Ten Things

One of my great friends from college, the personality behind the fun blog Happiness Is..., surprised me with a fun blog award and game last week.

Like any blog award, there are a few rules to follow...

1. I need to copy the logo and place it on my blog
2. Link it back to the person who gave it to me
3. Pass it on to five fellow bloggers
4. List 10 things about myself

So I decided to list 10 things I love. Here they are (in no particular order)...

1. The Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Growing up in Virginia, it was only natural that my family spend many spring breaks and summer vacations at the beach on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I have so many fun memories from there as a child and up through college. I even spent one summer in college working at Tommy's Market in Duck, NC. I love the feeling I get the moment we begin to cross the bridge onto the barrier islands, and I soon as I step foot onto the sand and smell the salty air, I feel at home.

2. Peanut Butter Ice Cream.

If you happen to read my new blog that I started a few weeks ago, you probably saw the recipe I posted for Peanut Butter Ice Cream. I'm not exactly sure when my love for peanut butter ice cream began, but I do know that the reason for it is Friendly's restaurant. I'm not sure if they sell them anymore, but Friendly's use to have a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Sunday-to-Go that featured pure peanut butter ice cream, peanut butter sauce, chocolate sauce and peanut butter cups - heaven. Since I fell in love with this incredible invention, I have always been on the lookout for a proper substitution for the peanut butter ice cream. Few places offer peanut butter flavored ice cream - most just put pieces of Reese's peanut butter cups in vanilla ice cream and say it's the same thing - it's not. Now that I have my own ice cream maker and a fabulous recipe for homemade peanut butter ice cream, I can have peanut butter ice cream whenever I want. This could be a problem.

3. Honey Roasted BBQ Sauce from Chick-fil-A.

I have my husband to thank for this latest obsession. A few years ago, he introduced me to the wonderfully condiment called Honey Roasted BBQ Sauce. I've always been a Chick-fil-A fan but never like this. I used to order chicken nuggets, and they were good, but the waffle fries were always my favorite part about Chick-fil-A. That was until I tried the Honey Roasted BBQ Sauce on a Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich. Oh. my. gosh. If you haven't had it, go to Chick-fil-A for lunch and try it today. On second thought, maybe that's not a good idea - you might end up like me and require Chick-fil-A on a regular basis.

4. My two brown dogs.

I think it's pretty obvious that I LOVE my two big brown dogs. I mean, I write an entire blog about dogs (usually about my two). I grew up with a dog and couldn't wait until I was old enough to have my own. Somewhere along the line, I became convinced that I had to have at least two at one time. I figured that a puppy would be lonely if it didn't have another dog to pal around with. I think I was right. Brady & Cooper are inseparable. They have been since the day we brought them home. My husband thought I was crazy when I announced that I wanted to get not one, but two dogs. Labs for that matter. He quickly came around the first night when the boys crawled into their new crate (on their own) and curled up to sleep (all night long without whining!). He now says he wouldn't have it any other way. Me either.

5. Coastal Living Magazine.

I love this magazine. Everything about it. I love the coast (see #1 above and my other blog, Seagrass and Sunsets). Reading Coastal Living transports me to some of my favorite places and is an awesome collection of recipes, articles, features, homes and more for anyone who loves the coast. If I could work for this magazine, I would. In a heart beat. Unfortunately the offices are located in Birmingham, Alabama. If any of you happen to know the powers that be at Coastal Living and think you could convince them to employ a creative, beach lover from a virtual office in small-town Georgia, please let me know...

6. The Bulldog Car Wash.

It may seem kind of random for me to include a car wash on a list of ten things that I love. Don't get me wrong, I do love it when my car is clean, but that's not why I've added the Bulldog Car Wash to this list. I have a much better reason. I met my husband at this particular car wash on a warm September afternoon a few years ago, and my life has not been the same since. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that I would meet the love of my life at such a random spot, but somehow I did, and the Bulldog Car Wash will always have a special place in my heart.

7. Charlottesville/UVa/My College Friends.

Oh Charlottesville. Cville. How I miss you. The beautiful, green horse farms. The gorgeous mountains. The great restaurants and fun watering holes. The lazy days spent at Beaver Creek and driving aimlessly in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The football games. Walking to class on the Lawn. The University of Virginia truly is a magical place. I know that most people love their alma matters, but I don't know if anyone loves their school as much as we Wahoos love our University. I am forever grateful for the friendships I made, the education I received and the wonderful memories that will always stay with me. I only wish we could go back more often.

8. Maymont Park.

My favorite spot in my hometown. To imagine that this beautiful property used to be a private residence blows me away. The gardens, the views, the history. It's truly breathtaking, and Richmonders are very lucky that Maymont has been preserved for the public to enjoy for many years to come. To read more about Maymont and it's history, click here.

9. Reading.

I love to read. I always have. I was the kid who would go into the library during the summer break and come out with a stack of 20 books at a time. Unfortunately, during graduate school I stopped reading for pleasure. I think it was the thick stack of books that I was required to read for class. Who knows. It makes me a little sad that I can't discuss any of the newest books on the best seller list or that I have started to take People and US Weekly on my vacations instead of a good novel. If anyone has a recommendation for a must read to get me started again, please let me know!

10. My Family.

Where do I start? I am blessed with the greatest family in the world. I have parents who have always been extremely supportive and encouraging. They love my sister and me unconditionally and are always there to talk or laugh or cry with us. They have a great relationship with each other (they just celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary this year!), and they are role models for the kind of relationship I've always wanted to have. My little sister is one of the funniest and most adventurous people I know. I often wish I could be more like her. As a big sister, I am often way too hard on her, but somehow she loves me anyway. My mother-in-law is one of the strongest and compassionate women I know. She and my brother-in-law welcomed me into their family from the moment we first met, and I am extremely lucky to have become part of such an amazing family. Last but certainly not least, my husband. He is the love of my life and my best friend. It can't get any better than that.

And the five blogs that I am tagging...

Buckhead Betties (hilarious)

Vintage Victuals (classic go-to recipes)

Pecan Pie Puppies (love these collars)

Matters of Style (great source for ideas)

The Consummate Hostess (great entertaining ideas)