Graduation Day

My niece Tara graduated from High School at West KY University and the whole Cusick clan got together to witness the even. (Could you imagine if the whole extended family was there, we would never fit in this photo!) Congratulations Tara!

Lexington KY

Keeping with the theme of horse racing and Kentucky, I went to Keeneland when I went to Tara's graduation (from high school but that is another post). It is one thing to watch the derby on TV another to see the beautiful place where the horse actually run. Hopefully next year Chad and I will be able to go out to Keeneland the weeks before the derby and enjoy some horse races with the locals.

Kentucky Derby Party

Every year a friend of mine from

Kentucky has a derby party at her house here in Wilmington. We all dress up and wear hats (the one I am wearing in this picture I took of the mannequin, but hey it matched my dress!) They judge the hats, drink mint julips (as well as other things) and watch the race. It is just a wonderful afternoon of friends and racing.

Granny's 99th Birthday

During our Mother's Day celebration Chad and I also gave his grandmother her birthday gift (an Azalea Festival print of the old Wrightsville Beach Lumina.) We had celebrated her birthday prior but were unable to bring her gift.

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to see the world for 99 years, all those changes must just be amazing. Imagine all those memories (I can't even remember if I took my vitamins this morning, could you imagine!)

Mother's Day Celebration

Chad and I went to New Bern on Saturday to celebrate Mother's Day with his family. It was nice to get a chance to sit down and relax with family and have a nice meal.

My Visit to Tampa

I took a short trip to Tampa to visit my wonderful friend Kim and Steve and their beautiful little girls. Kim and I had a chance to take the girls to the Tampa aquarium so I thought I would share a wonderful photo with you all.

Now if this could have been a photo taken in the wild I would have been so much happier, the beauty!

Garden Party

Everyone has to dress up and rub elbows with high society. (OK so which girl doesn't belong, that would be me!)

This year for the Wilmington Azalea festival I got to go to the garden party at Arlie Gardens. I had to volunteer to be able to get in but man was it fun. I saw people wearing things I cannot afford in my dreams but I tried my best to fit in. I think everyone should try this once, it is very humbling and FUN!

Las Vegas, NV

Chad's tool expo was in Vegas this year so I got to stay at Caesars Palace on the business. We had a good time, it is the first time we have been there. It was a shame that he had to work so much. All work and no play makes for a long day.

I am sure we will have to go back again for another expo, maybe more time to play then. :)

There are too many places to see to have regrets!

Belize

We can't feel the rain down here!

Chad and I did two reef dives while we were in Belize with my parents. I cannot say we saw anything we had not already seen at home but the visibility was amazing. It feels really good to jump into water and be able to see to the bottom, even if it is 90 feet down. Unfortunately, we were supposed to dive four more times but is got canceled because of the rain. We did however meet a lot of great people that we hope to keep in touch with over the years, maybe even dive with again.

Hopefully we will go back again sometime, it is a beautiful place that you should all visit. Maybe you will even get a tan, I know we didn't :) By the way, January is not the rainy season, if you were wondering.

Holiday punch gone wrong

Good thing we went to his house for New Year's Eve, I had to post this sorry! I am not sure his wife would be happy to see her fur coat being worn that way.

Don't worry, Chad and I stayed away from the holiday punch and have no silly photos to be used as blackmail.