Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Wednesday Randomness

I'd hoped to post pictures from our annual Gingerbread House Throwdown here, but guess what?  We can't find any premade gingerbread houses to buy in North Carolina!  Well, there might be some available SOMEWHERE in this state, but in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area, so far we've come up empty.  And no, making them is not the answer - that is just way too much work.  I'm still holding out hope that we'll come across some in the next day or so, but in the meantime, here's a little recap of our epic 23 hour drive from Texas to North Carolina, plus what we've managed to do over the last couple of days.

We rented a small SUV for the drive and still ended up with it packed to the rafters - we were bringing out some items for Sam that will be left in NC, plus Christmas gifts, plus running gear, clothing, Paco, the two ratties, and of course, Allie, Jeff, and I.  Paco was just happy to be with us and didn't seem to mind the first 12-hour day in the car, although he ended up on my lap for most of the trip:
Barely awake for this selfie - the sun was coming in the car and he was nice and toasty.
I managed to get some knitting done, even with him on my lap.

The next day he snoozed on his little bed in the car:
Paco refused to eat on the trip, so on day two I took pity on him and bought him a sausage McBiscuit.  He ate the entire thing and then went into a food coma.

We stopped at the South Carolina visitor center and discovered a beautiful lake with lots of pine trees surrounding it:
This wins for the best rest stop on our trip!
Paco had a nice walk and got to sniff a lot of trees before the last push to North Carolina.

We finally arrived early on Sunday evening - whew!  I think we all were glad to be out of that car. The next day, we went to see Star Wars, in a new movie theater that is really close to where Sam lives.  The screen was the biggest I'd seen (outside of an IMAX) since I was a kid and went to the Century 21 dome movie theater in San Jose, California.  I took a picture of the screen during the advertisements, and the moment I snapped the shot, the image changed and I got this weirdness:
You're welcome?  But you can see how big and curved the screen was.

Here's Allie and I beforehand, wearing our 3D glasses:
The movie was really good, btw.  Excellent, in fact - and I'm not a huge Star Wars geek, but I highly recommend it.

Afterward, we went to Target (looking for gingerbread houses), where Sam had to break the rules:
Click on the picture to read the base of BB-8...I can't take my kadult anywhere!

OK, they're calling me to go watch a movie downstairs - last night we watched Home Alone, and tonight I think we're watching Home Alonier, the sequel.  Catch ya later!

19 comments:

  1. Time to sub other cookies in for the gingerbread. Maybe buy gingerbread people and break the limbs off (guess that is morbid).

    Glad you are have good family time! I am not sure I will see the new Star Wars. All the hype has turned me off. John wants to go, so he will have to do a bachelor movie for that one :D

    Merry Christmas!

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    1. You know, I really didn't care one way or the other if I saw the movie, but went so I wouldn't be left out of the ensuing conversations. Turns out, it was a great movie and I'm glad I went...you should go. If you applied that hype thing, you wouldn't watch the Super Bowl, right? And I'm pretty sure that wouldn't happen, lol!

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  2. I was in Walmart the other day and saw ginger bread houses there. I hope you find some I always enjoy the show down.
    I'm not sure I could of knitted with a dog on my lap good for you for being able to do that.
    Merry Christmas to you and yours and safe travels!

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  3. Good luck finding the pre-made Gingerbread houses. Did you try the craft stores like Michaels or Jo-Annes?

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    1. We did try Michaels...maybe someone can take one for the team and venture into Walmart to,check for them.

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  4. No gingerbread houses??? Is it even Christmas without the throwdown? Is there a Trader Joe's near you? They may carry them. Or you could just order from Amazon and do it this weekend :)

    That must be the prettiest rest stop ever! We were able to hike around at the West Virginia welcome center, but usually they're not quite that nice. Although I don't know if anything on the highway can top Buc-ee's :)

    Merry Christmas to you all!

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  5. I have to keep my streak going and not see Star Wars - already informed Mr. Helen he'll be attending that one alone, and I do think he should go while it's in the theater even though it now costs $15 here.

    Glad you made it safely and are having fun. Please tell me you're eating some NC BBQ before you leave!

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  6. Oh no: all year long I wait for the gingerbread competition and you say it's not going to happen this year? Boohoo.

    I just adore Paco, he loves you so much and I love it that you took him on the trip. He must be having the time of his life, surrounded by his loved ones.

    We are not really into Star Wars, I don't think I have seen one of the movies but might watch this one when it's on the movie channels I have subscribed too. But not going to the movies for it.

    Great to see a post with both your kids in it. Happy Christmas my dear friend.

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  7. I tried to do the ginger bread house from scratch once, and only once and swore I'd never do it again. We used graham crackers to make ours - you can find a tutorial on youtube - just use lots of canned frosting to make them stick! Merry Christmas!!

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  8. Too late now, I guess--Amazon Prime has gingerbread houses!!!

    Your road trip reports are as fun as your race reports. You need to take more road trips so we can read your reports :)

    That's good to get your input on the movie. I probably would have skipped it, but now I will go. What about Elf? Have you watched it yet?? I watch it now every year, and enjoy it more because I am listening for the catch phrases that you talk about. What about the new Will Farrell movie? Think it'll be good??

    Merry Christmas to the whole Bowman clan!

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    1. Of course the new Will Ferrell movie will be good...how could it not be?? ;)

      We are going to watch Elf tomorrow night. It's been hard to hold out so long, but group consensus was xmas eve for that one - FINE.

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  9. You guys look like you are having so much fun! Even the car ride sounded tolerable.
    Happy Holidays to all of you!

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  10. LOVE the photos!! Haha, and as scarce as BB-8 stuff is becoming, I'm surprised that thing hasn't been swiped off the display!!

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  11. I think I"m the only person in the whole world who doesn't want to see Star Wars! Altho I heard it's epic!

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  12. Hope you find the gingerbread house kits....I live the throw down posts!!!!

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  13. What a fun trip you all are having! I love Christmas movies and we have our own little routine here as when to watch which one too :) Looking forward to seeing Star Wars, my kids have all seen it, my youngest has seen it 3 times :)

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  14. What a fun roadtrip! That rest stop is BEAUTIFUL! And I am happy you liked the film! I can't wait to see it again :)

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  15. Glad you made it safe and sound. I love the word kadults... Hilarious wool on Paco's nose. LOL!!! Merry Christmas to you, Jeff, Sam and Allie, and of course to Paco, Kip, Henry and the ratties too!

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    1. Oh damn.....the comment above and this one is from Roz. I didn't check to see which one of us was logged in. Dennis sends Christmas love too though... :)

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