So, Chad and I recently got back from our Western Tour! We took 10 days off, and went to OKC to see the Lowder family, then, to LA to see Brent (Chad's bro) and Kora. We had a great time, and will hopefully make this a regular trip...hopping across the country...only next time, maybe we'll just hop on over to Hawaii!

So, here are only a couple of pics from our trip. We seemed to have forgotten our camera much of the time, so there really are only a few pictures. The first ones are with the Lowders at the OKC zoo...the kids are growing up so fast and are so much fun to be around!

The picture of Brent and Chad is just outside the Disney Land's elusive SPACE MOUNTAIN! Woo! 20 years later, Chad conquered his fears! ha! ...even at 28, that ride is awesome!

First Anniversary!

Chad and I spent the weekend in Asheville! We went to the Grove Park Inn for dinner...good food, but we both agree, not good enough for the money...(not sure what's up with my strange smile in the first pic!) Then, we went to the Brewgrass Festival on Saturday. This was a very cool festival with brew samples from around the country and BLUEGRASS music!

Then, on our way home from Asheville, we stopped in Flat Rock in hopes of roaming the apple orchard and picking some fresh apples, but sadly, there were none. So, we walked around, played in a giant pumkin, petted a black goat, walked through the bamboo forest, and took a hayride!

Our actual anniversary was on Sunday, though, so when we got home, we fired up the grill and sat on the back patio dancing to the jazz and enjoying each other's company...and eating year-old cake(side note: notice the tile table we made...that's right! laid the tile, built the structure and everything!)...oh, and the cake was suprisingly yummy!

Missionaries!

I know I promised some new pictures, and those will come, but I thought I'd post a little something about my friend Laura, her wonderful family, and how they have faithfully followed God's calling!

Matt and Laura Tyler are in the final stages of their training to become missionaries in Mexico. They graduated from New Tribes Mission school where the school's focus is planting tribal churches in unreached areas of the world, and are now completing intensive language training, taking more classes, and doing more outreach before they move on to their final destination. Click on their names to get more information about who they are and what they are all about. Also, for a more personal view of this precious family, visit traveling with the tylers.

The reason I am writing about them, is in hopes that you might read about them, and get to know them, and partner with them in prayer and also financially.

As missionaries, they are responsible for raising all of their funds which includes: Personal expenses (for a family of 4), Ministry expenses (Internet fees, printing, business phone etc), and Benefits and taxes (they are considered 'self employed' which means more taxes, and also any retirement funds and health benefits) So, needless to say, they need a great deal of financial support.

Many of you may contribute corporately to missions through your church, as Chad and I do, but this is your opportunity to contribute to a specific family and to their needs as they grow God's kingdom in parts of the world many will never see.

Okay Lyndsay...

Due to some very recent hate-blogging (I won't name names or anything)...I thought it was time to inform my many devoted readers out there, that there will be more to come soon!

As you may know, my precious husband and I just celebrated one whole year of blissful matrimony!!! yay!!! So, in celebration, we did some local traveling and sightseeing...those pictures will be edited (mainly editing myself as I have grown in many ways over the last year) and then added to my blog...so stay tuned! Okay Lyndsay!?!?

Wanna see something funny?

Chad and I

Matt and Liv

Mom and Dad

Kendra and Terry

Wanna do one?

Bernice loves Kenah

Just a little sisterly love after a sleep over...

This is where we are going this weekend...today...in a few hours. This is quite possibly, my favorite place. Mainly because of all of the memories that reside here. This was my grandparents' house, and I grew up going there....it's in Murrells Inlet (just about 10 miles from Myrtle Beach) This is my Papa so proudly standing on the pier in front of the house...this was his paradise. I'll have to get a picture of he and my Nana together...they were a sweet sweet couple.

Sadly, this could be one of our last visits to the inlet house.

But, I'll always have the special memories of the house...before Hurricane Hugo...making giant card houses in the sunroom, playing under the huge weeping willows with the moss dripping from the limbs. Walking around on the oysters...and cutting my knee without even knowing it (my knee still proudly bares the scar) Getting fish heads and chicken necks from the store with Papa so we could tie them to the end of a string and go crabbing. Lying really still with Kendra and Adam by the marsh so you could see the fiddler crabs come out of their holes...then catching them up with our bare hands. Watching the tide clock pass the hours, and how the water miraculously changed with it. Nana's crafts, artwork, jewelry, that donned the walls, halls, and shelves. Papa playfully threatening to take the rest of my food off my plate if I didn't eat it...so many things...I could go on and on...

I am so thankful that my precious husband has had the opportunity to know this very special place. Because now, I have memories there...that have him in them too.

