Adventure Time: Chesapeake, VA Edition (Katie and the Sleepover)

Image Credit: pinterest.com

Image Credit: pinterest.com

This quote is Katie to a T!

Katie came and slept over this weekend!

We’ve been friends since that fateful The Rotunda student newspaper meeting in 2007. We are going to be bridesmaids in each other’s weddings – Mine in about four months, and Katie’s is being planned for sometime in 2016. It’s very exciting.

I hadn’t had a close friend sleep over at my house in several months, so it was awesome this worked out.

Katie and I - January 2015

Katie and I – January 2015


Last night, my parents, Al, Katie, and I went a friend’s house for the spring/summer social of PEO. Mom and I are sisters. PEO stands for Philanthropic Educational Organization. It is a wonderful group of women in the U.S. and Canada, who raise money for educational scholarships and loans for women in the U.S. and internationally. PEO also has its own college, Cottey College, in Nevada, Missouri.

I could sit here for days and tell you about PEO. My mom became a sister in 1992. Before that, my dad’s grandmother, mother, and his two sisters have been PEOs as well.

Katie learned about PEO through a woman from Illinois, who came to Norfolk last month to speak at a leadership conference. This woman said that Katie should talk to other PEOs, and at the time, Katie said that she didn’t know anyone who was a sister.

Come to find out, earlier this week, I extended an invitation to her, and her response on Facebook was, “Wait, isn’t PEO philanthropic educational organization?”

I about fell off of Al’s couch when she wrote that!

The social was very nice – A great group of women and their spouses/significant others, also known as B.I.L.s. There was so much food! Katie talked to several of the ladies who were very eager to meet her and get to know her better. Having PEO socials is like a reunion of sorts – There are six local chapters within the cities of Suffolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach – so it’s awesome to see who shows up!

After food and drink, Sara gave a presentation about her last year as a Cottey student. Sara is from Virginia Beach and discovered Cottey after visiting for a weekend. It’s a great school. It only has 250 women, but a bunch of states and over 15 countries are represented. A lot of money that PEOs raise goes directly to Cottey. Clearly, going to Cottey changed Sara’s life – She just earned her two-year degree, went to Thailand for two weeks before graduation, and is now considering Longwood (!!) or Christopher Newport University for further education. Katie and I are hoping to take a trip out to Cottey at some point – It sounds like so much fun!


After the social wound down, I drove Al back to his house. He gave Katie the two pieces of artwork we bought from Tidewater Comicon for her fiance, Drew. We’re so excited!

We got home and chatted with my parents for a while before Katie and I hung out. She was thrilled that I had my American Girl dolls on display, and we launched into planning a future trip to D.C. with our close group of friends!

We both started getting sleepy and decided to turn in for the night around 11:00 p.m.


I woke up this morning around 6:00 and turned on the TV. Katie joined me around 6:30, and then my parents were shocked that we were up so early. The four of us chatted and shared stories before Mom started to get ready for church. Katie and I ate breakfast, talking about her upcoming trips to Pittsburgh and then Ohio!

She Face-Timed with Drew for a few minutes as well, so that was fun to talk to him for a bit.

This morning was nice and relaxed. Katie then got cleaned up and headed toward Richmond to see Drew and Drew’s dad a little while ago.

The sleepover was so much fun – Hoping to do it again really soon!


Until the next headline, Laura Beth πŸ™‚

 

 

 

 

Adventure Time: Scottsburg, VA Edition (Round 2)

Image Credit: calangel58.blogspot.com

Image Credit: calangel58.blogspot.com

This past weekend, we visited Al’s parents at their farm πŸ™‚

It was different this time around – My parents came to visit. They followed us up on Saturday morning. We got to the so-called halfway point in Lawrenceville, VA, and we knew we were in the country when the Food Lion employee walking into work in front of us actually said hello and struck up a conversation!


Scottsburg is roughly a three-hour drive from Chesapeake, and it’s one of the easiest drives. Unless there’s some sort of accident that backs up traffic, you follow US-58 almost the whole way there. It’s more fun in a convertible, like Al and I did last year, but we still had a great time this trip. It’s really nice to be able to drive a couple of hours and get away for a bit, without having to leave the state!


When our two-car caravan arrived around noon on Saturday, Al’s mom had lunch ready. Yummy meatball subs and her famous pasta salad! My parents got the tour of the house – It’s a very short tour, since the house is only two bedrooms and one bathroom!

