One Goal Down...Take THAT FE!

So... I PASSED MY FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) EXAM!!!  Mark called me at work to let me know that my letter had arrived and I insisted that he go ahead and open it to tell me the news.  I'm beyond thrilled!  This was also my first New Year Goal to complete (so what if it's not even 2011 yet) and it was one of the most important ones.

Caroline=2 (graduation & FE)
Engineering=1 (the FE schooled me the first time)

After I complete five years of work, I can take the PE and become a Licensed Professional Engineer...with letters after my name at everything.  Professional world, here I come!

Annual Friends' Christmas Party and SK's Birthday

Once again, my pictures are pretty much centered around what Meredith does for me.  I consider myself very lucky to have a friend who takes so many pictures....

Here is one of the best pictures from our Annual Friends' Christmas Party.  Unfortunately, we are missing Alice and Carrie, but I think we had a pretty good turn-out:

We also had a chance to celebrate Sarah Kate's Birthday.  Look at our cute bday girl:

2011...Here I come!

So, I was thinking that I always fail my New Year's Resolutions.  They usually have to do with weight, be nicer, spending more time in prayer.  But they also usually end up incomplete.  This year I'm going to take a different approach.  No New Year's "Resolution" per se, but a bunch of New Year's "Goals", 40 to be exact.  I figure this way, I'm BOUND to finish at least one...I hope.  Here's my list, in no particular order:

1) Take Mark to Europe for the First time
2) Read at least 2 books to benefit my career
3) Visit Lauren in Tyler, Texas
4) Run a 10K
5) Plant flowers by our Mailbox
6) Read the entire New Testament
7) Have a "girls' weekend" at the beach or somewhere fun
8) Try a new workout class
9) Host a dinner party (with food I actually cook)
10) Lose 10 lbs
11) Cook 1 new thing each day for a week
12) Find a church home
13) Get a new cell phone
14) Have dinner at a new (to me) restaurant in Birmingham
15) Go to the dentist (I'll count Julie pre-graduation too)
16) Pass the FE (if didn't in October)
17) Give up Facebook for two weeks
18) Wear make-up everyday for a week
19) Put up pictures in my cubical
20) Go bowling at least once
21) Buy a pair of nice sunglasses
22) Give blood
23) Go to a play/musical
24) Put a bookcase in the guest bedroom
25) Go to at least one Alabama Football Game
26) Move Departments at work...seriously!
27) Take a picture everyday for a month
28) Take Levon on a GOOD walk at least once a week
29) Actually PLAN my Halloween costume
30) Volunteer at an MDA function (in addition to the Derby)
31) Watch each movie nominated for Academy Award's Best Picture
32) Go to a Professional Sports Game (any)
33) Learn some of the language of wherever we visit, prior to trip
34) Shoot a gun (don't worry, I'll go to a shooting range)
35) Send Birthday Cards
36) Go to lunch once a week with coworkers or friends
37) Increase BodyPump weight to almost double
38) Go to Chicago to see Amanda play softball
39) Host Book Club
40) Blog about most of this list

I'm so excited about my list.  Bring it on, 2011.  BRING  IT  ON!!!

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk

In November I read "Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk" by David Sedaris.  Ever since my college roommate introduced me to Sedaris, I've been a big fan.  Humorous books that are basically written as a set of short stories?  Yes, please!  BUT, and this is a BIG BUT, I was disappointed with this one.  For those of you interested, it's about animals who talk...like, adult fables.  It wasn't horrible, and I suspect that many of his fans will enjoy it.  It just wasn't my cup of tea.  If you do decide to read it anyways, avoid airplanes.  There are some pretty disturbing drawings in the book and I think the people on my flight to Tuscon thought I was a nutcase.

DC...Part Deux!

Saturday, Bree and Chelsey went to the Newseum, while I went to visit my cousins in Alexandria.  They took me to lunch at Hard Times Cafe where I had some pretty tasty chili.  Somehow, Jim didn't end up in a picture, but here's Susan and me:

Next, I scurred back to DC to go ice skating on the national mall with the girls.  Turns out, I'm a horrible skater... Chelsey had to pull me across the ice.  Actually, I recall a picture of Bree and me ice skating a few years ago and she's pulling me too (ice skating=2, caroline=0).  It was fun though and we got a pretty cute picture out of it, and come free hot chocolate:

After that, we regrouped and went to the "Bama Bar" to watch Alabama take down Miss State.  Good thing they did too, cause our conference record wasn't so great this year.  At this bar, they have a "beer tower" as Bree called it.  Chelsey and I were not so excited about this, cause we thought the waitress was going to bring us a tower to beer CANS, which would just sit around getting warm.  What we got was much cooler:

Once we left there, we went to Clarendon Grill with Brian and their friend Megan.  We struck gold there and happened upon a Journey Cover Band.  Umm, yes please!  They were a good time:

Sunday we met Allison at Perry's for their drag queen brunch.  Umm, lets just say that it was NOT what I was expecting and I will leave visual evidence out of my blog.  But, it was a good time!  Next time (I don't actually think there will be a next time) I will make sure I have a morning mimosa with Bree so that I can handle the show.

After that we went to Eastern Market, then we made a pit stop by the Capitol for a photo-op:

Our last stop of the day was an park near DCA where we watched the planes land.  They come in RIGHT above your head.  You almost feel like you can touch them...very cool.
Bree and Brian were sweet enough to drive us to Baltimore so that we didn't have to worry with the train.  I think Bree secretly just wanted to spend as much time with us as possible.  All in all, the trip was a success!  I just have one thing to add...

Miss you Bree!  Come home already!

 

DC (with Chelsey and Bree), part one

Last month (I know, I'm still trying to get back to real-time), Chelsey and I flew to DC to visit Bree B.  I had off for Veteran's Day, and Chelsey took her first vacation days from work in order to accommodate my schedule.  We left Thursday and got off to a rocky start.  First, our flight was delayed.  This ended up being good news, as the Birmingham airport had an electrical glitch and the security scanners went out for a good 10 minutes.  The flight went smoothly, but when we got to the train station, there were no trains running that night on account of the holiday...which no one bothered to post on their website.  So, we shared a taxi with two strangers from Baltimore to DC.  All I could think of was the movie "Taken," but they ended up being delightful, albeit a little too smart for my likings.

Once we got to DC safely, our amazing tourguide took over.  Thursday we did our own thing and just hungout the three of us...well, other than the random guy who thought we needed dinner company.  It was just like old times (Bree, if you're reading this, it could be like old times everyday, if you move home already).

Friday we went to the Washington Monument.  The views were amazing.  As you can see from the following picture:

Ok, so maybe you CAN'T see anything except us, but aren't we cute?!

We also stumble upon smokey bear, who was clearly very busy at work:

Next, we went to the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing, which was so cool.  We got to see the new $100 bill that's coming out in 2011.  What?  You're super jealous and want to see it too?  DONE:

By this point, it was 4pm(ish) and we were starving, so we went to POV for drinks and lunch/old folks' dinner.  POV has an amazing view of the White House.  You can see it on the left side of this picture, but the picture doesn't do it justice:

After that, we went back to Bree's to regroup and then met her DC friends at Hamilton's for $1 PBRs.  It was so much fun, and the bar actually encouraged the building of this amazing beer-amid:

I think that's probably all my readers (all two of you) can handle for one post, so I'll continue this with "part deux."

Simply Scarlet Snowflake Christmas

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