twenty.five

I've got a gun, and I'm not afraid to use it.

2010-03-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

A registry gun, that is.

Last weekend, Benjamin & I began working on our registries. I was a little apprehensive because Ben is.... let's see... how can I put this nicely.... Practical? Yes. Practical. For instance:
Carrie- "Oooh! an apple slicer/peeler/corer! we NEED this!"
Ben- "We have a knife. And you don't even eat apples that often"
Carrie- "But think of the time I could save! And I could avoid a potential knife disaster! And I would eat an apple every day if we got one!"
Ben- "No."

Our first stop was Williams Sonoma. We grabbed our guns, took a stroll around the store, and surprisingly had fun! We agreed on almost everything (minus the aforementioned apple peeler/corer/slicer). We agreeably compromised about what our dream kitchen should look like. It was a very positive experience.

Just off of our Williams Sonoma happiness, we decided to head to Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Our personal registry coach walked us around every.single.inch of that store, trying to convince us we couldn't live without an espresso machine, or $50 bath towels.... It was miserable. Which is why I wasn't surprised that afterward when I checked over our registry, I found Benjamin had snuck off in an attempt to score us a porcelain cat toilet brush holder (no, I'm not kidding)

a mother-of-pearl toilet seat

and lifesavers. Yes. Candy. On our wedding registry. (Although, I do give him credit. He registered for a nice, big bag. Good job, Honey!)

Fortunately, we survived. And Ben's surprise additions gave me a good laugh.
(Although you can bet I removed those from the registry that same night.)

p.s. I tried to be sneaky by adding my beloved apple gadget to our registry.
Ben quickly discovered my addition and removed it.

Planning a wedding is hard....

2010-03-13T16:24:00.000-08:00

Okay, I'm totally lying. You see, I have done some planning, but I haven't done much doing.

Booking the reception venue? Ben took care of that.
Arranging the ceremony? Yep. He did that too.
Oh! Blocking rooms at the hotel? Ben was all over that.
Researching wedding photographers and DJs? Yeah, Ben did that.
Designing our Save The Dates? Ben.
Emailing & calling vendors? Ben.
Signing us up for pre-marital counseling? Ben has that taken care of.

As for me, I spend obscene amounts of time browsing wedding magazines and websites.
Oh! I took care of stuffing, addressing, and applying postage to the Save The Dates!
Wait, nope. My sister did that.

He might look lazy, but he is the best fiance imaginable. Ben has totally taken the stress out of wedding planning (so far:). I'm so thrilled to have him, my friends and family taking such an active role in helping out! This wedding planning is a breeze!

some thoughts on being a hippie.

2010-01-25T12:03:00.000-08:00

lately, i've been finding that ben & i are increasingly being labeled as "hippies".
yes, we are interested in the environment. yes, we recycle.
but it's not like we go out every day to hug trees and eat granola. we recently had a discussion to try to pin-point where this perception could be coming from.
do we wear tie-dye? attend music festivals? listen to the greatful dead? eat organic food?
no. so what gives?

well, we both went to school for "earthy" type degrees. (as far as our friends can tell, anyway.)
we sometimes go camping. not very hardcore camping, though... nothing like the AT (<-- hippie jargon. a real hippie knows that AT stands for appalachian trail.)
we prefer to eat at local restaurants instead of chains, you know, to help support the economy. ben does wear a lot of earth tones. (BUT! it all comes from gap & j.crew! and i am sure they outsource their labor to small, poor counties. so ha!)
are we interested in current events? down with peace? sure! but who isn't?

after a lengthy discussion about whether or not we are, in fact, hippies, we came to the conculsion that maybe we are just environmentally-conscious nerds. (which in my opionion is a much better label, since environmentally-conscious nerd girls can still shave their armpits.)

wait a second, is that me? in tie-dye? just pretend you didn't see that.

meadow lane

2009-12-30T11:25:00.000-08:00

As a belated birthday celebration, Benjamin took me to Meadow Lane Lodge in Warm Springs, Virginia. I have no idea how he finds places like this, but he definitely has a knack for finding the most amazing places off the beaten path. We ended up getting snowed in, but it made for quite an adventure. Pictures don't do this place justice... it was gorgeous. I can't wait to go back this summer or fall. (hint, hint. Are you reading this Ben?)

Meadow Lane: Before.
Our first morning there, Glenn (the owner) sat down with us to discuss the impending snow. Since we had left Maryland, the forecast had gone from a few inches of snow, to up to 24 inches. So we headed out to the nearest Walmart (40 minutes!) to stock up on survival supplies: food, long johns, & wine.

