Anniversary Find

On our trip to Savannah, we tracked down the cutest little local honey store right downtown. We bought some regular honey and some whipped honey (which is amazing on french bread!), and these grilling planks that Josh wanted to try.

We didn't know exactly how they were supposed to work or if they'd even make a difference when we grilled, but they sounded good.

Turns out, they're awesome. We've bought like 10 more.

You have to soak the plank before you use it so that it doesn't catch on fire on the grill, just like shish-kabob skewers. While the plank is soaking, you marinate your meat in a marinade that compliments the wood plank you are using that night (reminds me of wine pairings).

Then you cook your meat directly on the planks on the grill. The meat comes out so moist.... And yes, you can definitely taste the smoky wood flavor. It's delicious! You have to try these things.

There are tons of recipes online, but the ones Josh has made are

• Maple Planked Balsamic & Sugar Chicken
• Maple Planked Mustard Chicken
• Cedar Planked Barbeque Beef Filets

This is from Steak Night:

Aren't they cute?? Don't tell Josh I said that.

He also made Maple Mustard Mashed Sweet Potatoes from their online recipe book... which were fantastic. Click here for that recipe.

All these recipe names sound fancy, but they're super easy to make. If they can tear Josh away from his Cheeseburger with no cheese add bacon, then you know they have to be good and easy.
Josh has since bought more from ebay (cheaper!), but I've also seen them at Gander Mountain locally. Enjoy!

Love,

Josh, Kim & Abby

Re: Hamptonality

I failed to mention one thing in my last post. And it's more-than-worth noting.

Josh never doubted I could be a GM. Or succeed in MBA school.

He's been pushing me to go back to school for years. His positivity and support is 80% of what got me to go back to school to begin with. He knows I can do it, even when I doubt myself.

And he's always pushed me to move up in my career through the years, even when I didn't think I was ready or had what it took. He sees it in me, even when I can't.

I can't begin to express how much I appreciate this value in him, as my partner/best friend/husband. He constantly pushes me to reach my full potential and not sell myself short. I am so blessed to have him as my husband. I try hard to be that kind of wife for him.

So, when I recently told him about my personal successes with MBA school and my General Manager Epiphany, all he had to say was: "Good. I've been telling you that you could do it."

Yes dear. You did. I need to learn to listen.

Love,
Josh, Kim & Abby

Hamptonality

I got to do something pretty cool last week.

I'm only the Assistant General Manager at my Hampton Inn & Suites, but I got to go to the Hampton General Manager Brand Conference in Dallas, Texas.

I was nervous, like I always am with large groups of people I don't know, and this is the second time in a month I've had to be in this type of situation by myself. But, the opportunity was awesome and I felt priviledged to be able to go.

Of course, I took Mabel with me.
There were 2,200 GM's at the conference. 2,200. All in one room. I was completely overwhelmed by the masses of people the first day. The convention center they had us in was behind the actual hotel, and we all had to walk down this long covered pathway to get there. The constant stream of people for 10 minutes reminded me of the cartoon drawings of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea... all in a seemingly never-ending line.

I found the General Sessions fascinating. Hampton put together these panels of people who all sat up on stage in easy chairs and discussed whatever the current topic was. I felt like I was just listening in on a focus group (my advertising background coming out).

The most interesting panel discussion was the Diamond Member panel - they had 4 Diamond members (the top level in our Hilton rewards club program) up there discussing pet peeves, what's important to them, past experiences, and what keeps them coming back. To be able to hear from their point of view, from someone who is away from home over 100 nights a year, was really enlightening. I've already shared a bunch of information from that session with my staff, who also found it all very interesting. We have started to do things a little differently based on the conversation I got to listen to.

However, I think the biggest thing I noticed by attending conference is how my confidence level increased. In every single break out session I attended, I felt like I knew all the material already and knew what I was talking about. I was able to hold intelligent conversations with General Managers being only an AGM. And most did not realize I was an AGM until they looked at my nametag.

Until this point, I have always said that I want to be a General Manager "one day." And I really meant it how it sounded - one day in the distant future, not sure when that will be. I think I was in this mind set because I came up with the goal of becoming an AGM for myself right out of college, and I achieved it very quickly. I almost catapulted to where I am now. I knew I could do it, so I did it. It wasn't easy; I felt like I didn't know what I was doing for half of it all, felt I was too young the marjority of the time. But I did it anyway, because that was the goal I'd set for myself.

When I got the AGM position here over 2 years ago, I did not set a new goal for myself. I'd been working so hard to get here and finally was, so I relaxed. I was content, and then got complacent. This job became easy and in my comfort zone.

Well, I'm happy to say that being at Conference showed me I could do it. I could absolutely be a General Manager, no question. It won't be easy. I'll feel like I don't know what I'm doing half the time, and I'll feel like I'm too young. But I've now officially set that goal for myself.

I know part of my confidence is this MBA that I'm working on. I'm learning so much and beginning to see improvement in myself. I've already had some personal successes in the program, which have shown me I can do more than I think I can.

So it won't be next week or next month, probably not even next year. But soon, very soon, I will become a General Manager. After that? I don't know. I'll have to come up with my next goal at that point. I'll try not to wait so long before setting a new one though.

Oh, and to be specific, I'm going to be the General Manager of a Hampton Inn & Suites. Because I love this brand. So much.

My Vera Luggage

I'm a pretty hard person to surprise. Without much effort, I can figure out when people are hiding things or trying to get one over on me. But this time, Josh got me good. He really did.

We don't have luggage. When we have travelled in the past, Josh always used his green Army duffle bags or his backpacking pack, and I usually borrowed my parents' luggage. However, my parents recently got new luggage, so they gave us a couple of their old pieces, which Josh used for his 6 weeks in Alabama.

