giant tub & fresh linens

Yesterday Baron & I celebrated our 2-year anniversary. Wow...sometimes I can't believe it's been 2 years, but then sometimes it seems like we've always been together. Baron has definitely been a huge blessing in my life, and I could not have asked for a better husband. Actually, he is the husband I have always asked for! Words cannot express how perfect he is for me. He is the BEST.

So we wanted to go on a trip to celebrate our 2 years of wedded bliss. Because of our previous wedding-related vacationing experiences, we have decided not to go anywhere near the beach for our anniversary anymore. Well, we started looking online for a place to stay, and we found this cute little Bed & Breakfast in Vincent, AL. The rooms we wanted were booked for Friday & Saturday nights, so we could only get a room for Sunday. (Ok, really we're cheap & could only afford one night...) I decided we should go to DeSoto Caverns since the B&B is near there, so we ventured up to Childersburg, AL, on Saturday afternoon. We planned to just find a hotel room nearby for that night before heading to the B&B on Sunday. Anyway...we went to DeSoto Caverns, and the cave was really cool, but the park was slightly overpriced in my opinion. But it was fun anyway. So then we headed to the nearest hotel we could find - Days Inn. It looked decent on the outside, so we thought we'd at least check on the rates. $56 for a non-smoking room with a king size bed. Not too bad, so we booked it. When we went upstairs & walked into the room, our breath was taken away by the overwhelming scent of cigarette smoke & must. Mmmm...just the atmosphere for sleeping, right? Well, we then realized that the ever-thrifty hotel owner obviously thought it was way too expensive to leave the fan running on the A/C when there weren't guests in the room. So on this beautifully hot summer day with about 147% humidity, it was a little stuffy in the room. We turned on the A/C and immediately left the room, heading for Winn Dixie to get Febreeze, air freshener, and a candle. I fixed the room.

Sunday, we had to check out of the hotel at 11:00, but we weren't due at the B&B until 2:00. So we decided to head over a little early just to check & see if our room was ready. We pulled up to the Blue Spring Manor Bed & Breakfast Inn, and I was definitely please with what I saw. This place was nestled in the woods on a county road just outside of Vincent, and it looked so relaxing and inviting. We went in, and they had our room ready so we took our stuff upstairs. The satisfaction of the amenities at the B&B definitely made up for the disappointment at DeSoto Caverns & Days Inn. Let me tell you...if you are looking for a great B&B, this is the place to go. It's really nice. Anyway, we had a great time just relaxing, enjoying the creek outside, swimming in the really cool black gunite pool, sipping on the soft drinks that were included in the price (which, they better be, considering what we paid), and lounging in front of the T.V. Oh, and did I mention the huge tub in the bathroom? I love bubble baths, so this was perfect. The only downfall was that it didn't have a shower stall; it just had one of those European hand-held shower head thingies. So there was no "taking a quick shower" because we basically had to sit down in the tub for the shower. Anyway...my second favorite thing about the B&B were the linens. My favorite smell in the entire world is fresh linens. All of the linens at this place smelled so good - from the sheets on the bed to the robes in the closet to the napkins at the dinner table. I was in heaven.

So...here are a few pics from our trip. We didn't get any from the cave, so if you want to experience it, you'll have to go there yourself. Enjoy!


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bowler's cheek

At work, some of us participate in a Lunch & Bowl league. We partner up & go bowling during lunch on Thursdays, competing with several other teams for a 16-week period. Our office decided to take a break during the summer, and we just started up our fall league today. We also have to come up with a team name, & my partner & I were struggling to think of something witty to call ourselves. Baron, of course, wanted us to use our name from last season, which he thought of himself. Da Pins. Get it? It sounds like Depends? Adult diapers? But it's like "the pins"...as in bowling pins? Ok anyway...so since we couldn't think of another team name - after voiding "Goins Bowling" (sorry Chad) & Nancy Drew (my partner's name is Nancy) - we went with our default. We shall be Da Pins once again.

So we went to the bowling alley around 11:30. First of all, if you haven't been to Woodmere lately, they have totally redone the inside. It looks SO GREAT. I know it's dorky for me to be so excited about the redecoration of a bowling alley, but seriously - it is nice. They've gotten all new tables & chairs, new keypads for entering bowlers' names, etc., and new monitors with cool cartoon characters that act out your strikes, spares, etc. It's pretty cool. So anyway, we got everything situated & started bowling. Now, I took bowling as a P.E. elective at Faulkner, so I know the "proper" steps to take when approaching the lane. I don't do them exactly as they were taught, but I do know that when you get to the line to release your ball, you are supposed to be in a position that looks like you are almost sitting in an invisible chair. In case you have never tried this, it's a little toilsome on your thigh muscles. It will make your butt cheek, hip muscles, and quads burn. My co-workers like to call it "bowler's cheek". Usually it sets in the day after you bowl for the first time in awhile. Well...forget the next day. It's here. Bowler's cheek has set in. I would be in big trouble right now if for some reason I had to use a public restroom that was so nasty that I had to "hover" (ladies - you know what I mean), because I don't know if my quads would hold me up.

