Just another day at work....

So while it is really just another day, after the work day ends I kinda feel lost. This week I was in Des Moines, Iowa. Not a bad place. In fact, it reminds me a lot of home.   Here's a recap in photos (iPhone...didn't take my good camera)

I arrived on Wednesday evening without my luggage. Oh no! So I took the appropriate steps and was assured it would come. It would be late but would arrive.

I go get checked in. Have dinner -

No surprise but at 2:16 a.m. I woke up. Panicked. No luggage. I called the front desk only to hear what I expected. They hadn't seen it. After I called the number on the paper, I was finally told it had actually arrived at the Des Moines airport. BUT.....I couldn't pick it up until 9:30 a.m. Ummmm Noooo I am her for work. And I don't work at a bank. So I got up at 7 and made a trip to the airport. I waited for the first flight to come in (kinda stalked the desk) and the approached the poor man that had just come in. He was very nice and pulled open the door and found my brown, wheeled suitcase with the bright rainbow ribbon, ha! I was a happy girl.

I made it to work by 9:15 - a pretty normal day. I try to see what is happening around the area and low and behold, IOWA state fair was just blocks away. Toby Keith was the nightly entertainment. But no, I didn't go. Didn't really feel like dealing with tens of thousands of people and a shuttle.

I was feeling a little guilty too since everyone back home was working so hard to get ready for the fair. I poured the guilt on just a little more by getting my toes done - 

then having PF Changs for dinner -

then choosing some yummy Cheesecake Factory coconut chocolate chip cheesecake for dessert -

Oh and look - even Des Moines has bunny rabbits -

Back to my hotel room I go, enjoying the view -

Eat my cheesecake -

 and then pack for my departure in the morning.

Yep, just another day at work.

P.S.  Chase always asks what kind of car I have.  Well, he wouldn't be too impressed this time -  (hehe)!

WHAT a view -

For all my blog friends that through the years have heard me post about the beach we go to I just had to share.  This is a picture taken by Chris Parypa Photography and truly shows this beach.  Truly shows the vulnerability.  Truly shows the beauty.

One day I truly hope to call this our home.  My husband and I did not meet until 22 years ago.  We didn't go to school together and were raised in different states.  Both of us though, shared this as our vacation place through our childhood.  Ronnie was actually born just about an hour from here and still has family in Salisbury.  We just talked about this a few weeks ago but how ironic is it that we both LOVE this place AND spent so many vacations there apart.  It makes it so much easier for each of us to understand and agree that this is the perfect vacation place for us year after year.  Perfect!

So now (those of you that didn't before) you know where we go!  =)

Happy HAPPY Birthday Cierra!

Seventeen.  Shew!  Say it isn't so =)

We love you very much and hope you have a wonderful day =)

Love, 

Mom & Daddy

Quick compare....

We had a blast last week and as I was sorting through pictures, I realized how much Britt, Cierra and Chase have grown up.  See what you think =)

Last Saturday....

After breakfast with Britt, Brandon, Brooklyn & Chase I was able to get all settled in to "our home for the week" alone, ha!  I picked up the keys, drove to 29th street, boarded the elevator and opened the door to paradise (at least to me, LOL)!

Ahhhhh!  And the views?  Totally AWESOME!

And from the beach?!

So I was able to get the car unloaded, everything up to our condo and all settled in before ANYONE else arrived.  YAY me!

This place was great and I'll go ahead and rub it in but we had the best of both worlds.  From our balcony we could see the sunrise -

And set -

We could even enjoy the night life from our quiet spot -

So there you have it.  This is where we spent the week. I'll post more about our perfect vacation but wanted to at least get a start =)

Game 2 = another WIN!

Batting practice then some 1/2 lb. cheeseburgers and these guys were ready to go!

Well, not until a few games of checkers, lol -

Now off to the field -  it was a little warmer today so they tried to stay cool under the tent -

until the team was announced -

our lead off batter just chillin' until he is called to take the first swing =)

Our flags look a little different today.  We are the visitor - facing Tennessee.

And here we go....

things were a little easier today.  We started off hitting good.  (although this is never a good sign, ha!)

most of the time that means a fly ball and sure out!

We played really good both offensively and defensively against Tennessee.  The final score was 9-5 us.  Yay.  Those two wins put us in a pretty good way.  

And now the struggle.  We had let the manager know up front that our vacation would fall at the same time as the Regional tournament.  He was fine and understood.  Then, once it was real that we had to play Chase decided to go for as long as he could.  That meant two games then leave.  The team chanted his name and begged him to stay.  

What a tough decision but Chase decided to stick with the original plan and leave the team to win on their own =).  They are such a strong team and without doubt could pull this off.  These two wanted their picture with Chase and said they would win for him.  He left his cross necklace with Tim for good luck....

As we headed out, we went one way and the team the other.  Their windows were down, yelling at Chase.  That's when the emotions came.  It was a quiet 171 miles north on I-95.  We had already agreed to try to make it as far as we could to Ocean City.  We stopped for fuel and milk shakes and chicken nuggets then kept going.  He finally started talking and kept me away as we went from North Carolina through Virginia (crossing a 17 mile bridge/tunnel in the dead of the night) then we hit the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  By 2:30 a.m. we were here.  Changed gears.  Went from uniform to swimming trunks.  All is well.

On Saturday the team played two games so the family sported Blue.  They beat South Carolina 23-2 and then faced Florida.  They were unable to pull out a 2nd win, losing 6-2 but moved into the playoffs on Sunday.  They lost on Sunday to Border Belt (the host team) 2-1.  Wow.  Another close game.  Bottom line, we are soooo proud of this team.  The boys are very talented and play well together.  They definitely have their heart in the game and had a good run.  Way to go SP!

First game = First win!

We played on Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. at the Lumberton High school complex.  We faced Lumber River and it was a very tight game, to say the least!  Shew.  I was trying to take some action shots while texting Ronnie, Cierra, Devin and Britt back home (wanted them to feel the emotion, ha!)

The battle was on.  Our flags were flying - North Carolina @ Virginia.  (yes, we are representing VA)

The managers shook hands -

Players ran into position -

And everyone did their job -

But we just couldn't get ahead...it was tied up 2-2 all the way to the bottom of the 7th when Bradley came through....stole home on a pass ball!  YAY!

What a game!