Tallulah Gorge State Park

I have a very aggressive bucket list for our year here in Atlanta, and so far I've wasted no time

getting started.  This weekend I got my friend Joanna to head up to the Tall
ulah Gorge State Park with me and hike the gorge floor to the water falls.  The website said the hike was "strenuous" but also said "no crocs allowed" so we didn't really know what to expect.  

It was probably the hardest hike I've ever done, but beautiful enough that I'd do it again.

(Joanna and I before the hike.

We were selected by our park ranger tour guide to "bring up the rear".)

(Someone who's name I can't remember walked across the gorge on a tightrope 20+ years ago.

The towers that anchored his cable are not standing, but still around.)

(View from the first overlook.)

(View down at one of the many waterfalls that Talulah has to offer.)

(The 1000+ steps it took to get down to the gorge floor.)

(Joanna and I on the suspension bridge.  Dang that thing sways when there's a lot of people on it!)

(Still smiling after all those stairs.)

(Jumping for joy when we got the gorge floor!)

(Joanna being the best assistant park ranger and helping other tour members cross the river.)

(Fall at the bottom of the stairs.)

(Beautiful scenery.)

(Joanna and I made the most of being in the back and made this very nice girl named Amber take our photo about every 10 minutes:))

(More photo shoots.)

(And we made it!  I'm very disappointed that I didn't remember to take any picture of the swimming

 hole and rock water slide that we stopped and had our picnic at.  It was a really cool spot.

I guess that means I'll just have to go back again!)

(Sweaty, tired, and very glad to be done hiking!)

(That's it for my Sunday adventure.  One more thing crossed off the bucket list!)

Until next time...

650 Square Feet

Wes and I are all moved in, and mostly due to my mother, are settled.  Here's a look at what our new place looks like.  It's small... But perfect.

(View from the front door.)

(Dresser by the front door.)

(Seating area and "guest room".)

(Close up of the card catalog.)

(Bedroom.  Complete with Wes's favorite quilt from Grandma Haines.)

(One of the projects my Mom and I completed.  A new jewelry organizer.  

Since there wasn't room for my old screen door anymore, I had to downsize my collection and come up with a smaller presentation.  Success!)

(I also started a "Birthday Club" at work, where I bring in baked goods once a month to celebrate.

June was celebrated with a Strawberry Ombre Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.)

(Success by 8am.)

Until next time...

Low Country Get-A-Way

My mom came in town on Wednesday for a little vacation and to help me get everything set up in the apartment.  She's been a God send with getting everything squared away as far as our place goes, and it's been really fun having her around for adventures. 

This weekend we took a little trip down to Savannah.  She picked me up from work in PTC and we headed for the coast to sweet, sticky Savannah.  It was a pretty last minute trip and we started calling for hotels as soon as we hit the highway, unfortunately almost everything was booked.  But luck fell in our favor with the "Azalea Suite" at the wonderful Dresser Palmer House Bed & Breakfast. 

See photos from the weekend below...

(Savannah was beautiful.  The architecture, the Spanish moss, the food.  

Ah.  It's my new favorite place.

Upon arrival we headed to our hosts recommendation, The Public House, for dinner.

It lived up to his promise as the "perfect people watching spot for a Friday night" and had splendid spinach salad and shrimp & grits.)

(Mom and I outside our suite in the courtyard.  

With eggs florentine, made from scratch drop cheese biscuits and fresh melon, we were full and ready for the day ahead.)

(The #1 thing on my mom's to-do list was tour the Mercer- Williams house,

better known as the "murder house" of Savannah, and the setting for the book/movie

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.  The house (pictured above) was exquisite.  

Jim Williams was an antiques dealer and architectural restorer, and this 1800's was finished remarkably.)

(Although we weren't allowed to take an photographs inside, I'll never forget the beautiful blue indigo color on the wall in the dining room, or the Ming Dynasty lost china that was recovered from the bottom of the sea (Jim actually used it regularly for entertaining!!) or the breathtaking Audubon originals.  The house was a true wonder and I'm really glad we toured it.)

(After the tour, we headed over to The Lady and Sons for lunch.

The Lady and Sons is Paula Dean's original restaurant and was pretty darn good.

Mom got the shrimp and grits, and I went with the fried shrimp.

Yum. Yum. Yum.)

(After lunch, we decided to walk off our meal with some much deserved shopping.