Big Festival in the middle of nowhere

So Chad told me he wanted to take me on a suprise date this past weekend...which is not unlike him. So I did my usual guessing and thought I had figured it out. I just knew he was taking me downtown to a fund raiser at a trendy downtown Greenville restaurant. I was very excited. But, then in a casual conversation, I said, hey, there's also a BBQ Festival in Tryon, NC this weekend too...and he said, "that's where we're going on Saturday night!" I couldn't believe it! I was so excited!! That sounded like so much more fun!! A festival in the mountains with live music, many different types of people, and handmade crafts!!! What more could you ask for!?!?


So we drove about 45 minutes into the mountains of North Carolina and ended up at the Blue Ridge BBQ Festival. It was SO MUCH FUN!!! We ate award winning BBQ, looked at tons of mountain-made crafts, people watched (this might have been the best part), danced to great music, and even played Beach Bingo and won! Yep, we won at the exact same time...$10 each!

So go ahead and make your plans for next year! You can be sure you'll see the Nicholsons there!

Serious?

I love this video just because I caught my somewhat serious husband being not-so-serious...my favorite thing! He's too cute!!!

May Miscellaneous

Well, here's a hodgepodge of pics for your viewing pleasure...let's see...there's Forest, the Forester, the newest addition to our family.






Then, there's Bernice...an old member of the family, snoozing under self-made tent. My dad'd Mother's day gift to my mom! Good job dad!!

Chad and his Dad at the big 3-O party...Isabella and Elissa at their 3rd and 5th birthday party.

.....and....well, a view of what newlyweds do on weeknights! ha!

Want an Autograph?

Here are some pics from the day of filming. They filmed Chad's scenes in Charlotte, NC beginning at 5am!

So, it's thought that these scenes will be of the first few of the movie...and you might or might not see Chad's face. Nonetheless, he's #1 and Reed, here, is #16 so look for them both! You'll see Chad chasing John Krasinski, Jim from "The Office," as John (his character's name is something like Carlton Rutherfordton) runs for an 80 yd TD run in the last play of his last college game and Reed's cheering on the bench. The whole scene was just one play. The rest of the movie is about Krasinski's pro career and his relationship with the character George Clooney plays. Clooney also directs the movie.

Most of the day they just hung out on the field and waited to shoot different angles of the one scene that Chad was in. Chad is here with his childhood friend, Scott Hanson, whom he plays b-ball with on Tue nights. Scott was part of the primary group of football players for the movie, so you'll see him on many of the teams in the movie, but his face is only used on one team.

Chad had a great opportunity to spend the day on a movie set as well as be in a movie, but didn't get a chance to interact with Clooney or Krasinski, but was right next to them as they worked. They got along real well and seemed like great guys.

Our Beloved Papa

Robert “Bob” Bailes
January 15, 1922-April 3, 2007

Papa at the ripe ole age of 39 married for the first time a widow, Evelyn Hucks, with three children in 1959. They were married at Myrtle Beach AFB as Papa was in the Air Force. The three children were Lonnie, (now deceased) Harriet and Bobby. Lonnie went to the Navy; Harriet married the next year to high school sweetheart Freddie Moore and Bobby only 13 at the time of the marriage remained in the home.
Papa was transferred to McDill AFB, Tampa, Fla. a couple of years later, so starts the travels for Evelyn & Bob. They were soon transferred to Edwards AFB, Calif. While there Bobby graduates from high school and meets future wife. In only a short year Papa is sent to Vietnam. Evelyn & Bobby return to their home in Fla. while Papa is overseas. Harriet & Freddie are in Myrtle Beach where Freddie is working as a pharmacist. Bobby joins the Air Force and marries Vanda his high school sweetheart.

On his return from Vietnam Papa is again stationed in Calif. this time at George AFB in Victorville. From there he retires, back to Myrtle Beach. Papa was born in Rock Hill, SC so coming back to SC is the only place for him.

Papa loves his retirement, buys a small 10 unit motel in Surfside and he and Nana meet and greet many people. They had a sign in their motel office that read “there or no strangers here, only friends we haven’t met”. In 1979 they sell the motel and buy a home in Murrells Inlet. Now they are really retired!

Nana & Papa’s family grew and is still growing. Much to the sadness of all of us in the family and to Papa, Nana was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Papa faithfully cared for Nana until the last 4 months when she had to be placed at NHC in Surfside. On January 26, 2002 Papa lost the love of his life. He just hasn’t been able to accept Nana not being there. Papa was the youngest of seven in his family and until October 2002 he and his favorite sister were the only ones left. Losing Nana and his beloved sister Mary in the same year took its toll on Papa. It seemed he just couldn't recoup. He knew he had his family but we just couldn't take Nana’s place.

