Gertie Turns 1!!

Today our Gert Girl turned the big 0-1! She is the sweetest puppy with a whole lot of disobedience sass. We do love our dog and celebrated her one year mark with a big dose of peanut butter. She was even so kind as to let Gunnar lick her face for any of the leftovers. Which consequently sicked Bubba and I out. We love Gertie and she was the best Christmas present I ever got!

The day we picked her up. So sweet.

I cannot believe how much she has changed in these two pictures.

That face could kill with cuteness!

Happy Birthday!!!

Happy day Gert! I hope you have tons tons tons more!

Weekend Wrap Up

Somehow, this weekend turned out to be somewhat busy and we were on the go, but it was filled with great visits with friends and family so all in all it was better than we could have asked. I am going to cheat and include Thursday night because my parents came over to eat dinner and hang out with us. It was so much fun and we ate way too much at the Strawberry Cafe. We watched some of the Olympics and just had a grand time.

Friday night brought a Girls' Night for me and I am confident it brought video game playing for Bubba. It was so much fun to sit and catch up with all the girls. I met Susan, Whit, Sara, Lester, and A Fri at Chili's (which is a random place for us to eat but I was so excited to eat my meal of potato skins. Healthy much?). We just sat and talked for a ridiculously long time, and then we had to move the party to its second location Corner Bakery for some sweet treats. We shut that place down.  After an almost 4 hour dinner, we figured we had accomplished what we needed to.

Saturday was filled with fun! We started off with a baby shower for our friends LeeAnn and Garett.  We cannot wait until sweet Gracen makes her debut in a few weeks. Then we met up with some of Bubba's friends that were in from out of town and had a good catch-up. That night we went over to Joshua's apartment to help him get settled in a bit before he starts law school this week. (Thinking back about that time in my life made me SO glad I am on the finished side of law school and the bar.) We went out and ate and just had a really great time.

We celebrated Sunday in typical fashion. Church. Followed by lunch with family. We ate with Rebecca, Will and the Girls at the Fish House and it was fab. It really is so much fun to live in the same town as family. This is new for me and I really really love it. I only wish that John and Emily and baby C could ever move this way. We went on Sunday night to church for Small Group Kick-Off. It was so much fun and we are really looking forward to being in a small group.  We ended the night with about a 2 mile walk. I am sore still which is humiliating. Poor Gertie was exhausted after. Here is the proof:

This weekend was busy and fun and still had the feel of summer about it. I know that fall is creeping around the corner, and I honestly cannot wait.

Here's to a great week!

Weekend Recap

I wanted to post about our fun weekend last weekend. I realize now that we are about as close to this upcoming weekend as we are to the last. But, it was a great weekend and needs to be recorded for posterity.

Bubba and I traveled home to my parent's house to celebrate Mother's Day and Father's Day. (I may not be punctual, but I do love my parents). We ate great food and spent some good quality time on the back porch.  Food and sitting are my two favorite activities to do at home. Which does make me seem like a glutton, but y'all. Nothing beats Louisiana food. If you disagree, you are just wrong and I am sorry. My dad also used us for some cheap slave labor. I don't judge him. It was smart and cunning.

Being at home also made me miss my brother and his family. In just two weeks, I will get to get my hands on this little baby.  C is precious. And I do believe Kate Middleton would approve of this hat.

After eating and sitting a bunch, we came on home, and I had a much needed pool day with friends. I have the best friends in the whole world, and if you disagree, well, you are wrong. :)  Nothing is more fun to do in Summer than sit outside when it is hot as blazes and talk about world affairs. You know the kind...Suri Cruise and her fashion sense, Dance Moms, the Bachelorette, and all things in Us Weekly. It was a great time of "serious" conversation mixed with an intense "swim workout" or maybe just sitting in the pool and talking.

Continuing with the theme of summer, I am ashamed to admit I ate peach cobbler three times at home (one time may have been breakfast), then I came home and made one with the peaches that Bubba's sister gave us.  YUM.  I declare it is so good I may just die.

This week has been a good one so far. We have been playing hard in those extra hours of light when it cools down to a frigid 93 degrees.

Could the Trio be any more cute. Bows and 4-wheelers.

Lastly, on what has been the longest post on nothing ever... A Gert story.  This dog is not afraid of "The Beast" next door, but is terrified of the vacuum. I found her hiding here.  Weird dog.  Just like her Mama.

Safety in Numbers.

Hope your week is just grand. Looking forward to this weekend when we are headed to Bubba's parent's house. I believe there is more eating and sitting in my future. Life is good.

Summer then and Summer now

First, before reading any farther, you (hypothetical reader) must not judge me.  This is my first summer, at the tender age of 26, to not officially have "summer."  You know the summer I am talking about.  Sleeping, hanging out, pool trips, trips, laying out, friendship, fun, and magical times.  Now, last summer I was studying for the bar and that was a big pile of not fun, but it still was on my terms.  Sorta.  It was like the "tween" years in life. Not full-grown yet.  

