Spring Break!

Well...we technically did not have a Spring Break, but we had a great week with Holly's family last week.

Our week long visit began last Monday afternoon when Holly's Mom flew into Tampa. Holly's oldest brother, Gary, his wife, Blair and their 4 children flew into Orlando on the same day. They made it to Bradenton just about the same time we arrived from the Tampa airport. That evening we spent quality time together at our house. Boy, was it fun finding places for luggage, toys and a place for 6 extra people to sleep in our 2-bedroom condo; it was like we were at camp! Once everyone got settled, Mom, Blair, Christopher, the 4 kids and I went to the pool. The kids enjoyed the water and we enjoyed the sunshine. As Mom, Blair and I sat with our feet in the water, Mom made the comment, "When we get back to the room, it will be so nice to have dinner ready." How funny of a "blonde moment" for Mom as she must have thought she was at a bed-n-breakfast; it provided for some great laughs. For dinner, Gary made a delicious Italian feast complete with Italian sausage, spaghetti, salad and garlic bread.

Tuesday seemed to be a normal day for Christopher and I; he went to school and I went to work. Mom and Blair dropped me off as they had acupuncture appointments. Gary spent the morning with the kids as he prepared to leave for Orlando later that evening for a business training meeting. Mom, as always, enjoyed her acupuncture treatment. Blair got to experience it for the first time and found it interesting and different. Later that day, I was able to enjoy lunch with the girls at Jason's Deli. After Christopher and I finished our normal day, the whole family ventured to Bradenton Beach for some fun in the sun. Although the water was a bit chilly, Ridge, Kennedy and Connelly did not mind one bit. After a few hours on the beach, we ventured to Cortez Kitchen for dinner. The food was great as always. Kai became quite hungry as we waited for our food and proceeded to say, "eat," while blowing kisses to people in hopes they would share their food with him. The boy sure does love his food! After dinner, Gary left for Orlando, and we headed back to our home to call it a night.

On Wednesday, I took Mom, Blair and the kids to Red Barn so they could experience was a true farmer's market was like. They found all the fresh produce to be heavenly. They picked out a yummy feast for dinner as Christopher would be studying and I would be at work. For lunch, we ventured to Thai Wasabi for sushi. As always, it is so yummy!

Thursday was an all day fun day at Siesta Key Beach! Although it took an hour to get there and find a parking space, it was so worth it! We packed sandwiches and snacks for a picnic lunch and spent all day in the sunshine. We later found that the Florida got the best of us as most of us came home with sunburned shoulders, cheeks and legs. As Ridge, Kennedy, Connelly and Kai played in the water and the sand, Blair, Mom and I found pure enjoyment in people watching; we saw 2 groups of college boys walking in American flag speedos stopping for pictures, singing songs and providing great laughs. We found it to be quite hilarious! On our way home from the beach, we enjoyed frappucinos from Starbucks. We ended the evening by eating pizza and enjoying massages from yours truly.

Friday was a more relaxed day as we spent the morning shopping at the outlets. Blair found some great clothes and accessories for the children. After shopping, we met Christopher for lunch at Subway. We spent the afternoon at our house. The girls played outside and Mom and I were able to look at our proof albums from our wedding photography. Gary came back to Bradenton that afternoon and for dinner we visited Thai Wasabi once more! It was a great, relaxing day to end the visit.

On Saturday, we said goodbye to Gary, Blair and the children as they flew back home to North Carolina. After we sent them on their way, Christopher spent the day studying and Mom and I spent the day shopping and exploring Sarasota. I introduced Mom to Kohl's as she had never shopped there before. We both found lots of great deals and racked up on some great new clothes and jewelry for our wardrobe! We then ventured to downtown Sarasota to see the waterfront and the infamous replica statue of the Kissing Sailor. After walking the waterfront and taking a few pictures, we then drove to St. Armand's Circle for more shopping and fun. We walked in and out of stores imagining that we were not in Florida anymore. We fell in love with Tea and Spice Exchange and The Olive Company. We purchased some great additions to our kitchen cabinets since we both love to cook. After shopping and a gelato break, we ate dinner at Pei Wei. When we arrived home, Mom and I went from shopping girls to redecorating girls; we rearranged furniture and accessories in our living room and kitchen to give everything a fresh new look. The "new" room looks great. After redecorating, we ended the evening by watching The Blind Side.

I took Mom to the airport Sunday morning and returned home to begin getting ready for the new week. The house was quiet when I returned home and somewhat messy. But, Christopher and I would not trade anything for the world. We enjoyed every minute of our week with our family. We cannot wait to spend more time with our entire family in May to celebrate Nanny's 85th birthday. Enjoy the pictures below of our great and memorable week!

