Just what the doctor ordered

Yes, indeed, I have had a pretty lazy weekend. And I feel like I deserved it after the week I had last week. I was mentally exhausted between a crazy week at work and dealing with my car drama for five days straight.

Friday night my friend Allison was in town, and we stayed up late catching up on the deck over a few beers for her and vodka tonics for me. Before we knew it it was almost 3 a.m. and time to call it a night. So of course when Saturday morning rolled around, I was feeling the repercussions of a late night the night before in addition to a runny nose and non-stop sneezing. I just felt BAD in general.

After talking myself out of not cleaning the house (which didn't take much) I napped almost all afternoon in a lovely Benadryl-induced sleep. I really think it was just what I needed! Poor Derek just had to fend for himself all afternoon, but I don't really think he minded. I finally got up and moving around 5 p.m., cooked dinner and then we decided to have a movie night at home by renting "I Love You, Man" through the On Demand channel. It was pretty funny, and I totally enjoyed snuggling up to my husband on the couch with the cat in my lap and the dog at my feet. It was great.

Today we met Katie and Evan at the movies to see "Final Destination 3-D." Much to my surprise, I couldn't really roll my eyes at this one... it was pretty good (not too much of a plot, but great special effects.) And 3-D movies are just fun to watch in general. After the movie, we did a little shopping for some new clothes and then finished the day with take-out from Julep.

All in all, it was a very nice weekend, and if cherishing my lazy, no-plans, stay-in-my-PJs weekends at home means I'm getting old, then I'll take it. It's like taking a mental health day at work... sometimes you just totally need it!

Nice guys just get screwed...

It’s been an exhausting week… on Friday, I was leaving work when a tow truck backed up into the street and hit my car. I was stupid enough to not get a police report, so now I’ve been dealing with backtracking and doing what I can to get them to fix my car. Luckily the responding officer witnessed most of it, so his report after the fact and my statement to the insurance people will hopefully help work it out.

The lesson I learned is ALWAYS FILE A POLICE REPORT!!! Never take the other driver’s word that they’ll fix it. Never assume that people are honest. Never even question it! I’m learning the hard way. I just hope it works out in my favor… I’m cautiously optimistic.

And, for those of you in the Jackson area… DO NOT USE UNITED AUTO AND TOWING COMPANY!!! I will shout it from the rooftops if I have to. They’re not honest people and their drivers are reckless! Not to mention they’re a bunch of dirty, lying rednecks, but that’s beside the point.

From now on, I’m not giving anyone the benefit of the doubt anymore. I’ll no longer be the nice girl. I won’t believe that there are good people in this world. I am now a certified b*tch. Excuse my language, but I guess that's the only way you can get anywhere these days. So sad...

We go back like 1980

What a BEAUTIFUL weekend it's been! Our friend Dave came down from Memphis, and we headed to the lake yesterday morning for a low-key day on the water and to celebrate Cousin Wes's 29th birthday.

We were essentially the only boat on the water, and it felt like fall outside... absolutely gorgeous! We spent most of the day tubing and parking at the Redneck Yacht Club, which wasn't really a yacht club at all since we were the only boat. We entertained ourselves nevertheless. :)

Last night built a fire to keep the mosquitoes away and enjoyed some live music from Dave's guitar. We had so much fun on the water that we didn't even make it to midnight although we really tried! Here's Dave Unplugged...

And the birthday boy unplugged... yes, he fell off the cooler onto the ground and kept playing. That's some dedication right there.

We came back home this morning and sat outside on the deck this afternoon for a little while since it was too pretty to stay inside. The beautiful weather didn't keep me from taking my long-awaited Sunday afternoon nap later today, however. Now I'm all rested and ready to start another work week.

Too bad this cool weather won't stick around... I know it's just a tease, but I'm so ready for fall! Summer weekends like this one are far in few between in Mississippi, so we enjoyed it while it lasted!

Our Newest Neighbor

Baby Brady finally decided to make his debut at 4:55 p.m. yesterday weighing in at 7 pounds, 13 ounces. He’s one beautiful baby boy, and I know his mom and dad couldn’t be happier!

Congrats, Ben and Tina! Welcome to the coolest neighborhood in town, kid.

I love my friends!

We have had an abnormally busy few days this past week full of good times with good friends.

