Ross Bridge Girls Weekend

I had the pleasure of spending ALL weekend w/ two of my best friends recently :) Lesley, Brooke and I go way back....all the way from Kelly Kid's jumpers, trading Hello Kitty erasers, slumber parties, danceline, and the list could go on and on. I'm so thankful to share so many wonderful memories with these two special girls (now wonderful women!) Lesley lives in Birmingham and it is great place to connect since I'm 3 hrs. away and Brooke 2 hrs. away (in Huntsville). This time we all agreed to Ross Bridge Resort and Spa in Hoover for our destination. It did not disappoint. It makes for a great weekend getaway!!

Our last trip revolved around shopping, but we spent most of our entire weekend by this pool. It was just what we all needed :)

The beautiful hotel. We decided we need to come here every weekend :)

Only pic I got of all 3 of us. This was pretty much the attire for the weekend.

Can't wait for fall reunion and seeing all of you in AUBURN this fall!!!

Cat's Baby Shower!!

It was a joy to help host a baby shower for my sweet friend, Catherine, this past Saturday in Birmingham. She is probably one of the sweetest and most sincere people I know and I'm thankful to call her my friend. She is expecting a baby girl (name not yet known) in August. If anyone was born to be a mother it was Catherine. I believe her sister-in-law said it perfectly on Saturday...that Catherine was born with a servant's heart. Can't wait to meet baby girl Botsford!!!

AU girls and Alpha Gams....time just flies by!!

Loved catching up with Ashley, Jenni and Taylor :)

Catherine's sweet nieces helping her open gifts

Beautiful flowers and great food!!

Best wish Catherine & Brent :) Both of you and the baby are in my prayers daily!!

Dad & Me throughout the years......

I love looking at old family albums when I'm at my parent's house. It brings back such precious memories of childhood. I would love to scan all their photos one day, but that will probably never happen. In honor of Father's Day here are a few (of many) sweet memories to share....

AU vs. USC 9/2002. My dad was sweet enough to take me and two of my girlfriends to the game and to LA!! He drove us all around LA & Orange County in a rented mini-van that Labor Day weekend. He then took the red eye flight back to ATL after the game (it was on Labor Day) to be back at work on Tuesday.
That is a sweet father!!

Always supporting me in many of my numerous activites...whether it was cheerleading, a school play, dance, sports (which I was terrible- he watched anyway) or church youth events...my dad was ALWAYS there!

Dad and me in Amsterdam- 3/2004. Fortunate for me, my dad loves to travel. I've been to many interesting places with my parents. I've been lucky enough to go to Europe w/ him twice.


Park City, Utah/ Christmas 2004

Although we are NOT good skiers, my dad and I both love winter destinations/vacations. I guess it is our fair skin...we're more mountain people than beach.


Christmas is my Dad's favorite time of the year (and mine too). He has always made Christmas special for our family!!!




Of course most of you know my dad LOVES AUBURN!! We've been to many Iron Bowls together. Some have been great and others bad (ha). Lucky for us, this year was a very special Iron Bowl!!

Colorado Rockies- summer of 84

My dad is known to always bring a good souvenir back from a trip or buy one for you if your with him. I have or have had a t-shirt from about every place known to man. Including this lovely shirt above (which I'm sure I just had to have). I believe it says Colorado River Rat!! Lucky for me--some of his trips to duty free places have brought back jewelry and not t-shirts!!

He is always thinking of others!

Not sure when this exact picture was..maybe Easter 82??

Thanks for all the wonderful memories Dad!!!! I LOVE YOU!!

Happy Father's Day!!

Jason and I are both very blessed to have wonderful fathers. We both enjoyed some quality time with them this past weekend. I wish I could write a poem this sweet, but since I'm not a poet, I'll share the one below I read recently. If only everyone were lucky enough to have the role models we had growing up the world would be a much better place. Happy (late) Father's Day!!

My hero is the quiet type,
No marching bands, no media hype,
But through my eyes it's plain to see,
A hero, God has sent to me.
With gentle strength and quiet pride,
All self-concern is set aside,
To reach out to his fellow man,
And be there with a helping hand.

