New Job!

Well today marks my second week at my new job!  I am now working at River Ridge Dermatology with Dr. Chad Johnston.  The office is his new private practice so we are building it from the ground up, which to me is an exciting challenge.  For now I am mainly working in the front office and assisting the practice director.  Once we get everything up and running the plan is for me to begin learning and getting some experience in dermatology.  It is going to be a departure from my ER experience that's for sure but it was definitely a needed change.  So far I am loving my new job, yay for new beginings!

One Year Anniversary!

Alan and I celebrated our anniversay this weekend in Roanoke Virginia where we got married one year ago.  It's hard to believe it has been a whole year!  We stayed at the Hotel Roanoke in the same room that we did on our wedding night.  Saturday night we had a delicious dinner at 202 Market and then headed off to the ballet to see the Nutcracker.  Sunday we enjoyed breakfast in bed and then attended mass at St. Andrew's church where we were married.  We spent the afternoon walking around downtown Roanoke and poking in the local businesses looking for last minute Christmas presents.  We headed back for our anniversay dinner at the Regency Room at the hotel.  Dinner was amazing Alan had steak Diane which was flambeed tableside and I had a crab cake floating in a delicious soup.  We finished up with a chocolate souffle over coffee.  It was a very relaxing and indulgent mini vacation, we can't wait to go back next year!

Date night gets a makeover!

Since moving to Blacksburg we have discovered there are so many more options for date night than there were in Texas.  Last month we went to a murder mystery dinner at the Inn at Virginia Tech and a dinner theater at Chateau Morrisette, fabulous food and entertainment.  Then on Veterans day we had the pleasure of staying at The Inn at Riverbend for free.

For anyone that is active duty or retired military take note of this for next year and the years to come, there are tons of bed and breakfasts that offer this getaway on the house.  Since we scored big on our accomodations we had no problem spoiling ourselves to a fabulous dinner at the Palisades, delicious!  It's going to be hard to top this month of date nights but December brings our anniversary...

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner at my parents house with my family, my sister's boyfriend, and Alan's grandparents.  I was so thankful to be able to have the day off to enjoy cooking and spending time with my family, a privilege that I now have as I have changed my status at the hosptial.  I am now considered "prn staff" or as needed, basically that means I fill in the holes in the full time staff's schedule, I am not guaranteed any hours but I am not required to work any holidays.  More to come on my new plans as they firm up next week...  Anyways my mom and I served turkey with gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green been casserole, cranberry salad, dinner rolls, macaroni and cheese and for desert, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting, and mince meat tarts.  Bottom line, no one went hungry and everyone left with leftovers, just how it should be.  Here is a peek at our table settings...

The Biltmore

Yeah I suppse I could live here if I had to...

Halloween

From the Black Swan...

Happy Halloween!

Dreaming of my dream home...

My sister laughs and tells me I'm turning into our mother because of my files.  It's true my mother has files for every season and holiday of the year.  I do however have technology on my side as most of my files are digital.  In addition to my seasonal files I have a collection of inspiration for my future dream home.  It seems like my tastes and preferences in regards to most everything has matured lately.  My dream home used to be a tudor reminesent of sleeping beauty.

Like I said, my taste has uh hm, matured.  Now my dream home takes inspiration from English countryside, southern Georgia manors, and the traditional brick home (a la Home Alone).

There is something I adore about each of these but right now my stand out is...

Isn't she beautiful?  Add flanking boxwoods along the drive and show me where to sign.  Next project is   adding dream rooms and decor to my dream home, all of which is currently only in my dreams.  Now that the wedding is over what else am I supposed to plan and dream of?