...Pool Side...

...Splish-Splashing...

...The Beautiful Beach...

...The Carters...

...The Millers...

...Ha! Ha! Russell...

...Kai Loves Trucks...

...The Joys of People Watching...

...One Handsome Young Man...

...Sandcastle and Hottub Builders...

...Can you find the Real Models?!...

...Sweet, Sweet Children...

...Beautiful Downtown Sarasota...

...The Kissing Sailor...

...At Marina Jack's...

Happy Easter!

What a BEAUTIFUL weekend we had in Florida to celebrate our first easter as Mr. & Mrs.! The sun shined all weekend long, which made it so easy to be thankful for our Savior and the great things He has done in our lives.

Friday night, Christopher and I retreated to our childhoods and dyed Easter eggs. It was quite fun and exciting. We laughed a lot at each other, from Christopher forgetting that a white crayon may be used to write secret messages, to Holly being disappointed that the pink dye was more of a pastel pink and not a bright, highlighter pink.

On Saturday, Christopher's brother, Gary, drove from Orlando for an early Easter dinner. I got in touch with my inner Paula Deen and made a delicious, Southern feast. The menu included ham, biscuits, green been casserole, pineapple casserole, fresh corn, mashed potatoes, deviled eggs and strawberry pie. The food was delicious! The company around the dining table was great too; Matt came over to enjoy the meal.

Yesterday, we enjoyed a great service at our church dressed in our pastel best! The message focused on forgetting the things we should not remember, and remember the things that we should remember. After church, we treated ourselves to Dunkin' Donuts and then returned home to do some spring cleaning to prepare for arriving guests today! We took a lunch break to eat leftovers; Mike joined us for lunch. Again, it was great to surround ourselves with fun conversations and good laughs. We ended the day by baking banana bread and homemade pimento cheese (Thanks for the idea, Mike!).

Today, Holly's mom and oldest brother, Gary, and his family arrive for their Spring Break vacation! It is going to be in the 80s all week long; that means lots of trips to the beach, the pool and playing outside! Sushi, seafood, acupuncture, massages and more are on the agenda for the week too!

...Getting Ready...

...Before...

...Christopher's Secret Message - "I love my wife"...

...After...

March Has Come and Gone

It has been quite some time since our last post. March has been a month full of visitors, traveling and more.

Ashley & Andrew came to visit the second week in March while on their Spring Break. We had such a great time visiting with them. Nothing says fun like a seafood dinner at Cortez Kitchen followed by wine and board games at home! Although the visit went by quickly, we are looking forward to doing it again real soon.

...The Best Seafood & Cold Beer Anyone Could Ask For...

The following weekend, we spent in Orlando with Gary & Brandon. We spent the weekend together, along with Gayle, celebrating Gary's 30th birthday. Friday night, we spent the evening outside cooking steaks on the grill, drinking wine and playing board games. Saturday was spent by the pool. The weather was gorgeous! We then ordered wings, ate Italian ice and played board games. If you have not played Balderdash, we highly recommend it! We were also excited to be at Gary & Brandon's home over this weekend, as they welcomed home their newest puppy, Bella. She is an adorable miniature greyhound!

This past weekend, Christopher was busy with his fraternal organization, Kappa Psi, as they inducted their newest pledge class. Sunday evening was a night of celebration as they participated in their first inaugural founder's day and initiation dinner. We enjoyed a great dinner, slide show and awards ceremony. Please give a round of applause to Christopher as he won the scholarship award for the third year pharmacy student with the highest grade point average in the fraternity!



Some other things we have been able to enjoy over the past month include: dinner dates at Hickory Hollow, flower and garden shopping, date nights-in with fondue and cooking on the grill and more.

This past month, Christopher also received his rotation assignments. He will be able to enjoy 3 rotations in Kentucky and the rest will be in Florida, mostly within driving distance to Bradenton. We are both very excited for the opportunities that are before him as it will better help me decide what and where he wants to practice pharmacy. Although we know the 3 months he will be away from Bradenton will be difficult, we know that is a short, temporary thing and it is for the betterment of our future.

As April approaches, we are excited to celebrate our first Easter together and welcome Holly's mom for a week long visit. Also, Gary, Blair and their children will be coming for a visit. As the weather continues to get warmer, we hope to make trips to the beach, go for walks outside and maybe play some golf.

A Week or So of Firsts

It has been a week of firsts here in the Carter home.