Meadow Lane: After.
Shortly after we got back, the snow started coming down, and didn't stop for two and a half days. We had the entire property to ourselves... it was the most cozy & beautiful place to get snowed in together!

On the property, there were horses, goats, donkeys, and chickens.. a whole barn full of animals...

The Jackson River, which flows through the property...

Our snowman, Oliver.

The view from the porch.

A little too deep for angels, but an honest attempt.

Gorgeous waterfall down the road.

Not only was the property a dream, the inside of the lodge was so cozy and comfortable. Comfy couches, fireplaces in every room...it was so welcoming!

And the winner is........

2009-12-05T14:19:00.000-08:00

After some great prospects, and many disappointments, Benjamin & I kept coming back to the idea of getting married in North Carolina.
It's where we spent most of our time together during the past two years.
It's where he proposed.
Eastern North Carolina is one of our favorite places.
So why not?
We quickly settled on New Bern, and we* began making calls.
(and by we, I mean Benjamin.)
There is a small historic Catholic church just a couple blocks down the street from one of the BEST restaurants we have ever been to. A restaurant that just so happens to have a big banquet room upstairs. (The Chelsea)
PERFECT.

(New Bern, NC)

(Downtown New Bern)

(St. Paul's)

Finally, we have found a place we are both beyond excited about. Now the hard part will be waiting until the big day finally arrives.

Location, Location, Location...

2009-12-01T13:50:00.000-08:00

Far & away, the most difficult decision Ben & I have encountered in our wedding planning has been choosing a location. One thing we knew is that we wanted someplace special. There were so many impressive options... stunning halls, mansions, golf courses, etc. But most of these places we had never visited. We don't golf (unless you count my stellar putt-putt skills), and so they had no meaning.

So the search continued.

Strong Mansion. Too big.

Seneca Lodge. Too small.

The Mansion House. Would require our guests to use Porta-Potties. Eww.

The Sigrist Farm. Almost perfect, but not quite....

Update!

2009-08-05T16:37:00.000-07:00

I am a really bad blogger lately, but I have some excuses...
In the past couple months I have...
1.) Moved back to Maryland! I am missing North Carolina so much though.
2.) Got a job!!!!! I am a "GIS/Mapping Specialist" at URS Corp. It's an awesome job. I love what i'm doing, I really enjoy my co-workers, and i'm learning a lot.
3.) I finally got contacts! (okay, this by no means is an excuse for not blogging, but it's the most excitement I've got in my life these days...)

As far as wedding planning, I have left the work mostly up to my handy dandy wedding planner/ fiancé...
Not only is he cute, but he has probably done more of the planning than me. How lucky am I?
We've made a few wedding decisions recently, so hopefully I'll have more to write about soon!

i'm getting married!!!!

2009-04-29T13:15:00.001-07:00

me & this hottie are getting hitched! and i couldn't be happier!!

Storms-a-Brewin'

2009-04-20T14:32:00.000-07:00

We get some of the best storms here in Eastern North Carolina. Here are a few pictures I snapped of a quick afternoon storm that rolled through today!

Relay For Life

2009-04-10T10:17:00.000-07:00

On April 3rd, my GeoClub participated in the ECU Relay for Life. Our team theme was Woodstock, and our fundraiser was face painting. We raised a bunch of money and had a great time :)

survivor lap.

a sea of tie dye....

stephanie. my little hippie.

my most prized art-work of the night.

Baby B.

2009-04-01T16:50:00.000-07:00

In early February, my friends Conor & Sayward had a beautiful baby girl, Beatrice. She came over today to hang out while we were tie-dying shirts for Relay for Life. Isn't she the sweetest little thing?

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off to Maryland we go....

2009-03-31T13:18:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Ben & I headed up to Maryland for a night (which included two trips to Chincoteague, which meant two trips to Island Creamery. Delicious). It was so nice to get away from school for a day or two... and oh! how i've missed the beach!

Our kite flying skills are unmatched. :)

what's cookin, good lookin?

2009-03-25T16:46:00.001-07:00

My roommates are in Vegas this week at the AAG conference, which has left me bored & lonely. I've had plenty of time to bake though, and I've found two winners...

