Life Lately

Every Monday night, Ray, Raleigh Kate and I play Team Trivia at Beef O'Brady's - a family sports restaurant and pub.  We have come in 3rd and even 2nd place a few times, but we've never won the 1st place $25 gift card...until last week!  We were shocked and everyone was happy for us. :)  To top it off, Raleigh was in a great mood and wide awake the whole time we were there.  She was making everyone smile!  People have enjoyed watching her grow each week.  

RK after our win!

The hubs has been managing two stores lately - his "home" store and one in Greenville, SC.  It's about a 45 minute drive, but I'm so glad he's commuting each day rather than staying in a hotel there.  I'd miss him too much!  Plus, I'm tutoring Monday and Tuesday nights, so he watches RK while I'm doing that.

On Thursday, Ray had a day off so we decided to be productive.  After hitting up the gym together, we went to the bank to see about getting his truck refinanced.  After looking into it with the bank lady, we realized we were pretty well off as far as how much he has already paid on it and how much it's still worth.  It was a good time to...get a truck that is more practical for a family of four!  In his old truck, I was cramped in the front seat because we had to pull it way up to make room for Raleigh to sit in her carseat behind me.  I would have been dead if we were ever in a wreck.  (His old truck was a crew cab.)   We went to the dealership and found the perfect deal on the perfect truck.  I love everything about it!  It's almost like having a suburban, but with a truck bed instead of an extra row of seats.  :)

Ahhh, we are all so comfortable (and much safer!) in riding in it now.

This weekend, my sister Amy and her husband wanted to make a little getaway to Asheville.  They stayed at our house and enjoyed the great food Hendersonville and Asheville have to offer, caught a movie at the Brew & View, and even rented a scenic view hot tub on Sunday afternoon.  We were glad to have them stay with us and visit for awhile!  They met up with us on Saturday to watch the State/Carolina game at our usual place, Pack's Tavern.  We were sad to see our Wolfpack lose.  

An unfocused pic of Amy and RK at Pack's.

Although the Wolfpack loss was pretty sad, Jimmie Johnson pulled through to win the Daytona 500 on Sunday!  I was happy about that! (Hubs not so much.)  Excited for the rest of the NASCAR season!

Cheers to #48!

A Week Overdue

On January 31, 2009, I married the most thoughtful, loving, handsome best friend I've ever had.  Since then, four amazing years have flown by and there is nowhere else I'd rather be than with him.  We have shared so many experiences together in such a short amount of time and there are so many more that I look forward to sharing with him.  (You're going snow skiing with me one of these days, Ray!)  Together, we have grown so much as a couple, as parents and most importantly, as Christians.  We've both changed (I think he more than I!), but only for the better.  We've had plenty of arguments, but at the end of the day, we know we're madly in love and we don't need to waste time fighting.  He's much better than I am at letting things go.  I tend to stay mad and hold a grudge longer.  Our personalities are a lot different, but it works for us. I loved the shy guy (who always had a clean apartment) I met in Winston Hall at NC State in January 2007; but, I love the hilarious, outgoing, country music loving, NC State fanatic, NASCAR redneck lover, sports addict, father (who never puts anything where it's supposed to go) with whom I am going to grow old, even more!

First dance song :)

Last dance song <3

September 2007

January 31, 2009

January 31, 2009

January 31, 2009

July 18, 2012

WOLF...

PACK!

I think I need to go to Pack's Tavern for every State game from here on out.

First, I went out with a friend and ended up there to watch NC State beat Florida State in football (Oct. 6, 2012).

Me & Jordan

Then, Ray, Raleigh Kate and I went there to watch the NC State/Duke game (Jan. 12, 2013) with many other Asheville-area alum. We all know how that turned out. :)

And most recently, on Saturday night, we joined our Wolfpackers at Pack's Tavern to watch State beat Carolina.  Raleigh stayed awake for the whole game and fell asleep as soon as we got in the car to head home. She's a trooper!

Roll Pack!

Special Date!

I just realized I never documented one of my favorite nights of the year thus far.  Ray surprised me with an overnight date night in downtown Asheville.  He had his mom and brother come stay with Raleigh for the evening, while we enjoyed dinner and an evening out.  We stayed in a fun hotel and got upgraded to a corner suite!  It was amazing! I really didn't want to go anywhere, I just wanted to stay in the room.  Ha!  We decided to get pizza for dinner at Barley's, which was right across the street.  Then, we hung out at the hotel bar (called wxyz) and sat by the outdoor fire pit for a little while.  It was perfect.  It was the first time I had been without RK overnight, but I did fine and so did she.  I knew she was in good hands!  I was definitely ready to see her in the morning, though.