After we ate, we took the longer property tour. They’re on eight acres of land! It was really hot outside, so we traipsed through only half of it. Al’s mom pointed out the garage that Al’s dad is building himself, the barn, the pond, the fields, the cow pasture next door, and the small garden she’s started since the last time Al and I visited.


Photo gallery!

View from the front yard.

View from the front yard.

I love this flag!

I love this flag!

Gorgeous day lilies behind the house.

Gorgeous day lilies behind the house.

The new garage, in progress. Al's dad is doing this all by himself. Amazing!

The new garage, in progress. Al’s dad is doing this all by himself. Amazing!

The garden. Did you know that pinwheels help keep pests away?

The garden. Did you know that pinwheels help keep pests away?

Around sunset, storms in the distance. Looking out to the cow pasture next to the farm.

Around sunset, storms in the distance. Looking out to the cow pasture next to the farm.

Wild flowers growing on the barn.

Wild flowers growing on the barn.


It was a really nice visit.

One of the coolest experiences we had was at dinner. Ernie’s is the local place, it has an amazing buffet. We noticed that there were more cars than usual in the parking lot. We were seated in the huge dining room, used for meals, wedding receptions, and more.

We quickly found out why there were so many cars: There was a huge group in the same room, celebrating a man named Cecil, who just turned 90 years old. The six of us were thoroughly entertained by all the stories that were told about this wonderful man, from his children to a host of friends. Al’s mom was so moved that she asked someone to point out who Cecil was. Then she went up to him, explained we had been seated in the corner, enjoyed all the stories and accolades, and she wished him a Happy Birthday and hugged him. It was so sweet!

Before we realized it was Cecil’s birthday bash, we saw a few women stand up and introduce themselves to the crowd. Two of these women were very candid, explaining that they were single. One of the two had the best line of the night:

“I’m such-and-such age, I am single, and I am looking for a man … but I need to check his bank account first.”


My parents left after dinner to head home. Al and I stayed the night. I think all four of us were in bed before 9:30 p.m., we were so tired.

Sunday morning, I woke up around 6:00, not able to sleep comfortably any longer. I knew Al’s mom was awake, so it was nice to talk to her for a while and be with her and Lilly, their sweet chocolate lab. Al slept until 6:30 a.m., a new record! Since the two of us get up on the five weekdays around 4:30 a.m. to go to the gym and work out together, Al rarely sleeps in.

Before we left to head home, Al’s mom made the fluffiest pancakes with bacon and maple sausage – Yum!


I look forward to the next visit!


Until the next headline, Laura Beth πŸ™‚

Adventure Time: Norfolk, VA Edition

During the first weekend in June, Al and checked out Harborfest 2015!

Harborfest is an annual event for downtown Norfolk, chock-full of tall ships, maritime events, live music, and amazing food! This year was the 39th annual festival, billed as “the largest, longest-running, free maritime festival in the nation!”

All the juicy details are inΒ the 2015 Norfolk Harborfest Event Program.


Al and I decided to ride The Tide for the first time! It’s the light rail system that runs for seven miles throughout downtown Norfolk and part of Virginia Beach. I drove us to one of the park and ride stations, close to the Virginia Beach end of the line. We picked a one-day GO pass, so for $4.00 you had a ticket for unlimited rides for 12 hours.


Once we disembarked at the Civic Plaza station, we walked a couple blocks to Town Point Park, a 7-acre space on the edge of the Elizabeth River, where all the action was!

Part of the USCGC Eagle, one of the first ships that Daddy sailed on!

Part of the USCGC Eagle, one of the first ships that Daddy sailed on!

The Brazilian vessel "Cisne Branco"

The Brazilian vessel “Cisne Branco”

USCGC Eagle

USCGC Eagle

This guy was so cool! This was the Miami Fly Boards demonstration - Jet pack propulsion!

This guy was so cool! This was part of the Miami Fly Boards demonstration – Jet pack propulsion!

Red Trouser Show

Red Trouser Show – Two acrobats!

Norfolk has been dubbed the "Mermaid City." This is one of many decorative mermaids throughout the city.

Norfolk has been dubbed the “Mermaid City.” This is one of many decorative mermaids throughout the city.

Dropping the AST anchor in front of the Eagle!

Dropping the AST anchor in front of the Eagle! Anchored in Tradition since 1899!


