NOLA

This weekend we hit the road to wonderful New Orleans. Our trip served several purposes - A.) We haven't been in a year, so it was just time. B.) We wanted to see Ole Miss play, and they happened to be playing Tulane at the Superdome on Saturday, and C.) We were lucky enough to get some free tickets to Sunday's Saints game. What a fun weekend!

We went with our friends Katherine and Paul, and we really had a great time. We ate at this great little restaurant on Friday night near Frenchman's Street that we just stumbled upon. It was a speakeasy theme with traditional New Orleans food. SO GOOD. Saturday we watched the Rebels whoop the Green Wave 39-0 and then wandered around the French Quarter for most of the afternoon and evening. It was a perfect day.

Then Sunday Derek and I met up with Uncle Rusty, Uncle Sib and Aunt Terri (and our old friend Ziggy) for brunch before walking to the game. Our seats were great, and it was so exciting to be in the midst of all that action.

 

Too bad the Saints lost it in the end (they were winning by a good bit when we actually left the game), but it was still fun.

Those NOLA trips will wear you out though. We're just now recovering two days later! But it was worth it for the memories. :)

A Visit with Mickey and Harry

Please pardon my recent absence... last week I went straight to a work conference when I got back into town, so this is my first chance to tell you about our trip!

Derek had a conference in Orlando last week. I told him when he went a few years ago that if he ever went back that I would have to go with him. And I also told him that we would talk divorce (kidding, of course, but I would be very sad) if he visited Harry Potter World without me. Sooooooo we worked out a way for me to do both! It was my early birthday present. :)

We flew out really, really early last Sunday, a day before the first sessions of his conference started. When we got to Orlando about 11 a.m., it was UGLY. Rainy, muggy, nasty weather really doesn't put you in the magical Disney spirit, but it actually worked in our favor. We dropped our bags at the hotel and took a cab straight to the Magic Kingdom. Apparently the weather scared off all the other visitors because we really might as well have had the whole park to ourselves! The weather cleared up and cooled off, and we waited no more than five minutes for any ride we wanted to check out. How amazing is that?

It was such a fun day, and most of Disney World was just as magical as I remember it being when I was a kid. The only thing I don't remember being as great this time was Space Mountain. But really I think I'm just old, so the rough roller coasters just hurt a little more on the ole bones.

We finally left the park as the fireworks were starting at 9 after riding every single ride (minus the little kid rides) that the park had to offer. Eight long hours at Disney World will wear a girl out.

Monday morning Derek went down to register for the conference, then we hit Universal Studios as soon as the gates opened at 9. First stop: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, of course!

This was just as cool as I had hoped and dreamed it would be. Very, very cool. If you know us well, you know that both Derek and I are big Potter fans, so this was so much fun for us to visit together. The only thing negative I can say about this park was that it wasn't bigger. I just loved every bit of it, and to be such a small part of the overall park, we spent about 90% of our visit there. We even were able to ride their big Hogwarts Castle ride twice. WE. LOVED. IT. (Nerds, I know...)

Here we are enjoying some Butterbeer (tastes like cream soda) at the Three Broomsticks.

After a little more exploring and a LOT of sweating (it was bright and sunny on Monday and about 90-something degrees), we again wore ourselves out and headed back to the hotel. Derek went to the conference that afternoon while I spent some down time at the huge pool. It was quite relaxing after the two days of trucking it through theme parks.

Monday night we went to a really nice steak dinner with some of Derek's co-workers then called it a night pretty early. I left Tuesday morning just as his conference got in full swing. It was a quick trip, but so much fun! I'm so glad I got to go, and I'm especially glad I got to nerd out at Harry Potter World with my favorite Potter fan. It was priceless.

Lazy Labor Day

After the craziness that was Hurricane Isaac last week, I was more than pleased to have a totally lazy three-day weekend for Labor Day.

We barely left the house except to go a few blocks over to Melanie and Trey's house to watch football on Saturday and meet their newest addition, Baby May. She is the tiniest baby I've ever held, and soooo sweet. You could almost forget she was even there. Just a precious little girl and a wonderful addition to the Field family!

Then it was back to the house for the rest of Football Saturday, then lazy day Sunday until we rode out to Katherine and Paul's house for a sunset cruise on the reservoir before once again returning to the quietness of our house.

