Welcome to our new blog. We've uploaded all the past blogs from our previous website so you don't miss a thing!
Friday, 25 April 2008
City Slickers meet Deliverance
The end of March, Brandon, myself and several other friends trekked our way to Clayton, Georgia for a wedding between two other friends. The wedding was beautiful/fun but that will be in the photo albums. Let me tell you about Clayton.
Last Thursday, I decided I would look up some info on the town of Clayton to find what we could do for the two days Brandon and I would spend there. It's a lovely mountain town along the boarder of South Carolina and Georgia I also discovered Margaret Mitchell lived there while she wrote Gone with the Wind and the movie Deliverance was filmed there. (Cue fiddle!)
As Brandon and I drove the good old SUV toward the wedding site (and making a pit stop in Greenville...oh the memories, but that's for another blog) we noted how pretty the area was becoming. From the beaches to the mountains in less than a day; it was lovely to see the change in our surroundings and the climate. We arrived in Clayton around three o'clock and I couldn't believe how cute the downtown was.
It looked as though a town had been picked up from Germany and plopped down in the middle of Clayton. The woodwork on most of the buildings and the "gingerbread" styling to some of the larger establishments was adorable! Brandon and I parked the car and checked into our hotel. The people were sweet and though our lodging was definitely old (and really could have used some renovation) it was still quaint.
As we unpacked our "hangables" and toiletries the phone started ringing unexplainably, who could possibly be calling us, no one knew our new room number. Whenever Brandon would pick it up it would be dead. Creepy! So we tried calling the front desk. Busy. Hmm, something's wrong here. So Brandon made his way downstairs. The phone rang again, this time the front desk clerk was on the other end, saying he's cleared all messages and is not sure why the phone isn't working. He asks that I call the front desk to see if it fixed the phone. I hang up dial "0" still busy. Nope, room phone is definitely broken.
Ok, no biggie. Both Brandon and I have our cell phones we'll just talk to people on those like usual. WRONG! When Brandon came back to the room we checked our cell phones only to find out our carrier doesn't get signal up there! WHAT?! (Cue Michelle freaking out)
"How are we supposed to get in touch with people without our cell phones?! What did we do before cell phones? Ohmygod...I need to sit down."
We asked the front clerk if there is anywhere we might be able to get service and he mentioned going to Walmart (surprise) and trying up there, as it's the highest, most open space in the city. Ok, so to Walmart we went...we needed to buy s'mores supplies anyway for the bonfire that night. Brandon pulls into the Walmart parking lot, still "no signal". In a last ditch effort I stand on the car and reach my hand as high in the air as possible hoping and praying for a signal. NO FREAKIN' SIGNAL!
This means, no text, no voicemail, no alarm clocks (FYI, there weren't any in the hotel either), no calling! What were we to do?
Luckily most of our friends were staying in the same hotel, so we did it old school, we made meeting times for in the lobby and carpooled or caravaned our ways around the city and to and from the wedding site.
(In a side note, after the wedding several of us went to a local pub as we walked in the locals seemed to stop what they were doing to look at the newcomers.)
It was a great weekend and as Brandon said the Mayor of Clayton probably threw a block party when the "Charleston Folks" left.
Thursday, 13 December 2007
Yet another year has passed and Brandon and Michelle still manage to keep busy; it’s no wonder this year has flown by.
The year began with Brandon’s sister and brother-in-law who visited for the New Year’s holiday and Brandon’s folks who arrived later in January. Then in March, Brandon and Michelle attempted and completed the Cooper River Bridge Run/Walk; a famous 10k race that crosses the Ravenel Bridge and goes through downtown Charleston. We had a great time!
In April Brandon deployed for four months to SW Asia, where he was really able to learn how to fly his new jet, a C-17. Because Brandon’s four-month deployment fell over Michelle’s birthday, we celebrated early and in style! We went to Savannah, GA for five days and enjoyed the sights and the food. It was wonderful and the hotel we stayed in was beautiful. No need to worry about Michelle; while Brandon was gone she kept herself busy with lots of work (she’s still temping and is really enjoying the flexibility), she also attended an arts festival, had a great birthday and summer with her gal-pals, learned how to paint a fence, and traveled to MD to visit her parents…although she missed Brandon she had an event-filled summer!
