last day and i'm pissed

hahaha... ok, I'm not really pissed, but I'm sad that the vacation is over. Its been really really fun though! :)

Today Jessica and I headed out to the pool early. I was out at 9:3o am! I laid out with Jessica on this great deck in front of the Hilton. It looks out onto the beach. You can see the ocean...and its right by a large dune. Crazy lizards kept jumping up onto the deck from the dunes. They could blow bubbles in their necks and they could change color!

Jessica left pretty early, before noon, to go to the Aquarium with Brian. Jesse sat with me for awhile. We went for a walk on the beach....then Jesse went upstairs and I stayed out there until 2. I finished reading Uglies and today I started a book called Graceling by Kristin Cashore. So far...I like it!! Its different because its about a place with 7 kingdoms and 7 kings. Its almost like its old fashioned because they ride horses and its kinda medieval, but its kinda like sci-fi too. Certain people are called Gracelings because they are born with a Grace, or a gift. They are exceptionally gifted in one area. The book is about a girl named Katsa whos gift is killing.

After that I went to the gym. Then I got prettied up a bit and we went to dinner at Salsarita's. Its a place, kinda like Moe's or Qdoba or Chipotle. We dont have any of those places back home, so I'm glad we got the chance to eat there. It was pretty good.

After dinner we went to the Tanger Outlet Stores that are near our hotel. I bought a bunch of stuff....first I got a new bikini in Aeropostale. I guess I needed to replace the one that broke the other day. Its cute...its white with bright blue polka dots. I bought a green sweater in the Gap. I bought a green t-shirt, brown tank top, a pair of running shorts, and two pairs of flipflops from OldNavy. Jesse got a pair of shorts from Aeropostale...but he'll probably take them back because they don't fit right.

Of course tonight I watched the results show of SYTYCD. I was happy with the 2 sent home. I can't wait til next Wednesday now!! I love that show.

Tomorrow we gotta drive home. I'm mad about it. I hate driving. hate it. hate. it.

I'm in love...with Mongolian Grill food

What can I say? Today was again an awesome day at the beach! I really enjoyed the sunshine today. We had a huge thunderstorm wee in the early hours of the day. So, I think it cooled it off just a touch and eased the humidity a bit, too.

We did a lot today. Beach. Ocean. Pool. Beach. Pool. I read a lot. I'm only a few pages away from being done with Uglies. We went to the gym again this afternoon. After that.... I was looking out the window of our room. Jesse pointed out that it looked like there was sand at the bottom of this one pool by our hotel. I said that I thought it was just painted the color of sand...but then he pointed out how the people that walked over it walked different through that part. He was right. It looked like they were kinda sinking in it. So, we decided to go down there and see what was up with that. It really was sand! But not sand sand. ...it was like itty bitty pebbles that were the color of sand. Very cool.

For dinner we did go to the Empire Fire place. It was sooo freaking good. I loved it! In case you've never heard of it, ( I hadn't) first you go up to the buffet. It has uncooked meats (like beef, ham, lamb, shrimp, scallops, chicken, sausage, pork, etc.) and it also has raw veggies (like broccoli, scallions, onions, green peppers, sugar snap peas, portabella mushrooms, bean sprouts, cabbage, etc.) So you put what you want into a big bowl...and take it to a counter. Behind the counter they have lots of different sauces (oyster sauce, Mongolian sauce, lemon water, garlic water, ginger water, wine, chili sauce, and oil) and you can choose what you want or just tell the guy if you like it spicy or not spicy. Then they throw it onto this HUGE round very very hot grill. They toss it around a bit and a minute or so later they throw it onto a plate and...then you can take it back to your table and enjoy! It was really really good.

They also had an ice cream bar...with............MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP!! Its my favorite!! I ate 2 bowls of the stuff! I ate a ton more than Jesse even. haha. I didn't even feel full. I don't know what came over me! I just got finished watching So You Think You Can Dance. I'm so excited about it because tonight was the first night where the top 20 were dancing for real. :) I was really impressed with all of them! I think this will be a really good season!

I'm slightly upset that tomorrow is my last day to lay on the beach. :( I'm going to try to make the most of it!

day 3, night 4

Today was yet ANOTHER wonderful beautiful day. It was a little warmer and quite a bit more humid.

This morning Brian, Jessica and Jesse went to work out early (around 10). I didn't want to work out that early so I went to the pool by myself. After not very long I felt like I was scorching! So around 11:45 I went back upstairs and did a reapply of sunscreen and ate a little.

Then we all went out to the beach. Jesse and I took a walk down the beach and looked for seashells. He found some neat broken spiral ones. Then he found a broken piece of a sand dollar. THEN, I looked down in the water and found an unbroken oblong spiral shell!! Its really pretty. It looks somewhat like this photo.
I'm already more than halfway finished with the book I started yesterday! Its called Uglies and its really good. Its another sci-fi kinda book about a future world where they make everyone get plastic surgery when they turn 16. The people after the surgery are called "pretties" and the kids pre-surgery are called "uglies." The book is about a group of people who rebel and decide they don't want to become pretties. I like it :)

After the beach, I came in and went to the gym. I ran on the elliptical for 45 minutes.