So, when we decided that he'd meet me in Gainesville for my MBA Orientation weekend, I realized I didn't have any luggage for my trip up there. I had to split up all my stuff into various smaller bags and carry it all. It was a pain. And very heavy.

Obviously, Josh noticed my dilemma.

Because, 2 days after we got home from Gainesville, there sat a large Vera Bradley box on our front porch. In big letters, it said "Signature Luggage Collection." I squealed and clapped my hands standing outside the front door of our apartment. I thought for sure a neighbor or two would come out to see what was going on.

Come to find out, Josh decided to surprise me with new luggage as an Anniversary/Birthday present after Orientation weekend. But he didn't want to get me just any luggage, he wanted to get me Vera. So, he called my mom and my best friend to find out what pattern he should get me. Ultimately he decided to get me the signature black luggage since it looks so professional... and I LOVE it!It's got a Vera print on the inside, and a Vera lugage tag, and all the zippers have Vera logos....

I am so impressed with my husband. As much as he gives me grief about my Vera stuff, he also listens, and got me exactly what I would have wanted.

And I had no idea what he was up to.

Josh, Kim & Abby

Our Visit with Toni and Breezy

Matt, Toni and Brianne ("Breezy") are like family to Josh. He has known Matt and Toni for years through the Army - Josh and Matt did their 2005-2006 Iraq tour together. In fact, Josh first met Breezy when she was still in Toni's tummy. Toni says that while she was pregnant, Breezy would only move for two people when they spoke: Matt and Josh.

Once Breezy was born, Josh would babysit her quite often. He would take her on "dates" around town in his white pick-up truck, she'd chew on his cell phone and occasionally call people accidentally, and he buy her all sorts of cute clothes. She wore her pink GAP hoodie until last year when she finally couldn't squeeze into it anymore. Over the years, Josh visited Matt, Toni and Breezy every chance he got. And still, 7 years later, he and that little girl are very, very attached.

Panama City Beach for Matt's graduation from Warrant Officer School in 2005. This was the first time I ever met Miss Breezy. She was about 2 years old.

Seaworld 2008. Breezy is about 5.

Our wedding, February 2009. Matt was on Temporary Duty in Starke and had to get special permission to come to our wedding and stand beside Josh as a groomsman.

So, since Toni and Breezy are in Savannah (Matt is currently deployed to Afghanistan) we stopped in for a visit our on first night of our anniversary trip. It also happened to be Breezy's birthday weekend, so we got to open presents with her and eat cake. Josh and Breezy played her new Wii for hours, made crafts, and had a huge pillow fight.

And this was the aftermath of playing with Josh all night... completely passed out on the floor.

It was such a great visit for all of us - and it was a blessing that Josh could be there for Breezy's birthday, since her dad couldn't be. I know it meant a lot to both of them. And to us.

By the way, Josh's nickname for Breezy was always "Peaches." And Toni and Breezy call Josh "Joshy-poo" or "Uncle Peaches." It's so incredibly cute.

Please keep Matt and family in your prayers. He's due back for R&R in May, and then coming home from deployment in December.

Josh, Kim & Abby

Life of an MBA Student

Orientation was a couple weeks ago and classes started that same weekend. I spent 4 days in Gainesville, getting re-aquainted with the campus, meeting the professors, getting my new laptop and ipod, meeting my group-mates, getting all my books and sitting through 3 classes.

This is my MBA group for the next 5 semesters:
It was a whirlwind weekend! So much information to take in and so many new people. There are 65 people in my "cohort" (that means "class") and I think I met them all, which gave me huge anxiety! But, Josh met me in Gainesville on his way back from Alabama and stayed with me for the weekend, which was awesome, and helped me get my mind off being nervous.

Since then, I've mastered the online class platform, posted on discussion boards, had 5-way conference calls through Skype (wish Josh and I had this site when he was overseas. It's amazing), and read tons of material on Accounting, Economics and Business Writing.

I'm finally starting to get the hang of everything, but it's definitely a challenge. If I skip one day of homework/reading/lectures, I am awake til 3am the next day catching back up. So, I've learned not to do that, lol.

It's going to be a long 2 years! But the material I'm learning is all so practical, and I've already used some of my knew knowledge at work. What a great feeling.

Enough blogging for today. I have homework to get to.

Josh, Kim & Abby

Our Savannah anniversary trip...

...was awesome!
We had a great time visiting another new city, being tourists, eating Southern food, and spending time together. Especially since he'd been gone practically since New Year's. We felt like newlyweds again.

I had a complimentary stay certificate for the Hampton Inn on East Bay Street in Historic Savannah, which is directly across the street from River Street. We were in the heart of the city and walking distance to everything. The hotel itself was in an original building, so everything was brick, wood, and old (but rennovated, it was so pretty!). The elevators were ungodly loud though, so if you ever visit this hotel, ask to be far away from them!

Savannah itself was so beautiful. We did a Trolley Tour that took us all around the city and explained the history of the city design, buildings, the famous squares, movies that took place in Savannah, etc. So much fun.

But, coolest part about the Trolley Tour was that when I called to get info, the operator told me that they could pick us up in 10 minutes from our hotel for the next tour. However, when we went outside to look for our trolley, a limousine was waiting on us instead! The limo took us to the main Trolley Tour hub where we caught our trolley. And yes, the limo took us back to our hotel after our tour was over too.

We ate at Paula Deen's restaurant (The Lady and Sons) for our "Anniversary Dinner"... and Josh wasn't too thrilled with the food. We did the buffet dinner, which does not have a ton of options on it. He did like the mashed potatoes though. Of course, I loved all the food, but I'm much less picky than my husband....

Without further ado, our slide show of our Anniversary Trip:

Josh, Kim & Abby