A trip to Duke University

We were up in the area and decided to take a walk around the campus. We ate lunch out in a rocking picnic table and then went into Cameron Indoor Stadium(the infamous basketball stadium). I'd never been inside before and was pleased the door was open. Sorry for the horrible pics. I forgot to bring my real camera and only used my phone. Blah!

 You walk into the court and you can just see all those Cameron Crazies jumping up and down, screaming, while wearing blue wigs and their bodies painted blue. Standing on the court, the stadium seems small. I can't imagine how the players of the opposing team feel when all the players are wiggling their fingers when they are making a free throw shot. 

Getting read for her free throw shot!

I haven't truly sat down and watched a full Duke game in years. Probably since JJ Redick graduated years ago. I'm a horrible 'fan' but coming here made me excited. Anyone wanna give us tickets to the UNC/Duke game here next year? Thanks :)

Miss Duke Basketball

Swish!

She loved walking along this feeling the letters.

Tiny girl in a big room.

Meet Cameron

Cameron was Alan's cat before we started dating. He got him and his brother Andre as a kitten in 2000. He loves to lay around and sleeps most of the day.

He loves to find any inch of sun and lay in it

He had to have PU surgery to widen his urethra because he kept getting UTIs (very common in male cats).
He is currently dealing with Thyroid issues which cause him to have a raging appetite. He is on daily medicine that controls it. Though he still loves to eat, we can tell a big difference when he's on the meds and when he isn't.

He is a Daddy's boy and anytime Alan is sitting or laying down, you can almost bet that Cameron is on his lap or chest.

Thirty Days of Thanksgiving-Part 2

This is a continuation of my Thirty Days of Thanksgiving post.
These are in random order as well as the first part

Day 15-Heat and a/c
Something we take for granted and complain about the bill but lots of people aren't as fortunate to have power, much less heat and a/c to stay comfortable.

Day 16-Food
Other than the obvious, I also enjoy it :) (and so does M)

Day 17

Thankful for our home. If we hadn't moved here, we wouldn't have Madison, Wilma, Toby or Sierra. Our house is big enough for our family and we've made good friends and feel safe here.

Day 18

Thankful that Micki has been alive for 10 years today! I got her when she was 9 months and she's been through more than a dog should. She's been there through my happy and sad times and I can't imagine her not being around. Happy Birthday Micki!!

 Day 19

Thankful for our other 4 crazy animals, Wilma, Toby, Sierra and Cameron. Given the chance Toby would eat Madison but he is Micki's best friend and I'm so glad they loved each other from the second they saw each other. He's so loving and sweet, except to Madison :) . Sierra runs when M gets within 10 feet but she is Cameron's girlfriend. Wilma and Cameron have also been through a lot more than any animal should, right along with Micki. Madison still loves all of these animals regardless and laughs at them constantly!

 

Day 20

 Thankful my Dad isn't in pain on his 62nd birthday today. Also that we had a relationship for a few years after not speaking for 10 years. His death last year was the hardest thing I've ever went through. 

Day 21

 Thankful for medicine, Allergy eye drops, a Pedi that worked us in and an understanding photographer who rescheduled our pictures for the second time :/ Hopefully Madison feels better very soon! 

Day 22

 Thankful I stood in line over an hour to get most of Madison's Christmas! I saved as much as I spent so it was well worth it! It also gave me a chance to talk to my BFF on the phone for a bit while standing in line

 

Day 23

 Thankful for a best friend like no other. We've been best friends for years and every year it seems like we get closer and closer. She's trusted me with her son if anything ever happened. We don't see each other or talk often enough but when we do, we talk until Amanda's phone gives her the "battery too hot" warning. Ha! I know more about her than I probably should and no conversation is complete with a "tmi" or "What did Dr Google say?" Involved. I wouldn't know what to do without her!

 

Day 24 

 Thankful we found a cabin to go to the mountains. Thankful we are able to go.

Day 25

 thankful that M loves music as much as I do! 

Day 26

 Thankful for gorgeous mountains and that we live close enough to go see them

 Day 27

My phone and the internet

Day 28

 Thankful the cashier gave me a $4 off coupon today. I needed it :/ 

Day 29

 Thankful for Mommy time which means I can finally get decorated!

Day 30

Thankful for good smelling stuff

infatuation? Methinks YES.

(written by Crystal) For Christmas this past year my present from Alan was a new Canon Rebel XSi. I have since grown a slight infatuation with this camera. I'm always looking for something to take a picture of. I bought a book teaching me how to use it but I got about 50 pages in and got overwhelmed. I am going to start reading up on it next week to try to get familiar with all the settings. I've done 2 'photo shoots' with our Godson, Malachi. One was just a fun day at the park and the other was Easter at a local garden. He's such a cute subject, but has quite a short attention span :) Our local photo center offers classes and I make take one of those depending on when they do it. I went to Walmart yesterday and had almost 800 pictures on my memory card! So I have a lot of favorites but here are a few:Our cat, Cameron. I don't think I need to explain why I love this picture. Doesn't he just look so sweet?

This is my BFF Amanda and Malachi(our Godson). They were having so much fun laughing. I love that he was looking at the camera. Something about this picture makes you stress free for a brief moment. I think it's the innocence of a 3 year old.

This is Amanda's favorite picture of the day, and it wasn't even staged! He had picked a flower(shhh!) and just laid down on the bench and I started shooting away. It helps to have such a cute subject :)

One of Malachi's Easter pics. Definately everyone's favorite that has seen this round of pics. Isn't his suit the cutest thing you've ever seen?

This picture is not in focus at all but I love it. This is my sweet Micki and it just looks like she's laughing! I love this picture and it makes me giggle when I see it. She's the happiest dog in the world and she's pretty darn sweet too!