For dinner we went to Wild Wings Cafe. It was good. I had spinach dip with tortilla chips. Then I had grilled chicken smothered in Monterrey jack cheese, grilled onions, mushrooms and green peppers. I had mac 'n' cheese and steamed broccoli for my sides.....

Afterwards we walked around Barefoot Landing a little bit. We went into a candy store and I bought 8 dollars worth of candy. They had a lot of licorice stuff and that's my favorite!! :) They even had black jelly beans!

Then, to top all that candy off....we went to Wendy's and Brian and Jessica got one of there new coffee drink thingies. I really wanted a Coffee Toffee Twisted Frosty....but with all that candy I thought it was best if I passed. Jesse got an Oreo Twisted Frosty...and I had a few bites. :)

Tomorrow we are probably going to eat at a place that is a Mongolian Grill called Empire Fire. I'll let you know how it is tomorrow night! :)

wardrobe malfunction

Today...was a lot like yesterday. It was beautiful! Today was a little warmer....but there was still a nice breeze and it wasn't too hot. We went out to the beach around 10:30. Brian and Jessica set up a large pavillion tent-like thingie so that we could have some shade. It was nice.

I finished reading The Host today. It was really good. I was getting up to get a new book out of my bag when.... the plastic hook on the back of my bikini top broke. Yeah, thats right. My top flew off....well, not off really, because it has a tie-on halter top, but regardless..it was frightening!! Luckily part of the plastic hook stayed attached, so we were able to make it make due until we went back upstairs for lunch.

After lunch, Jesse and I went to the pool in front of our hotel. We sat under an umbrella and took naps :) Then we went to the gym. 2 nights here and we've already worked out 3 times!

For dinner tonight we went to Chili's. We ate texas cheesefries for an appetizer. Then we had steak & chicken fajitas for our meal....and we topped it all off with a molten chocolate cake.

I can't believe I ate all that!! I also can't wait until I get to do it again tomorrow! hahaha. After dinner we walked around Broadway at the Beach.... then came back home to the hotel. I'm hoping for a 3-peat of wonderful weather tomorrow!

perfect weather day

The forecast for this whole week says Shattered Thunderstorms every single day. It was a little cloudy when we woke up this morning, but by 11 most of the clouds were gone. It was a PERFECT day for laying on the beach. There was a nice little breeze. There was plenty of sunshine, but it wasn't the least bit hot. I didn't even sweat. I only got in the ocean once.

Jesse and Brian passed football while Jessica and I sat in the sun and read. I looked up to see all three of them looking around in the sand. I wondered what they were doing, but I just went back to my book. The next time I looked up...they were STILL looking around in the sand. I went to find out what they lost....it was Brian's wedding band!!! That's a big ouchie! They looked and looked and looked. No luck.

So, Brian and Jessica left ...went to the Bass Pro Shop and bought a 6o dollar metal detector. Within 5 minutes of searching, he found it!! It was crazy.

After laying in the sun we ate some lunch...and then Brian and Jesse went to work out at this big Fitness Center here at our complex. Jessica and I went downstairs to a little fitness center in our hotel. Its really nice (Jesse and I worked out there yesterday, too)

After that... back to the hotel room for a bit...and then we ordered Domino's Pizza for dinner. We spent the rest of the evening combing the beach. Brian and Jesse took turns using the metal detector. They found a bunch of rusty screws and a pack of JuicyFruit.

I'm hoping that tomorrow is as nice as today!

on the way!

We left last night around 4 pm. We stayed in a Hampton Inn last night in Asheboro, NC. It was hard to sleep in a little double bed. I can't believe that we did that for the first 4 years we were married!

Jesse and I went to sleep around 12. As soon as I was able to drift off...either Brian or Jessica's cell phone rang or went off or something. Then...right as I was about to fall asleep again, SOMEONE WALKED INTO OUR ROOM! They used a swipe card key and walked right in. They stopped when they saw our stuff sitting there, laughed, and let the door slam behind them. Brian woke up and called the front desk, but they didn't really care. They must have never done anything about it because this morning when we came back from breakfast our keys wouldn't work.

I drove for a little while. Jesse made me for some reason, but now... he's driving and we should be there in just a little bit. We just now crossed over the South Carolina border.

8 hours and counting....

I've got less than 8 hours to leave for the beach! We are driving half way (or so) down this evening...and staying in a hotel. Then tomorrow we'll drive the rest of the way to Myrtle Beach! YAY! I'm really looking forward to laying around in the sun, reading, hanging out with Brian & Jessica, and eating good food!!

I still have some stuff to get ready today... So, I guess I'm going to go work on that. I haven't subbed since Wednesday at GWMS. That will be my last day subbing EVER! I'm so so so so happy that I don't have to do that again! Its not that bad, but it gets really really old.

I called Cracker Barrel on Wednesday to see if I could get started working there the week of the 15th. They have a new GM now...and she said that I have to be available for nights and weekends (as in Friday nights, Saturday nights, and Sundays all day) to be "rehired." Even though they MADE me quit. I was kinda upset about that, but I think Jesse will be getting a job soon. So, it should be ok. Jesse said that I can take some time off and work on getting my stuff ready for next year!