2014 Reading Challenge

So back in 2012 I discovered Goodreads.com online as a way to find new books to read and most of all to keep track of those that I had already read.

They have a great feature where you set a reading goal for yourself and are able to keep on track by entering the books you've read and the date that you finished.

In my first year, I set a goal of 1 book a week for 52 total. I did it.

Then last year I decided my New Year's Resolution was to read ALL of my James Patterson books. That was 68 in total. I was doing well on that path but there is always something else that comes up that I want to read (like a new Janet Evanovich or something.) So, I finished my goal on the very last day of the year by reading a freebie that I had gotten on the iPad. But I finished.

This year...I'm making my goal even harder-70 books! I have a book list to follow. Mostly to finish all the James Patterson books that I didn't get to last year (including the 10 or so that I received for Christmas this year). I'm also wanting to read books that are set in various locations in North Carolina. I love nothing more that reading along with something and being able to completely relate to the setting. I found a website earlier this year that provided a literary map of North Carolina. What a great way to "tour" the state in a completely different way!

 

 

Of course I love reading Margaret Maron and Nicholas Sparks books but I'm also looking for other, lesser known, authors that provide that same "down home" feeling to the story. As a native North Carolinian (and there aren't that many of us), I think this is a great way to get in touch with "The Old North State". For any of you that aren't native, consider these as an introduction to places you haven't possibly explored yet.

 

Please feel free to follow along with me on my 2014 journey here on my blog. I'm adding a widget as I have in the past to the sidebar. Or you can keep up over at Goodreads.com. If you have suggestions for good reads (I'm not into romance novels), pass them along. The best way to discover new stories is by sharing with each other.

 

Happy Reading and Happy New Year!

 



Bonus Post

As a bonus to my earlier post about my trip, I wanted to share these amazing sunrise pics JGIII took one morning. Surprisingly we were up most mornings early and at least one or the other of us watched the sunrise each day. Such an amazing testament to God's handiwork on this earth.

7 Year Itch

September 9, 2006
Cary, NC

September 2013
Myrtle Beach, SC







This month is our 7 year anniversary. We celebrated by taking a trip down to Myrtle Beach, SC for a long weekend. We ended up getting a place in a resort close to the Boardwalk for cheaper than we planned and it was oceanfront. Couldn't wait.

We stayed at The Camelot by the Sea one of the Oceana Resorts. The condo was decent-not the best, not the worst. Here's my review from tripadvisor.com...

One of our favorite things to do is...EAT. Especially on vacation. We're always looking for good places to try and see what new dishes we can get.

Here are my restaurant reviews from our trip. We stayed in Myrtle (as opposed to North Myrtle) so most places are in that area.

1. Giant Crab Buffet - in restaurant row beside the Original Benjamin's buffet. We've always gone to this one over the others because it has Greek owners and some great Greek desserts on the buffet. The reviews aren't that good but once you find something you like it's hard to change. I thought this trip wasn't nearly as good as the other times we've been but the she-crab soup is delicious. LOL

from a trip to MB in February 2012

kataifi and baklava from the buffet (kataifi is fantastic...baklava is dry)

2. Crabby Mikes Calabash Seafood Company - this is all the way south of Myrtle in Surfside beach. A good drive for most but it was good. Had the BEST crab legs of any place we've been. I would go back there for soup, salad and crab legs. All buffets are just that though...a lot of money and a lot of food. Just depends if that's what you want.

our view of the ocean from the table at lunchtime

3. Bummz - this was next door to our resort so we walked over after sitting on the beach. It had a patio that overlooked the ocean and had pretty good food. I had a grouper sandwich and JGIII had a burger. Would have gone again if we were there longer.





 

mahi reuben sandwich

4. River City Cafe - this was around the corner from our resort so we walked over there one night. It's a chain so there are like 7 locations around the area (I think there's one at Barefoot). I had a mahi reuben which was AWESOME! JGIII had a burger which was pretty good too but not my cup of tea. They were pretty reasonably priced and I also had a coupon from one of the free books you pick up all over the place. #28 on urbanspoon.com's list of best restaurants in Myrtle Beach.