Papa is survived by his 2 stepchildren, Harriet and Robert "Bobby", 5 grandchildren (Deborah, Julie, Kendra, Adam, and Allison), and 7 great-grandchildren (Brittany, Lauren, Katy, Rachel, Will, Isabella, and Elissa)

My husband the movie star!

As many of you know, Chad tried out to be a football player extra in the movie Leatherheads about a month ago. He was so excited about playing football again...let alone, it be for a possible spot in a movie! However, the tryouts were tough, and there were a lot of guys there who had played college ball, and he, unfortunatley, was overlooked.

Well, just about 2 weeks ago, Chad received a call from someone in casting, and they wanted his face in the movie!!! (He is SO excited!) He'll be on the "Penn Team" and we're hoping for some screen time. Today (Thursday) he's getting his haircut (1920's style) and will be practicing and getting a costume fitting. Then, he'll practice for a few more days, then film for one day the first week in April.

VestFest 2007!!!

I'm sure you all have been anxiously awaiting this update...so, here are a few pics of our weekend on the Chatooga River. We camped right next to the river. It was gorgeous the night of the eclipse as we sat around the campfire and the moonlight lit the white caps of the rushing water.

Who? Jon and Tang, Abe and Bethany, and Chad and Allison (notice the vests?)

We had a few adventures...1. You'll see some pictures of us riding bikes. My husband bought me a starter mountain bike (since I'd never been before...we wanted to make sure I liked it) Abe, Bethany, Chad and I went out for a ride and came to these 3 massive jumps. (these pictures don't do it justice) It was crazy! I was scared, but tried it anyway, and everyone got a kick out of my screaming as I went up and down, up and down, up and down each hill..it was pretty funny.

2. we went hiking to this amazing part where the stream met the river in an incredible rushing 70ish ft waterfall, and several falls going the width of the river (maybe 100 yards?). I've never anything like it...and again, the pictures don't do it justice.

3. Jon began to leave early, and he and chad had so easily driven just next to our campsite as a little "off road" excitement without regard for the plan to get out....so, the X-Terra was pulled out by the Subaru and a 1" think piece of rope that kept getting smaller and smaller...then, the Blazer was pulled out by the X-Terra. Sound simple? NO! We pushed, pulled, dug, bounced, and climbed on those trucks for 4 1/2 hours!!! All the while (as Jon would point out)...a tow-strap at Wal-Mart was a mere 30 minute drive away! ha!

...coming soon

...pictures from VestFest 2007...the kind of camping you bring can bring an air mattress to...and, of course, a warm fuzzy vest.

Where is VestFest 2007?

Dethroned!

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a new Remarkable Reflex Regin! Matt Griffin wins with .187 seconds!!

I attempted what seemed to be the impossible, and realized that, sadly, my times grew slower and slower...and I've concluded that my boredom is affecting me more than I could have ever known...

I do have a new favorite game though...its called Collapse, found on: http://www.lifetimetv.com/games/realarcade/game.php
Current score: 171,864 on level 9.

3 days and counting....

Ho-Hum

Well, as most of you know, I recently resigned from my position at the Hyatt after almost 5 years! It was a tough decision, but Chad and I both felt it was what God was calling us to do...so...you might ask, what are you up to now, Allison?

Currently, I am working a temp position through Godshall Staffing http://www.godshallstaffing.com. It isn't a position with any potential (thank goodness!) but they needed a warm body to sit in until the person they hired finished their 2 week notice at their other job. I am utterly, terribly, mind numbingly BORED. So, I'm sitting here...trying to stay entertained. Here are some things I've been doing:
- job searching
- reading blogs
- playing LOTS of Solitaire
- listening to www.wncw.org (great public radio)
- and, my favorite... http://www.bored.com

A challenge to those others of you who might get bored from time to time...test your reflexes at: http://www.bored.com/reflexgame/index.html and beat my lowest time of .202 seconds...tell me, and BE HONEST...

More fun times with the girls...

They're breakdance fighting!

Good Times in SC

Hey Chicks! Check out this old picture I found...I was going through deleting old pics and found this delightful pose of Laura, Matt...and Haley! This is on a trip to Charleston to visit the Tylers just after Matt and Olivia got married...good times

Back Seat Rudolphs

Left to right: Rachel, Elissa, and Isabella. Aren't they so cute..one day Isabella is going to hate me for this!

Singing Baby Laughs!

Before, you saw him singing...now, check out Will laughing at big sister, Rachel's, joke!