Backyard Discovery Giveaway

Backyard Discovery is doing another grand giveaway. Two families will win an awesome playset and an Oasis Garden. The last day to enter is March 16th.

I know our boy/girl twins would love the Patriot II Playset. Steph would love the garden to teach The Babies about growing vegetables and eating fresh.

Email Woes

After a bout of frustration with our Mac and ATT/Yahoo email, I've finally gotten Mail.app to send and recieve mail.  The following settings should help anyone with the same problems I had.

• Type of Account:  POP

• Username: yourscreenname@att.net (you must keep the "@att.net" part on there)

• POP Server: pop.att.yahoo.com

• SMTP Server: smtp.att.yahoo.com

• Use authentication with proper username and password

• Enable SSL

• Change your SMTP Server Port to 465.

• The first time you send a message you should be prompted for your password, enter and save in your Keychain if desired.

This worked for three separate accounts I set up last night and no hiccups in the past 24 hours.

Jon's Close-to-Perfect Mojitos

I used this recipe last night and it got good results:

Place 5 fresh mint leaves in the bottom of a 16 oz. glass. 
Add 3 tsp. of sugar. Muddle the leaves and sugar together (about 10 times, you don't want to overdo it and start tearing the leaves). 
Squeeze in the juice from half a lime. 
Add 2 shots of clear rum. 
Add crushed ice (about 3/4 the way to the top). 
Fill the rest of the glass with club soda and stir to mix everything together.
If desired, garnish with a sprig of mint or a lime wedge.

Enjoy!

Christmastime at The B24 Residence

Well, we got part of our Christmas decorating done this weekend... namely the tree and the mantle.  We picked out a Nativity - Willow Tree - that we will be adding to as the years go by.  We also replaced our tree lights.  The LED ones we got last year were high-tech but were too blue so I got regular white lights.  Steph made a great wreath that we have hanging on the front door.

I still want to add big Christmas lights along the fence and porches, and then we'll be done.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JON

On Sept 22, Jon turned 30!  We had a get together for him at the house on the 27th.  Our friends from small group and several deputies from the sheriff's office came over.  Jon cooked on his grill and Steph made cucumber and pasta salads and salsa.  About 30 folks showed up.  Steph bought him a grill and a bonsai (both of which he has wanted for a long time).

Steph didn't realize until this picture (even though she actually cut the cake) that those were shamrocks on top.  Wonder if this cake has been in the Carvel freezer since March?

 

Welcome to the beginning

Stephanie decided to create a family blog to post all of our happenings.  Hopefully this will help keep us in touch with our families that are all over the east coast.

In October 2006, we met on eHarmony.  Yes, it really works; no, we have no plans to be on a commercial.  We actually met in person (I know we're lame) December 2, 2006.  

We spent a fabulous weekend in Charleston getting to know one another.  Then, a few weeks later, Jon drove down to Augusta to meet Steph's family for Christmas Eve.    

Stephanie then drove to Wilmington, to ride with Jon to Raleigh, to meet his family.  There were 21 of us there for New Year's.  

We dated long distance, Jon in Wilmington and Steph in Augusta, for 8 months until Steph moved to Wilmington.  December 12, 2007 is the day Jon told Stephanie she was his best friend and asked her to spend the rest of her life with him.  On June 28, 2008 we got married at Fort Fisher.  It was the perfect beach ceremony Stephanie always wanted.  

Now we are happily out of our apartments and living in a two-bedroom with a fantastic yard. It gets a little crazy with our kids Feylan (7 year old Border Collie), Charlie (2 year old Silky Terrier), Tink and Titus (6 and 5 year old cats).