5. Duffy's tavern (attached to the Bowery at the boardwalk) - this was the cheapest meal we ate (except for Bojangles) the whole trip. Nothing terribly exciting but we were looking to save some money on this lunch and the food was decent. It was Sunday and they had football on in the bar so that was fun. The Bowery is Alabama's bar and Duffy's has similar clientele.

Hot Beer, Lousy Food, Bad Service ;)

 6. Joe's Crab Shack - Location at Broadway at the Beach. Read the review that I posted on this place at urbanspoon.com. Save your money. Don't eat here.

 

Moonshine tea

 

King Crab preparing for his steam pot







These are places we've gone on past trips that we like:

1. Dirty Dick's Crab Shack - in North Myrtle. Has All-you-can-eat crab legs for $28.99. Always had good food here.

2. The Shack - in Cherry Grove. Small but decent food. It's on the left on Sea Mountain Highway when you're headed into Cherry Grove from N Kings Hwy.

3. Margaritaville - you pay for the atmosphere but it's always fun



These are places that I wanted to try while we were there but didn't get a chance;

1. Landshark Bar & Grill - Margaritaville on the Boardwalk, it's another Jimmy Buffet restaurant but's actually on the beach. I went in the gift shop but didn't buy anything.

2. Mammy's Kitchen - this was south of where we were staying on Kings Hwy. Read that is has a wonderful breakfast buffet. We had plans to eat here on our anniversary but had car troubles that got in the way.

3. Flying Fish Market & Grill - this is at Barefoot. I have no idea if it's any good but I read several good things about it. I would like someone to try it and let me know if it's worth the money

4. Sea Captain's House - this was recommended to me by a friend and also on several lists about the best waterfront place to eat in Myrtle. It's not in North Myrtle but supposedly has fresh seafood not frozen stuff. It's also #4 on urbanspoon.com's list of best restaurants in Myrtle Beach.

5. The Original Benjamin's buffet - this one is in restaurant row and is NOT the same as Captain Benjamin's which are all over the place. I read lots of good reviews about this one.

Here are some other shots from our vacation: 

 





looking north from the balcony



looking south from the balcony



toes in the sand





Skywheel on the boardwalk behind Landshark Bar & Grill





JGIII and I on the boardwalk

 

Proud to be an American

20 years ago I arrived on the campus of UNC-Greensboro to learn more about government and leadership. Thanks to the dedicated staff, I enjoyed one of the best weeks of my life. I have been so lucky to continue this tradition every June since.

I'm in there somewhere...

The Tar Heel Girls State program has been such a huge part of my life, I tend to forget that a lot of people don't exactly know what it is. There are so many that have never even heard of it. In a nutshell, THGS is week long workshop in the legislative process sponsored by the North Carolina American Legion Auxiliary. North Carolina's program is the longest continuously-running (this was the 74th session!!) Girls State program in the United States. For a week in June, approximately 300 of North Carolina's most promising rising high school senior girls from every part of the state come together to learn about and  participate in various parts of government. The "citizens" will form a mock city & state government throughout their week including creating a political party with platform ideas and participating in a mock state legislature by debating and voting on bills and laws.

We have been blessed with amazing speakers over the years including past governors, US Senators Elizabeth Dole & John Edwards (pre-scandal) and many state & local politicians and experts in various fields. Certain speakers have developed such a fondness for the program, that they consistently return to speak to and empower these young ladies.

Janet Ward Black, Attorney in Greensboro and Elaine Marshall, North Carolina Secretary of State (taken 2013)

After being at UNCG for so many years, we relocated to the campus of Catawba College 12 years ago. The people of this school have been so gracious and wonderful to us over the years. I can honestly say, several of them I count among my friends because of this association.

The week is filled with SO many activities. Sessions are scheduled almost non-stop from 8AM to 9PM. Our staff meetings don't even start until 11:00 at night! Whew...this makes for such a long week. But I wouldn't trade a single minute of it.

The feeling of doing something good for young ladies that have so many of the same passions as I did back in high school coupled with the AMAZING relationships I have built over the years drives me to return year after year (after year).

A lot of you know the story about how I met JGIII while being a bridesmaid in my friend's wedding. That friend was made through years of being counselors together at THGS. We truly have a lifelong friendship that goes way beyond the boundaries of this program-JGIII and I consider her and her family, our family.

myself and Andrea at Catawba before an inauguration (circa 2005-the year she married her husband and introduced me to mine)

She's only one of the great friends I've made by attending and working this program for so long. I'm not even sure I could count up all the wonderul people that have touched my life in the past 20 years. And every year I meet more girls that hold a special place in my heart.


