Old Dresses and Clay Aiken

I just wanted to brag on Matthew a bit. Sunday is the only day we have together, since he works two jobs and is never around. So, he tries so hard to make it a special day. I get to pick where I eat (he's on a special diet) and we go do something fun. Yesterday, we went to the North Carolina Natural History and regular History museums downtown. They're free! :-)

We had a nice time strolling around the natural history museum, but they're so pro-evolution it gets kinda annoying after awhile. We'd never been to the history museum before, so since it's right across the sidewalk we walked over. It was so nice and QUIET in there! There was an exhibit of state history through the eyes of the governors that was on its last day, and we really enjoyed that. What I just LOVED was the first ladies' inauguration dresses. They must have had 50 dresses in there. Matthew was so patient and let me read about each and every one. I just adore old dresses (side note, the American History museum at the Smithsonian has an oustanding collection of First Ladies' dresses too!).

To make up for it, I made sure we hit the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame next (in the same building).

Funny side note - one of the last things we saw at the history museum was the RecentlY Acquired room. Lots of neat stuff in there, but true to form, recently acquired was an outfit (shirt, pants, shoes) worn by Clay Aiken on American Idol in 2003. Truly, it was profound NC history! ;-)

Matthew at the Hockey Game!

A couple of weeks ago, I felt like doing something fun with Matthew on a Friday night. So, we bought a couple of the cheap seats and went to the Hurricanes hockey game! We saw the 'Canes play the Islanders on Jan. 6, and they won! It's so much more fun when the 'Canes win! :-)

What I think is kinda cute about the game is WWE wrestler Ric Flair is a Raleigh local. So, whenever the 'Canes score, Ric Flair comes on the Jumbotron and goes WOOOOO!!! :-) It's so fun.

It's Deja Vu

It's been so surreal lately around here. Since Matthew took a second job last week as a waiter, it's literally been like going back in time. The last year before we got married, Matthew lived in a little mother-in-law apartment at an older lady's home and worked full-time as a waiter (and went to school). Now, we live in a little mother-in-law apartment at an older lady's home and Matthew's working as a waiter. I used to go pick him up after work back then, and I'm doing it now. It's so surreal, but in a great way. Those were some of our happiest times - it's nice to relive it again.

What it is it with the reindeer?

I'm such a loser I haven't posted in awhile! But, I've had this post brewing all of Christmas, and I finally have a moment to sit down and write it!

It seems that the new icicles this year is prelit reindeer. I mean they are everywhere - we counted at least 20 on the way home to our old house. Little reindeer families, single reindeer, you name it. My favorite is someone on Roxboro Rd. (where the church is) put a prelit reindeer on their ROOF! I wish my camera could have gotten a shot of that one.

And so, in honor of all the reindeer, I took a picture of Matthew at Triangle Town Center mall. Every Christmas they have these life-sized dressed reindeer all over the mall. Every time we see one you have to stop and realize it's not a person!