ONE. We were able to enjoy a sweet Valentine's weekend together. Friday, we watched the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics while enjoying chocolate fondue. We lit candles and pulled blankets and pillows on the floor as we indulged in yummy fruit and chocolate and drank wine. It was a fun evening! After a day of working and studying on Saturday, we enjoyed dinner-in and were able to talk to my entire family via skype as they were together celebrating my biggest brother, Gary, as he turned 40! It was fun to see everyone and chit-chat even if it were only a few minutes. Sunday, I worked for a few hours while Christopher spent the day studying. We enjoyed dinner at Thai Wasabi, our favorite restaurant! We ate delicious sushi.

...Our First Valentine's Day as Mr. & Mrs...

...Always Something Fun & Silly Between Us...

TWO. This past week I was diagnosed with an inflammatory disorder called erythema nodosum. Here is a summary of how it all came to be. I came home from work Tuesday evening with itchy legs. I took a shower and I soon looked like a lobster, red on all my extremities. I took a benadryl and basically hurt all over. After a sleepless night of burning and itching, I woke up Wednesday with blotchy rashes all over my body. I went to the acupuncturist for what was to be a routine session, but we ended up focusing on the rashes. They were completely confused. They treated me to release some of the heat associated with the rashes and inflammation. As the day progressed, my rashes began moving all throughout my body, mainly in the extremities. I don't have any rashes on my stomach, chest or back. I went to urgent care where they diagnosed me. I will have the symptoms of burning, moving rashes for about 6 weeks. This also explains the malaise and joint aches that I have been having as it as a common symptom as well. I am going to be taking OTC aleve for the pain and then a prescribed medication to help relieve the itch discomfort, but that will make me sleepy so I am only taking it at night. Erythema nodosum is not contagious and over 50% of the cases are diagnosed with no known cause. It could be caused by anything from strep, birth control pills, cat scratch fever, allergies to food/lotions and so much more. I was lucky enough the rashes only lasted a little over 24 hours. I woke up very stiff, Thursday morning, but thought that if I get moving, ate breakfast and took my medicine then I would be good to go when I arrived at work. I had already spoken with my boss the night before and she assured me that taking care of my body should be my number one priority. I felt relieved from our conversation. I went to work and I guess God was carefully watching over me as my appointments at the spa were canceled. I decided it was a sign that I needed to go home and rest. I napped off and on throughout the day on Thursday. Overall, I felt pretty lousy...sore muscles, stiff and swollen joints, skin warm to the touch but no fever, etc. I looked like an old woman walking around the house. I was able to get some sleep Thursday night, but it took my body a long time to settle down and get comfortable. I woke up Friday morning feeling about the same. I decided not to work again today as it seems rest is the best thing for my body and healing right now. I napped off and on throughout the day and felt much better when I woke up this afternoon. Since Christopher had a meeting, I thought I would cook dinner. I chopped a few vegetables, picked up a frying pan and began to make a fritatta. I put in the oven, sat down and noticed my left hand (my dominate hand) had a rash on it and was swollen again. My arm began itching and a small rash appeared on my forearm. In about 20 minutes, the rash faded. Saturday, in summary, was pretty much the same as Friday. I was able to go to the grocery store with Christopher, but the walking I did around Walmart fatigued me. In flash-forwarding to Sunday and today, I feel so much better. The soreness is concentrated to my knees and wrists. I am so thankful for the prayers and concerns from our family and friends! I am going to see a dermatologist this coming Thursday to talk about ways to care for the signs and symptoms associated with this disorder.

THREE. We attended our first wedding as a married couple. Saturday evening, my chiropractor got married. We felt so honored to be invited to her reception to celebrate her marriage. The reception was so fun and intimate, only 90 guests. The bride and groom looked so happily in love and beautiful. We enjoyed cake and desserts, wine and dancing. Funny story...the DJ played The Cupid Shuffle. Christopher and I were the only ones on the dance floor; no one else knew how to do the dance. We even got a round of applause when it was over. As we were slow dancing, Christopher said to me that he finally felt like we were a married couple. It was very sweet!

....Celebrating Kristin & Rob in Downtown Bradenton...

FOUR. Our friend, Kimmy, came to visit us Sunday. She was able to spend the afternoon with me while Christopher studied at school. Kimmy and I enjoyed great conversations about our honeymoon, camp, friendships, life and so much more. I thoroughly enjoy the time that she and I get to spend together. Kimmy's visit originated from her 2010 goal list. She wanted to watch the sunrise on the east coast of Florida, and watch the sunset on the west coast of Florida. Well, clouds and scattered storms set in Bradenton Beach, so the sunset was really not there. But, we did find a piece of a sand dollar while walking on the beach. We went to a local seafood restaurant for dinner with Christopher. Over dinner, Kimmy explained the wonderfully new, yet somewhat old, hobby of geocaching. It is a treasure hunting game where you use a GPS to hide and seek containers with other participants in the activity. It is amazing! Christopher and I cannot wait to explore Bradenton one day while finding hidden treasures. Go to www.geocaching.com to find how many hidden treasures are in your zip code.

