four hours and didn’t want to come home. They camped, ate s’mores, hiked, and played in the woods together. It was a great bonding time for the three of them. I said that miller and I would go with them next time.

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Grandpa visits

Tom’s dad came to visit for the week. His main motive was to come for Tom’s birthday, but he ended up staying for the week. When he comes over it is like Christmas. He brings the kids toys and backpacks and other small items that he gets along the way. I think that the toys actually used every battery in the house. I guess that it what they usually go towards anyways.

When Tom’s dad, Tom Jr., comes to visit I typically have a nice list of things for him to fix. I always have him sharpen our knives. I think they only get sharpened twice a year when he comes to visit and he has a special knack for sharpening them very well. This time he also fixed our leaky faucet.

On Thursday night I asked him if he would babysit for us. He always says “yes”. Tom and I put Miller to bed and then went out to a local bar that had Tom’s favorite on special: Red Bull and vodkas. Luckily for us, it was also trivia night. Tom impressed me with his “useless knowledge”. I think he answered more questions than I did. I blamed it on his being ten years older. :) Regardless, we were able to relax and have fun together which is always needed in our lives right now.

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Before we put Miller to bed that night the kids had “movie night” with Grandpa.  Wilson was always the first to cuddle up to Grandpa.  Miller was right there with the others; he has to have his popcorn bowl just like they do.

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On Friday the kids had their final day of Bible camp in our neighborhood. My friend April’s daughters and friends decided that they would make money this summer by putting together a camp for the neighborhood kids. They had a Bible story, crafts, games and snack. It was great! I loved having a little more free time and the kids didn’t want to come home each afternoon because they enjoyed camp so much. On the last day I volunteered to help out for an hour and then the parents all had lunch at April’s house together. Miller stayed home and played with Grandpa for two hours. When I got home they were wrestling on the floor and having a fun time together. It was so cute to walk in and see them playing. I was impressed that Tom was down on the floor with Miller. He said that they had already read book and danced together. What a good Grandpa!

White Water Center

Tom turned 50 on Saturday. We celebrated with the kids on Friday and so Saturday was the day to celebrate with adults. Per Tom’s request, I planned a get together at the White Water Center with our friends and family. The White Water Center has a band every Thursday and Saturday night during the summer. Luckily, his birthday fell on a Saturday this year.

It rained all morning long and I was getting a little fearful that we were going to have to change the location of the party. Thankfully, the rained cleared up around 5:00pm and we were able to enjoy the night without rain. We arrived around 7:00pm and so did everyone else. About 20 of Tom’s friends and family were there to help him celebrate. It was a low key night chatting with friends, drinking beer and listening to music outside. It was exactly what he wanted to do for his 50th birthday.

Some friends sat on the grass and watched the band… Sara Long, Amanda Fairbanks, Chaz and Michaleh Snider, and Ashely and Jerry.

 

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These two couples met and I think they talked together all night long.  I think a girls night out was even scheduled.  Luckily, i was included in the mix….John and Patty Smith, Eric and Abigail Varner

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Tom with Chris Long and Chaz Snider…Believe it or not, Tom actually searched out his “I love my wife” shirt.  He wears it all the time.  Some one pointed out that “it is like a chic magnet with boundaries”.  Very true.  I have one too but have never worn it.  (a family joke now)

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Kristee, Patty and myself.  We used to be the “3 Amigos” a few years back.  Saturday night was our reunion.

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Tom’s dad even made it in town for the event and the weekend.  Here is Tom, Jacqueline, and Tom’s dad.

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Others than those pictured, my brother, Bobby and Sidney, my parents, and Aunt Lisa and her kids were also at the party.

We really had a nice time.  It was so nice to be outside, enjoy the weather, and have some scenery to enjoy.  Tom said that he had a great time and I believe that he did.