Savannah is a charming little town with large twist of funk thanks to SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design).  Quirky, eclectic shops with home interiors and clothes line the historic streets.  Right up our alley.)

(After we started shopping, we actually forgot the rest of the things we had planned to do that day.

But that was fine by us, it just means we'll have to come down again for another girl's weekend!)

Until next time...

Working 9 to 5... Errr.

My new work schedule is not for the faint of heart.  It's a 45 minute drive in, and my first meeting is at 6am.  Overtime starts at 4am.  It's definitely going to take some getting used to!!

(My new alarm vs. my old alarm.  Ouch.)

(My preliminary Atlanta Bucket List... more on this one to follow)

(I'm one of Kathryn's bridesmaids!!! I am so thoroughly excited.

I know she's going to be a beautiful bride and I can't wait for all the fun we'll have with the wedding preparations and everything.  I've started working out now, because it's going to take me a whole year to get in shape for those pictures (that's what really counts right?!))

(Wes and I also attended our very first Braves game courtesy of Joanna.

We had a blast, even though you can see from the tarp there was a bit of a weather delay.

We bailed at 9pm for the 7pm game that hadn't started yet.

The Braves ended up taking the field at 11pm and hit a walk off home run in the bottom of the 9th to win it.  Next time!!)

(My new work companions.  Cute Maybook + Walkie Talkie.  Over and Out.)

Until next time...

Crossing the Mason-Dixon Line

Here's a look and Wes and I's trip down to Atlanta...  Enjoy!

(811 miles of pure fun.  I don't think Wes and I had been confined in that small of a space together for quite sometime.  Good thing he didn't kill me:))

(After and slow and cranky start in Milwaukee, we decided to stop for the night in Louisville.  We ate at a great little Mexican spot.  The bar across the street had this sign.  

My question is... How else is tequila served?!)

(The next morning we started off the day with a tour of the Louisville slugger museum.  

What's the point of driving across the country if you don't actually get to see any of it?)

(Wes and I out in front of the big bat.)

(They had a baseball themed lego display with mini models of several of the nations stadiums.  

Miller Park was one of them!)

(More baseball players made out of legos.)

(We decided to commemorate the trip with a personalized baseball bat.  

It'll be a nice reminder of our trip down and it also serves as a good weapon to leave by the front door in Atlanta.)

(Wes and I also decided to stop at the Maker's Mark Distillery and get the first stamp in our Bourbon Trail Passport.  I hope to get the remainder stamped in this coming year!)

(Makers Mark advertising posters.)

(And again...)

(We had a great time at the distillery.  We ate mash.  Had many a sampling.  And got to hand dip our own bottles.  Overall success.)

Wes and I spent the rest of the day driving down into Marietta where we stopped for the night.  Saturday was filled with moving two packed U-Box's and our car into our tiny 650 sq foot apartment.

Until next time...

Weekend Shenanigans

For Wes and I's last week in Milwaukee, we spent the entire time in Michigan.

One of Wes's cousins, Lyndsey, graduated from highschool this year and we went over for her party.

Wes hadn't seen them in years so it was great catching up 

and we got to go on a couple of awesome adventures along the way.

(One more thing off the bucket list.  Riding the ferry to Michigan.

Overall, the ferry is totally NOT worth the money...

But I'm going to chalk this one up to a "once and a lifetime experience.")

 

(Wes and I at Silver Spring State Park in Michigan.  The sand dunes there were beautiful!

Wes and I were slightly unprepared with our outfits, but it was cool none the less!) 

(Wes and I one the dunes.)

(On the way to the sand dunes a sign for a winery caught my eye.  

Naturally I made Wes stop on the way out and came across this little gem.

Fox Barn Winery.

Home of the asparagus wine.)

(The wine was almost cosmic looking in the bottle.  It was the first day of the release and also the first day of Asparagus Festival.  

Who knew Shelby, MI was one of the premiere asparagus growing areas in the country?)

(Testing it out.  And I have to say it was pretty good... for asparagus wine that is.)

Wes and I drove our car back and took a little break in Chicago to head up to the Sears Tower...

(View from the ledge.)

(Wes and I.)

(These ledge things are really cool.  They were added in well after the building initial construction and 

might be more impressive than the height of the building itself!)

(If you ask Wes, he'll say "it really wasn't as tall as I thought it would be..."

I don't know, it seemed pretty tall to me!)

(And what is a trip to Chicago without deep dish?)

Until next time...