Al and I stayed for about two hours, and headed home for dinner. Later, his brother Nick, girlfriend Savy, and Savy’s daughter Mia met us at the house and we piled in my car to head to NOAA, where my dad works. The parking lot happens to be on the banks of the river, so it’s a perfect place to watch the fireworks extravaganza!

The photo below depicts a previous Harborfest fireworks show, taken from the bow of the NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson.


Harborfest was so much fun, although it was a little steamy that Saturday. It’s a huge event and even though it was crowded, there was a relaxed, light atmosphere. We didn’t tour the Eagle, sadly, because the line was wrapped around the ship and down the block. Hopefully next year!

The light rail was an awesome way to great around, and I’m so glad Al suggested it. It saved us money – The special event parking close to the festival was more expensive than the light rail pass – and it was a great experience. I plan to use the light rail a lot more when I visit Norfolk.

If you’ve never been to Norfolk or Harborfest, check it out!!


Until the next headline, Laura Beth πŸ™‚

Adventure Time: Virginia Beach, VA Edition

One weekend last month contained a two-day event that I had been looking forward to for MONTHS.

Tidewater Comicon!


This was my first-ever comic convention, and I was determined to have the most fun possible!

I felt like such a nerd and geek, and it felt awesome!

Al and I went together. Al went for the first time in October, where he met my boss, Casey, and had a great time. They’ve had three of these shindigs already, and it’s just mushroomed into a huge thing. They doubled the space at the Virginia Beach Convention Center!

The coolest thing about this whole experience was that these people were in their element. These people I interacted with are some of the most passionate people I’ve met. Chatting with a group waiting in line to get in on Saturday morning was awesome, just learning about where they were from, what they do, what comics they love/hate, movie reviews and debates.

There was so much stuff for sale! Every comic book shop within 100 miles was there, plus people from outside of Virginia as well!

Al and I also enjoyed supporting severalΒ artists and authors. Check them out!

CD with PDFs of all their books, three paperbacks written by Cecilee

CD with PDFs of all their books, three paperbacks written by Cecilee, bookmarks πŸ™‚

"The McGunnegal Chronicles" Books 1-3

“The McGunnegal Chronicles”
Books 1-3

Bottle cap magnets :) The Genie, Supergirl, The Avengers (Hawkeye, Cap, and Black Widow), The Millennium Falcon, and Galadriel

Bottle cap magnets πŸ™‚
The Genie, Supergirl, The Avengers (Hawkeye, Cap, and Black Widow), The Millennium Falcon, and Galadriel

Learning their stories were fascinating as well – How they got started, their travels, and more!


I have a ton of pictures – Enjoy!

The Batmobile!!

The Batmobile!!

The Tardis

The Tardis and a mystery Ghostbuster πŸ˜‰

Marty McFly!

Marty McFly!

Attack on Titan ... and an awesome Princess Leia :)

Attack on Titan … and an awesome Princess Leia πŸ™‚

R2-D2 ... A young boy was inside this and drove it around!!

R2-D2 … A young boy was inside this and drove it around!!

Cap, Logan, Bane

Cap, Logan, Bane

Hawkgirl This chick, wow. She made the whole thing!

Hawkgirl
This chick, wow. She made the whole thing!

And those pictures were just from Saturday!


On Sunday, we went back and enjoyed Day 2:

Star-Lord & Groot

Star-Lord & Groot

SarahGrace and Ashley Custom Loki and Thor dresses.

SarahGrace and Ashley (Longwood peeps!) Custom Loki and Thor dresses.

Thor and Yellow Jacket

Thor and Yellow Jacket


Being a VIP for the weekend was amazing! If you have the money, it’s totally worth it. The people who have made this happen are AWESOME!

All the goodies from the VIP "swag bag."

All the goodies from the VIP “swag bag.”

I loved the drawing on the badge!

I loved the drawing on the badge!

I cannot wait for next year. I’m already thinking of an epic cosplay πŸ™‚

For more information, check out their Facebook pageΒ and their website.

See you soon, Tidewater Comicon 2016!


Until the next headline, Laura Beth πŸ™‚

Adventure Time: Richmond, VA Edition (Round 4)

Yesterday, Al and I drove up to Richmond to reunite with our friends Drew, Katie, Justin, and Heaven. The six of us hadn’t gotten together since January!

The main reason for the get-together was this:

All of us were excited to see Avengers: Age of Ultron. Drew, Justin, and I had bought the tickets online late last week.

I won’t spoil anything, but I will say this: If you like the Avengers, go see this movie in the theater. It’s totally worth the money!


