Houston Bound: Zogheib Wedding

Last weekend Wes and I took a weekend trip to Houston, TX.  

Let me tell everyone now, don't ever drive from Atlanta to Houston in a weekend.

Good thing we had a great time while we were there, because the drive back was pure hell.

(Wes and I in New Orleans on Friday night having dinner at Le Bayou Restaurant on Bourbon Street.)

(Pimped out Lexus on Bourbon.

It's amazing what people spend their money on these days.)

(After getting in to Houston around 2am, Wes and I woke up "early" 

for a 10am brunch with Reed & Taylor.  

Love this picture with two of my favorite guys!)

After a last minute trip to Bed Bath & Beyond 

(hello last minute registry shopping!)

Wes and I headed to the airport to grab Will and off to the wedding we went!)

(I Spy game on the reception tables.  Super cute idea.

I also liked the Mason Jar drinking glasses.  It gave my wine an extra sturdy base for 

all the dancing that followed.

(Wes and I at the wedding.  And yes, this is the same dress that I wore in the previous post.

Gotta get more than one wear out of those things!)

(Wes and some old college buddies.)

(It was so great to catch up with some of the people I literally hadn't seen in 2+ years.  Missed ya Mary!)

(Boys toasting to the night.)

(Wes and I with the Zogheib Family.  Loved catching up with them!)

(Melissa's frothy brew filled "Mrs." jar.)

(Parents of the Groom, and Wes's adopted parents for most of his college years.)

(The youngsters at the reception entranced by Caroline's voice and ukulele skills.)

(Stubbalicious and I towards the end of the night.)

(All hands in for the newlyweds.)

(Wes the cutie at Tsunami's after the reception.)

(With about 6 hours of sleep; Wes, Will, and I arose to start the long haul back to Atlanta on Sunday.

We parted ways with Will in Mobile, where he completed his 15 hour trip to Jacksonville, FL.

Wes and I continued on to Atlanta, where he drove us into the driveway at 2:30am.  

Such. A. Long. Drive.

But I couldn't have asked for two better to accompany me!)

With this week being the last week of the month, I'll be swamped with 4am overtime for the rest of the week, and a mandatory 8 hours on Saturday as well.  Just call me a working woman!  

P.S.  If you noticed some extra clarity in my photos, that's because I just got a new camera.  This girl is now the proud owner of a new Nikon D3100!  The perfect starter DSLR for me, and a birthday present to myself (I know, clearly I celebrate my birthday for months, not just days:)).

Until next time...

Go Trojans!

Two weeks ago Wes and I visited Jessica and Andrew over in Troy, AL for her 23rd birthday weekend.  

Jessica works for the Athletic Department and her birthday also fell on 

the Troy Football Annual fundraising event, "The Draw Down".

(On the way out of town Wes accidentally dropped our keys down the storm drain.

Good one Wes.)

(A very rainy and bleak drive into Alabama.)

(We met Jessica and Riley at Sip's on the Square in downtown Troy.)

(Wes and I at brunch.  Clearly I was a little miss dressed for the weather.)

(Birthday Girl Bartender at the Draw Down.)

(Wes and I at the press box of the Trojan's Stadium.)

(View of the stadium.)

(So the whole premise of The Draw Down is a "reverse raffle".  

The officiant of the night draws out a number every ten seconds or so; 

the goal of the night is to be the last person standing, and the last person standing gets $10,000.  

Imagine mine and Wes's disappointment when our number had already been called when we got there!) 

(Jessica and I at The Draw Down.)

(Jessica as always, barefoot. 

 I guess that's what happens when the event is open bar!)

(Jessica and her boss & wife.)

(Riley and Jessica.)

(Riley, Jessica, and I.)

(The cute couple.)

Come Come, I Love You

The month of August literally past in the blink of an eye.  It's crazy that is was a month ago that Kathryn came to visit.  Hopefully it's not 6 months before I see her again!

(Birthday goodies from the Best in Texas!  That's leopard nails, yummy candles, and the best book ever!  Thanks Kathryn and Gena!)

(Kathryn and I hanging out with the lion fish at the Georgia Aquarium.)

(Check out how thick the glass is at the aquarium!  Isn't that crazy?

And here I was thinking it was like Free Willy!)

(Redeyed zombies at the Dolphin Show.)

(Kathryn and I hanging out with a Dr Loftin look-a-like in Centennial Park.)

(Half way up our adventure on Stone Mountain!)

(Wes, myself, and Kathryn fooling around in the gift shop.

The dad that I got to take this picture thought we were crazy!)

Unfortunately, I don't have very many other good photos from this weekend, we were just to busy having fun!

Until next time...

All Dogs Go to Heaven... Especially Abbie

I guess I thought my dog, Abbie, was going to live forever.

I had always imagined her being completely gray and... that's about as far as I had ever got thinking about it... until now.  Abbie is being put down tomorrow and it's absolutely breaking my heart.

She was the best damn dog ever.  Period.

I still remember the day I came home from church camp, right before I turned 13, and my dad pulled up in our old blue van and there was a timid chocolate lab sitting in the back.  She's had my heart ever since.  RIP Abbie Downey.  I hope they have lots of ducks, fish, and american cheese slices in doggy heaven.

Key Largo, Montego...

I've got a pretty great life.  My parents invited me to North Carolina for my actual birthday weekend

and Wes flew me down to The Keys for the weekend after.  His college buddies were getting

together for Mini Lobster season and I got to tag along!

(After my flight landed in Key West, Wes brought me down to this little photo opportunity.)

(Our home for the weekend.  Brett did a great job picking out the place for the week that they were all there!)

(The next morning we got up bright and early, which was still sleeping in for me, 

to head out and get our limit of lobster for the day!)

(Wes and I on the boat!)

(My fins for the day!  Catching lobster is more difficult than I thought it would be.

I'm not sure what I had imagined in my head exactly, but this wasn't it.)

(After I finally caught a lobster (but he wasn't big enough to keep) I decided to take a page out of the

 "Real Housewives of Key West" handbook and tan on the boat while Wes caught the rest of the lobster for me:))

(Viola!  I sit on the boat and this is what Wes comes back with.  

Those Housewives really have the right idea.)

(We spent the whole day boating from one lobster hole to another lobster hole in pursuit of our daily limit.)

(Mr. Lobster meet OPI's Cajun Shrimp.)

(Boys snorkling and looking at nurse sharks.)

(Lobster in the lobster hole.  Them suckers can be hard to get out!)

(The new captain of our ship!)

(Big bugs from day one!)

(Catch of the day.)

(Boys and bugs.)

(Marathon was an interesting little town.  There was really only one bar... called The Brass Monkey.  After Mini Lobster Season they have what they call "Christmas in July" with a pig roast and lots of prizes and drink specials.  I made out big that night with a Jawbone Jambox, several hats and t-shirts, a Jack Daniels koozie & hat, and a neon bar sign.  I was quite the lucky duck.)

(Ashland and I taking a break outside next to this mini submarine thing. 

You can check out more about these little puppies on kickstarter.com.)

(Sleepy boy.)

(The next day we went snorkeling at Sombrero Reef.  It was some of the clearest, bluest water I've ever seen and my first real experience snorkling.  Wes and I swam with snook, barracuda, hog fish, and all kinds of tropical fish.  It was amazing.  Next time I will be bringing my own underwater camera for sure!) 

 (Wes and I finished out the trip with a night in Miami.  South beach was crazy.  Amid torrential downpours we got some of the best margaritas of our lives and had excellent live entertainment at Mango's.)

(At brunch the next morning.

(Imagine that, Wes is sleeping again.)