I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream....

... for ICE CREAM! We now have an ice cream truck that comes through our neighborhood on some weekends. The first time we caught it was about three weeks ago, just as I was leaving to photograph someone else's kids. That means I missed Georgia's first ice cream truck experience. Luckily, her daddy was there to make sure she got to pick out a cold treat.

So when the ice cream truck came loudly jingling and jangling through our neighborhood this past weekend, you'd better believe I was there for it!!!

So many choices for a little one, and while the truck was empty of Georgia's first choice - the Spiderman popsicle - her second choice was served right up, yellow head, gumball eyes and all. Georgia's ears are now tuned into the blaring melodies of the ice cream truck, and her eyes light up when she hears anything that resembles the sound of sugar-filled treats on a stick dancing through our streets.

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Getting to Know the Place Where We Live

It seems such a common thing to do. We live in an area with these unique and beautiful and original places all around us - places other people travel to our area just to see - yet we never give them a thought or a moment or a visit. A little more than a year and a half ago, we moved to an amazing area of our country - there is so much history and natural beauty here - and it is my goal to actually travel in our backyard and not overlook the highlights all around us.

This weekend, we visited the small waterfront town of Swansboro - "the friendly city by the sea." It has been here quite awhile, founded in 1783.

We had a delightful lunch at a place on the water, where my husband thought it would be cute to take a picture of me taking a picture of Georgia while we waited for our food.

Then after a walk through town, stops at a few gifts shops and an ice cream at a store that also sold coffee, beer and wine (my kind of place), we then drove to a nearby hiking trail in the Croatan National Forest. See what I mean about natural beauty? It was just breathtaking, and even during winter, it was full of life. Oysters, clams, all kinds of birds, snails, crabs - so many critters to watch and explore. It was a picturesque and active ending to a very lovely afternoon. Quite amazing - I just can't wait to go back in the spring when everything is green and going - except for the mosquitoes!

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We Have Truffula Trees!

I painted Georgia's playroom months ago, and it has taken me this long to finally figure out what to do with it beyond just paint.

Welcome the world of Dr. Seuss... and we're starting with truffula trees from "The Lorax."

Coming soon - we might see the lorax and some swomee swans make appearances!

"Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one." - Dr. Seuss

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NC Snow!!!

We've lived here in our new home in North Carolina for more than a year and a half now, and we finally just had our first snowfall! Yay! Now, granted, this is a southern snowfall, so the hype was much more than the snow amount. Having lived in Omaha, NE, the five years previous to this, I had almost forgotten how fleeting snow here can be.

But we got snow... all 1/4 of an inch of it! And Georgia loved every little icy snowflake.

Of course, she and her daddy had to conspire against me to make sure I was hit with my fair share of snowballs...



And even though there wasn't much snow there, we made snow angels.



It was a beautiful day...



... finished off by a perfect cup of hot chocolate just before the sun melted away all the snow around noon.

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Llama, Llama Comes to Life!

Georgia loves the "Llama, Llama... " book series, and I have a confession, I think I love it even more! So when we went to our local farmer's market this past Saturday, Georgia and I were not going pass up the offer of a free llama ride!!

His name is "Matador," and he and his owner took us for a spin around the building. Such a smooth ride and so much fun. Definitely a first for both of us.

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I don't have time to write separate blog posts for these two events, so I'm wrapping them together, tying them up with ribbon and sprinkling on some confetti.

I'm looking forward to 2013 - 13 is such a great number in our home. I was born on the 13th, married on the 13th and gave birth to my amazing daughter on the 13th. How can 2013 not be awesome for us?

And while it is already in the recent past (it came and went so quickly), I want to wish you all a belated Merry Christmas! We did not get to travel home to see any family as I had hoped we'd get to this year, I haven't spent Christmas with my family since 2005 and never with my hubby's family, but we did get to spend some great time with our new neighbors of six months.

Christmas Eve was spent with one set of neighbors and their four kids. Georgia played hard while my hubby and I enjoyed some adult conversation (and beverages!). The Sunday before Christmas we spent at church with our next-door neighbors and their three daughters. They also invited us to share Christmas dinner with them. It was a great time getting to know great neighbors.

And Georgia had a fabulous Christmas morning with way too many presents - a high she is still coming down from.

So here's to another year of wonderfulness. Happy New Year and many blessings!

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A Happy 4th and First Fireworks

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

We started our celebration of America's birthday with a parade in the small community we live in right now.

Americana at its best!

Then why not a few hot dogs and a picnic by the lake? We're going for the full gut-busting, Norman Rockwellesque American day here.



Of course, these days that American day would include work, and that's exactly where I got to go in the afternoon. Yeah me! That means I missed out on a first in Georgia's life - a thought which still has me pretty pissed off and hating my job right now. I missed her first fireworks show. Her daddy tells me she had a great time, although she did need her headphones on to accomplish that, and that she kept saying, "that's neat," when the fireworks exploded above the river. I wish I had seen it.

But I did get the next best thing, I guess. Before the hubby and daughter left for the show, I got to come home on my dinner break and set off a few little sparks of our own.



I'll take it, but I hope next year I get a bigger bang out of the 4th. I hope you all enjoyed your Independence Day.

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