The movie was at 5:15, so Al and I drove up in the morning. We hung out with Drew and Justin before Katie and Heaven arrived. We’re all big fans of John Oliver and his show Last Week Tonight, so the four of us watched his episode on Government Surveillance. I hadn’t watched it, and it was very compelling.

Watching that prompted Al to suggest the documentary Terms and Conditions May Apply. Al and I watched it together on Netflix a while ago, but neither Drew nor Justin had seen it, so we watched it. It’s startling.

Image Credit: imdb.com

Image Credit: imdb.com

We decided to head to the movie theater after that, and it was perfect timing. Katie was pulling into the driveway as we were walking to my car, so we all piled in my car and headed to the theater. We drove through downtown with the windows down – What a beautiful day! It was so nice to see the bright sunshine after two straight days of rain!

We got our tickets and hung out for a while, getting our popcorn, ICEEs, and sodas before settling in. Heaven met us there. Some of the previews were awesome, including Ant-Man and Jurassic World. There are a bunch of awesome movies slated for release this summer!!


After the movie, we all headed to Cheeburger Cheeburger, which is becoming a tradition with our group. We enjoyed burgers, fries, their crispy onion rings, and shakes. Delicious!

Once we were full, we headed back to Drew’s. Al and I had to drive back last night (I have my final exams this week!), but before we left, I had brought some gifts for everyone:

  • Mini-Marvel bobbleheads for all six of us. The cool thing was that they were mystery boxes. I got the Green Goblin, Al and Katie got the Hulk, Justin got Thor, Heaven got the Silver Surfer, and Drew got Galactus.
  • A Wolverine mug for Drew
  • A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mug for Katie
  • A stuffed owl named “Owliver” for Heaven
  • A ceramic bank shaped like Pikachu for Justin

It was so much fun!

We also celebrated Heaven and Justin’s graduation from Longwood. Commencement is next weekend, so Drew and Katie gave them cards and gift cards to Game Stop and Domino’s.

Al and I had to leave after that, but we had an awesome time!

Can’t wait until we get together again!


Until the next headline, Laura Beth πŸ™‚

 

Adventure Time: Chesapeake, VA Edition

I hate snow.


This adventure time was delayed for two weeks in a row because of the white stuff.

But, finally,Β spring decided to arrive in Chesapeake.

It may have been cloudy and spitting rain last weekend, but it didn’t prevent Justin from driving down to see Al and I.

We were finally reunited, almost two months to the day since we last met.


Justin pulled in front of my house about five minutes before I arrived from work. We went inside and he met my mom. I gave him a quick tour of the house, helped him put his stuff in his chosen room, and then we were off to meet Al for dinner.

Image Credit: hamptonroads.com

Image Credit: hamptonroads.com

For dinner, Al and I took Justin to Gianna’s Pizzeria, in the Harbour View section of Suffolk. If you live in the 757 area and haven’t tried this place, it is one of the best! It’s not a chain. It’s Italian. And it’s amazing!

After we stuffed ourselves silly, we went to Al’s house to wind down Friday night. We explored YouTube and watched several episodes of Last Week Tonight with John OliverΒ before calling it a night.


Saturday was dubbed “Opposite Day” for Justin and I. You see, I am a Green Bay Packers fan, while Justin is a Denver Broncos fan. Months ago, Justin and I were talking online about our teams. I think it was Justin who said something to the effect of, “Wouldn’t it be funny if we bought each other shirts for the other’s team?”

Image Credit: endzonenews.com

Image Credit: endzonenews.com

So that’s exactly what we did.

The hilarious thing was that Justin was noticed at least twice during the day with his Packers shirt. When we went to mini-golf in the mall, the lady working the place said they were her team. So did our server at Red Robin! It was hysterical. Justin almost said something, but decided against it. The three of us had a great laugh though.


We started Saturday off early. Al was getting his car inspected, so Justin and I went over early to pick him up. Then we went out to O’doodleDoo’s Donuts in Suffolk. They have the best donuts!

Image Credit: www.yelp.com

Image Credit: http://www.yelp.com

After dropping off a half-dozen donuts to my parents, we went to Al’s.

We thoroughly enjoyed our donuts, including Twix, red velvet, chocolate Pi, mint chocolate chip, and more πŸ™‚

We caught up with the Last Week Tonight with John Oliver episodes, then switched to TableTop with Wil Wheaton (Geek & Sundry). Al and I love this series!

