2nd Annual Valentine's At The Ballantyne

Firstly, I'd like to wish you and yours a happy Valentine's Day.

On Valentine's Day we went to go get our picture taken at a studio.

Cheesy!

We get our picture taken a few times a year. I think we'll appreciate looking back over the years.

Do you get your picture taken?

Then we drove a few minutes to the Ballantyne. It's a upscale hotel in the south of Charlotte, and somehow both grand, and simple at the same time. This is the architectural detailing above the stairs, with a crystal chandelier.

Maybe it's the interior designer in me, but I appreciate all the architectural details.

A girl's got to twirl...

I especially appreciate all the floral arrangements. These were orchids with greenery.

The walls adorn artwork, from various artists as you navigate yourself through the hallways.

Which do you prefer?

This is the entrance to The Gallery, a gourmet restaurant we eat at on occasion. We also like to come for Sunday brunch, and surprisingly it's as affordable as IHOP (for brunch that is).

Outside has lot's of balconies that overlook the golf course. Perfect for wives whose husbands like to play.

Now for the sweet part. Our tea. We came here last year for Valentine's and declared it a tradition. We make a reservation in advance, and enjoyed a few hours by the fireplace. I enjoy people watching, and seeing couples, families, or even moms with their daughters getting dressed up and pretending we're in an episode of Downton Abbey. We can dream, right?

The lobby floral arrangements, darlings.

After we were seated, we were offered a glass of bubbly. We seldom drink, so having a glass of champagne with a berry and sugar rim made it special.

Cheers!

Our table.

We were served a pot of loose tea, with three layers of treats. An English lady knows to start at the bottom, and work your way up.

We had ten different treats.

If you got through all those pictures, your a champ.

How did you celebrate with your sweetheart?

Blessings to you and yours,

Kiki Nakita

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Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday

Growing up, Shrove Tuesday was pancake day, and everyone in England would flip a few crepe style pancakes and serve with berries and preserves.

Charlotte's Lively Kitchen Pancakes

Here it's known as Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras and is celebrated mostly in the South. So in celebration, we went to one of our favorite local restaurants, Cajun Yard Dog. It is owned by a Louisiana couple who serve up the best jambalaya, shrimp and grits and bread pudding.

On Ash Wednesday, we followed tradition and attended an evening service. We usually attend Matthews United Methodist Church, but decided to attend the nearby service at Myers Park United Methodist Church.

The year was 1925, when Myers Park Methodist Episcopal Church (as it was originally named) was formed. Its architectural style reminds me of the hundreds of years old churches in England, where the village parishes are Anglican(UK) Episcopal(US) representing the Church of England.

The Methodist church has a lot of roots in Anglicanism and was founded by the Church of England minister John Wesley in 1744, a hundred and eighty-one years before this church was built, yet many of it's traditions remain today.

Before the service we had a coffee date at Harris Teeter's.  

Here's the Ash Wednesday service, see if you can spot us!

Afterwards, we went for coffee and dessert at Amelie's.

What denomination are you from, and do you observe Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and the forty days of Lent?

Kiki Nakita

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Lot's Of Love Hodgepodge

1. Create an acrostic using the word LOVE. If you're unsure what an acrostic is click here. 

                                                             For God so Loved the world

                                                     that he gave his Only begotten son

                                              That whosoever belieVeth in Him should not perish

                                                                 but have Everlasting life.

John 3:16

2. Does love really conquer all? Why or why not?

God is love and He conquers all.

Faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

3. Tell us about a time recently, where you really put your heart into something.

Last year, I really put my heart into starting a family.

This year, I've put my heart into my home and family history. I have crossed off a lot of to-do's, with my longest list being my genealogy and writing.

I'm very sentimental. So it may take awhile.

4. What's your favorite fictional love story?

When Harry Met Sally. You've Got Mail. Sleepless In Seattle. Basically, any 80's or 90's romantic movie.

Talking of which, I prefer the whole preface of movies of that time, the homes, the characters, the innocence.

5. Do you generally wear your heart on your sleeve, or keep your cards close to the vest?

I keep my cards close to the vest. I open up and share my feelings to only a special few; my husband, my mum, and my sister.

Perhaps, a lot of people brought up in England are this way?

6. What food says love to you? Why?

Anything prepared by someone special.

My granny used to make the best Sunday roast and my nana's used to make the best desserts from our berry picking.

7. When were you last 'tickled pink' over something? Explain.

I was tickled pink with my strawberry vine watercolor. I have been handwriting and watercoloring several books.

One of the books is A Collection of Childhood Memories, and the other is Ancestor's Recipes For Love.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

While I impatiently await Susan Branch's new book, I've been re-reading her book A Fine Romance. I sneak away to my local coffee shop - Nova's and order my usual, a chicken salad on croissant and black decaf and spend an hour or two reading.

Kiki Nakita

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Pray For Grandma

Our family could use your prayers for Grandma, who has battled PSP for the past few years. She recently came home after a two week stay in Elkhorn Valley Rehabilitation Hospital in Casper, Wyoming. Sadly, they had to put down their dog, Buddy too.

Today, I thought I'd share my husband's paternal grandparents family history:

Grandpa

Donald Eugene Wright

born 1934, in Kansas.

A veteran who was a Tanker.

married for fifty-eight years on May 29th, 1957 in Elkhart, Kansas to

Grandma

Margaret "JoAnn" McCrea

born 1942, in Kansas.

They have three children. Kerry (Cindy) Kimble (Carin) and Kandy (Ben)

seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

The family moved to the West and have made Wyoming home for forty years.

Grandma and Grandpa, taken by my husband.

When talking about my husband's paternal side, I usually say they remind me of a John Wayne movie. They live out in the middle of nowhere, in a small town in Wyoming - a days drive to Salt Lake City, Utah (the nearest city).

Grandpa and Grandma enjoy spending their time outdoors, and have participated in the senior Olympics. They are skilled at archery and grandpa, who is a skilled craftsman makes his own bows and arrows.  

They had a cabin up in the mountains for many years, where they'd go hunting, fishing and camping with their family.

Their children are:

Father-In-Law

Kerry Don Wright

born 1958, in Kansas

married for thirty-eight years on November 26th 1977 to,

Mother-In-Law

Cynthia "Cindy" Lee Dillon

born 1958, in Saudi Arabia (to American parents)

They have two sons Kasey (Kimberly) Cory (Kiki - that's me)

two grandchildren

They live in the Pacific Northwest.

Kimble "Kim" Ray Wright

born 1959 in Kansas

married for thirty-one years on August 25th, 1984 to

Carin JoAnn Conner

They have one daughter Kaitlyn (Ray)

They live in Wyoming.

We went to Kaitlyn's wedding last year.

Grandma, Grandpa, Ray and Kaitlyn, Carin and Kim, Sharon and Jim (Carin's parents)

Kandy

born 1960 in Kansas

married for thirty-five years on December 20th, 1980

Benjamin Daniel Horton

They have four daughters Kelly (John) Shana, Samantha (getting married), Karly

Six grandchildren

They all live in Wyoming, except Kelly's family who live in Ohio

Samantha, and her twin daughters Mya and Lila as flower girls at Kaitlyn's wedding.

Grandma would like to make it to her granddaughter, Samantha's wedding. So please join us in prayer, that the matriarch of this family stays a little while longer. We hope to send a care package off soon.

Blessings back to you, and yours.

Kiki Nakita

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