2005 Staff in Clifford, the Big Red Truck

I may only see these ladies for one week out of the year (although I sure wish it was more often) but I consider them sisters in my life.We have shared so many things over the years like weddings and babies but we've also helped each other through hardships. If nothing else, I know each and every one of these women would be there for me no matter what I needed. And that road goes both ways.

Julie, me, Susan, Andrea (taken 2006)

Saturday's closing ceremonies are always so bittersweet for me. I DEFINITELY need sleep when it's all over and going home to my own bed is the goal all throughout the week but saying "goodbye" to them is one of the hardest things I will do.



Rena, Marsha, Susan, Julie, me, Grace, Anna (taken 2012)

I know a time will come in the future when I'm not successful at this and need to move on. For now...I think I'll enjoy that one week every June when I get to reconnect with these special people. I love you all and am so proud to call each of you my friend. Thank you for everything...

Bridgette, me, Marsha, Julie, Grace, Susan (taken 2013)

I can only hope that the young women of this 74th session of Tar Heel Girls State feel the same level of dedication from some of the best women (and friends) I have ever known.

I can't end this post without a rendition of one of the more emotional things from our week. As corny as it seems to some, Lee Greenwood's song "God Bless the U.S.A." has become a favorite of ours, both because of the patriotism we share as participants and because of the direct connection many of us have to the military. This song is amazing when you hear 300+ people singing together.

THGS sings God Bless the U.S.A.

Beef Burger...Biff Burger



I had a "first" on this past Saturday....I got to eat at Beef-Burger in Greensboro. JGIII has been talking about this place since I met him but I've never been to it. He's taken me to several of his favorite places since we met, Yum-Yums (LOVE the hot dogs!), Ghassan's (you know I can't pass up Greek food), etc. but this one remained on the list. We were making the trip to the 'Boro to go to a grad party and also celebrate Mother's Day while we were there. We got into town early and ran some errands but ended up eating a late lunch. JGIII suggested this place. And let me tell you, when we pulled in the parking lot, I wasn't sure how good it would be. It was definitely crowded which is always a good sign when you visit a new place.

Beef Burger is on Lee St. in Greensboro, near UNC-G's campus. You can also get there from High Point Rd. off of I-40. It apparently used to be called "Biff-Burger" back in the day. Those were a chain of restaurants around the country which started in the mid-1950s as drive up burger stands. I read that the Greensboro location was renamed in the 1980s and is one of only TWO left in the country. Wow!

It was also featured in the movie "Bull Durham"-it's famous!!

You can read more about the history here...



This is my DELICIOUS burger.

 They cook the burgers on a round broiler with the buns on the lower level-this way the delicious grease from the burger drips down on to the bun. Then before putting it together they dip the burger into the Biff-Burger "Special" Sauce. Oh. My. Goodness. It was slap yo' momma good. I'm not usually a huge burger person but sitting here typing this I'm already craving another one. Their menu was HUGE. I couldn't even take everything in that they served. We also had fries (as you do) and believe it or not fried broccoli and cheese bites that were awesome. Who knew?!? Take a look at this menu. We left with our dessert-Oreo milkshakes that were so thick I could almost not get it through the straw but the perfect ending to lunch.

I definitely recommend this "dive" for anyone who is in Greensboro and looking for some good greasy food. I will certainly be paying a visit to it the next time I'm visiting that way.

Side Story:
Back when I was a kid I used to love those machines that you put a quarter into and it spit out an egg with a treasure inside. Specifically the "Flintstone" ones that had Fred spinning around and saying Yabba Dabba Doo were the best. When we sat down at the booth I looked over and dang if Beef Burger didn't have one of those machines.

Before we left, I HAD to try it out. It didn't disappoint. He still spun around and still yelled out his fabulous catchphrase. 

I am now the proud owner of a genuine "gold" (in color) necklace. Who cares-it was the fun of doing it.



Back to My Creativity - On a Budget

Since this blog was originally created to share FUN and CREATIVE things (not my fertility journey)-it's about time to get back to that!