Anyway, all in all it was a good bowling day. The first week sets our handicaps, so you don't want to do too well because then your handicap will be really low, and you'd have to keep your standard throughout the whole season. Needless to say, I didn't have to worry about bowling too well. I did somehow manage to break 100 on both games, though. (Maybe I'd be a better bowler if I had my own shoes & ball...hint, hint...) So, we'll see how the rest of the season goes. If you're ever at Woodmere & think about it, you can check out my stats in the big binder on the front desk. Just look for the team name...Da Pins.

the gulf of algae

Here are a few pictures from our trip to Panama City Beach this past weekend with Vaughn Park. Enjoy!

mine & Baron's feet

the fam

Shane & Stacy

Chad & Erica

Baron reinacting Ashley walking into the door

me & Ashley at Captain Anderson's

right after Chad told Jamin that he & Erica are placing membership

me & Aiden

birthday bash & a sentimental coffee table

Ok, so last night at church, Mark Newman was there. "Who is Mark Newman?" you might ask. Well, Mark was a friend of Baron's a LOOOONG time ago when they were in high school/early college years. The most important part of Baron & Mark's relationship was the singing group they were in. To be exact, it was a rap group. A Christian rap group comprised of 4 white guys. Yes, that's right - I am speaking of the ever-famous group, C.I.A. If you have never had the pleasure of hearing the life-changing songs of C.I.A., then you are definitely missing out. Anyway, so Mark was at Vaughn Park last night. Well, of course Baron & I were two of the last 4 people to leave the church building, as usual. So Mark & Ross Mitchell got to talking, and then they, along with Baron, began reminiscing about "the old days". Of course Ross broke out into a rousing rendition of Discipleship, one of C.I.A.'s songs written by our very own Eric Gwin. So this got me thinking. (Uh-oh...not again...) What if C.I.A. had a reunion concert? I mean, how cool would that be?? And THEN...I thought how incredible it would be if C.I.A. performed at my 30th birthday party?! I mean, really - it would be the party of the century! So if any of you former C.I.A. guys are reading this, or if you are reading this & you have any contact with them, PLEASE consider this request! All I'm asking for my 30th birthday is a smashing reunion concert. And you have 4 years to get ready for it. Do it just for me. Thanks.

(Some of the members of C.I.A....notice Baron in the back!)

So in the conversation that evolved into a trip down memory lane, the topic of a certain coffee table arose. See, when Baron was high school-ish age, his mom's house was like the hub of the youth group get-togethers. It was the place to be, no doubt. That was where every one went to hang out. So one night (Baron, correct me if I am telling the story wrong), Mark Thompson was lying on the floor watching TV or whatever, and he looked up & saw the underside of Jane's coffee table. Mark, as usual, was probably feeling a bit A.D.D. at the time, so he decided to sign the bottom of the table. Thus beginning the trend of signing the underside of Jane's coffee table. If you could see the table now, you would see like a bazillion signatures on it. It's pretty cool. If you're reading this blog & you've signed the table, give a little shout out. Anyway...back to the story. So last night we were reminiscing about the coffee table (ok really, Ross, Mark, & Baron were reminiscing, & I was just standing there because I was like 10 when all of this happened) when Baron told me some upsetting news. Apparently, Jane has offered the coffee table to Kristin & Tim (Baron's sister & bro-in-law). WHAT?! Why weren't we consulted on this decision? Shouldn't we like draw from a hat or something? I mean, we don't even have a coffee table. Granted, this table isn't exactly one you would find in HOME magazine or anything, but it's a table. And it has history. It's like a museum piece. So apparently everything Baron has ever told me about Kristin being the favorite child is true. I am now experiencing the consequences of the Goins favoritism. [sigh] Good-bye, sentimental coffee table. Sorry we never even had a chance at having you in our home.

talkin bout my generation

So at Vaughn Park, we are planning to start a new Sunday morning class this fall for the folks in my "stage in life". In case you don't know what stage that is, it is those who are about to get married, or have recently been married, or who have been married a few years and still don't have kids, or have been married a few years and just have one kid...ok so perhaps I don't quite know how to describe the group. Basically, it includes those of us who are just starting a family. Whether we have just gotten married or have just had a kid, we are in the early stages of beginning our families. So, having said all that, I need your help. We are trying to come up with a name for our group. We want to accurately describe the group without excluding anyone. Thanks to Ross for suggesting the "We've Only Just Begunners". (BTW, Ross will be teaching the class in the fall, and hopefully the class will be a good start for our new small group.) Suggestions please??

the newest member of the goins family

That's right - there is a new life in...well, my life. As you may have read in my previous posts, I gave up searching for my lost/stolen rubber band ball. After much contemplation, I decided to start a new ball. There is no way this ball will ever reach the size of the old ball. But that is ok. This ball means just as much to me as the first one did. Just because the other one was my first one and was WAY bigger, doesn't mean I love it more. I love the new ball too. So, thanks to one of my co-workers who has a camera phone (and me without one...[sigh]), here is a picture of me with my new baby. Look how tiny! Just think...one day it will grow into a fully developed rubber band ball...

my cubicle

I came across this song today, and it perfectly describes my feelings about my current job. Well, all except the last line.

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