Hello Vacation!

We made it to Charleston! We left Nashville about 7:15 on Saturday and arrived in Charleston late Saturday afternoon. I did alot of reading and sleeping on the ride. Luckily for Mom and I, Monroe likes to drive. We went to dinner, did a little grocery shopping and relaxed Saturday night. We were all pretty drained from traveling.

This morning (Sunday) we slept late and then headed into downtown Charleston for some sightseeing. We walked through the markets, took an awesome carriage ride and had dinner. It was a really great day and I just LOVE Charleston. I could live here for sure. Here are a few of my favorite pictures of the day:

Can you tell what this is? Kind of gross but looked cool :)

Hope everyone has a great week!

Top 2 Tuesday...Before You Die

Taylor picked a great topic this week and I couldn't help but play along. What are 2 things you want to do before you die? Well obviously there are several but I picked two of the most important to me.

1. Become a wife and mommy: It's no secret to those that know me that I love children and want to be a mommy one day. I won't lie, the last few years have been kind of hard in a way, watching (what feels like) everyone I know find someone who loves them and get married. Of course I am SO happy for my loved ones and very thankful that they found that perfect person, but if I'm being honest, I would say I am a little jealous. I just really want to find someone who loves me completely and that I can love in return. And then have their babies :) ha! For now I will enjoy supporting my friends in their marriages and enjoy spoiling their children! It's so much FUN!

2. Go on a mission trip-hopefully to visit my sponsored child, Olympia in Kenya: I began sponsoring a child a few months ago and hope to sponsor more in the future. I just think it would be such an amazing experience to get to meet Olympia and see how my sponsorship has changed her life and share with her how it has changed mine! Click here to see my post about Olympia...which reminds me, I think I'm due for an updated Olympia post soon.

Study Study Study

I did a little catch up blogging tonight (this is the 3rd post!). Sorry I have been somewhat MIA. I am studying for the CPA exam and it is killing me. Not to mention my great uncle John passed away last week and my grandfather had open-heart surgery on Wednesday. I am happy to report that PaPa (my grandfather) is doing wonderful. :) His surgery went well with no problems and earlier today he moved into a regular room. He is 87 and they told him that he did better than some 50 year olds! Recovery will be hard and longer than he wants, but he should be feeling much better in no time.

PaPa last Christmas

Until Wednesday I will pretty much be studying non-stop, with the exception of work, church, and a quick photo shoot on Sunday. I sit for the first part of my exam (Audit) on Wednesday. I am SO nervous. I have always been a good test taker but it is so much harder with work to put in the time really needed to do well. I am being forced to take the exam a few weeks sooner than I had planned, but it will work out. If I don't pass, then I can just retake it at a later date. However, I am going to do my best to squeeze these mountains of information into my head before Wednesday. I would be so proud of myself if I actually pass the first part on the first try!

After my test Wednesday, it's time to relax! My friends are going to help me by joining me for Mexican and Margaritas Wednesday night. I am so looking forward to spending an hour or so with friends and NOT feeling guilty for having my eyes somewhere other than my CPA review book. Then on Saturday I am headed for VACATION! My parents and I are headed to Charleston, SC until the following Friday and then we are going to shack up with the newlyweds Sara and Jason for a couple of nights. My mom, Sara, and I will be going to see Sex and the City 2 on Friday and then we are all headed to the NASCAR race and Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday. My step dad Monroe is a big race fan and he jumped at the chance of visiting a track he's never been before. I can't wait for a relaxing week with my family....although we will miss my brother :(

Well I am off to bed so I can get up and study bright and early tomorrow morning. Say an extra prayer for me in the next couple of days and especially on Wednesday. Wish me luck!

The Chase is On

After the flood in Nashville, there was a short time when the status of one of the best events of the year was in question. Luckily, the race went on as scheduled. We started early by meeting at Natasha's house at 8am. We were on the road by 9 and by 10 it was time to get the party started. Of course there was a full spread of food and drinks, jello shots galore, flip cup games, sunglasses, adorable dress, fantastic friends and even a band party. I mean what's not to love?!? We had so much fun. I honestly think this was the best year yet! The weather was perfect with blue skies and sunshine all day. Check out Natasha's recap here. Of course I took tons of pictures...these are some of my favorites.

all the ladies

Adam being paparazzi

Ms. Broadway and I

Look who I found wondering around

the fabulous Mrs. Gray

Me and Bev at the Band Party-so much fun!

Bev and DGib

Meg and Aaron

LOVE these ladies

xoxo

can't get much more frat boy than this crew-and
we wouldn't have it any other way

speaking of frat boy...me and my FAV frat boy :)

Doesn't it look like so much fun?!? I'm ready for next year already!

8 x 8

I was tagged by Caroline at Simply Smithwick to play the 8 x 8 game. You are supposed to go to your photos on your computer and find the 8th photo in the 8th album and tell about. So here it is:

This is my fur child Caddy over Easter weekend this year. We traveled to Bath Springs, TN (outside Clifton, right over the TN river if you are traveling from Nashville) to my family's cabin on the TN river. I LOVE spending time there and this was the first time I had taken Caddy. He loved it. Even though it was pretty cold and the water had to be freezing, that didn't stop him from splashing around in it. I can't wait until next month when I have a few free weekends to head back to the cabin and soak up the rays on the boat!