Monday morning we did a little yardwork, thanks to Isaac. I actually helped Derek for about an hour in a half. It was kind of hard work, I won't lie. He obviously worked harder than I did, but that yard business is no joke. I won't take inside work for granted anymore!

Last week really was pretty stressful for both of us work-wise, so a nice, quiet LONG weekend was just what the doctor ordered. We're all rested and ready to conquer the world this week! Or at least as far as 8-5 is concerned. :)

Lake Weekend

My parents and our friends Claire and Jeremy came up for some fun in the sun/rain at Eagle Lake this past weekend, and we enjoyed every minute of it. It actually stormed for a good bit Saturday afternoon (we got caught in the middle of the lake on the pontoon boat during the storm), but it made for some gorgeous sunset pics.

It was a perfect, memorable day, and we even brought Bentley, who is still recovering from all the fun he had. :)

It was great to spend some time out there just relaxing, especially with this hurricane this week. Mom and Dad are battening down the hatches in Hattiesburg, and I'm on stand-by for emergency response for work. It's kind of crazy how different just a few days will make. BUT, we enjoyed it while it lasted, and we hope for the best over the next few days. Stay safe, everyone!

Another faux nephew to love!

My college friends and I call ourselves "faux aunts" to each other's children, and about a month ago I became a faux aunt for the third time.

This is a really wonderful situation because I get to watch all of them (all boys so far) grow up while still fitting in a good girls' weekend or two or three.

I went down to the coast this past weekend to visit my newest "newphew," Jackson Taylor Crosby. He is so precious, and his parents are over the moon in love with this little boy.

It's so fun to watch these girls come into their own as mamas. We're all grown-ups now, and while I'm not a mama myself just yet, I sure enjoy being a faux aunt, especially when it's time for a diaper change or a temper tantrum. I'm content to just hold, love, cuddle, ooh and ahh over all these babies and then hand them back to their rightful owners. Not a bad gig at all.

Congrats, Crosby Family! Jackson is as sweet as can be and can't wait to spend more time with Aunt Lizzie (so he told me).

Photo-less Weekend

We had one of those wonderfully productive, enjoyable weekends at home, but I didn't take a single photo to prove it. Sorry, kids...

Friday night we went to go visit our friend Drew's mom in the hospital. She's making progress, it's just going to be a long road ahead. But each day is a new day. It's been a hard month or so for them, to say the least.

After our hospital visit, we met our friends Katherine and Paul at the Bulldog for happy hour before having an actual dinner date (just the two of us) at Bravo. It was great! It was the perfect way to end the week.

Saturday we were all over the place... I went to a baby shower for my friend Melanie (who actually HAD the baby on Sunday - about a month early, but all was well and we can't wait to meet Baby May), then we went out on the reservoir with our friends Claire and Jeremy. It was a gorgeous day! Then that night we walked down the street for "dips and drinks" with the neighbors on the other end of our street. It was fun to venture out and still walk home! Ha!

Sunday we piddled around the house and then both did a little shopping that afternoon. It was a pretty relaxing weekend that I think we both thoroughly enjoyed. Sorry for the lack of pics. In fact, you probably stopped reading waaaay before this paragraph, but that's cool too.

Only a few more weeks left of what I call summer... kind of sad to see it go, but anxiously awaiting fall weather, boots, red wine, and firepits. :)

Birthday at the Beach

Derek turned the Big 3-0 on Friday, and to celebrate we headed down to Seagrove Beach, Florida, with some friends for a few days of sun and fun.

We actually had this trip planned since May with our friends Drew and Kristin, but because of the circumstances with his mom that I've mentioned in previous posts, they understandably had to cancel. We were lucky that our friends Allison and Jeb were able to fill in at short notice.

This was our second time to stay on 30-A in Florida, but our first time at Seagrove Beach, and it was absolutely beautiful. It had a really vintage feel with still a lot of trees before the beach sand started. Just gorgeous...

We got some good sun, grilled up some fresh mahi mahi and shrimp, explored Seaside and ate a few good dinners out, including Derek's birthday dinner at Cafe 30-A across the street from our condo. It was a nice trip, and I think it was a great way to ring in a new decade for the love of my life. :)

I can't tell you how happy I am that this guy is FINALLY 30. He has not stopped rubbing in the fact that I've been out of my twenties for the past two years, so it's time he joined my bracket.

Happy Dirty 30, D! Welcome to your best decade!