Thank You MawMaw!

This past weekend we were SO thankful for MawMaw and her willingness to take care of her Grandbabies when we ask!!!

We had the opportunity to take the kids to MawMaw's for the weekend so we could enjoy some days of relaxation and dating! :) Both are a rare treat in our household currently!!!

On Saturday we had such a good time on a day-long date. We started our day by sleeping in late and enjoying a low key breakfast at home. (Anyone that knows us well knows that sleeping in late is treat enough for the 2 of us so we could have stopped there and considered it one of the best weekends ever!) ;)

After our morning at home we headed out to Chapel-Hill (God's Country) to watch our Tar Heels play baseball. It was a gorgeous day and a wonderful game...the Heels pulled out a win and we all know that's also a rarity now a days! ;) We could not have hand picked better weather for this game and it was a perfect location for our day out and about.

Right after the baseball game we had to hurry home so we could change clothes and get ready for our annual date to Easley's Silent Auction. This is hands-down one of our most favorite date nights all year! We met up with some friends and headed over to Umstead Pines for some bidding, socializing, and enjoyable adult conversations. It was a blast!!! We even left the auction with a few new and fun items that we will be able to enjoy in the months/year ahead...but that's for a different post on a different day! ;)

We really can't thank MawMaw enough for her willingness to keep the kids for us and for also taking such good care of them while they are there. These dates always remind us of how blessed we are to have such supportive families, enjoyable adult outings, and of course The Heels! :)

Wordless Wednesday

The Big 3-0!

Last Sunday Brooke turned 30 years old!

Yep, you read that right...the big 3-0!

Now, we know what you're all saying/thinking..."But Brooke looks so young!" "Wow she really looks hot to be 30!" "She must really eat well, exercise daily, and avoid sunlight to look so great!" We hear you and we're all just as amazed as each of you, but it's true. She is aging and this year was her 30th! ;)

The family had made some plans for this special weekend that included Greg coming in from out of town, Hopie having an Upwards game on Saturday morning, followed by lots of family time that afternoon, and then dinner at Outback that evening. Brooke was very excited about her "special day" but nothing could have prepared her for the weekend ahead...

On Friday night Greg arrived into town for dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. It was a blast to hang out (until entirely too late), eat some yummy food, and just catch up over dinner. After dinner we went home and Bobby decided to go ahead and give Brooke her birthday gift. She was super excited to get some Dansko shoes that she has been wanting for about 4 years. It was the perfect gift and a HUGE surprise!!!

Bobby informed Brooke of some changes in the weekend plans but it was nothing too major for Brooke. Bobby had decided to hire a babysitter to keep the kids so Saturday's dinner would be a little more relaxing and enjoyable for the entire family. He had also decided that we would all go to Bennett Pointe instead of Outback for a quieter evening of celebrating. (Smart man, huh?) It still looked like it was going to be a great time for Brooke and the entire family.

So, having a babysitter meant that we had to leave for dinner after every one else to make sure our kids didn't feel too overwhelmed by everyone's immediate exit at the same time. After e giving the babysitter 1001 different directions we finally headed out to meet up with the rest of the family. Walking into dinner Brooke was her normal talkative self and was oblivious to what was about to come. Nana was waiting in the lobby for us and then quickly opened the door to a private room where Brooke heard, "SURPRISE!"....that word was a perfect description of how she felt! She could not believe her eyes. The room was filled with some amazing friends that had all come out to mourn...I mean celebrate the big 3-0 with Brooke! The night was great!!! Bobby had ordered an amazing 80's themed birthday cake that had some of Brooke's childhood favorites like MTV, PacMan, CareBears, and Smurfs! It was also covered with some favorite games like a Rubix cube, SIMON, and of course a record labeled with the #1 hit from when she was born (Michael Jackson - I wanna Rock with You). The cake looked amazing but also had to be one of the best tasting cakes as well!

Brooke was definitely a little bummed to see some faces missing in the crowd but she received special text messages, phone calls, emails, etc from them so she knows that they wish they could have come. Overall, it was an amazing night. It was filled with laughter, great stories, faithful friends, cute (and hilarious) cards, and yummy food! It was a wonderful way to celebrate such a special occasion. It was a HUGE surprise to Brooke and tremendous testimony to how blessed she is daily!
On Sunday (Brooke's actual Birthday) the family went to Outback for the much anticipated dinner that Brooke had requested originally. Her parents and sister's family did a great job of making her feel loved and appreciated with lots of attention and some great gifts. Plus, Outback gave her a YUMMY birthday treat which was exciting for the whole table!

Many people say that their 30th birthday was a hard one for them. Some say that it was depressing for them or hard to except in comparison to the others. For Brooke, 30 was definitely a dreaded birthday and she was not looking forward to the transition. However, now, thanks to this guy....
...Brooke will always remember her 3oth as a celebration/recognition of her many blessings! She will never forget what an amazing family she has or what wonderful friends surround her daily. She is so thankful that her hubby gave her this weekend to help her remember what God has given her daily already...no matter how old! :)

Wordless Wednesday

(Not taken by Brenden this time...we'll return to that next week) :)

Dear Uncle Greg...

Thank you for the great Christmas present!!! I absolutely love my Chuck the truck! It talks about dirt and sand and makes different noises depending on how I move it. I also like how it rolls over just about anything...even Mommy's foot when she's not paying attention.

My only problem with Chuck is that sometimes I can't find him when I'm ready to play with him. It's weird because I can still hear him say "Bye" to me but I just can't find him. Do you have any clue where he might go to hide from me???


Oh well, thanks again for the great gift and we hope to see you again very soon!

Love always,
Brenden :)

Wordless Wednesday

(The view from our front door on Saturday morning.)