1.) Oreo Cake... I made two 5" baby cakes... one with regular oreos, and one with peppermint oreos a la Trader Joes. (my favorite. ever.)
I cut this recipe in half... and made my own buttercream frosting. (I would give you the recipe, but I made it up as I went. Oops)
2.) Spring has sprung. And these cupcakes are bangin'. (I used regular buttercream)

new bern

2009-03-23T18:12:00.001-07:00

we visited new bern, nc this weekend... walked along the water, and visited some shops. it was sunny, and cool, and just what i needed.

i've really grown to love finding these historic, waterfront southern towns. so charming and beautiful. and the spanish moss in the trees.... it puts a big smile on my face.

pink eye

2009-03-23T16:30:00.001-07:00

this swollen, crusty eye has got me down this week. cute, right?
(and contagious! stay away!)

FAQ's

2009-03-22T10:22:00.000-07:00

I've been getting a lot of the same questions about my cruise... so I thought I would answer some of the most common, and throw in a few pictures for your viewing pleasure!

What was the best part about the cruise?
The employees were definitely a highlight. EVERYONE who worked on that boat was so warm & friendly. After the first day, the waiters and bartenders knew our names. Our housekeeper figured out our schedule, and worked around it. Everything we could possibly need was taken care of with a smile.
What was the worst part about the cruise?
You don't get much privacy. It never felt like there were 5,000 people on the boat (there were!), but you also never felt like you were alone.
What was your favorite port?
Belize. They were all great, but the private beach excursion was so beautiful and relaxing.
How was the food?
Amazing. I never had a bad meal. For breakfast, we normally ate a buffet. For lunch, we got pizza (the mushroom & goat cheese was the best pizza I've ever had), and for dinner we went to the dining room.... every night there was a new, delicious menu. We had lobster, steak, salmon.... all impeccably prepared and presented.
Can you tell you are on a boat?
I've always heard you can't, but you can. I never got sick, and quickly got used to it, but its really apparent in the shower, and in bed. The few days after we got home were rough- I always felt like I was rocking.
Would you do it again?
Sure. But I'm not in a rush. I still prefer having more time to spend exploring a place... and I like making my own schedule. But it was nice to be taken care of, and being able the mindlessly visit some cool places.

these sweet little towel animals greeted us every night.

i wanted to take this little guy home.

the beach at Costa Maya.

the lido deck- this is where most of the excitement was. but we never actually spent much time here.

Let's Recap, Shall We?

2009-03-16T16:13:00.000-07:00

I am home, safe & sound. North Carolina has been treating me to some lovely rainy and cold weather since I have been home. I am snuggled up in my bed with a hot cup of tea, watching the rain fall and going through my pictures of sunny, beautiful places. It's depressing. I should have "acidentally" missed the ship. I hear things in Mexico are great these days.

Over the next few days, I will collect my thoughts and pictures to quench your insatiable thirst for every little detail of my trip.

Here she is in all her glory.. the Carnival Valor. The boat was great, the staff was incredible and the food was scrumptious. I think those are the things most people really take away from the cruise experience.

My favorite stop was Belize, even though we didn't see much of Belize itself. This was our private little island.

And of course I had to take a picture of this shore stabilization. Maybe Belize could use my expertise after all? I might write this trip off as research.

But for tonight, I will just be longing for this...
...as I work on my resume. I wonder if there are people who can do this for me? Perhaps I could spend a few hours telling them about how awesome I am, then voila! A completed resume ready for me in no time at all.

Home Sweet Home. Almost.

2009-03-15T07:28:00.001-07:00

Bon Voyage, Carnival Valor. This afternoon you will be heading out to
more lovely destinations.... And I will be driving 12 hours to
Greenville, NC.

We are on the road now, and it's bittersweet. I had a great time and
went to some great places, but 7 days on a boat is a long time. I miss
my bed, and my big shower. I am ready for the calm that comes with
having 2 roommates, not 3,400.

I'll post more pictures this week.

6 down, 1 to go!

2009-03-13T19:06:00.000-07:00

Spent today in Grand Cayman! So
nice! We went on a snorkeling excursion... We visited a reef and a
shipwreck! I had the best time floating around & checking out the
fishies and the ocean. I could spend all day in the water. If
reincarnation exists, I hope I come back as a fish.

Tonight was formal night. And now it's off to the piano bar to sing
along with Roger.

Cozumel

2009-03-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

Spent today back in Mexico... Cozumel to be exact. Unfortunately, it
was overcast and a bit rainy. So instead of spending the day at the
beach, we took a taxi downtown. So many people trying to get us buy
things.... Mostly jewelry. I never thought I would say this, but I
don't want to see jewelry for a long time after this trip. It's
everywhere!

