Poor pups...

Well, after Dixie's fiasco this morning we realized the dogs desperately needed some outside time. We decided to walk them to the playground at the elementary school just down the road. It is a HUGE fenced in area and the dogs could run crazy if they wanted!

They were not quite sure what to think at first...



But after a second or two...they took off...









We had a couple of really happy dogs!



Practicing their SUPERMAN pose...


The dogs loved running around. And now Brandon and I will feel less guilty about having them cooped up in the house! This was the first time visiting the playground, but we will make it a frequent stop from now on, especially since it is just down the road.

The pretty view from the playground...



Snow truly makes everything look prettier. Even our pond....





This last picture is taken looking down our street. It you look closely, you can see the 5 snowmen made by our neighbors and their children! Pretty cute!



The snow is starting to melt and the streets are turning to slush. Although we did not do a lot of outdoor playing ourselves, but we did enjoy getting the dogs some exercise. Now hopefully (fingers crossed) they will sleep most of the afternoon!

We might need Sherlock Holmes to crack this case...

Snow and ice will not keep Brandon and I from continuing our normal routine. So...as usual we went to the grocery store first thing this morning, as we do every Sunday morning. Knowing we would only be gone for a little while, we left Dixie out of her crate...to continue sleeping comfortably!

When we got home from the grocery store....this is what we found...



You don't have to interrogate the dogs to know which one made this mess. For starters, Noah hasn't done anything like this since he was a puppy. Secondly, the second you walk in, Dixie is already cowering in anticipation of being scolded.

Although we no longer physically spank the dogs (generally)...we do try to at least call to their attention that this is wrong.

Bringing Dixie back to the scene of the crime. She won't even look at the mess she made, much less go near it - So she has to be dragged/carried...



And...just in case there were in doubt in our minds who made this mess, look closely at Dixie's face. There is a little bit of green fuzz hanging out of her mouth. She is not very good at trying to cover up her mistakes!



We do understand that we are partly to blame for this fiasico. We should have put her in her crate. Also, with this weather, the dogs have not had much outdoor time and are more than just a little overdue for a good run!

But, I just had to laugh at her...especially with that hunk of fuzz dangling from her lip!

Our new toys

Brandon and I got some great things for Christmas this past year! Two items in particular really stand out for us, as we have such an incredible time and effect each time we use them. AND NO...I am not taking about the lingerie we got from Luci (Brandon's mom)...*shutters* Although it is cute! :)

My Mom and Dad got us a Keurig Coffee Maker. This thing has changed our lives. I swear we have used it 100 times already! If you enjoy coffee or tea everyday...invest in one of these bad boys....it's worth it!

This is exactly what our unit looks like....


The other item that has been insanely handy is our new webcam, thanks to Mike and Luci (Brandon's parents). Although we aren't skyping with the Bice side of the family just yet, I am making good use of the webcam. It has allowed me to Skype with my best friend JoElla, who is currently serving in the Peace Corp in Mexico!



Although I talk/Instant Message JoElla quite a bit, nothing beats face to face or faux face to face interaction! Sometimes I forget how much I miss her and Ryan, until I actually get to see and hear them!

Thanks parents (both sets) for such amazing and useful gifts this year! We love them and are making good use of them!


Love to all!

Rain, Rain...go away

It's been raining for what feels like forever. A guy down the street has started constructing something large and wooden in his back yard. Sure, it could be a deck, but if I start hearing exotic animal noises, I will be begging for a spot on his boat.

The hardest part about all this rain is the toll it takes on our yard.



The bad news.... The dogs probably won't get to play in the backyard again until after February. It's going to take quite some time for that mess to dry up.

The good news.... We currently have the largest pool in the neighborhood. Take that Jone's family.

I am on the verge of throwing a boredom induced tantrum right in the living room floor. I don't think it would distract B much from the football game, but it would probably kill AT LEAST 6 minutes.

The even worse news....the dogs are really bored, too. At least I can occupy my time with blogging, facebook, and searching the internet. They are desperately trying to create fun for themselves inside. Don't they just look thrilled....





Look how cute Dixie is in my raincoat!!!



If only I could get them interested in arts & crafts....or housework! Until then, we will be praying for sunnier days and outdoor activities.

Grandma's party and Charleston, SC (otherwise known as the longest blog ever)

It's a bit overwhelming to think about having to sit down and blog about my Grandma's 90th birthday party! There is so much to talk about and so few words to describe how incredible she is to me, but it's a rainy day...and it's now or never!

On January 9th over 150 friends, family, and admirers gathered at Chandler Place in Rock Hill, SC to celebrate 90 years of a beautiful life that is my Grandmother's! It only takes a few minutes of being around Helen Ryan to know why so many people care about her and love her! She is kind and patient, but not completely innocent! She has sponk and personality....and can surprise you. She is independent and stubborn, and at 90, still driven. She is smart and the true definition of a strong woman. A woman, who, aside from my own mother, has taught me more about pride and self-worth than any other woman. Although these exact words/phrases may have never come out of my grandma's mouth, I think she believes that we are accountable for ourselves. We make up our minds about situations and then we must live with these decisions. WE are the only ones who can change our lives. She does as she wishes and she stands beside her decisions (whether she be right or wrong)....and I respect that.

So, although I was happy to see so many people gather to say Happy Birthday on January 9th, I was not surprised! I did not get as many pictures as I would have liked...but please enjoy some of the ones I did capture!

One of two gorgeous cakes


Aunt Cathy, my Dad, and Aunt ReeRee


The spread of food


The cake didn't look that big, until we started cutting it! My Mom is doing a great job!


After Grandma's amazing party, Aunt Cathy had the entire family over to her house to celebrate another special day, my cousin Jenni's birthday! Cathy had a delicious spread of food and we all had some time to gather and visit and enjoy each others company.

Happy Birthday Jenni!


This makes me laugh! No one loves their fur babies more than my cousin Jenni! Cathy picked the perfect present!!


After a wonderful breakfast at the Holiday Inn Sunday morning with Heather, Ellen, and Jenni, my mom, dad, and I got on the road and headed to the Isle of Palms in Charleston, SC. We would later reunite with my Aunt ReeRee and Grandma!! Although I only stayed in IOP until Wednesday, we enjoyed a relaxing retreat in a fancy condo directly on the beach. The best part about the trip was just getting to do whatever we wanted. If I wanted to put on my pj's at 7:30PM...I did it! But my favorite parts included watching the sunrise every morning, witnessing my Grandma's expressions as she read my blog, the seafood (of course), a few days with my aunt, gma and folks....all to myself (this is rare), the desserted beaches, running every morning, and a day in Charleston with my mom and ReeRee. Wow...I had a lot of favorites! Here are only a few pictures from that time....

The always gorgeous beaches










Sunrise on Monday:








Mom, Dad, and ReeRee walking on the beach...it was cold!


Why I love Isle of Palms.....




Sunrise on Tuesday:








And finally our day in Charleston
So perfect...Still beautiful...


One of my favorite shots from the entire weekend


Reminded us of the streets in Italy


I really liked this picture


Rainbow Row


Along the battery


The Pineapple Fountain


S.N.O.B.


My snobs reading the S.N.O.B. menu...haha!


Ummm...yum


A gorgeous graveyard...




My favorite prisoners...


All in all it was a great weekend with my incredible family....you truly couldn't ask for much more than that!

*I will put more pictures on my facebook page...but will try not to duplicate!