Heroes are a rarity,
A blessing to humanity.
With all they give and all they do,
I'll bet the thing you never knew,
My hero has always been you

Dana & Nick's Wedding Weekend

We had a fun filled weekend in Hattiesburg celebrating the marriage of our friends, Dana & Nick. Dana was my roommate in Bham and Nick and I are friends from childhoold/grew up in the same neighborhood. It was so much fun catching up w/ friends from high school and all of Dana's MS friends I came to know in Bham. Here are a few pics from the weekend...

The bride to be and me before the rehearsal. I was honored that Dana asked me to be a reader :)

Beautiful, HOT weather all weekend. At least it didn't rain!!

Weddings are so much more fun with a great date!! Jason always makes a great date :)

Dana & Nick are ready to get hitched!!

Jeremy & Brittany....AKA...Ken & Barbie

Never a dull moment w/ these two!

Brittany and me

Mother of the groom got the dancing started after the rehearsal

Dana looked gorgeous!! Wish I had a full shot of her dress. It was perfect!

Having fun at the reception :)

Congrats Dana!! Wish you and Nick nothing but the BEST!!

3 years of joy!!

Our sweet precious Shih Tzu, Radley, found his FOREVER FAMILY 3 yrs. ago on 5/31. Jason and I had been married a little over a year and decided it was time for a dog. I grew up with an indoor dog, but Jason had not. He was a bit apprehensive at first, but would not change a thing now. We actually found Radley at the Montgomery Humane Society. Still to this day we can't believe no one came to look for him. The vet thinks he was about 2 yrs. old when we adopted him. We often make up stories of what his past life was, but I guess only Radley holds the key to the truth. We love him more than we ever thought we could love a dog. By now, some of you probably are thinking we are quite RIDICULOUS, but the true dog lovers out there totally understand.

**I know we are biased, but if you're ever looking for a house dog, Shih Tzus are the way to go!! They are very sweet, loving, quiet and loyal :)

HAPPY 3 YR. ANNIVERSARY DEAR RADLEY.....WE LOVE YOU!!!

He loves dressing up for Halloween!!

Is a HUGE Auburn fan, despite the fact that their mascot is a Tiger.

He misses lounging by the pool in Montgomery.


He is quite the grill master!!




Loves tennis like his mommy!!



Okay, so I know we may have gone too far, but when you've had a bad day or think everyone else is this world has gone crazy or mad, we always have Radley to turn to...haha!!


Looking forward to many more years together!!

My Green Thumb :)

I really don't have much of a green thumb, but I'm really trying. Most of the plants (in planters) we inherited w/ the house did not survive the cold winter, so we've been working on replacing most of them. There is still much work to be done!! I'm usually one that does everything all at once, but w/ this house I'm trying to take things one step at a time.

Jason added #'s to the door frame and of course the good ole Red White and Blue!! Next step- get those bricks pressure washed!! I had the fern on the other side of house, but it was getting too much sun. I'm trying to nurse it back to health!!

Found this great ivy at Lowe's and it is really doing well!! Growing lots!!



More ivy for the other planter

added some flowers to the middle of this planter....promise they look better in person

Our poor shrub by our front door had died, so we finally replaced it. This is when Jason taught me the difference b/w potting soil and top soil. Yes, I didn't know there was a difference.

This beautiful planter was holding an old dead ugly shrub recently. However, we found it's alive twin at Lowe's and replaced it. I can't remember the exact name of it. We hope to eventually have new landscaping w/ new flowers & mulch in our circle.

There still looks like there are tons of magnolia leaves on the ground, but I actually raked 3 huge piles from under this tree. We discovered we had a small brick retaining wall. Always finding something new :)

Another plant, that I have not a clue what the name is, but just glad a LIVE one is now by our door.

Sad to say, but we had not clue what this planter looked like. Our ivy had grown up around it. We cut it back, found a new planter and much more space in our courtyard!!

Next step for the outside is a new deck (gotta sell that other house), maybe a new grill...would love full outdoor kitchen (maybe on down the road), mulch, and flowers for our front circle. For now I'm happy with what we've accomplished!!

HAPPY PLANTING!!