To escape the rain, we got margaritas at Three Amigos. They were good
and cheap! But they forced us to take free shots of tequila and dance
on our chairs! Mexico is a strange, wonderful place.

Tomorrow we are going to snorkle some reefs and a shipwreck at Grand
Cayman. Can't wait :)

Sent from my iPhone

unBELIZEable

2009-03-11T13:57:00.000-07:00

Ok, that was cheesy. Sorry

Belize is stunning. We spent the day on a private island swimming and
enjoying the perfect weather. The water is clear and blue. The people
are friendly, and my inner coastal geomorphologist is having a field
day with the mangroves and reefs!!

I wish we had more time here so I could have seen Belize City. One of
the bad parts about cruises is you don't get to spend much time
immersed in the culture. Everything is very touristy.

I would love to come back to Belize. I wonder how to coastal GIS job
market is here?? :)

LAND!!!!

2009-03-10T08:18:00.000-07:00

I've never been happier to be on land... Yesterday afternoon the seas
turned rough, and the boat was rocking pretty badly all night.
Fortunately, we didn't get too sick.

This morning I am enjoying the beach in Costa Maya, Mexico. A couple
years back, this place was destroyed by a hurricane, and it's still
pretty evident. Beyond the beach are dead, broken trees as far as you
can see. There has been some re- building here... I'm sure these
cruises are helping the economy here in a major way.

There are a few shops and a restaurant. Lots of cheap diamonds, too.
Unfortunately, I haven't met a sugar daddy here, so I will likely be
getting a much classier souvenier. Like tequila.

Off to enjoy the beach and the sunshine.

Next stop: Belize!

Ps. I just got my picture taken with a monkey!!!!! I'll post it next
week. He was cute as heck!

Greetings from.... Somewhere

2009-03-09T12:16:00.000-07:00

I am not sure where we are exactly... A few hours ago we were 20 miles
north of Cuba.

Spent last night in a piano bar listening to Roger. He is a fantastic
piano player and singer, but his English skills aren't perfect yet. We
had a blast singing along to everything from Journey to Billy Joel to
Van Marrison last night. Hope Roger is playing again tonight!

Today we are at sea... The water is the most beautiful shade of blue.
Sun bathed all morning- just what I needed after a freezing,
overwhelming ( but great) GeoTools conference!

Tomorrow morning we arrive in Costa Maya (apparently the location of
the new corona commercial)?! I'm excited.
It's supposed to be beautiful.

Missing everyone terribly. I'll update again tomorrow!

Sent from my iPhone

Safety first

2009-03-08T12:50:00.001-07:00

Look Mom & Dad! We're ready for an emergency! We just did our lifeboat
drill (and you know I paid close attention because the cruise director
had the cutest Australian accent!)

And if worse comes to worse, I will just beat up a little kid and take
his floaties!

Bienvenido a Miami

2009-03-08T08:38:00.001-07:00

We made it safely to Miami, which so far is full of palm trees, old
people (love you Grammie!) and Britney Spears billboards.

I'm getting pretty excited for the cruise. In the past, cruises never
really appealed to me. I'm more of a spontaneous traveler- I like to
do what I want, when I want, where I want. But my "spring break" days
will be coming to an end in less than 2 months. Then that whole
"career" thing kicks in.

So why not!? Heading to the boat soon :)

Sent from my iPhone

On the road

2009-03-07T23:14:00.000-08:00

Spent the day driving to Melbourne, Florida. I forgot how long and monotonous I-95 can be.

I just realized that between March 1-15th, I will only sleep in my own bed twice (which is a real tragedy if you know how much I adore my bed)

Tomorrow we head to Miami and set sail for the week. Tonight, it's another hotel bed for me.

Sweet dreams.

Mobile Blogging from here.

Here I Go Again...

2009-03-06T16:39:00.000-08:00

Gosh, I have been a pretty lousy blogger the past few months. But a wise man once told me I thrive on fresh starts, and he is right. So out with the old and in with the new! Hopefully I will be able to keep this updated a little more often.

More importantly, I am heading out tomorrow for my first cruise! I will be road tripping to Miami for a couple of days, then visiting Costa Maya, Belize, Cozumel, and Grand Cayman. I'll be blogging along the way, so stay tuned!

For tonight, I am going to finish packing and get rested up for a long drive tomorrow.

7 day cruise..... 7 sundresses, 12 shirts, 4 bathing suits... Why am I such a chronic over-packer? Perhaps its because I am a woman. It's probably just in my DNA somewhere.