Erin Cobb.

I forgot to tell y'all that we are having our pictures taken today by the fabulous Erin Cobb.  I am beyond excited.  In all of our 20 years together, we have had our pictures taken at Olan Mills one time.  Last year when we lived in Cincinnati, Erin was in Columbus taking clients and I really wanted to go and have our family pictures taken.  BUT, we had not lived there long and I didn't want to ask Gary to take off work and then drive the two hours to Columbus.

Well, we just happened to move to SC and what do you know?  She posted on her blog that she was going to the Isle of Palms in SC to stay at the beach.  I knew right then that we were going to have a photo session with her no matter what we had to do.

I asked Gary about it and he said that if I wanted to do it we would.  I know that it is pricey but I am justifying it since we have never had professional pictures taken and because this will be the only chance since Caden will be graduating next May.  (sniff sniff)

She is going to take photos outside (she is a natural light photographer) at the beach house and then some at the beach.  I got our outfits together on Saturday and we are going to be casual since that is how we really our:)  I am beyond excited and can't wait to see the outcome.  She will give a sneak peek on her blog in a couple of weeks and I will let you know when she does.

So I leave you with a sneak peak of our vacation in The Turks & Caicos since I can't blog without a picture;-)

Happy Monday.

Texas and a game of basketball.

I should call this Texas Post 1 since I can't show you all the pictures in one post.  So, I will break it up into a couple of posts for y'all.  As I just typed this, I remembered that I haven't even showed you all the pictures from our vacation last year.  That is a must do post!

We decided to fly to Texas to visit my sister in law and her family.  We usually try to visit every summer but since we have moved so much in the last couple of years, we haven't been since 2009.  It was high time for a trip out there for some family fun.

Had to travel in my new Pleated Poppy scarf.  Loving my new purchase:)

Waiting on dad to park the car.

Usually I read on any flight that I take but this time Caden asked to play me in a game of scrabble on my IPad so that is what we did.  Gary always brings some type of history book to read:)

Flying into Ft. Worth and loving all the wide open spaces with touches of green!

So we flew out on a Thursday evening because my nephew was only going to be home until Sunday and we wanted to see him.  He is in college in Arkansas and his spring break was the week before Caden's so that is why we left a little early.

I have to say that when this group gets together, it is nothing but a big competition.  Courtney & Christopher (my niece and nephew) play college basketball and Gary & Chris seem to forget that they are 43 & 45 years old.  I think you know where this is headed.

This was the first thing they all did.

The grown men trying to whip up on the college kids:)

The boy who doesn't play basketball;-)

The whole time my sweet pea was playing, I was praying that he wouldn't have a heart attack!  (that's him shooting the ball)

A great father and son shot.

And lastly, the two old guys resting after dipping their heads in the pool to cool off!  They forget that they are middle aged now:)  I have to say that the old guys held up pretty well. They didn't lose by much;-) That was the only game that they got to play since Christopher had to return to school.

Up next I'll tell you about all the board games we played and my visit with my bestie Nancy that drove up from Houston to see me.

Monday Musings.

Good Monday Morning.

1. Is anyone else having a hard time getting up and getting things going? I am. I can't decide if it is because of the long holiday weekend or because I have so much to do that I don't know where to begin.

2. I am trying to get it together but it is a slow go this time.

3. And now we have Christmas coming. I have to go and buy a tree this year. We got rid of the one that we have had for the last 14 years.

4. Yes, I said 14 years:-)

5. I asked Caden if he would decorate the tree this year and he said yes.

6. The next day, he said no. Boo!

7. Gary is on vacation in two weeks and I have to be ready for him to finish up around the house. It will be the last time that he will be home for any length of time. New year means much work and no honey do time.

8. I am thinking that next year will be our big Christmas where we invite everyone to come here and spend the holidays with us. I just can't do it this year.

9. I think I am exempt:)

10. I can tell you that I don't want one thing this year for Christmas. Moving twice in 8 months will do that to you. SO much stuff and I am tired of stuff.