We watched one of the most recent episodes, featuring Epic Spell Wars. It looked so awesome, that Al immediately went to Amazon and bought it!


Around lunchtime, we went up to the mall to check out Lunar Mini Golf. It was so much fun!

Image Credit: hamptonroads.com

Image Credit: hamptonroads.com

Everything glowed in the blacklight. We had fun watching kids run around during a birthday party, and we played all 18 holes. You get three rounds of the course for the price of admission, which is only $8.00. The paintings on the walls were really epic too!

We enjoyed lunch at Red Robin before going back to Al’s for more fun.


One of the things that we were most looking forward to was playing Munchkin. Al bought the game several months ago, and then when we met in Richmond in January, Justin had given Al some extra cards.

We played two games. Before this, Al and I had only played once, just the two of us. It was awesome to have Justin play with us. It’s much better to play with at least three people, if not more.

The second game was better than the first. Justin still managed to win, even though Al and I killed him – twice!

Hoping to play with Drew, Katie, and Heaven the next time that the six of us can meet.


We went back out into the world to get dinner at Zaxby’s. When we returned, we watched a few things on Netflix and Amazon Prime while we ate, including the pilot episode of Fringe. Al was showing it to Justin, and it took me back to when Al and I watched the series together several years ago. It’s definitely a different show, but it is really cool.


On Sunday, Justin and I hung out at my house for a few hours before he drove home. He brought CSI: NY on DVD. That is the best of the CSI series, in our opinion.


This was one of the best weekends ever! I hope that Justin can come back to visit very soon.


Until the next headline, Laura Beth πŸ™‚

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adventure Time: Florida Edition

“Florida isn’t so much a place where one goes to reinvent oneself, as it is a place where one goes if one no longer wished to be found.” ~Douglas Coupland


I’ve been to Florida over 100 times, since both sets of my grandparents have lived down there since I was born.

The last full weekend of January was the latest trek. And it was a special trip: Al was meeting my Grandpa (Dad’s dad) for the very first time.

Al and I flew down on Friday, and then my dad picked us up. He was able to drive down from his temporary residence of Charleston, South Carolina, due to work, for the weekend.

It was wonderful to leave Norfolk and the 30-degree temperatures behind for a balmy 77 degrees in Tampa!

After leaving the airport, we went to visit our friends the McShanes in Tampa. We got to see the business that Melanie and Charlie own (McShane Communications), and then we met Melanie at their gorgeous house for a nice visit!

We then headed to Seminole, Florida, where my grandpa lives. We swung by the Winn-Dixie and the local Little Caesars to pick up dinner. Pizza, cheese bread, and salad!

Friday night was very low-key. So low-key, that all four of us were in bed and basically asleep by 9:00 p.m.!


Saturday morning, the four of us went to breakfast at The Seminole Family Restaurant. This is one of my favorite places to eat! Al and I both had French toast – Yummy!

We went to the Bay Pines National CemeteryΒ to see Grandma. It’s always humbling to go there. For one, it’s a veterans cemetery. It’s a beautiful campus, a lot of nature elements included with the cemetery and the Veterans Administration hospital and care facilities.Β Her ashes are in the cemetery’s columbarium, where spouses can be interred together. It’s fascinating to see all the different religious and non-religious symbols at the top of each slab, the representation of all of the armed forces, and then the one-liners that can be inscribed at the bottom of each individual stone. They range from sweet and endearing, to funny. It’s a place that I plan to visit often, especially when Grandpa does pass away and is reunited with Grandma again. They were married for over 50 years when she passed away in 2011.

Saturday was filled with food as well. We had leftovers for lunch, and then we went to Crabby Bill’s for dinner at Indian Rocks Beach. Some of the best seafood there is. and the Gulf of Mexico is literally across the street. It was a little chilly and windy, so we didn’t walk on the beach, but Al got to see the sand and the waves from the car. We’ll definitely be returning πŸ™‚

When we got back to the house, we made small talk for a while. Al and I watched Mirror Mirror on TV. I hadn’t seen it, and it was a pretty good movie overall. Then we called it a night.


Sunday was Al’s birthday! We celebrated with waffles for breakfast. Dad went to the store for a few things before breakfast and came back with an Entemann’s loaf cake πŸ™‚

It was cheaper to fly out of Orlando than Tampa, so that where we were headed.

Before driving to Orlando, though, we saw more of St. Petersburg (a.k.a. St. Pete), where my dad grew up. We were meeting our friends Phil and Diane for lunch, so before we met, Dad drove us around, pointing out his childhood house, his church, our friend Phil’s fire station, and more.