So now I am tagging these 8 people to play along:

Natasha at A Day in the Life
Rachel at Keeping up with the Grays
Jax at Jax and Marbles
Haley at Blissfully Theirs
Jessica at Love From Texas
Holly at The Accidental Lawyer
Allison at Allison's Pretty Place
Natalie at Life at the Stickles' House

Can't wait to see your pictures ladies!

My Best Friend's Wedding

I promised you a wedding post and I'm finally getting around to it. I'm sorry, it's been a busy week. I left Nashville on Wednesday after work and headed to Knoxville to get the long wedding weekend started. When I arrived, Sara, Jason, Andrea, Jon and I put together Welcome bags for the out of town guest and came up with a plan for the next day. My job Friday morning was to drop all the welcome bags off at the hotels while Jason and Sara got their marriage license and Andrea and Jon picked up flowers and food. We had a plan.

Thursday morning we started bright and early around 7 am. We all did our assigned tasks and then met back at Rarity Bay to help unload tables and chairs at the wedding and tailgate site. After a busy morning and afternoon, Sara, Andrea, Melea, Darla and I headed into Knoxville for manicure/pedicures and dinner at Savelli's. Oh my goodness....Savelli's was AMAZING! It was about the size of the bottom floor of my townhouse (very small) but SO SO SO GOOD. I can't wait to have an excuse to go back. The girls enjoyed their night out of gossiping, eating and of course, some wine drinking.

The Bride getting her pedicure

Darla and Andrea at dinner

Melea, Me, Sara at dinner

Friday morning was another busy one. We got up early and made bouquets, flower arrangements and set up chairs for the rehearsal at 10am. We had a short rehearsal and then helped set up tables, etc for the wedding before heading to the Riverboat on the lake for the rehearsal lunch. I know a rehears lunch isn't standard, but I thought it was a great idea. Being on the boat was fun and the food was great. After the rehearsal lunch, there was more setting up and preparing for the wedding the next day.

Ethan, Ava, Bongi (Sara's nephew and nieces)
The guests of honor
All the bridesmaids

This might be my most favorite picture of us ever :)

At 6 Friday night it was tailgate time! Sara and Jason love tailgating and thought a tailgate party for everyone would be a great way to get to spend extra time with their out of town guest. We had a lakeside party complete with corn hole and BKW wings! It was so much fun and I think everyone had a blast! After the tailgate I spent the night with Sara as her last night as a single lady. I always envisioned us staying up for hours talking and laughing, but to be honest, we were SO TIRED that we crashed pretty much immediately.

Saturday morning we got up, went to McDonald's and started getting ready for the main event. We ran a few errands and then met all the other ladies at the Korn's (wedding site) around 11. We all had a great time getting ready together and stalking the weather on our cell phones. Around 1 the bottom fell out of the sky and it POURED but luckily around 2 the rain went away...just in time for pictures! After pictures the girls headed to the boat dock to get on the boat! That's right, the girls arrived to the ceremony by boat. It was awesome to have those few minutes of quiet time on the ride over...not to mention the glass (or two!) of wine. :)

The ceremony was short and sweet and absolutely perfect--minus my crying! After the ceremony it was time for a few more pictures and then time to get the party started! The reception was so much fun. We all had a blast!

Baxsley-another niece
cake table--YUMMY

The wedding was absolutely perfect, in large part to Andrea (Sara's sister) for all of her hard work and God for keeping the rain away. I was so honored to stand next to by best friend as she married Jason.

Show Us Your Life-Your Kid's (or future kid's) Names

I have never participated in Kelly's Show Us Your Life, but I thought today was a fun topic. What are your children's names or future children's names? Well, I don't have any children so I will stick with future children's names....assuming my husband (if I ever find one) agrees :)

Tate Wesley or Wesley Tate

My last name is Tate and my Mom and Step-dad's last name is Wesley...so I will probably use either Tate Wesley or Wesley Tate, obviously depending on the last name I end up with :) I think Tate is a different name that isn't too out there but isn't too commonly used either. Plus it would be in honor of my dad's side of the family. In addition, Wesley would be in honor or my step-dad Monroe. So, I'm hoping if I ever get to be a wife and mommy, that my husband agrees :)

Tate/Tatum ???

Obviously the same reasons above for the Tate reference. Otherwise, I'm not sure for a little girl. I really love "boy" names for girls (i.e. Ryan, Tyler, Taylor) but I don't have anything specific picked out. I also like Elle. I think it's different and sounds southern :)

Obviously I am not anywhere close to becoming a mommy but I hope to one day. When that day comes, I'll put a little more thought into it!

Jump on over to Kelly's Korner and join in the fun!

Staying Dry

For now I will just say that the wedding was beautiful and perfect and my best friend was the most beautiful bride. The wedding was so much fun and I promise to do full recap posts in the next week or so.

I just wanted to drop in and ask for your prayers. You have probably seen pictures of the terrible flooding occurring in the West/Middle Tennessee area. Nashville is absolutely unbelievable. You cannot imagine the flooding. My place and my parents' place are staying dry; but so many people in and around Nashville were not so lucky. Many people have lost their homes, cars, possessions and in some cases, their lives. Please say a special prayer for them today. Also, please say a special prayer for those trying to get home...there are people stuck in Nashville that can't get out to get home and people stuck outside Nashville that can't get in to get home. The rescue workers also deserve a special prayer. We are so thankful for them and grateful for their service.

Good news: the forecast is bright and sunny for the next few days. Hopefully we dry out soon.