{our mountain weekend.}

Alan has been scheduling himself off on Sunday's for the past several months now so we could spend more time together. Well, since last weekend was tax-free and of course Best Buy was slammed, he had to work.  So this past weekend he had off Saturday and Sunday (which never, ever happens). We decided to take advantage of it and off to the mountains we went! Alan has been wanting to buy a tent for a while now, so I figured we would get one and save some money =) We just got a little 4 person tent (they say 4 person, but they would have to be 10 years old to fit 4 people in there). We figured we could start going out of town a lot more and just camp out. I actually really do not like the beach (actually, I just don't like the beaches here. White sand and clear waters are more my thing!) and I would rather be in the mountains any day, so this works out perfectly! We left around 7am Saturday morning and got to Chimney Rock State Park around 9:45am. When we got there we hiked up to Hickory Nut Falls. 

After that we went up to the top to see the actual chimney. It was very, very cloudy and rainy, of course, so our views were a little obstructed-- but it was still beautiful! =) I absolutely love Lake Lure (where Dirty Dancing was filmed) and there was an awesome view from up top!

After that, we hiked up a little further to Devil's Head and Exclamation Point. The views were amazing (even with the serious overcast and heavy fog). 

We drove about 2 hours to Brevard, NC to put up our tent and camp out for the night. It rained all night long. Around 8am we decided to pack up and go exploring some more. We were originally going to float down the river and go to Sliding Rock, but it was storming too bad. We decided to go hike to Devil's Courthouse instead =)

update.

A lot of random things happened this week. 

      

For starters: 

1. My computer fell off the couch and hit the one thing on the floor and cracked my computer screen. Luckily it was just the glass part, so I am still able to use it. Apple says it will be around $400 to fix it.

2. I got several sketchy calls to set up job interviews. Word of advice: when Career Builder gives you the option to make your resume public and "let employers find you"-- don't do it.

3. I got a job as a toddler teacher at a church preschool =) I will be the lead teacher and there is a girl with special needs that volunteers in this particular room.  I am so excited because I will finally be in the education industry and I can obtain experience that will be beneficial to me and advance my career. Just a little side note: it really bothers me how little educators make.

4. I think Alan and I have finally put an end to some of the major family issues we have been dealing with for several years now. This is a huge weight lifted off my shoulders and I really hope everyone will be able to get along now. Probably just wishful thinking, but one can only hope!

** And the one that topped everything else-- **

5. My "wonderful" dog decided to go into my purse this morning, take out my adderall prescription & chew on the bottle so the top popped off. I was only gone for about 15 minutes and when I got home she was sitting on our bed like usual. Around 10:30am (about an hour and a half after she did this...) I realized the bottle was missing & I found it, along with the actual pills underneath my dining room table. I freaked out. After calling pretty much every single vet in Columbia and basically staring at Bella for two hours, I don't think she actually ingested any of them. I think she was chewing on the bottle and when the top popped off it shot all the pills and lid under the table. Isabella is no longer allowed out when we are not here/watching her.

(oh, and when I was calling all of those vets-- freaking Northeast Animal Clinic didn't even know what adderall was. Are you kidding me?? I repeated how to spell it and the fact that it was an amphetamine like 10 times. She continued to say that she was sure I meant Advil and that it was an antihistamine And then she was like, "...and what is this used for?" Finally, I just told her never mind and I would call a vet that actually knew something. Harsh? Yes. However, I am not one to like repeating myself, especially when I am freaking out about something potentially life threatening. That was Bella's primary vet, not anymore.)

I am going up to the daycare in a little bit to pick up my employee information. I won't be able to start for about two weeks because I have to wait for my background check & I have to be cleared by DSS. I can't wait to see what it's like to work somewhere you actually want to be! Not that I didn't like working at Bank of America (ok, maybe I didn't exactly like the management.. but I liked my job) but this is ultimately what I want to do with my life.  

With Alan going to school for Criminal Justice (he's graduating in May) and me going for Special Education, we are basically going to be broke forever. At least we'll be happy though =)

{my new family.}

My dad and Eileen have been together for about two and a half years now. From the beginning I knew she was a perfect match for my dad and I hoped they would get married one day. They have both been married before and my dad had made it pretty clear to me that he did not want to get married again. I guess it goes to show that if you meet the right person, anything can happen...

I got a phone call from both of them last night & they are ENGAGED! =) 

Apparently it happened a few months ago, but they didn't want to "rain on my parade" by announcing it around the time of my wedding. Uh, I would have liked to know this wonderful news no matter WHEN it was, thank you! Regardless, I am so incredibly happy for them! I am so glad that my dad found such a wonderful person that makes him happier than I have ever seen him. They will be getting married on October 10, 2010 in Sedona, Arizona (yes, 10/10/10 haha). The place they picked is absolutely gorgeous! 

Eileen has three girls-- Kelsey, who is ten and twins-- Jensen & Kathryn (who goes by Reilly) who are 7.

So, I will now have five sisters and one brother (between my mom & dad). Yikes!!

Here are some pictures so you can get to know my new family: 

me, Kelsey & my dad on Mt. Lemmon

me & Jensen

Eileen, Reilly & Jensen

Alan deep in conversation with the girls during dinner =)

Jensen & her new brother-in law  (so weird!)

Jordan & Reilly

Eileen & her girls in Sedona, Arizona--where they're getting married! =)

The twins =)

The new family.
(minus me & Derek)