A mini-trip down memory lane

Last Sunday, my parents and I decided to take a drive up to McAdenville to see the lights. This used to be a yearly tradition when we were young but we haven't been in a LONG time. I went once when I lived in Charlotte but it's still be several years. So, since we were heading up that way, we decided to make a day of it and visit Winthrop and drive up to Charlotte. First stop, Winthrop to see how the campus has changed and visit all of the places we lived. I say "we" because my mom went to Winthrop, too, and married my dad before she graduated so they lived up there while mom finished her last year and dad taught. Here is where they lived....925 1/2 Ebenezer Ave.

Then, on to all of the places I lived while at Winthrop....well, most of them. My freshman year, good 'ole Margaret Nance

I didn't get a picture of the dorm from my sophmore year but they are all pretty much the same! This house was where I lived my junior year with two of my good friends and it was my favorite place that I lived. I loved this house! 327 Ebenezer Ave. It's looking a little run down :(

I didn't get a picture of where I lived my senior year but here is the apartment that I lived in my second senior year...lol! I went 4 1/2 years. I lived here in Yorkshire Apartments with another good friend, Lindsay. We were on the bottom floor and on that sliding glass door on the left is where Lindsay painted our pretty Christmas tree that stayed up until we moved out in May :)

and here is my very first apartment all by myself!! the last place I lived in Rock Hill before making the move up to Charlotte. I have to say, this apartment was my least favorite place that I lived.and then we got a picture of Bynes Auditorium on the way in.

And here are some pictures from McAdenville. It's changed so much since we went last and they have now built new houses!! Whoa!

Molly's worn out after a long day in the car. She's not spoiled at all!!

Charlotte Trip

I FINALLY made it up to Charlotte!!! It's been 2 years since my last trip up there and that wasn't even for fun. I was just on my way back from a work trip. So, I decided to use a vacation day to get up there and shop and visit with friends. It was so much fun and the weather was perfect for Christmas shopping. It just looked like it could have snowed at any minute and it was COLD! Jenny and I started the morning out shopping at a new shopping center that was awesome and then met friends (and former co-workers) for lunch at my favorite restaurant-THAI HOUSE. Oh, how I have missed that place :) Then, it was more shopping for the rest of the afternoon. But, before heading home, I stopped by Scott and Tiffany's house to meet their little girl who I haven't had a chance to meet yet. It was so nice to have time to catch up with them and play with their beautiful little girl! Can't wait to get back to Charlotte again soon!!!

The gang at Thai House: Scott, Jenny, me, Brian and Curtis

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was as crazy as ever this year but I wouldn't have it any other way! Thanksgiving day started out at 7:30am with the Electric City Gobbler 5k. This is my 2nd year participating and I brought along my dad this year. It's a great way to get in the spirit of the season since all of the money goes to feeding the hungry, but it's also a great way to work off some of those calories and make room for the Thanksgiving feast :) Now, most people who participate in this 5k are runners and we know that but my dad had a knee replaced two years ago right before Thanksgiving, so we decided just to walk it. Keep in mind, my dad's fast walk is my slow run, so I ran along beside him. It was so much fun! Here is my number and I need to get the picture of me and my dad off his his camera. After finishing the race and cleaning up, we headed over to my brother-in-law's parents house. They have invited us for the past few years and it's always a good time. We used to do our family Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday night but my sister and her family were never hungry and we were starving after cooking the food all day, so we switched it to Friday night and now join the Mullikins at their house on Thursday for lunch. It works out well and we get to have 2 Thanksgivings.

The Mullikin extended family

The Mullikin Family

The Powell Family

Me, my sister and her sister-in-law

After the festivities were over, it was time to go back to the house and map out our black friday shopping trip. My dad and I go every year and have for the past 13 years or so? I'm not exactly sure but if I pulled out all of the snow globes from JCPenney that we get each year, I'm sure I could figure out how long we have been doing this. That is the only reason we get those snow globes!!! This year, we were out the door at 3:30am and off to JCPenney's. We grab the snow globes and hop back in the car to get to Sears. Unfortunately this year, a lot of stores decided to open at 4 so that makes it a little harder on us to get to each place. After Sears, we went to Wal-Mart, Sams, Kohls, Dick's Sporting Goods and then Lowes--all by 6am. At that point, we had to make a trip back to my house to drop off stuff or we wouldn't be able to fit anything else in the car. Then we went back to Target, Home Depot, Sears again, and Best Buy. I think we finished up earlier than we have in the past and were home napping by noon. That night, we decided it would be fun to go eat at the Beacon and then head up to the Gaffney outlets. As exhausted as I was, I was excited about going to the coach outlet and seeing what their Black Friday sales were like, especially since I had a coupon. It was a little overwhelming and at one point, I had 10 purses in my hands. I narrowed it down to 2 and so MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME! My first one! We finished up the weekend with our second Thanksgiving celebration at my parents house for lunch on Sunday. It was a GREAT weekend!