Brandon came home in September and was then moved to a new squadron where he became the Flight Commander and Life Support Officer of the Aircrew Flight Equipment section. In October, we took a trip to Las Vegas (where we met up with Michelle’s mom’s side of the family), Michelle had never been to Vegas, and we had a fantastic time.
When we returned home, Michelle got to go on a “Spouse’s Flight”, in which she was able (along other fellow spouses) to ride in a C-17…what a treat! She was able to ride in the cargo compartment and saw an air show. In November her hobby of knitting began to earn Michelle money. A friend, who started her own business, asked if Michelle could make baby hats for her to sell and to be sold in local stores. It was too good an opportunity to pass up. If you’re in Oklahoma and see some handmade baby hats; they may be Michelle’s!
Later, Brandon went TDY to San Antonio, TX for a week for his Life Support Officer Training and Michelle was able to fly out for the last few days. Together they explored downtown San Antonio and visited the Alamo, both of which were firsts for Michelle. This December, the couple attended several parties, one of which was a 40’s-themed Christmas party. The festivities took place on the USS Yorktown on December 7 (Pearl Harbor Day). It was complete with swing dance teachers and it was exciting and fun for the couple to go “vintage”!
May beautiful moments and happy memories surround you with joy this Christmas and New Year.
Wednesday, 24 October 2007
On October 20th Michelle got to experience something few (besides military personnel) get to. She went on a spouse’s flight set up and put together by the 14th ALS. This is where spouses of the C-17 crews are allowed to ride on and watch various maneuvers of the C-17. It was an amazing event.
Michelle's day started at 8:30 in the morning where she, several friends, and some other spouses (there were husbands and wives who attended) of the various squadrons (14th-17th) donned their hubby's flight suits and custom made name badges. All met at the 14th squadron for a light breakfast and coffee (at 8:30 in the morning coffee is a must). Once everyone had acquainted themselves with each other the group was herded into the squadron auditorium where they were "briefed". The briefing was very military in that there were maps, flight plans, and itineraries. The 80+ spouse's were separated into 2 groups, the red group and the blue group.
Michelle, being in the red group with the other 16th spouses, walked to the plane that was waiting for them. After several silly photos and group photos, the troupe was ready to board. When the plane took off the pilot came on the speaker and announced they would be opening the back of the plane, a sight few pilots are able to see unless they are "air-drop qualified" and even then, passengers never get the opportunity to see.
Once the doors were open Michelle and the other passengers were treated to some wonderful sights, Edisto Island, Folly Beach, the Ravenel Bridge, and other areas. It would be extremely difficult to get across what it was like, but awesome will have to do.
As they made their way to North Field, where the "air show" would take place the pilot came on the speaker one more time alerting Michelle and the other spouses that they would be doing an "assault landing" (i.e.: very hard, short landing used for short runways or areas under attack). Michelle called this a "get to know your neighbor landing" as it was so short and fast she practically fell into her neighbor's lap...good thing she was friend!
Once at North Field, the spouses were treated to a great lunch and a fabulous air show just for them. The air show highlighted the cool things the C-17 could do some of which were, an assault landing (watching instead of participating), touch-and-go’s, reversing, and formation flying. After the air show it was time to load up again and head home.
Michelle had a wonderful time and when the next spouse's flight comes around again, you can bet Michelle will be on it!
Friday, 19 October 2007
Brandon and Michelle just returned from our 2 week stint in Las Vegas and Southern California and we had a great time. We decided to take this trip for many reasons but most importantly for our fourth year anniversary. Michelle had never been to Vegas before and it had been a while since Brandon had been home to see his family and friends.
Our first stop was Las Vegas, for 3 nights, we stayed at the Stratosphere (while they were nice accommodations it was too far north...next time we will stay in a more central location). Our first two days were spent with Michelle's side of the family, Michelle's folks flew from Maryland to Las Vegas and her aunt and uncle flew in from Arizona, the day prior to our entrance to the "city that never sleeps".