Al took these awesome pictures at the waterfront. The crazy-looking building is a part of The Pier, where Dad had some of his Homecoming dances and proms.

The Pier Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

The Pier
Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

One of many sailboats that were on the water. Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

One of many sailboats that were on the water.
Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

Looking at downtown St. Pete. Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

Looking at downtown St. Pete.
Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

My daddy and me :) Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

My daddy and I πŸ™‚
Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

Al and I Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

Al and I
Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club
Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

After our tour, we met Phil and Diane at Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish. Phil and Dad grew up together, in church and all. My parents were headed to Phil and Diane’s wedding when Dad proposed to Mom πŸ™‚ Phil was Dad’s best man the next year. They go way back, and Ted Peters has always been involved. Dad still has a Ted Peters T-shirt. They’re famous for their smoked fish, but they also have the best burgers, frosty-mug root beer, and key lime pie!

I drove to Orlando, about two hours outside of St. Pete. It was a smooth ride, and it was nice to get some glimpses of Disney World!

We got to the airport and sent Dad back to Charleston. It took us a while to get back to Virginia, but it was an awesome weekend.


I highly recommend checking out the Gulf Coast of Florida! I love visiting the area, and I hope to make many more trips. There’s so much to do and see. It’s great for people of all ages.


Until the next headline, Laura Beth πŸ™‚

 

 

Adventure Time: Richmond, VA Edition (Round 3 – Reunion Weekend)

Three words can accurately describe this past Saturday and Sunday for me:

Best. Weekend. Ever.


This weekend was MONTHS in the making, and it finally happened!!

There are six of us, three couples – Al and I, Drew and Katie, and Justin and Heaven.

Photo Credit: Drew's Mom

Saturday shenanigans πŸ™‚

Richmond is our usual meeting place, since there are three of us (Al and I, and then Katie) coming from the southeast and then the other two (Justin and Heaven) come from the north and west of the state.

Personally, I feel fortunate that all six of us currently live in the same state!


On Saturday, Al and I left early and made the drive up. I love driving to Richmond. It’s such a straightforward drive, and the traffic is super light on the weekends!

Justin greeted us in the driveway with some Nightwish blasting from his truck – What a great way to start!

After we’d all arrived, we spent a bit of time at the house getting settled.


One of the trickiest parts of the weekend was figuring out car arrangements. I had my Camry, but it only holds five people – And there were six of us.

So, we were trying to figure out the best way to divide the group into two vehicles.

Finally, Justin pulled out his Munchkin cards. Drew and I were off to the side, since we were the drivers. The other four drew a card, and it was divided based on the level on each card. The way it fell, Justin and Katie were with me, while Al and Heaven were with Drew. It worked out – One half of each couple in each vehicle!

We got in the cars and headed to CiCi’s Pizza!

Image Credit: clarksville.citysaver.com

Image Credit: clarksville.citysaver.com

Mmmm, their food is delicious! I got adventurous and tried the Apple Fanta. It was … interesting. It tasted like carbonated apple juice. Not bad!

At lunch, Drew told us that he had a certificate for a FREE dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts – YUM!

We went to the nearest one, and it was awesome! The store showed you the whole process, from the beginning dough, to fryer, to the waterfall of glaze, to box!

Image Credit: businessweek.com

Image Credit: businessweek.com


When we first decided to get together for this weekend, it was getting close to Christmas. I was going to a Christmas party that holds a gift exchange every year, so I was explaining that to the group. Everyone buys a $10 gift, and then numbers are drawn. Everyone gets a gift, but gifts can be stolen.

Round 1: Heaven opened Katie’s gift – It was a framed shadowbox that held wooden letters that spelled “LONGWOOD” along with a heart, that Katie painted in the school colors of blue and white. Katie also found a vintage picture of the Ruffner building. It was awesome!

Round 2: I opened Heaven’s gift – It was this awesome sign that said “Things to Do” with a chalkboard section, complete with colored chalk. I can’t wait to hang it up on a wall when Al and I get a house!

Round 3: Justin opened Drew’s gift – It was a puzzle that shows a panoramic view of the Las Vegas strip. Even cooler, it glows in the dark!!

