surprise!

Colton is not a big birthday person, as you know from last years post. BUT I am, and it is his 30th this year!!!! I have been DYING inside because he has told me "No Presents, No Parties and No Surprises!". Boo.

Well it was hard for me to follow his request. Really hard. So I tried to think of way I could maaaybe just bend his birthday rule a little tiny bit without him getting mad.

After many different ideas I finally had a good one. His good friend Tom agreed to fly in over Veteran's Day weekend and surprise him after work.

I had it all planned out. Tom would fly in on the red-eye, I would pick him up at 10 am, he would come back to the house to sleep for a few hours and then Colton would be home.... and BAM! We would surprise him!!

So the day finally came, everything went as planned! Picked up Tom, he went back to the house to sleep, then I headed out to Costco to run a few errands before Colton came home.

THEN Colton texts me....

 "hey looks like I have to work this weekend... maybe even Monday too...."

I just stood there looking at my phone.( I am at Costco at this moment - and I think people around me thought I was about to break down and start crying.)

 This had to be a joke. Colton must have come home early seen Tom and they are playing a joke on me.

Not the case. I get home and Tom is sounds asleep and no sign of Colton. I was crying inside. Why does he have to work EVERY TIME someone comes into town?!!

Colton drives up at 4:15 as expected. I tell Tom to go hide in the bedroom. I feed Colton some story about how I picked up his birthday present today, but it is too large to wrap and he has to open it now!! He was resistant but followed me in the room.

( As I walk in the room, Tom is now under the covers of the blow-up bed and all that is showing are his cowboy boots out the end.... )

Colton walks in, see the boots.... Tom pops up and out of the bed! They both start yellling!

Colton: "AHHHHHH WHAT ARE YOU DOING???!"
Tom: "Came back to see my old place!!!"
Colton: "WHY DO YOU HAVE PANTS ON?!"
(random comment)

<They Hug>

 We did it, we surprised him!!

They ended up having a great weekend together...and Colton ended up telling work he couldn't come in.


Happy 30th C.

The End.

headed down south

It has been a rare occasion that Colton and I both have a Saturday off at the same time. But this Saturday (at the last minute) it happened!

We decided to head down to Richmond, VA - a day trip I have been wanting to do for awhile. I had heard from multiple people what a lovely city it is and so we decided to check it out for ourselves!

The two hour car ride went quickly as we sang our country all the way down. The highlight was when the Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood song "Remind Me" came on. Colton turned to me and said "you be Carrie and I will be Brad!"  

Our favorite find of the day was this architectural salvage warehouse called "Carabati's" right on the water in Downtown Richmond...

It was the most organized "salvage" place I have ever seen.... they had rad old doors, incredible vintage hardware and ....colored toilets!

 

 

You know I love a good salvage... remember my old doors? and  iron gate headboard?? (R.I.P.) 

My Second favorite find (by recommendation of a friend in Bethesda) was Williams and Sherrill. An incredible furniture store that started out with just wallcovering and fabrics, but over the years has expanded into a massive place. 

All of their gorgeous fabrics were priced around $25 / yard. I was blown away. A lot looked very similar to patterns I had used for clients years ago that easily went for $80 / yard wholesale.... I will be going back to that place!!

I walked out with this beauty...my new cotton fall wreath! 

Unfortunately, we didn't get to hang out in Richmond too much longer before we had to rush back to MD to chaperone a youth dance. But we do plan to go back soon!

oh sandy

On the day of the dreaded hurricane Sandy, Colton went into work that morning (without question) after my plea's for him to stay home...."just a rain storm!" he would say...."You need to callllmmmmm down"

Oh really?!! This is what the official Weather.com was telling me...

Luckily, he came home early around 1pm. We quickly headed over to Bethesda to check on his Mom who was home by herself (his Dad works with storm water management in Fairfax County - so he was  busy guy that day)

I put on my best "hurricane outfit" and we headed out... (really this hurricane gave me a potential reason to use all the Christmas gifts I have been given over the years, emergency radio, 72 hour kits, Rain boots, wind-up flashlight, etc...)

Our drive over.... wet. rainy. and very windy.

This tree is at the end of their cul-de-sac ... The last signs of fall before the violent winds 

would blow all the pretty leaves off...

Bonny and home were okay, besides a minor leak found in the attic. Colton quickly remedied it and then we headed back home and "hunkered down" (so tired of hearing those words).

We ate a quick dinner before we "lost power" and then Colton proceeded to download end of the world movies like "2012" and "Day after Tomorrow"(too bad everyone and their mom was on i-tunes downloading movies so we never got to watch it).

By 10:30 pm we were tired of waiting and fell asleep listening to the violent winds pound against the siding on our place. 

Much to our surprise, come morning - we woke to calm skies. Still very wet and overcast - but no more wind. 

We feel very blessed to have been safe and sound during the storm! Thank you for all the texts, emails and phone calls. Luckily we were okay and unharmed. 

It felt good to be prepared, but even better to not have to use any of it!