Michelle was amazed at how small Vegas was. She was expecting the strip to be massive but it was only several blocks. However what the strip lacked in length it made up for in grandeur. Michelle could not get over how huge every single casino was! Our first night in LV was spent at the MGM Grand watching the incredible performance of
KA. To say it was amazing is an understatement. The cast from Cirque du Soleil did stunts never seen before; a battle on a vertical wall, acrobatics on spinning wheels, and 5-story falls; it was a sight! The next couple days were spent exploring all we could of the various casinos and shops with Michelle's parents. Friday night Brandon, her folks, aunt and uncle, and Michelle had a wonderful paella dinner with her great-aunt who lives near LV. It was delicious and was completed with authentic sangria!
From Saturday on we spent time with Brandon's friends and sister (Melissa) and brother-in-law (Aaron). We explored more of the casinos and Michelle's favorites included, the Venetian (for the gondola rides), the Bellagio (for the extravagance), and New York, New York (for the
Nine Fine Irishmen pub). Needless to say Brandon and Michelle had a wonderful time in Las Vegas.
On Sunday Melissa and Aaron drove us back to California where we stayed with Brandon's folks for a week and a half. The second day we were in California, we went shooting (Michelle's first time). We used a 9mm Berretta and a 357 Magnum (think Dirty Harry). It was an experience and believe it or not, Michelle did better with the 357 than the 9mm with the help of Brandon and his mom and dad. Brandon and his dad had a "shoot-off" to see who was the best gun of Upland and it was a close one, but Brandon won. Further in the week we went to Universal Studios and enjoyed a day of theme park fun. While we were there, tappings for Desperate Housewives and National Treasure 2 were being made...where else but in Hollywood could you say that?!
Our anniversary was spent in California and we enjoyed Thai cuisine at a new restaurant in Claremont. The next night Michelle got to see a sorority sister, Enid in Pasadena, they along with Brandon's friend Corey and his girlfriend, enjoyed good dinner, good drinks, and good company.A couple days later Brandon's folks had a family party and we got to see a lot of Brandon's extended family. It was good to see everyone again. Nearing the end of our California visit, we took a trip to Melissa and Aaron's new home in Laguna Hills (near Laguna Beach), their home was lovely and we got to explore the local area, cute shops, and played a mean game of Wii! Our final night was spent at Warehouse pizza where Brandon was able to catch up with several of his buddies from High School.
The trip was busy but we had a wonderful time with everyone and each other.
Monday, 1 October 2007
This past Saturday we, attended a Pirate themed party. It was a barrel of fun (and rum) to say the least. About 90% of people were dressed as pirates and it was a blast to see all the different takes on pirate attire. What is remembered of the party was the rum punch - very strong (and knocked Michelle on her butt) and flowed freely, lots of laughter, jell-o shots, and something about a plank. The ride home was rather rough and Brandon took care of Michelle that night and Sunday morning. She definitely was not 100% on Sunday, but she is feeling much better now, though the after effects weren't worth it, both had a great time.
Besides any excuse to dress up is good by us!
Tuesday, 7 August 2007
Today I grabbed the latest issue of
skirt! magazine (an East of the Mississippi publication) and what do I find, but my name printed under the comments section! Apparently they liked my comment so much that they put it in their August issue and highlighted a portion of it!
Do comments count as being published?
Tuesday, 24 July 2007
How to paint/stain a fence... Of all the things I've been looking forward to least since Brandon has been gone, it is the possibility of having to stain our fence. Well last week, it became apparent that I need to do it (when the HOA told me to get it done lest a fine will be owed). "Fine," I thought, "I'll just hire someone." Easier said than done. So now the task falls to me. But how in the world do I stain a fence?!
I found a useful website that told me how.
UPDATE (1 August): It took me a week, but the fence has been stained and looks rather good if I say so myself. A couple friends came over last Saturday to help me finish the back. What a chore! Brandon owes me!
Saturday, 21 July 2007
Last night my friends Emily, Michelle, and I went to the Harry Potter release party. But when I say that we went, we really just hung out until 11:30 and made our way to the store to await our future book buys.
Around 4:00 I showed up at Barnes and Noble to get the wristbands for when we would get the infamous book. At 6:00 (yes I waited 2 hours--and yes I know I'm a dork), the line began to move and luckily I was able to name drop as Michelle Mc. (as I call her) works part-time for B&N and I was able to pick up my wrist band along with Emily's and hers, we were patrons 20-22! Sweet!
