My Sister's Birthday Weekend

So, my sister came to visit Nov. 9-12 for her birthday. We actually took NO pictures. But, we did have a good time. Friday night we headed to our neighborhood pizza and wine joint called Villagio. It was so good. We had some pizza and salad and wine of course! We returned to watch some TV and chill. Saturday morning we left (after my WW meeting, of course, I lost .6) and headed out to do some errands and shopping. I really wanted to take her to the Milk Bottle http://experiencespokane.com/garlandvillage/ and have a cheeseburger and shake. It was so yummy and we even got a slice of homemade pecan pie for Tim. Then we checked out some of the shops, Ruby Slipper and the Tin Man. From there we headed out to Liberty Lake, WA...checking it out and seeing the library and the children's library. Then, as we headed back, decided to stop at the mall...we hadn't been shopping in awhile. I was on the hunt for some boots and my sister just wanted to shop some. So, we had a great time walking all over and shopping. When we left there it was getting late, I had one more stop to make. Latah Creek Winery for a wine tasting http://www.latahcreek.com/ she enjoyed that. Then we headed home to make dinner. Tim had made some spinach pasta and some chicken and ricotta filling, my sister got to stuff her own ravioli and then we cooked that up with some tomato cream sauce, garlic bread and broccoli. It was SOOOOO good. Then after seeing the rebirth of so many 80s fashions in the mall, we watched FLASHDANCE, neither of us had seen it before. It was fun! Sunday we had bullseye eggs for breakfast, then headed downtown to catch a pre-12noon show of FRED CLAUS (funny!) and then walk around the Riverfront Park, see the falls and look around. Then lunch/dinner about 3pm was at the Peacock Room in the Davenport Hotel. I finally found some shoestring fries in Spokane!! The food and the drinks were great. Once we left there we were pretty tired. We hung out at home for the rest of the night. She left Monday morning...it was a great weekend!! Many Happy Returns of the Day lil T!

TBIT Post 6 Oct. 22nd - the Nati

So, Monday morning Tim and I got up to do a quick trip to Cincinnati! Yeah, how do we do that? Anyway, our plane was scheduled to leave at 7:50am on Tuesday morning...so we did have a challenge ahead! So, we got to Cincinnati to meet a friend for breakfast and we were joined by a couple more friends which was really nice. I can't tell you how much I miss First Watch http://www.firstwatch.com/ My personal favorite is the POWER WRAP and it was just as good as I remembered it. Then, we headed to the new Bond Hill/Reading branch of the Public Library to see it. It was just being planned and built when I left so I had to see it. It was combined in a location with a community center and job services which is so awesome! And, then I headed to Norwood to see another friend at the library and then downtown to see my former boss and talk with her. Then it was to West End to see the library I miss so much!! It was good to see everyone and get a chance to see some of the kids and changes since I have been gone. It made me a little homesick. But...it RAINED and Tim and I were reminded as we drove up I-75 in the rain why we like Spokane....no traffic to deal with. We headed to Joseph Beth Booksellers (we also miss that store) to see a friend there...and then to our old stomping grounds in Northside to see some more friends. I picked up a friend for dinner and it was hard to decide where to go. There are so many great places to eat in Cincinnati Zips, Vincenzo's, Habits, Boswell's, and the list could go on...I even miss Steak and Shake....anyway I settled on Habits for some Potato Rags!! So yummy, I think they made them specially good for me!! Anyway it was past 11pm when Tim and I headed back to Columbus to sleep for a couple hours before heading out of Ohio....

TBIT Post 5 Oct 21st

So, Sunday morning Tim and I got up and got ready to go. We were headed back to Columbus to meet a couple of my friends at Easton in Columbus. http://www.eastontowncenter.com/ We decided to meet about 12:30pm for lunch at PF CHANGS, yummy!! We got to visit and shop together. It was really fun! Then...we left about 5:30pm to head back to meet Liz and Eric for dinner. We went to a place called Marcella's in the Short North http://www.marcellasristorante.com/ which had the small plates as well as full sized entrees. It was INCREDIBLE!! The food was so good. We tried about 5 different small plates and shared and also tried both the red and white sangria, also good! Then, we headed back to go to bed. Big day on Monday!!