This summer, however, is a legit adult summer.  I think it is weird to me because for the first time in my life I am not thinking on a semester time line.  Because today, well, it is no different than what October will hold.  Sure, that day will have football, but it will also have work and an alarm clock buzz.  I don't hate my job, in fact, I love it.  But that doesn't make a girl forget her love of Summer.  I think that I have loved Summer for so long because of the heat and water and family fun that I am slightly mourning the loss of my childhood.

I recognize that this is an over-dramatic statement.  And, many would suggest that at 26 it is probably time to put big girl panties on and get over it.  But, summer is so magical.  I miss it. BUT, I am also not going down without a fight :).

Grown-ups still have fun. Right? Last night we had some of our best friends over and grilled out.  It was so fun!  Complete with all the summer foods required for a good time: burgers, hot dogs, corn, tomatoes, french fries, ice cream, popsicles, and cookies.  Notice we are a fan of multiple option desserts.  Nights to come together and relax and eat are therapy.  There is something about a summer night, a grill, and friends that makes you thankful for the Summer.  Even if it isn't the same care-free time it has always been.  It seems to blow in with hot air and allow a break.

Before I conclude this share-feelings session, I have to tell a gratuitous Gertie story.  Y'all. Home girl scared us.  Gertie went missing before the cook-out.  This is so strange because she was in our fenced in backyard. Well, our neighbors have a GIGANTIC, albeit nice, dog, Jethro.  They have been smelling and talking through the fence for about two weeks.  Jethro dug a little hole under the fence, and GERT decided it was mighty time for her to go and play with her friend.  THAT WAS 800 TIMES HER SIZE.  Think about the Sandlot dog. We retrieved her and all is well.  I like to think this is an example that shows we are raising a pup with self-esteem.  Look at this girl:

Thinks that she is the size of a Mastiff.

I have high hopes for this Summer.  It is shaping up to be quite nice.  On a small side note, my cousin and resident BFF Ashley is about to pop with Baby Abby.  I am so excited.  I am sending all useless Southern gifts... Monograms galore!

Here's to Summer.

H2: The Rest of the Story

In my previous post we discussed days 1-3.  Days 4-6 now?  I think so!

Day 4:

Today was probably one of the best days we have ever had.  We decided to do a charter boat tour of the Napali Coast (which can only be accessed by water or air or long long hike in).  It was absolutely incredible.  The tour usually has about 50 people.  But, just with the luck of the draw we happened to be on a tour with only 10 other people on it.  We got to see the most beautiful views and see some really neat marine life.  We saw wild dolphins a whole large school that just swam along with our boat.  I was in heaven and shouting like a child.  We snorkeled off the reef and swam with sea turtles.  One came about 4 inches from our bodies. I felt like I was in Finding Nemo, and he would take me for a ride.  Now, on to the photographic evidence:

Have you ever seen such clear water?!

I declare. I am in heaven.

This isn't even edited or photoshopped cause like I know how to do that.

Day 5:

After all of our adventures, we took today easy.  We ate by the pool and didn't move from our chairs all day except for a refreshing dip in the pool.  Now, for a side story that will be relevant for our nighttime event.  My "light" beach read was a book that told all about Area 51, but more the military side of the story.  Okay. I may have picked that read thinking it would tell me about aliens.  Well, any time that we (America that is) did a secret mission, it would be under the cover story of "weather research."  Now, pause this story. I promise that this insignificant detail is important to a not quite amazing story that I have now built up too much.  Flair for the dramatic? I think so.  

Since this would be our last night on the island because we were flying out on the red-eye, we decided it would be perfect to catch a luau.  It was incredible!  The dancers were amazing, and the music and singing was live.  This production was far from the luau in The Brady Bunch.

Okay, play on the story about the book.  Kauai has a military base on it.  We met two guys who did research there for a private company.  Well, they explained something about lasers and calibrations of satellites etc.  When I asked what these calculations were for, they replied "weather research!"  Since I am now an expert on secret military talk, I instantly got over excited, convinced myself that they were developing super secret things, and then proceeded to thank them for doing weather research "for America."  Bubba wanted to die.  I humiliated him. Truthfully, I humiliated myself.  But I love a good mystery!

Day 6:

This was our last day on the island.  We ate good and just walked around some little shops.  Took it easy and just mourned the impending loss of the beautiful mountains and ocean.  I haven't expanded much on the food, but it was glorious!  I was in heaven because fish tacos were plentiful, and Bubba was in heaven for the mass amounts of rice.  Seriously, rice is served at every meal.  For breakfast, one may have rice or hash browns.  I found this odd.  Bubba thinks this is how our family should serve breakfast now. 

Happy kids.  Married 1 Week!

Well, the rest is history.  We flew home, and then ran to get Gert!  We missed her.  Once, I even asked Bubba if we could write her a song.  He simply shook his head in shame.  So did she when I sang it to her.

Oh. Mama. You so crazy.

Looking at these pictures makes me want to go back.  Instead, I will finish an episode of Deadliest Catch.

Peace.

Meg