Once I had the wristbands in hand Michelle, Emily (both just got off work) and I went to dinner and had a thrilling discussion of Harry Potter to-date. We went over the loose ends, character analysis, and confirmed plots. After an hour of eating and discussion we made our way to a coffee shop so I could finish re-reading Half-Blood Prince and we could discuss more of what we hopped and thought would be in store for Harry and the readers.
A funny side note: while at the coffee shop, Emily needed a little pick-me-up and got a coffee, the Barrista saw her wrist band and asked if the three of us were getting ready to go clubbing. She said no and left it at that! Three good-looking girls were staying up late not to party like rock stars, but to buy a book and read until the wee hours of the morning...how's that for irony!
At exactly 12:05 I was the 20th person to receive my Harry Potter book! I read until 3:00am (my eyes couldn't stay open any longer). And resumed this morning at 8:30...so far there has already be great action scenes, I've cried, and gotten pissed and I'm only on Chapter 13! Can't wait to see what happens next...but don't worry I won't spoil it.
UPDATE (22 July): I finished reading the book and I am thrilled to say that the book was well worth the wait. There were a few slow parts where JKR had to include explanations for certain tasks, etc. I would say I cried (well sobbed actually) through 1/4 of the book and by the time I finished my face and eyes were swollen and looked like a punching bag (minus the bruising). Loved the book but I wish JKR had included more info in the epilogue...Happy reading!
Thursday, 12 July 2007
Last night, 3 friends and I went to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (in 3D at IMAX). We arrived at the IMAX theater at 8:00 o'clock for a 9:30 showing; it sounds absurd, but thank God we did as the line went out the door by the time the doors to the theater opened and we were ready to be seated.
When we were finally in our seats with our 3D specs in-hand we were instructed that when the green glasses appeared on the screen we were to put on the Paris-Hilton-gone-bad-glasses and when they appeared in red we were to take them off. Easy enough.
The movie started sans previews (which I was glad for since we had waited an hour and 15 minutes to get into the theater). I have to say I was very impressed with the movie. I did not expect for the director, David Yates to put everything from the book into the movie as it would have been close to 5 hours long if he had. The special effects were incredible and with each new movie I am amazed at what the FX folks can pull off.
With each new movie I am also impressed at the level of improvement of acting ability for the youngsters. Daniel Radcliff was great to say the least and it is obvious Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have become more comfortable in front of the camera. All the kids did a fantastic job and Imelda Staunton who plays Dolores Umbridge is wickedly wonderful!
As we, along with the full theater, experienced the film, the green glasses appeared at the bottom of the screen. A muffled commotion followed as all of us retrieved our glasses and placed them on our faces. It took a little getting used to them, but when the 3D action began I was glad I had paid a little extra for it. The creatures and the action sequences that followed were incredible by themselves but with the help of the glasses and fine tuning of the film, it came to life. Characters ran towards us, cast spells in our direction and glass fell on us. What a great way to experience this film!
While quite a bit was left out, I feel the integrity of the major plot line was held up and I was very impressed. If you get the chance I highly recommend you see the film, whether in a regular theater or in 3D.
Monday, 9 July 2007
I recently returned from visiting my parents' home in Maryland. We spent a lot of time seeing historical and interesting places like Annapolis, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. And, while all of it was very neat to see I couldn't help but pull a "Michelle".
Those who know me well know that stupid things come out of my mouth at inopportune moments. Typically they never hurt anyone else's feelings but rather get a notable expression or laugh. Needless to say I had one of my moments at the Library of Congress on Saturday.
Led by misinformation my folks and I trekked our way from the Smithsonian (half way up the Mall) to the Library of Congress (behind the State House) to see the Constitution (FYI, it isn't in the Library of Congress). It was a hot, humid day and the sun baked each every skin cell that was exposed on my body. We were puddles by the time we reached the air conditioned lobby of the LoC. On a mission I marched up the front desk and told the man behind it:
me: We're here to see the Constitution
man: Oh wow, well that's in the Hall of Records behind the Smithsonian
me: You're kidding
man: Nope
me: (here's the kicker) Well, what's here?
man: (dumbfounded look on face) Uhh, (5 second pause) well we have the largest collection of first edition books on display as well as the reading room. Let me get you a map of the building.