The pool area - I've decided we must go back this summer.
They have bungalow style rooms at the pool level.  Perfection!

The sweet suite

Fire pit

 

It's the little things

My husband is amazing because last week, instead of relaxing on his "lunch break," he went to Target with us to get groceries.  It was raining and I was dreading getting out in it with Raleigh Kate.  We stopped by his store to say hey, and he said he'd go with us!  Talk about making a rainy day better!  I was able to pull the car up to the store so he could load the groceries and put RK in the car without getting wet.  Made my day!

Then, tonight, I went to the grocery store for a whole hour by myself! It's amazing how much less money I spend when I have the time to compare prices and I'm not trying to get in and out with the baby.  I think I'll make this a weekly excursion! ;)

I love my hubby...just sayin!

And when I say it was raining, it rained for at least four days straight and never snowed.

Flooded corn field outside of our neighborhood

Flooded road that Ray drove through (ignoring the ROAD CLOSED - HIGH WATER sign!)
We were NOT with him.

Corn field

Getting closer!

I'm trying to wait patiently for her arrival, but it's hard when Ray is definitely NOT being very patient (he's ready to meet her and well, let's be honest, be off work for a little while!).  Whenever I text him while he's at work, he texts back with "Labor yet?"  

I've also gotten dates from my mother-in-law and my parents about when I can have her and when I can't. I wish I could plan it around everyone, but this is Asheville, where everything must be natural and childbirth is no exception! Haha.  Baby girl will get here when she's ready and right now she seems pretty content despite my efforts to get her out (i.e. eating hot wings three nights in a row, eating pineapple, walking a lot...).  By the way, I know they all understand the nature of it all and are just telling me the dates in jest, kind of.  ;)  

Anyway, I took some pictures of the nursery and other baby things that we've set up in anticipation of her arrival. The plan right now is that she will sleep in our room for the first few weeks.  We've set up what has been our "big laundry room" as a downstairs changing room so I don't have to go up and down the stairs while I'm recovering (eek - hope it's not as bad as I'm thinking).

Pack n Play where she'll sleep in the napper for a little while 

Even the tub is ready!

Downstairs room - sister is giving us their changing table, which will go in here as well!

She's never getting another stuffed animal (yeah, right)
I bought the bassinet from a family friend, who lives across the street from my parents.
Sock monkeys, Papa bear w/baby bear, and FAO Schwarz bear from Ray's family.
Steiff elephant from Marcella in Germany!
Bunny rabbit/blanket from the Keiths.
Jesus Loves Me pillow from Daphne. 

This is the chair that Ray was rocked in when he was a baby.  His brother painted it and his mom did everything else.  I love that it's special and pretty! 

Nursery upstairs

We've received a few of these as gifts :)

Daphne made these beautiful lamps!

The best picture of all!

 

Livin' Part of Life

Ray and I went fishing this evening and, although we didn't catch anything but a few small crappies, it was fun and so relaxing!  

June Recap

June 1-3:
Ray and I decided to have one last get away while it's just the two of us.  We went to one of our favorite places to visit, Atlanta.  We ate well, relaxed by the hotel pool and then went to the Brothers of the Sun concert (Jake Owen, Grace Potter, Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney!) on Sunday night.  It was a perfect weekend!

Kenny Chesney concert without a Corona in hand... worth it though! ;) 

Tim McGraw

Kenny Chesney

Grace Potter and Kenny Chesney singing "You and Tequila"

June 9:  Went to Charlotte for Courtney's bridal shower in the morning at family friend Ellie Rose's beautiful home.  Then I hosted Courtney's lingerie shower and "bachelorette bash" with Caroline at Caroline's house.  It was all lovely and fun! More sister time, too!

Cookies made by Carlos (Suarez Bakery in Charlotte)...I may or may not have had 4!

Hydrangeas are always beautiful

Had to get a sister picture! Amy couldn't be there.

Courtney with Mama and her future mother-in-law

Invitation to lingerie shower

Flowers from Caroline's mom's yard

Dessert sampler from Amelie's

I think this was her favorite gift! ;) For when they grow old together... 

The bachelorette ready to go downtown! 

Sister picture!

Caroline just loves to hang undergarments from her mantle...first diapers, now this!

Courtney and friends

June 16: My cousin Alan got married in Greenville, SC.  We love Ashley and already felt like she was part of the family.  Sadly, I didn't take any pictures!  But I got this one off of the photographer's Facebook page...

And I got one of me and Ray with my iPhone.  

So I think that about sums it up.  We've been busy! Now Ray and I are enjoying every minute together with the fewest responsibilities we will ever have again in our lives.

I'll try to update more frequently now and maybe I'll do a pregnancy update tomorrow after my doctor's appointment.