The River Archives - 2 Cats and Chloe

NYE: sunsets, pizza, gambling and naps.

January 2, 2015 by Susan 13 Comments

If you need to know one thing about me, you need to know that I love to throw parties. We had planned to host a bunch of friends and family at our house for New Year’s Eve. The menu was created, the facebook event was live, the glitter was ready. But then we just decided last week that we would rather save the money and head to the river. No offense to our friends - we just needed to get away.

We spent the eve of 2015 with my family and some close family friends. And a trillion dogs. Did you see this picture on my instagram account? How many dogs can you count in this picture? {Hint: there more than 5.}

The evening started when the fire pit came to life. Even though it was quite brisk on the water - we enjoyed the last bit of 2014 around a fire, watching the prettiest sunset of the year.

With my Whole60 starting on January One - I was thankful we stuck with our tradition cottage NYE dinner - personal pizzas. I bought a ton of pizza toppings and a gf pizza crust. My mom bought dough and sauce from a little Italian restaurant. Paired with an amazing bottle of wine that my cousin and I bought in Switzerland from a legit Italian vineyard… it really was the perfect dinner. #thisisnotpaleo.

Now nothing says holiday tradition like our NYE game: the Left Right Center Game. Guys, if you haven’t heard of this game before you need to grab it and pencil it in for your next shindig. This game never ceases to provide tons of entertainment. Pre-plan and tell all of your guests to bring three $1 bills each… unless you’re extreme high rollers and you wanna up the ante.

My dad thought it would be a brilliant idea to mix it up a bit this year… so we decided to play LRC twice. The first time with dolla dolla bills y’all. The second time with lotto tickets! Yes the winnings and stakes were raised, but unfortunately, despite the fact that the lotto tickets were a lot prettier and more colorful… they only grossed $3 of winnings in my mother’s pocket.

I didn’t win a darn thing, except a selfie with chloe and a New Year’s Eve kiss from my husband. It was probably one of the most calm and laid back New Year’s Eves that we have had in a very long time - but it hit the spot.

How did you spend your New Years Eve? Partying like rockstars or maybe a quiet evening like ours?

I hope y’all had a wonderful celebration and that you are as excited for 2015 as I am! Can you believe it’s Two Thousand and Fifteen?! Geez Louise. Let’s take a quick nap and then show this year that we mean business.

NYE at the River: Comfortable with a Touch of Glitter

December 31, 2014 by Susan 6 Comments

Before this post starts - let me just say that I am a lifestyle blogger. Not a fashion blogger. I adore all of my fashion friends so much and I am constantly reaching out to y’alls blogs for inspiration when it comes to my wardrobe. However, when a girl needs inspiration for New Years Eve spent partying in the Middle-of-No-Where, NC… inspiration is minimal.

Here’s what I knew I wanted: comfy, warm, a touch of glam {but not too much… remember the setting… they would laugh at me if I came in wearing a LBD!} and something that I could rock leggings with when I get tired of wearing my jeans. Because let’s be real, the theme of the day is eating and drinking - elastic waist bands = winning.

And here’s what my closet threw up for me to wear:

2 cats & chloe: burgundy and glitter Don’t you just LOVE my new boots? I’m kinda obsessed with them. And when I say “kinda obsessed” I mean #OBSESSED!

Now go fill your glass with some sparklin’ champagne, surround yourself with friends and family - and eat that last bite of chocolate. The #2catsWhole30 starts tomorrow. Cheers and Love… Happy New Year Y’all!

OH! And for those of you who are feeling lucky this New Year’s Eve… I teamed up with a handful of lovely bloggers to bring you a Crate & Barrel Giveaway!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Prize: $100 Crate & Barrel Gift Card

Co-hosts: Miss Trend She • Jenn’s Blah Blah Blog • 2 Cats & Chloe • God’s Growing Garden

Giveaway organized by: Oh My Gosh Beck!

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter form to enter daily. Giveaway ends 1/14 and is open worldwide. Winner will be notified via email and can opt for a Crate & Barrel gift card or cash via Paypal.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Three Day Weekend: Sun, Wine, Puppies, Guns and Big Butts

September 2, 2014 by Susan 4 Comments

Take a deep breathe. It’s September.
But before I can jump, full fledge into the month of pumpkin spice latte’s, first day of school pictures and harvest wreaths… I need to recap Labor Day Weekend.
How was your weekend? Were you lucky enough to have a three or four day weekend like we did? I didn’t realize how badly I needed a few days to not think about work. When you work from home, your work can begin to consume you. I wake up, walk into my guest room to fold some clothes and my “office” is staring me down already. Yes, it has it’s perks {i.e. yoga pants all day long!} but paper work can be lurking around every single corner.
So for our holiday weekend, we decided to get out of town and head to Carolina for a few days of fun in the Almost-September Sun.
I laid in the sun. With another temporary wrist tattoo.

In the midst of six full grown, large dogs… got my puppy fix with this cutie pie.

I drank white wine out of a mason cup while playing corn hole.

I got really over heated and sucked at corn hole, so I decided drinking the wine and sitting under the umbrella was a better use of my time.

I got my PiYo done… not every day. But almost every day. My family joined in also!

We dug the long lost, “Official Benji Family Game” out and played. Two nights in a row! This can’t just be a Benji game… do y’all know about Bonanza?

The next day: We went next door to shoot guns. Perks of country living. No range needed.