FIVE. Christopher and I learned so much today at the Honda car dealership. In seeing lots of advertisements on TV, we decided to check out the deals on leases to see if we could lower my current payments. Boy, was it tiring and tedious! It took a lot of patience, communication and wheeling and dealing! After 5 hours of trying to get in the driver's seat, we finally made a deal on a 2010 Honda Civic. We were able to lower my payment by $70. We accomplished our goal and learned so much. We feel like big kids now!

Marriage is great. We are learning and loving each and every day!

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

Our first wedding announcement was posted in The Nashville Graphic, of Nashville, North Carolina today. Rocky Mount's Telegram will feature our announcement this Sunday on Valentine's Day; how appropriate!

Miller - Carter unite in marriage

Holly Lynn Miller and Christopher Lewis Carter were married Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, at Nashville United Methodist Church, Nashville. The officiating minister for the traditional 5 p.m. ceremony was Pastor Wayne Hicks. The bride is the daughter of Lou and Sharon Miller of Rocky Mount. She is the granddaughter of June Ward of Nashville. The groom’s parents are Gayle Spoonamore and Gary Carter of Stanford, Ky. He is the grandson of Katherine Spoonamore and Carl and Mary Carter, all of Stanford, Ky. A program of nuptial music was presented by Rev. Sylvia Sutter, organist. Soloist was Gary Miller, brother of the bride. The bride was given in marriage by her parents. She wore an ivory draped satin bodice with slightly dropped waist featuring beaded, embroidered detail with an allover beaded lace chapel train. She carried a bouquet of white calla lilies and roses. The maid of honor was Brady Keeter of Raleigh. Bridesmaids were Rebecca Arcebido of Bradenton Fla., Ashley Bass of Chapel Hill, Amy Potter of Louisville, Ky., Kelly Sims of Charlotte and Cayla Williams of Abbeville, S.C., all friends of the bride. Junior bridesmaids were Halie Miller and Kennedy Miller, both of Rocky Mount and nieces of the bride. Flower girls were Connelly Miller and Gracie Miller, both of Rocky Mount and nieces of the bride. Gary Owens of Sanford, Fla., brother of the groom, was best man. Ushers were Clay Carter of Danville, Ky., cousin of the groom, Matthew Antonopoulos, and Michael Riner, both of Bradenton, Fla., John Thomas of Lake Butler, Fla., all friends of the groom, and Russell Miller of Rocky Mount, brother of the bride. Junior groomsman was Ridge Miller of Rocky Mount, nephew of the bride. Ring bearer was Kai Miller of Rocky Mount, nephew of the bride. Program attendants were Crystal Collier of Raleigh and Victoria Broome of Bradenton, Fla. The bride is a graduate of Rocky Mount Senior High School and UNC-Chapel Hill and is employed as a lead massage therapist at a spa. The groom is a graduate of Lincoln County High School and University of Kentucky, and is currently enrolled at LECOM School of Pharmacy seeking a Doctorate of Pharmacy degree. Following a wedding trip to Napa and San Francisco, Calif., the couple will make their home in Bradenton, Fla. A rehearsal dinner was hosted by Gary Carter on Jan. 8 in Nashville. Courtesies A couple’s shower was hosted by friends of the groom on June 6 in Stanford, Ky. A bachelorette weekend was hosted by Brady Keeter on Aug. 13-15 in Savannah Ga. On Sept. 6, a recipe shower was hosted by friends of the groom in Danville , Ky. Sept. 11-13, a bachelor weekend was hosted by Gary Owens in Lake Blackshear, Ga. On Nov. 28, a Christmas shower was hosted by family of the bride in Rocky Mount. A bridal shower was hosted by friends of the bride on Nov. 29 in Rocky Mount. On Jan. 7, a lingerie shower was hosted by Brady Keeter in Rocky Mount. A bridesmaids luncheon was hosted by Gayle Spoonamore on Jan. 8 in Nashville.

A Month...ALREADY?!

It is hard to believe it has been one month (well, almost...Tuesday, February 9) since our wedding. Time sure does fly by! It has taken some time getting used to the routines of life, work and school again. But, we are enjoying every minute of married life.