Image Credit: yoyo.com

Image Credit: yoyo.com

Round 4: Katie opened Justin’s gift – It was a Wilton cupcake/muffin display stand. Katie loves to bake, so it was perfect πŸ™‚ It looks a lot like the image below:

Image Credit: overstock.com

Image Credit: overstock.com

Round 5:Β Al opened Katie’s gift – A copy of the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie on Blu-ray!

Round 6: Drew opened the gifts from Al and I. I found this wicked NERF gun, and Al gave a $10 Google Play card. Drew loved both. He immediately tore open the packaging for the gun and started shooting. Then he redeemed the gift card for a graphic novel that was on sale.


One of the prevalent themes this weekend was playing Cards Against Humanity (CAH). This was the official debut of handwritten cards from Justin and Drew, and it was wickedly ridiculous.

And that was just the first round!!


Drew showed us something awesome for Saturday night:

Image Credit: amazon.com

Image Credit: amazon.com

The one we had basically looked liked this one, except the marshmallow roaster was square. This was so cool!


 

Image Credit: cheeburger.com

Image Credit: cheeburger.com

Before we did that, we went to dinner at Cheeburger Cheeburger, one of our favorites places! This place makes me feel like I’m in a diner in the 1950s. Their food is awesome! We all had burgers. Their onion rings are to die for!


Saturday night, after s’mores, we settled in to watch Guardians of the Galaxy. One of the best movies!!!

Originally, we were all going to sleep on the floor, but we ended up in two rooms, which was fine.


On Sunday morning, we all woke up at different times.

Al and I went downstairs to see if anyone else was up, and we managed to scare Katie half to death!

The three of us were talking in the kitchen, and then Justin joined us, then Heaven. Al, Justin, and Heaven went into the living room after a while, and Katie and I stayed in the kitchen to start breakfast – I made blueberry muffins and then Katie put cinnamon rolls in the oven.

Drew was the last to rise, and then we had breakfast. Drew had made pigs in a blanket the night before – Yum!

After we ate, we went upstairs and put in The Fellowship of the Ring while we played more CAH. We played another round, and then we all went through the gigantic deck to find out the rest of the handwritten cards. Let’s just say that we all blushed at some point!

This video is further proof. Enjoy!


Drew also gave each of us a coloring book to take home. I brought an epic 400-page Avengers activity book that he loved!!


Before we all parted ways on Sunday, we took a bunch of pictures in front of the house. Enjoy!

Al and Laura Beth :)

Al and Laura Beth πŸ™‚

Drew and Katie :)

Drew and Katie πŸ™‚

Justin, Heaven, and Drew's kitty :)

Justin, Heaven, and Drew’s kitty πŸ™‚

The Guys :)

The Guys πŸ™‚

The Girls :)

The Girls πŸ™‚

The gang's all here :)

The gang’s all here πŸ™‚


To Al, Drew, Katie, Justin, and Heaven — THANK YOU for an epic weekend!

Cannot wait to be reunited again, hopefully SOON!

You guys are the best. I feel so lucky to have such a great group of friends!


Until the next headline, Laura Beth πŸ™‚

 

Adventure Time: Richmond, VA Edition (Round 2)

I love it when four people and I are able to get together every few months. The five of us always have a great time together. I’m talking about Al, me, Justin, Drew, and Katie.

Our last rendezvous was in October, before Halloween. We try to plan as much in advance as we can, since we typically only have three-quarters of a Saturday to hang out and enjoy each other’s company.

This time around, we decided to do “Fandom Day.” We all have loves – Superheroes, sports teams, the list goes on. I wore my Green Bay Packers sweatshirt, Al donned his Tidewater Comicon T-shirt that he got the previous weekend, Justin represented the Denver Broncos, Katie was decked out in the black and yellow of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Drew rounded out the five of us with his all-time favorite superhero, Wolverine.


This last adventure mainly focused on this idea:

Photo Credit: theirategamer.com

The Ninja Turtles – Carved out of watermelons! Β … Β  Β  Β  Β  Β Photo Credit: theirategamer.com

We all love the Ninja Turtles, since we’re all kids of the mid- to late 1980s.

Drew took it a step further and bought us these epic T-shirts!!

Photo Credit: thetshirtvault.com

Donatello … Photo Credit: thetshirtvault.com

Photo Credit: thetshirtvault.com

Leonardo … Photo Credit: thetshirtvault.com

Super_Turtle_Bros-Mikey-withbackground

Michelangelo … Photo Credit: thetshirtvault.com

SUPER-TURTLE-BROS-RAPH

Raphael … Photo Credit: thetshirtvault.com


We started the day with a little bit of shopping – We went to Target, Five Below, and Michaels Arts and Crafts. Five Below was the favorite – We all found different things for multiple people, from Despicable Me tape with the Minions to Grumpy Cat magnets.


