Magnolia Gardens

Ok, so I know I am really behind on blogging.  Sorry.  Anyway, when Rachel was here we went out to Magnolia Plantation and walked the gardens and toured the house.  It was fun and the weather was great!  So, here are the pictures from that excursion (and yes, I have already put up some pictures from a different visit to Magnolia, so some of these may look familiar):

Some camelias were still blooming, with azaleas in the background.

Most of the azaleas weren't quite in full flush, but this bush was really pretty.

Some other camelias that were still blooming

And some pretty wisteria.

I am terrible and didn't get a picture of us together.  Oops.  But we had a good time anyway.

Kyle's Bday, again

So, I know I already posted about Kyle's birthday.  And I know I mentioned I did my best to send him his birthday in a box this year because I couldn't physically celebrate with him.  Well, here are a few pictures of his "birthday":

His cake(s).  I basically baked them in the jars while the lids boiled.  When you take the jars out, you put on the lid, it self-seals and voila!  You can send homemade cake overseas.

His box all ready to send.  Complete with cake, frosting, present, card and forks :)

Aaaannnd me.  On his actual birthday.  I saved a jar for myself so I could celebrate his bday too.  (By the way, I really debated on whether or not to post this picture.  I look awful.  But I had just worked out and then showered, so whatever.  I swallowed my pride.)

Rachel came to visit!

Well, as promised, I would keep you updated on the goings on between now (or when I made my last post) and when my darling husband returns from his desert excursion.  Last week, a very dear friend came down to visit me!  It was so great to see her, but of course, I was completely terrible about taking pictures.  So, I don't have any except for the ones I took during our walk through Magnolia Gardens (which I will save for a separate post).  We went to Magnolia (which is one of the old plantations around here.  It is pretty much all gardens and the house now, but it used to be a rice planation before the Union army flooded the fields with salt water during the civil war).  Anyway, we walked through the gardens and went on the house tour.  Such a beautiful place.  We also did some shopping (of course) and I found a really cute dress to wear for Kyle's homecoming, ate some really yummy food and talked.  A lot.  It was fabulous.  I am so thankful to have such a great friend, who drove 10 hours each way to come visit.  Thank you Rachel for coming down, and hopefully I can repay the favor soon!

In other news, they have already begun talking (more like speculating) as to when everyone, including Kyle, will be home!  There is a plan but, as the squadron commander said, that plan "is about as firm as room temperature jello".  Ha!  For some reason, that phrase really made me laugh, because I have never heard it before and its so true.  BUT, they have started talking about it, so I will take it.  It's not any different than I expected anyway.  To say that I am excited about him coming home is an extreme understatement!  Not to long now... :)

I have an old man on my hands...

I say that every year (teasingly - is that a word?  if not, oh well, it is now) to my wonderful husband on his birthday.  I have that luxury because he will always be a year older than me, thus my ability to call him an old man year after year.  In reality, he is the most wonderful man and I am so thankful to be married to him. 

He is still on his trip, so he unfortuntely has to celebrate his birthday over there this year.  I did my best to send him his "birthday in a box" and I was officially the first to wish him a happy birthday...at 8pm yesterday, my time (his time it was already today.  Weird huh?). 

In other news, he will be home very soon!  There are some other things happening between now and then, that I will post about after the fact, just to keep you coming back, but it should help the rest of the remaining time go by much quicker for me and I am really excited.  That's all for now.