Since our return from our honeymoon, Christopher has been diligently studying. His first exam is Monday, February 8. I have been extremely busy at work; the spa is averaging close to 70 appointments daily. At home, we spend much of our time at the dining room table together, Christopher studying and me scrapbooking. We enjoy making dinner together and have been lucky enough the weather has been good enough to eat and enjoy our screened-in porch. Sunday nights is our date night on the sofa; we routinely watch Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters. We have also enjoyed receiving gifts and cards throughout the past weeks from family and friends. It makes opening the mailbox a whole lot more fun. About a week after our honeymoon, my mom sent us a package with random odds-and-ends, like makeup, Christopher's infamous gloves he wore during the garter toss, and Starbucks gift cards, that we had left in North Carolina. She also gave us a "design your own" yearly calendar. One afternoon I sat down and created each month with stickers, cut outs, etc. It is now sitting on our desk and we are documenting our first year of marriage. We have documented such things as, "Dinner Date at Thai Wasabi," "Church & Grocery Shopping" and "Day Trip to Tampa." It is going to be a great addition to our keepsakes to be able to see what we did during our first year of marriage.

In the coming week, my dad will be visiting us for a dinner date. He is also bringing more wedding gifts and Sun Drop! We will also be celebrating our first Valentine's Day together as husband and wife. We have no set plans yet, as Christopher will be studying for another exam and I will be working over the weekend. I have a feeling sushi, fondue and Duplin wine will be on our list of things to enjoy.

Now Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Carter!

It is official! We are now a happily married couple!

It has been quite some time since the last post. The past 5 weeks or so have been absolutely incredible! We were able to spend Christmas with our families, enjoy a great New Year's at a fantastic restaurant with Holly's parents and her aunt and uncle as well as prepare for our incredible wedding weekend together.

Throughout the month of December, Holly and her mom spent a portion of everyday working on wedding tasks including traveling to Duplin winery, making programs, creating jewelry and hairpieces and so much more. Christmas at the Miller household was exciting. Sandra and Barry were able to experience the organized chaos of 6 children opening Christmas gifts at one time. Plus, it was Kai's first Christmas, which was a great thing to celebrate. Christopher enjoyed time home in Kentucky, but soon returned to North Carolina for the New Year's eve festivities. We had so much to celebrate. We enjoyed dinner at On the Square, a great boutique restaurant in Tarboro, North Carolina. The fixed menu was phenomenal and the conversation and laughs were timeless! Then it was pre-wedding week. A scare of snow had us a bit concerned earlier in the week, but it blew over and the weather was cold, but perfect for the wedding weekend.

The wedding weekend began Wednesday evening as a portion of Christopher's family made their way to Rocky Mount in anticipation to miss the snow storm that was hitting the Appalachian Mountains. Thursday, Holly and her mom decorated cupcakes at church; they made over 300 for the weekend festivities. Thursday evening, we welcomed the wedding party with a pizza party. It was then an evening of boys versus girls as the guys went to Holly's brother, Russell's, house to play cards and pool, while the ladies enjoyed wine and a lingerie shower. On Friday, the ladies enjoyed the bridal luncheon at Birchwood, while the boys ate BBQ and went bowling. Dress rehearsal was a fun time. Seeing everyone have a great time and laughing made for a true testament as to the great friends we have. We then had dinner at The Nashville Exchange. Laughter was heard throughout the room all evening. We enjoyed our last evening as a single person by exchanging our wedding gifts; Christopher gave me a uniquely created diamond pendant necklace and I gave him silver monogrammed cuff links. Then, it came! Our wedding day was absolutely perfect! We could not have scripted our day to have gone more smoothly or be more memorable. Our dreams came true!

After traveling back from Rocky Mount to Bradenton, we set out for our honeymoon! What a great adventure it was. We spent 3 days in Napa and 3 days in San Francisco. We had such a great time that we are already looking forward to the one day that we may return to California. From wine tasting to eating great food, Napa was full of beautiful scenery. San Francisco offered so much of the fun touristy things we wanted to do. Like our wedding, we could not have asked for a better honeymoon getaway.

Now, we are back in Bradenton finding our routine once again. Christopher, again, is hitting the books hard. However, this is his LAST semester of classes! We can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel that his professors so lovingly spoke of at his white coat ceremony 2 years ago. I have started back at work and am glad to be on a schedule again. Our home finally looks normal as the gifts have been put away (even though they are in the guest bedroom closet) and the Christmas tree is finally wrapped and put away too. We are enjoying married life. We love being in love.

(Pictures to come soon.)