Tuesday night we enjoyed dinner out at Pan Asia for Nathan's birthday, Thursday night we got a surprise visit from David during his quick trip home from San Diego, and this weekend we said goodbye to John and Cassidy before they left to go back to Japan AND got to spend two nights with lots of my college friends who were in town for Lauren's baby shower. Whew! It's been a whirlwind, but lots and lots of fun.

Friday night everyone came over for beer and pizza at our house and we let all the husbands visit with each other while the girls reminisced about old times and looked through old college pictures. I think we tell the same stories over and over again every time we get together and it never gets old! I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Here are a couple of pics from Friday night...

The girls...

The guys...

On Saturday, Brooke came into town and we headed to Lauren's shower at Katie's new house.

The cute little mom-to-be...

And the cutest gift I've ever seen, a camouflage onesie that says "My first tree stand." Only in Mississippi... :)

After the shower, Brooke, Derek and I headed to Katherine's house to go check out Bright Lights, Belhaven Nights for a few hours before dinner at Amerigo's. It was a cool little festival but it was soooo HOT. We left before the sun went down and finally cooled off once we got to the restaurant.

Dinner was fun with all 12 of us, and afterwards we headed back to Katherine's house for some "night swimming" in the baby pool. It was really just an excuse to drink wine in the water and escape the mosquitoes.

It has been a super fun few days, but we are worn out! I enjoyed a wonderfully lazy Sunday afternoon today watching a good Lifetime movie or two in the bed. :)

So, to my friends... Happy Birthday, Nathan! We miss you, David! Sayonara, Cassidy and John! Congrats on the baby, Lauren and Jay! And everybody else, let's do it again soon! I love my friends!

She get it from her mama

Yes, even my cat appreciates Mississippi-made McCarty pottery. She's classy like that.

Glory Days

Today is sorority bid day at my alma matter, which means exactly 10 years ago today, I turned over a new leaf as I transformed from a “rushee” into a “pledge.” Yes, we called everything by its real name back then. That’s before the PC police came after us and made us change it to “recruitment” and “potential new member.”

For some reason the 10-year mark has hit me pretty hard this year, first with my high school reunion and now with the thought that it was a whole decade ago that I started college. Those years just seem to fly right on by, don’t they?

I thought I’d take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about some super fun and not-so-fun memories of sorority rush.

First, let me preface by saying that back in the olden days, we earned our keep by living in Panhellenic… one big, old dorm that housed all the sororities. Each sorority had two floors and one chapter room. These dorms were about 50 years old by the time we moved in, so of course there was all kinds of asbestos hanging out of the ceiling tiles and even a few bats hanging around the top floors, but that’s a whole other story. The girls now live in a posh, five-star “sorority village” complete with Viking appliances, two-person suites with the chapter letters carved into the headboards and their own bathrooms. Yes, I may be a little jealous.

Back to memory lane… here are some things I haven’t missed about rush… 4 a.m. showers to ensure you had the luxury of hot water; lining up for lunch and dinner buffets inside the bathroom (yes, the tables were set up inside the bathroom); bundling up in sweatshirts and blankets to endure the frigid 40-degree temperature inside the chapter room in August; hour after hour of endless discussion and voting based on a two-minute conversation with a nervous teenager; being locked on the same two floors with 80 other girls for a solid week; petty arguing over whether or not to cut an ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend; and the total exhaustion you felt after several nights of three to four hours of sleep at a time.

As for the things I miss… McAlister’s make-your-own potato bar for lunch at least twice in four days; losing my voice by trying to out-yell the other sororities in the stairwell as the rushees moved on to the next party; the total silliness and fun that comes with hours of sleep deprivation; practicing skit over and over and over again until it’s perfect; getting the inside scoop from the Rho Chi’s the next day that everyone thinks your sorority’s skit is the best; honestly spilling your feelings about how much you love these girls during Pref; and the pure excitement of all the new pledges who run into your chapter room on bid day and can’t wait to put on your letters.

It was absolutely one of my favorite college memories, both for the good and the bad. I loved sorority life, and I wouldn’t have traded it for the world. And since I was the official cheer leader (which was a very important job!) my senior year, I’ll leave you with a cheer…

BIM BAM BY DAMN, WE’RE THE GIRLS OF DELTA GAM! FIRED UP, READY TO GO, WE’RE THE GIRLS YOU NEED TO KNOW! LOOK AROUND AND YOU WILL SEE THAT NUMBER ONE IS DELTA GEE!!!!

Congratulations, ladies of Delta Gamma, on another great recruitment! You continue to make us old girls proud! :)