Up in the Air

A couple of weeks ago, we took advantage of a beautiful January afternoon to do a little kite flying at the park.  The only pictures are from my iPhone and the lens was dirty at that, but you can still see how something so simple was fun for both the 4 year old and the 15 year old!  What a rare treat!

My beautiful family!

Our awesome kites - ordered from Into the Wind

Noah showing off his mad kite flying skills.

Daddy and AnnaLauren

AnnaLauren was convinced she could catch it!

One day I will actually be in the pictures, lol!  Hope you are having some beautiful days - wherever you may be - and that you are making the most of them!

XOXO,

Daddy's Little Princess

Each year, a local women's group in our town hosts a Father/Daughter Ball to raise money for Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis, TN.  It is a major event!  :)

This year we decided that AnnaLauren was old enough to completely drive her dad insane go.  So, we began looking for just the right dress and accessories.  AnnaLauren specifically requested "glass slippers".  So after much looking and even more unhappiness with what we were finding, we went with a tried and true approach - our Mamaw Betty.  My grandmother, A's great-grandmother, made her a dress based completely off a picture from the internet that was my inspiration and my sad little instructions.  It is GORGEOUS! 

Tommy and AnnaLauren had a fantastic time and made some really special memories!  I am a lucky girl to have these two plus the teenager!

Tommy and AnnaLauren ready to go!

Love this little face!

Modeling on the stage with her feather boa and "parasol".

NAIW Region III Conference

I have mentioned lots of times that my day job (for now) is in insurance.  So, I have been a member of Insurance Professionals of Northeast MS for a few years and am privileged enough to be serving as our president this year.  So, in that capacity, I decided to attend the regional conference in Montgomery, AL.  It really was a great time!

Mississippi Council attendees at the antebellum themed Welcome Party

 Opening night of the Montgomery Biscuits Baseball Team from the hotel balcony

 Me, sporting the required First Timers accessory

 Region III First Timers

 Harriott II Riverboat on the Alabama River

Venue for Friday night's dinner cruise - so fun!

 We stayed at the fantastic Renaissance Montgomery on the corner of Tallapoosa and Commerce.
Tallapoosa makes me think thoughts that make me giggle.  Yes, I'm a child sometimes.

It was a really fun weekend full of great people, food and lots of learning.  If any of you are in insurance, seek out your local chapter.  You don't know what you are missing!

Up, Up and Away

A couple of weekends ago, while I was in Montgomery, Alabama with the National Association of Insurance Women (another post for another day), AnnaLauren's Grams took her to the Up, Up and Away Festival.

They only allow a few people to go up in the balloons and Lois and AnnaLauren were picked! So fun!

AnnaLauren and Grams ready to go up!

Some of the gorgeous balloons.

AnnaLauren is very lucky to have a Grams that takes her on such fun adventures!

Thanks Grams!

A Celtic Birthday

My precious mom-in-law, Lois, truly loves all things Irish/Celtic/Gaelic.  If you go to her house or get in her car, she is very likely to be listening to a Celtic Romance CD.  I love it and think that it totally adds to what a sweet person she is. 

Lois and Noah in Florida last summer

So, when Tommy and I realized that Celtic Woman was going to be performing in Tupelo on February 13, we knew we had to get her tickets for her birthday which is February 26.  We were able to find some 5th row tickets on Craiglist for a decent price!  Yay!  I wasn't sure what to expect when she asked me to come with her, but we had a great time!

They are a fantastic group that sings a varied list of songs including versions of the well known "You Raise Me Up" and "When you Believe" as well as fun Irish tunes like "Dulaman" and "At The Céili".  They also have a fantastic violinist who absolutely AMAZED me!

It was a really fun night and it was wonderful to get to spend some time with Lois.

Happy Birthday Mom!

(photos found via Google Images)

A Very Busy (and fun-filled) Weekend

One day (hopefully in the near future), I will have a laptop at my house that works and I will get to post pictures from Christmas and our snow days and all the other things we've been doing for the past month and a half.  For now though, our Dave Ramsey budget doesn't allow for a new computer purchase. :(

But, this weekend I made a few pictures with my phone so you will get at least a little of us!

So here's what we did...

Friday Night

Noah went to his dad's.

AnnaLauren went here with her GeGe - I do NOT love this place!

Tommy and I sat at home.  He "worked" on his work laptop and I decorated for a baby shower.

Saturday

AnnaLauren headed to her Grams to spend the night,Tommy headed out to get away from all the women and I threw a baby shower!

My sweet friend, Victoria, came over and we had a fabulous Woodland Themed Baby Shower, complete with pine cones, sunflowers and the cutest cakes you've ever seen!

This is one of the signs from the party.  So Cute!  I will try to do a complete post about this sweet and very budget friendly shower.

Saturday Night

After a little clean up.  Tommy and I got ready and had a little night out.

We went to a little place called The Stables for a cocktail and some fresh chicken strips.  Yum!  It's located is an alley downtown and actually did serve as a stable and carriage house way back in the day.

Then we went to see these guys!  They were never really on my radar before, but they were fantastic!  Seriously, two thumbs up!

Rascal Flatts

We had fun - see!  We even made a self-portrait!

 

After the show, we did the old stand by from back when we were single.  A run to Krystal!  I think this has been standard post-concert fare for us since before we even met.  Back in in high school days even!  But I question everything about you, if after a long night, that you don't love a Krystal Chik with Cheese. J/K :)

Sunday

We were losers and slept in on Sunday morning.  Being withour kiddos and staying out way too late will do that to you!  But, we should have been here...

But, the afternoon was devoted to football!

Our uber cool (way cooler than us) friends, the Warrens, had a few people over for a little Super Bowl party.  And although this year we weren't really pulling for one team over the other, I really liked seeing a new era of the Green Bay Packers withour Brett Favre.

We ate WAY too much though.  Just a partial menu was - 5 kinds of wings, hamburger sliders on hawaiian rolls. meatball sammies, cajun steamed shrimp, rotel cheese dip, peach cobbler and King Cake.

So fun!  I love restful weekends, but every now and then it's fun to go all out and have a non-stop weekend of fun.

Hope yours was fabulous too!