My husband looked like a hottie while teaching everyone gun safety.

My dad shot a gun for the first time.

I acted like a princess and stole the pink ear protection.

This pre-packaged, processed OJ crap is horrible for you. Drink fresh stuff. Kill all processed foods.

Later, things got silly. Jean and I got goofy. I went for a ride on a sit down walker.

Walkers aren't meant to be used this way

My mom tried to teach me how to save money and cut my own bangs. We recorded it. Footage will air later this week.

My poor k9 struggled all weekend long with her anxiety and hot spots. Our only solution? ThunderJacket, Mom Shorts, and a Cone of Shame.

I had a lovely weekend. And despite the pictures and her ridiculous accessories, Chloe’s wasn’t half bad either. How did you spend this holiday weekend?

Rainy Weekend Fun

August 3, 2014 by Susan 4 Comments

Good Sunday Morning to ya! We are starting our third day of rain here in Virginia and {North} Carolina. I drove down to our family cottage on Thursday night, with the high hopes of doing a little work Friday morning and then catching some rays on a boat for the remainder of the day and most of Saturday.
Ha. Apparently Mother Nature had other plans - which forced me to stay inside, hunker down and work all day Friday. Perks of “working from home?” I don’t actually have to work from home! It turned out to be a very productive day… until my k9 decided to go outside and roll in something. {Something other than roses and pine needles.}
My dog, the one that acts like an anti-dog, must’ve known that I needed a break. I mean, why else would she roll in something less than pleasant? She forced me from my pop-up office. She forced me outside with my dad’s over-sized golf umbrella. She forced me to cut loose, take a brain break, and play. In the rain. Gotta love furbabies right?

Blond Border Collie swimming for the ball

Border Collie Shaking out of the Perquimans River

How’s your weekend going? Doing anything fun? The current weather report is showing rain on and off until next weekend. Playing ball in the rain was great, but here’s hoping there’s no more poop rolls in our near future. Happy Sunday y’all.

Hatches to Batten: Arthur is Coming!

July 3, 2014 by Susan 2 Comments

One of the coolest things about the blogging community is that you get a tiny little glimmer of insight into lives that may be nothing like your own. For example, there are some of you, possibly a lot of you, that will read this post and think “Seriously, what does it take to prep for a hurricane?!” or “This looks like too much, unplanned fun. Does this girl even work?!” or maybe “Is the saying ‘the calm before the storm’ legit?” The answers to these questions are a lot, too much, and yes.

We are currently at the Calm-Before-The-Storm Phase of this impending Fourth of July hurricane weekend. During the week, when I’m not coordinating events, I work as an independent marketing contractor for a national home warranty company. This job gives me a bit more flexibility when things {like hurricanes} pop up and I need to help my family out. Yesterday I texted my boss at 7am with a slightly cryptic message:

“Arthur will be a Cat One at landfall.

Heading to NC to batten down hatches.”

So yesterday, I spent the day packing up anything and everything at our river house that had a possible “could catch wind” factor. We flipped over tables. We pulled in all bird feeders. We made sure windows were closed. We double checked to make sure our webcam was working. We strategized about the placement of our boats in the yard and under trees. We took the pontoon boat off the lift and out of the river. And then we drank. {If this was more than a Category One Storm, we would also be taping windows and things of the sort. Here’s hoping it doesn’t pack too much of a wallop.}

Surprisingly my mom trusted me, with the high winds and the rough water, to drive her beloved pontoon boat to the ramp. It was either that or I take her truck and huge trailer {which I’ve never towed before.} Pretty positive she was thinking it was going to be a lose-lose either way. But I successfully drove, docked, and trailered the pontoon on my own. Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

But first, let me take a selfie.

Meet my sister. She is too cool for selfies. But she’s all about some panoramics.

After everything was successfully in it’s hurricane-safe places, there was nothing left to do sit on stationary porch swing and enjoy a glass of wine. #whenin~~rome~~perquimans

Yes, the swing is sitting on the ground.

After wrapping things up at the house we went into town for a quick bite to eat.

Hertford is known for just a few things:

1. It’s the size of Mayberry. It’s precisely one street and two stop lights big.

2. A turtle log. {Exactly like it sounds: A log, that turtles sit on.}

3. An S-Bridge that needs to be saved.

4. Inexpensive food and treats found in the back of the drug store.

So of course we were heading straight to Woodard’s Pharmacy.

As a kid, a whole quarter would get you three scoops of ice cream. Now, with inflation and all that jazz, we are up to 75 cents plus tax. Look out Cold Stone!

Hertford, Woodards Pharmacy Ice Cream 75 Cents!

Woodards Pharmacy Ice Cream, Hertford, NC

I did learn though, that even though they may be giving away their ice cream, where they actually make their money is on the essentials. $8 for my lactose pills was just a little but outstanding. {The bad outstanding, not the good one.}

In other news, I’m not sure why all ice cream stores do not sell lactose intolerance tablets. It’s beyond brilliant.

So that was pretty much my day here on the east coast of Virginia and North Carolina yesterday. I thoroughly enjoyed “The Calm” before our Fourth of July Hurricane. We are planning on heading back to the river tomorrow afternoon to check in, do a little clean up, and then enjoy the sunshine that follows the hurricane. {After all my years and hurricanes here, I will swear to you, the first glimpse of sunshine after a hurricane is ALWAYS the prettiest blue you will ever see.}