OHMYGOD! Could I have been more stupid?! My parents and I laughed about my conversation with the (very nice) man the rest of the day. Even now I still snigger. I'm sure he got a good laugh, too. "What's here?" good morning, Michelle.
Thursday, 14 June 2007
June 12th AKA Peanut Butter Cookie Day (it's true look it up) was my birthday. I wish I could say that my birthday celebrations have matured from the going to bars bit but as of last Saturday I cannot.
ROUND #1: On June 9th, my bff Anne Marie came down to fair Chucktown to help my other bff, Jen and me to celebrate my birthday. To start we all got dressed up and went to the ballet Swan Lake (don't worry no swan deaths in this one...it was the "Disney" version). Afterwards, we hung out for a few hours to cool off then had an early dinner at the Mustard Seed (a wonderful little spot in downtown Summerville).
Later that night we began the process of doing hair and makeup for going out clubbing. After becoming quaffed, shadowed, and glossed; we were ready for the night life and to meet my other friends Amanda and Michelle. After an amazing parallel parking job (Mr. Driving Instructor would have been proud), we all met up and made our way to Market Street Saloon (think Coyote Ugly) where we danced and sang our little hearts out until 1 in the morning.
ROUND #2: On June 12th, my day started like a typical day, accept I didn't have to work, because I asked for it off; how's that for a birthday present to myself! Unfortunately my homeownership duties called and I mowed the lawn. After the bug spray (the mosquitoes here are ginormous) had seeped into every pore sweat had escaped from and grass remnants were firmly imbedded on my ankles and arms; I got ready to enjoy the pool with Amanda.
We spent 2 hours lounging by the pool and in the pool with our floatie rafts. Once the optimal tan had been achieved we went back to my place, showered and trekked to the "Wives' Social" at the paint-your-own-pottery place (I made a mug, it didn't turn out great but it's not a complete embarrassment).
When the paint had dried on our respective objects d'art, Emily, Michelle, Amanda and I made our way to Oscar's for a wonderful dinner and a birthday canolli accompanied by a restaurant singing me "Happy Birthday". The day was rounded out at; you guessed it, a bar where the four of us and Cristin played a mean game of trivia. We were only 1 point from being tied for 2nd place :oP
Thanks to everyone for all the birthday wishes, I really appreciate all of my family and friends!
CHEERS!
Monday, 28 May 2007
Friday the 25th marked the beginning of the 31st annual Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC. Basically, it's 2 weeks of art; performances (theater, dance, music) and crafts and paintings. For these 2 weeks Chucktown will have culture galore.
Last night I attended with one of my pals, Cristin, one such performance called the
Rubberbandance. It was INCREDIBLE! I honestly had no idea what to expect going in to it. The 5 dancers (2 women and 3 men) performed an eclectic dance style that consisted of (just to name a few) Tai Chi, break dancing, ballet, hip hop, yoga, Pilates, and something that looked similar to the Matrix . I have never seen anything like it before and I thoroughly loved it! If they make it to your home city, please go see it. The audience we were in was as eclectic as the dance styles and everyone I passed at the end was awestruck.
It is time well spent!
Wednesday, 9 May 2007
As most of you know by now, Brandon has gone on his first deployment since moving to SC and his second overall. He is in Qatar for 4 months. While it is not a happy event it is one that must be done and we are proud to serve our country. Brandon, by flying missions and Michelle, by supporting him and keeping the home fires burning.
Brandon has been very busy and has flown more missions in Qatar than in SC! He gets to call Michelle for 15 minutes each call and it sounds like he's adjusting to desert life. Michelle, is keeping busy with working, working out, going out with girlfriends and fellow military wives, and various home projects.
Please keep Brandon in your prayers that he stays safe on his various missions.
