Weekend Adventures

Good food, great fun and time well spent with awesome friends.... what a fun-filled weekend it was for the Lyons!  Friday was my last half-day Friday... so Kel and I treated ourselves to a pedi - and nice purple toes!  Kelly went with "Do you Lilac it" and I picked "Purple with a Purpose."

Friday night we checked out the newly renovated slightly updated sushi place in town with some great friends, the Hastings. Check out my meal - the Rockbridge Roll.  Let's just say it was divine.

We also capped off the night celebrating a summer interns departure ...back to Arkansas he went! {with a nice yard sale purchase in tow} Which, speaking off, ended up turning out pretty great! We made some good dough, met some nice people and donated everything else to Goodwill. Let's just say that it was worth getting up at 6am on a Saturday.  It does feel great to have a clean house {and car... and storage... and basement} too.

Saturday afternoon we joined some friends at their house on the river to do some rafting/exploring Rockbridge county.  It was an awesome time.... Jesse learned to paddle, Suz and I soaked up some rays and Walt did a little fishin {and rock diving, ha!} - then we all did a little cave exploration. So cool! There is so much to see and do right here in Rockbridge County - who would have ever known?  Suz and Walk have got it down - they live on the river, they have an amazing garden {which produces amazing meals for us to eat} and are full of life!  They are just the coolest couple. Thanks for a relaxing Saturday afternoon hanging with you guys - y'all are the best!

Sunday we made it to church {success} and then headed to Staunton for a little T.J. Maxx shopping!

First stop of the shopping day - Starbucks! Now, I'm not a huge Starbucks fan, but it was pretty cool to actually have one we could drive to {rather than in the airport coming or going through ATL or CLT - which is usually the one place we grab Starbucks} So, we had a nice Sunday shopping for new bedding {which I will share soon} and grabbing a few household items and clothes. We hit some amazing sale racks - such a steal. Love TJMaxx!! 

Pretty good weekend huh? I would have been satisfied... but it only got better from there! We met Matt & Megan in Waynesboro and went off to explore Afton, Virginia!  First stop -Afton Mountain Vinyard.

Awesome wine and beautiful views... mixed with fabulous company.. makes for a pretty good time.

Next stop was Wild Wolf Brewery. A new little restraunt just outside Wintergreen resort. Great beers {average food} and a fabulous atmosphere. It was a fun little getaway to the middle of Virgina. I forget just how many little nooks and crannies of this state there is to see.  So, J and I took the scenic route home through the national forest - and spend about an hour on roads like this...

It was a wonderful drive to top off a great weekend in Virginia. This weekend I was reminded how lucky we are to have such awesome friends surrounding us every turn of every day!

Here's to wonderful friends and awesome weekend adventures!

Garden progress

Happy Friday! Hope everyone is soaking up the last few days of summer and ready for a relaxing weekend. I just wanted to give you an update on one of our summer projects - our own garden - that is garden is looking pretty good, if I do say so myself!

We finally have fruit {YAY}! I snapped a few pictures this morning to give you an update on the progress.

Jesse is really the one to thank for all the hard work. I'm just there for moral support and watering. I just can't wait to enjoy some veggies from our labor of love veggie garden.

Cheers to a great weekend!

xo,
Tracy

Wings!

Last week I was nostalgic for summer to end... how I love the long sunny days by the pool, on the river... driving to find the closest beach we can sink our toes into.  But this week I have had a change of heart... I'm dying for crisp fall mornings, football Saturdays, the smell of BBQ across the plains of Auburn and bonfires late into the night with s'mores in abundance.

Not really sure why the sudden change of heart... but I am ready to pull on my Blue and Orange and head south for some football!  This is somewhat odd most would say... for a beach girl, who wears still packs her swimsuit on thanksgiving vacation just in case a warm day allows for some beach time! But, I guess being in Virginia kinda wears on you... something about the mountains and beautiful fall leaves that leaves you longing for them every fall.

So, today the hubs scooped me up for lunch and surprised me with a trip that took me back to the plains. 60 West Market - a hole in the wall quaint little place just on the outskirts of town has "Wild Wings Thursdays"... which means delicious BBQ wings, right off the smoker... and full of flavors of tailgating and fall!  We grabbed a box of 25 wings, a tub of macaroni salad and two bottled waters {plus some banana pudding I snagged on a trip back inside} and had a picnic right out front of the convenience store. With the smoker in full swing and the fall breeze on the way... I was in heaven!

Delicious wings! 

 Meet the grill-master! 

 ...and the view from the Market isn't too bad either! 