11. The house is coming along. I hope to have pictures taken of some of the things that I have finished.....which is not much:(

12. Don't you know that this is the reason for this rambling long post? I got nothin for y'all:)

I shall go now and get dressed and head out to buy a tree. WOO HOO! Fun fun:)

Here a picture of me and Gary in Oregon on Cannon Beach. I will be dreaming that I am there today.

Happy Monday!

Mel

I Fly.

The hubby is a daredevil. He will bungy jump, free fall, and now he did a simulation of jumping out of a plane.

Caden did it too.

Just for the record, I told Gary that he could sky dive (the real kind) but Caden could not:)

We found a place outside of San Francisco and off we went.

Here they are getting ready to go in the tunnel. They are both very excited.

In the tunnel waiting for their turn. I think Caden might be getting a little nervous at this point.

Here's Caden fixing to 'jump' in.

He's very happy at this point.

He's going on his own at this point.

This is right before the instructor takes him up really high in the tunnel. They add much more air in the tunnel at over a hundred miles an hour and it takes them up and drops them.

There he is going up in the tunnel.

Here is Gary's turn. He had just 'jumped' in.

Gary didn't get to go as high up as Caden did but they both loved it and said that they would do it again. Of course Gary would jump out of a real plane if he could find one.

Maybe that would be a really good birthday present for him:)

Have a great Monday.

Melanie

Kara's Cupcakes.

I love cupcakes.

I love gourmet cupcakes.

I love Walmart cupcakes.

I don't discriminate when it comes to a cupcake;-)

When we were in San Francisco, I ran across Kara's Cupcakes.

It was a stark looking store where all the focus was on the cupcakes.

They were not very big but they were very yummy.

I bought a chocolate one with a raspberry filling and a red velvet. I bought a third one but I can't remember what it was.

They really have cute packaging too.

They were very good but then again, I haven't met a cupcake that I don't like:) As I was leaving and trying to get a photo of the name of the bakery, I took this photo. Later when I uploaded it, I noticed that it caught my reflection in the window:)

This was the start to my weight gain that has taken place through vacation and these past two moves. It sure was fun putting the weight on but now it is back to the treadmill. You play, you pay!

Thanks to all of y'all for your support during this nightmare move. I am plugging along one box at a time. We are filing a claim for them to repair our furniture, replace the refrigerator, and a repair guy is coming on Monday to hopefully fix the dryer. Gary is on vacation next week so we plan on working hard and finishing up. I know that it will all come together but it has been rough. I have felt the love and support from everyone and it really means a lot. I would think about your emails when I was unpacking and remembering all the sweet words and prayers. It helped a lot.

Have a great weekend and I will have a sneak peek of the dining room on Monday;-)

Melanie

The Farmers Market in San Francisco.

On our second day in San Francisco, I took Gary to the farmers market. Okay, maybe I didn't take him along but I did ask him to take me;-) We let the teenager sleep in while we went and enjoyed food, flowers, and handmade things.

This is the first thing that we came upon. Everything and I mean everything is beautiful out there. I guess their climate is perfect to grow anything. And I tell you, they grow it.

Just look at the veggies. They are beautiful and on a sidenote, I didn't photoshop any of the pictures. Everything really is that bold and beautiful.

I wanted to take home some flowers but of course I wasn't going home. How nice would it be to go to the farmers market and buy your fresh ingredients for supper and pick of flowers for the table?

And then we headed inside. My oh my did I think that I had died and gone to dessert heaven.

I tried my first macaroon from this shop. It was the chocolate lavender one and I have to say that it did not live up to all the hype.

And then there was the bread. Oh the bread:)

Then we headed to The Cowgirl Creamery. I would have bought every typed of cheese they had if I could have.

After walking around and enjoying all the fruits, vegetables, flowers, and desserts, we headed outside and bought our lunch. I can't wait to show you what we got. I couldn't believe that Gary tried it and loved it.

We had a nice lunch outside at the farmers market and I will tell you about that next.

Ta Ta for now,

Melanie