Tuesday, 1 May 2007
It's been a while and Brandon and Michelle have been busy. We spent a week in Savannah, GA and enjoyed each other's company, the city, and the food! (pictures to come). It was one of the best vacactions because we had no schedule (aside from our arrival and departure). Savannah is only 1 1/2 hours from us so it was a real easy drive. We walked a lot, explored all the 21 squares, and stayed in a great hotel (
The Marshall House). It was a beautiful place to stay and in Savannah EVERYTHING has a history. The Marshall House was used as a hospital during the Cival War by Sherman and his men. No ghost sightings but we took a lot of pictures so we'll see what shows up. Now it's back to work and reality-boo!
Sunday, 15 April 2007
Happy tax day! Brandon and Michelle painted the master bathroom this past week. It's a pale-sagey-green (see picture gallery). Taping is the most time consuming but by now Brandon and Michelle are pros at the painting technique. A storm has decided to make its way to our area and it's very blustery, but sunny.
The other night Brandon and Michelle did something they hadn't done in a long time. Shut down a bar! We went out with 6 other friends enjoyed Tapas beforehand then ventured to a rooftop bar where we downed 4 shots (tequila, Jägermeister, red-headed slut, and raspberry vodka) and several other drinks...fun was had by all (and to be adult...all arrived home safely.) Pictures coming soon! CHEERS!
Monday, 9 April 2007
This past weekend was a rather busy one for Brandon and Michelle. As part of the "front yard beautification" we added new mulch and an irrigation system to the flowerbed (pictures coming soon). Brandon shoveled 2 yards of mulch this past weekend, so it's safe to say his arms got a work out. It's amazing what a little TLC will do to a yard, though. We also painted the guest bathroom a pale yellow, (Michelle calls it lemonade, but the paint chip says "rich cream"), it adds color without darkening a room that has no windows. For Easter we went to church in the morning, then to brunch at our favorite restaurant. For dinner, Michelle made: roasted glazed ham, scalloped potatoes, asparagus, and raspberry/coconut bars. Brandon and Michelle definitely ate well on Sunday. As for Monday, it's back to the grindstone but we're going to a baseball game, so all is right with the world!
Friday, 30 March 2007
Tomorrow is the
Cooper River Bridge Run/Walk. It's a 10k (6.2 miles) race where 40,000+ people congregate near Shem Creek in Mt. Pleasant and run or walk from Mt. P to downtown Charleston while crossing the now famous Ravenel Bridge. Sufice it to say Brandon and Michelle will be walking this race with some friends and about 39,980 (HA) other people. We'll have our camera with us all the while and will be shooting pictures through out. Make sure you check back next week for the pix and a run down of the sore muscles. Wish us luck!
Monday, 26 March 2007
From Friday the 16th to Friday the 23rd Brandon sat on his first alert for the C-17. He had to be no more than 20 minutes away from the base so if he got "the call" he and his crew mates could board the plane and be in the air in 50 minutes...pretty impressive. Luckily he did not get called but did have a practice call on Thursday. After being called around midnight and getting home Friday morning he had only 1 1/2 hours of sleep.
This past weekend, Brandon and Michelle completed 1/2 of their "front yard beautification" chore. They installed almost a ton (literally) of flagstones along the boarders of their flowerbeds. And they got their burn on, at least Michelle did...damn fair skin!
Friday, 16 March 2007
This past week has been a virtual blur for both of us. Brandon spent half of the week studying for his final SOS test (and passed!) and Michelle worked the whole week, and was practically a lunch coordinator for a local company who's "big-wigs" (from the mother company in Germany) were here for the week. But one can't complain when the weather has been so nice and the azaleas are in bloom; spring is finally here!
Sunday, 4 March 2007
Yesterday was Brandon's birthday and we celebrated in retro style by going bowling. It was a hoot considering most of us hadn't been in over 10 years! Needless to say after a few "rounds" none of us were doing to well, points wise. We then retired to our casa to eat cake (cupcakes) and wish Brandon a happy birthday. This past week Michelle got her first pair of contacts...scenes from Friends popped into her head when she tried to put the contacts in the first time...it was a sight, I'm sure (no pun intended).
Wednesday, 28 February 2007
Welcome to our blog! This is a new page we've added to help our family and friends hear about our lives on (hopefully) a weekly basis. We will try our hardest to keep all of you informed and included in our lives. We hope you enjoy this page!
love,
Brandon and Michelle