We also got the supplies for carving the Ninja Turtles – Metallic green spray paint and glow bracelets in the four colors.

Since it was fall, and we wanted to do the Ninja Turtles carving idea, we headed out to a pumpkin patch near Drew’s house. It was so fun! I can’t remember the last time I went to one, I must have been a kid. This patch was HUGE! It also had a hayride, a play area for the little ones, adorable dogs, and things for sale other than pumpkins – Apples, melons, and fresh honey!

Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

Selfie on the hayride! … Β  Β  Β  Β  Β Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

HUGE pumpkin patch! … Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

Katie in the wheelbarrow! … Β Photo Credit: Al Vardaro

On the way back to Drew’s house, we split up to get pizza! Katie and I went to Dominos while the guys went to Little Caesars. Al and I tried the Pretzel Crust Pizza from Little Caesars for the first time – It was pretty good, but it was plenty salty!

Back at the house, we ate while watching The Nightmare Before Christmas – One of our favorite movies! I can’t believe this movie is well over 20 years old now!

Before the end of the night, we played a couple rounds of Cards Against Humanity (CAH) – Our new favorite tradition. Katie surprised Drew with two of the expansion packs, because the last time we all met in August, we’d played through the whole basic deck while sitting around Al’s kitchen table.


The next get-together is currently set for the weekend of January 17th … It’s so exciting!

We have plenty of ideas already:

  • Making s’mores dip
  • Playing more CAH
  • Playing Munchkin together for the first time
  • Watching The Lord of the Rings – The extended versions, of course
  • Taking a group photo!
  • And potentially extending the fun into Sunday!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth πŸ™‚

 

Adventure Time: Farmville, VA Edition

Back in October, I had the opportunity to spend a weekend in my beloved Farmville.

Farmville is the home of my alma mater, Longwood University. I loved every single second as a student there. I jump at every opportunity to come back and visit.

The reason I traveled to Farmville in the middle of October was for a very special event – The Grand Re-Opening of Stubbs Hall.

Stubbs Hall was my home for my senior year, as a sister of Alpha Sigma Tau. It has historically been Longwood’s sorority dorm. It is the one of just two female-only residence halls still in existence – Longwood went co-ed in 1976!

When I was a resident, Stubbs had no A/C. It was a great place to live, but it was definitely old.


When I arrived in Farmville on Friday afternoon, I was not prepared for the sights that I saw.

It looked like the entire town had transformed in just three and a half years. So many familiar places are gone now – Kroger, Dairy Queen, Shoney’s.

The Robert Russa Moton Museum is getting a great addition.

The Lancer Cafe in the Student Union looked completely different.

And that weekend, the beloved Cunninghams Hall was being prepped for demolition.


And even though there were stark changes, I was still thrilled to be in Farmville. I was reunited with my good friend Justin. I met his girlfriend, Heaven, in person for the first time. I got to see a ton of my sisters, both alumnae and active on campus. I stayed in a hotel room with two amazing sisters all weekend.

We explored Farmville on Saturday morning before the Stubbs events began. I returned to Pairets, Red Front Trading Company, Barnes & Noble, and Chick-fil-A. I experienced The Fishin’ Pig for the very first time, as well as 202 Bar and Grill. I laughed so hard I cried and almost fell off the hotel bed. One sister hosted a marshmallow roast and cornhole at her house on Saturday night. I had a blast.


And, of course, no adventure would be complete without pictures!

Amazing sisters in our spectacular new chapter room - They even kept the beloved built-in shelves! Facebook Credit: Kristin Walker

Amazing sisters in our spectacular new chapter room – They even kept the beloved built-in shelves!
Facebook Credit: Kristin Walker

I love Kristin! Facebook Credit: Kristin Walker

I love Kristin!
Facebook Credit: Kristin Walker

The beautiful Alyssa! Media Credit: Alyssa Taylor

The beautiful Alyssa!
Facebook Credit: Alyssa Taylor

Sisters outside of Stubbs! Facebook Credit: Heather Lin

Sisters outside of Stubbs!
Facebook Credit: Heather Lin

I love my sorority. I love my sisters!

Stay classy, Farmville.

I’m sure I’ll see you again sooner rather than later.


Until the next headline, Laura Beth πŸ™‚