I actually made this wreath a few weeks back but didn't get to share because I was posting about all the medical stuff. Now that it's temporarily behind me, I wanted to show the SUPER easy wreath that I made for Spring/Summer.

Of course, the idea came from Pinterest (what idea do I have that doesn't start there?).This is the original pin.

I got all my supplies together which only required 1 trip to Michaels believe it or not. (Not technically true because mom had to pick up the paint for me when she was there at some point.) I love the ribbon that I found. It's so feminine and springy without being flowery. I found some great flowers at Michaels but 1 bunch of daisies was $7!! Are you kidding? I headed over the Dollar Tree (thanks to some tips I picked up from other crafters online) and found these perfect flowers for $1. Yes! By using my 40% Off coupon at Michaels, I ended up spending about $5 for the whole project. Score!

One of my biggest hurdles when making anything is a bow. I am TERRIBLE at bow making. It shouldn't be that I hard to make some loops and tie it up and it look pretty but I just cannot figure it out. Usually I just ask mom to do it for me but this time I was determined I could do something easier for this wreath. Again, I took to the internet (what CAN'T you find on Google?) and searched for tutorials on bow making. I found this little gem that was perfect for this wreath. It wouldn't be good for every project but it was just right this day.

Here's my bow before I put it on. I put the tape measure next to it so you got an idea how long the tails were.

A little paint on the letter, some hot glue and VOILA! It was done. Putting it all together only took about 10-15 minutes. I made a loop and glued it to the back so that I would have a hanger for it. It probably doesn't need to hang down as long as it does but I wasn't going to go back and redo it. I'm really pleased with something so simple that I can now leave out throughout the spring and into summer.

Under the Knife

I had NO idea what to call this blog post but I did want to share this part of my journey here since I have had so many people supporting me and reaching out to me throughout this journey.

I mentioned in my last post, after my most recent doctor's visit, that I would have to have a surgical procedure done to close off my fallopian tubes in order to keep the fluid that is created in them, out of my uterus. This fluid has been described to me as "toxic" to both my eggs and any sperm that are introduced as well as similar to oil in that if the doctor was to implant a fertilized embryo into my uterus, it would be very difficult if not impossible to implant along the uterine wall.

The process for rectifying this situation, is by inserting a clamp on the fallopian tube at the point in which it meets the uterus. Bluntly, this is a tubal ligation. However, I like to use the medical term of bilateral tubal occlusion because it doesn't sound as if I am electing to have the procedure done. Trust me when I say, if there was any other process I could do, I would.

1. I don't love the idea of having surgery (who does?) and
2. I'm completely distraught over the idea that I am not going to have the option of getting pregnant naturally after this is done.

All this being said, I have now been told by 2 doctors that my chances of getting pregnant without any intervention, would be almost impossible.That coupled with the fact that we have been trying to conceive for over 2 years (with breaks for the health issues I've encountered), leads me to the decision that this is the best course of action for us to proceed with IVF. I have prayed about this over and over and really have achieved a sense of peace about this procedure.

Worst case scenario (according to Dr. Fritz) is that he gets in there and finds way more scar tissue than he expects. If that's the case, and he can't get to the tubes. He will stitch me back up and not do anything. He assured me that it's OK if this happens, we can still move forward with IVF, it'll just make the journey that much harder. As he puts it, we want to "tip the balance as much in our favor as possible" before starting the process. I'm praying for nothing less than a perfect surgery and for everything to be better than he expects. From my lips, to God's ears...

So, tomorrow, Thursday, May 2, I will be heading over the Ambulatory Care Center at UNC to have an outpatient, laparoscopic surgery done by Dr. Fritz. The surgery should take less than an hour and I should be fine by the weekend, only having "discomfort" as he calls it. We'll see. At least he's giving me some prescriptions in case the pain is more than he's expecting it to be.

There are thousands of women every day that are going through the very same thing if not something much worse. It still can feel lonely at times with no one to share your feelings, etc. with (aside from JGIII of course-although he's probably tired of hearing me talk about it lol).

As always, I am grateful for each of you that has taken the time to read this and support me along this path. For those of you that have reached out to me, either in the comments or on Facebook-a huge thank you. I know that I am not alone in this journey.