It was a brief trip, before hitting the sun on the way back to the car and realizing that summer is still, very much here.  :)  Maybe we'll sneak away for one more beach trip before the summer sneaks away... but I'm eager for fall and short cool days in the valley! 

Bargains!

I know I have blogged many times before about being crafty... but I forget to mention my best trait of all {or so my husband says} - my Thriftiness. I LOVE to find a bargain!  From clothes & accessories to household goods... and everything in between. I am always on the search.  More often than not, if I'm out of town and spot a Ross - I pull over for 20 minutes just to check the dresses...and household goods and decor aisles {ok, pretty much a quick run through the whole store only takes 20 minutes when you know what you're looking for} too! I can usually spot a good deal, but sometimes I buy it just for the price and then toss it to the back of the closet, maybe to be worn once.  So, this weekend - we have decided to rid our clutter once and for all and hold a YARD SALE!  Now, we have had a few in the past... but this time if it doesn't sell, it's going to Goodwill. Nothing comes back inside!

The hardest question for me - is how to price my items. So, tonight I was doing some research and found some great advice from the yard sale queen. Take a look at her blog - she's great!   She gives you some good pointers on keeping your eye out for those tricky customers... and also how to get the men to let their wives stop and shop.  I'll definitely be taking full advantage!

If you're out and about and looking for some deals Saturday - stop on by. The corner of Preston and Jefferson in Lex!  We got some great deals for everyone.

Be who you are!

Today is for a good friend of mine...

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter

and those who matter don't mind at all."  ~ Dr. Seuss

Wastin away in Indian Wells

We have been quite the jet-setters this summer, some for fun - but many for work.  Well, one of the work and play trips we got to take this summer was for FEA {The Fraternity Executives Association} and the location this year was a Indian Wells, California.  What a beautiful place - yes, it's HOT.  118 to be exact. But the landscape was something out of a movie - open desert, beautiful rocky mountains, sprawling golf courses and plush resorts speckle the desert oasis and make the heat worth it {well, almost}.  We were there for a week - leaving on a 6am flight put us in California just in time to snag some In & Out burger for lunch!

Now, I'm not usually the cheeseburger master - but this my friends, is one heck of a burger!

The first night we arrived we had the pleasure of staying in a casita at the LaQuinta Resort and Spa - and man, did we luck out!  Check out some pictures from this beautiful place...

Our room! {well, half of it anyway}

Our private balcony!

The lush gardens.

Our pool!

We even got towel animals.

This was one of the 36 tennis courts... and check out the mountains!

....and we had one relazing day at this pool before moving on to the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort.

This place was awesome too!!

A very different feel at the Grand Champion... much newer, and lush - more open and just as wonderful!

And, I'm pretty sure I ate these tocos for lunch every day I could!

We worked alot, ate alot more. drank. swam. worked. played golf. went for some runs. networked. worked some more... and enjoyed a small little vaca very out of the norm for us.  Heck, our golf team even tied for second! {yes, we played in 118 degrees... it's dry heat - yea, like that matters! ha}

The trip was a blast... but on day 7, we were ready for Virginia weather... and all of us were happy to head home!

Cheese!

Well, Hello!  I just want to say I am SO sorry for ditching my blogging for the last two months... or month an a half anyway.  I have been from conference to conference and trip to trip... and little time to come up for air in between!  I finally finished my last big one of the summer - which I was working - so I am happy to be back to free time and blogging!
I wanted to take a moment tonight and talk about one of my most favorite topics {yes, this means food} and more specifically cheese!! I will admit - my love for cheese was not just something that came to me one day - it's really kinda scary how it's so much a part of me.  I realized this just last week when my folks were up for a visit. My parents don't just eat a lot of cheese - they could probably live off of it. They really should have bought stock in the stuff, they buy that much!  To this day, we actually have what has been dubbed the "cheese drawer" in the fridge and only cheese is aloud in {and yes - it's always full}.

So, during their visit to southwest Virginia last week we did the classic vineyard and brewery tour - but the highlight of the trip was a stop at the Amish Cheese Shop in Stuarts Draft, VA.  This place is amazing!!

They have every flavor you could wish for - Swiss, cheddar, pepper jack, brie, Colby, American.... and many non-traditional ones filled with jalapenos or rosemary or basil. The list goes on and on.... and the best part, they cut it and package it right in front of you! You can even ask for samples!

We had the best time on this trip... and came away with plenty to stock our "cheese drawer" at home.  And the best part - we only paid $11.  So, if you're ever driving through Southwest Virginia - take some time to stop at the Cheese Shop - it's worth your time and will give your taste buds a nice treat!