TBIT Post 4 Oct 20th The Wedding Day

So, Saturday started with all of the girls getting up and getting ready to go to the salon to get their hair and face done. It was fun!! My hair ended up looking like an 80s flashback...but everyone assured me it looked great...except my dad...who rolled his eyes when I asked him how it HONESTLY looked...I guess I am used to seeing it flat. Anyway, we got ready from the neck up and then the limo (a stretch Hummer) came to get us and take us to the hotel. We arrived and proceeded to get ready. It was an exciting time. Tim was awesome as he helped with getting things from one place to another, also taking pictures and being a very helpful person all around. I don't know what I would do without him!! Tim and I's room ended up being the groomsmen staging area and the girls got ready in the bridal suite. It was all very nice! Anyway, after we got ready, we walked around getting some pictures done and visiting in the lobby! My sister and I did a VOGUE shot...and we waited until the wedding started. The wedding was a gorgeous affair...the same room had the wedding ceremony and then it went under a transformation to be the room for the reception! While the room transformed the guests went to a room with appetizers and drinks to visit. There were so many people who came. It was so great to see friends and family!! Then the reception was beautiful, as was the cake!! We had a GREAT meal and Ted's Best Man did a great toast complete with Chi Chi's birthday song, well changed to the wedding song...the bride and groom wore sombreros! The band played throughout...it was AWESOME as the band leader was from Kool and the Gang!! They did a great job!! Things wound down at 12midnight! I was tired when I hit the sack! And, my feet were sore, but it was a fun time had by all!

TBIT Post 3 Oct 19th

Wow, what a busy day. I let Tim sleep in...and we met Tom to do some hiking in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. http://www.nps.gov/cuva/ It was a gorgeous day. We found several small trails and enjoyed about 4 different areas of the park. Again the colors were not as brilliant as I recalled...but still beautiful! Tom and Tim did a little impromptu climbing. Then it was a race to get back and change for the Rehearsal Dinner held at Osteria http://osteria.us/ in downtown Cleveland. It was right next to Fay's Psychic (which was hysterical considering our mother's name is Faye). The food was really good and it gave the chance for our families to meet. Then, we headed to the hotel for the rehearsal. It was in the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Cleveland. http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/clebr-renaissance-cleveland-hotel/ Which was gorgeous, old and rennovated really well. The rehearsal went by really well. Then, afterward, a bunch of us headed over to a Wine Bar to visit and talk. It was really fun. Terri and I rode back with Anne to spend the night at her mother's house.

TBIT Post 2 Oct 18th

So, we got up a little later than we thought we would. But the previous plan of meeting my friend in Dublin, OH changed and so my sister called our mother and she said that she, our grandma and a neighbor were meeting in Dublin at a place called the Morgan House. http://www.morganhse.com/ We decided to join them...but not before a quick visit to TJ Maxx and DSW (boy do I miss those living in Spokane) to get a couple last minute items. We met them for brunch/lunch. The food was good. There were plenty of neat things to look at and plenty of knick knacks as well. We had a great visit and took some pictures out front. It was a nice day, the fall colors were brilliant, although not as normal because of the dry weather. We left there about 1pm and stopped for some travel stuff at Walgreens and then headed to Akron. Once we arrived, Tim and I checked into our bed and breakfast, I highly recommend it. Check it out http://www.oneilhouse.com/. We went to Ted's house on Casterton and waited for everyone to arrive. Tyler and Tom had been out running around, Ted was at work. Our cousin Jeff was on his way. We decided to check out Ted and Anne's new house and then head out to dinner. The house was so beautiful! And, I got to see my little man Phineas, now Sammy. He is still lanky but definitely has adopted Ted and Anne has his new parents. Then we all went to the Blinking Lizard or the Winking Lizard or something like that for some food and to watch a baseball game...Cleveland vs Boston! How exciting. We had some of the best WINGS I have had in a LONG time!! Tim and I turned in early. He didn't sleep well and I wanted to take advantage of the HUGE tub in the B&B!!

Traveling Back in Time Post 1 Oct 17

Okay, the next series of posts are from October, so you will have to use your imagination. Anyway, my husband and I traveled to Ohio Oct. 17th to Oct. 23rd to attend my brother's wedding in Cleveland. While we were there we also visiting Columbus, Akron, and Cincinnati. It was an action packed week. We had lots of fun!

On Tuesday Oct 17th we flew out of Spokane at 8am...arrived in Columbus about 7:30pm. We stopped in Oakland, CA and at Midway in Chicago...but the Southwest flight was great!! Once we arrived in Columbus, we met up with Terri and got the rental car and then met Liz and Eric at Cap City in Gahanna, OH for some Matag Bleu Chips and some great food. Check them out at http://www.capcityfinediner.com/

Then it was to bed...long day!