Market Street Saturday

I've always loved downtown Columbus. My hometown has some of the most beautiful antebellum homes in the country, and one of the most charming southern historic districts around.

Market Street is the "must do" yearly event in downtown Columbus. The weather is usually almost perfect, and folks in this region are pretty awesome crafters. For years Daisymaes had a booth. It's the place to catch up and have lots of familiar, sweet smiling folks hug your neck.

Arleigh O and I planned a much needed girls day with Nano for a little shopping. The one thing about going with Nano, I can gurantee you are going to hear 900 "Hey, Mrs. Sansing" from every kid she's every taught. 

AO loved riding in her stroller and didn't make a peep.

We had chicken salad fruit plates at an adorable little restaurant called the Gourmet Garage, behind Beard's Antiques. (This is where AO became a huge new fan of dehydrated green beans and okra.)

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I bought this fabulous stained glass piece for $35. It takes up my entire kitchen window!

AO got her first balloon.... 

She went on her first carriage ride through the tree lined streets of the historic district. And took a nap....

We met sweet Swayze for Tutti Fruiti yogurt

 

And AO absolutely collapsed from her busy day. How was your weekend?

Friday in Phoenix

So far, Mady beat me bad at Candyland, we had our chocolate fix at the Cheesecake Factory, enjoyed some Arizona sunshine and wore out the littlest member of our party.

The girls made one batch of chocolate chip cookies...Ours really overcooked and John showed us up with mad baking skills on the second batch! Then it was time for a little hand print Pinterest craft project, and on to tea parties with Snow White before bedtime books with Doc McStuffins. I think we are all pretty exhausted. The grownups crashed half way through watching Bridesmaids.

How was your Friday? This chic has so much to learn before AO hits this stage!

BFF Kimberly - Off to Phoenix!

We've been friends for years. Seriously...It makes me feel old just thinking about it. Her parents transferred to a little bitty rental house next door to my family when they first moved to New Hope around 1990.  I remember sitting on the floor of her bedroom playing the game of  Life. How appropriate for us.  They didn't stay in that house long, but Kimberly and I have been friends ever since. So far, we've been through first boyfriends, first kisses, churches and church trips, going with me on my first date (which her mom took us on!), sleepovers and even more sleepovers, transferring high schools (I'm still devastated about this one), a Tom Cruise crush, proms, bad breakups, college decisions, trips to LA and New York and everywhere in between, more boy drama, then finally both meeting our Johns. Then it was more serious talk about marriage, air force, deployments,  growing our faith, being a wife, raising our babies, work, and every relationship in between. She's my rock. She never judges. But she will seriously tell me I'm crazy if I need it.

We've been there from moves to colleges and Seminary in Dallas, Texas, about 15 different houses and apartments in Columbus, Mississippi,  my little family moving to Tuscaloosa, the Ryan's to Phoenix, Arizona the first time, then Sumter, SC, then back to Phoenix.  But when we need each other, we can tell it. And we make time. Even if it is just for a four hour phone call about nothing just because we needed a break from life to laugh.

We stood by each other as maid of honor when we got married to our boys both named John.

 

We were there when we both had our first babies.

And we were there for everything in between. It's so incredibly rare for your childhood best friend to grow up and STILL be your best friend. We've been blessed.

But now, Kimberly's had a tragedy that I can't shake from my core. She lost a child. She was there for me when I had our miscarriage and got pregnant again, but it's nothing like loosing a child who should have survived. She had to plan a funeral for her child. Who was a perfectly healthy girl. Who had a name. When you think everything will be fine, only to hear those words "Ava didn't make it". Just a freak, freak, accident. Who has to deal with something so gut wrenching like loosing a child? Especially during childbirth - something most of us completely take for granted as a blessing and a bright spot in our memories?  Loosing a child that should be here now. Why her, God. Why? 

I still have the voicemail from John on my phone. And I remember the words from Kimberly. I hurt because she hurts. It makes me so sad to think about her pain of not being able to bring Ava home. 

To give her all the love her little life could stand.

But today, I'm leaving on a jet plane to hug her neck. And I'm excited. :-) Lots of chocolate and laughter in my near future. You should be very jealous.  

Not sure Phoenix can handle us in the same zipcode. Even if it is just for the weekend. :-)

Planning for Egypt

I'm starting to settle into the idea that I'll be headed to Egypt in 3 months. I've downloaded learning Arabic pod casts, and I'm trying to learn at least 2 words a week. That's one tough language! LA SHUKRAN has been my first phrase. No Thank you! I've been doing a little research on the country, and this is the first thing and words it recommends.

While Egypt is an extremely hospitable country, they can (from what I've been reading) be a little over bearing when it comes to getting you to buy or shop their wares. Much like the old days shopping Juarez, Mexico or other impoverished areas. Tipping - baksheesh - is also something I have to learn more about before I leave. Since most income in Cairo comes from tourists, tipping is a way of life and how most of these people make their money. I'm also trying to come to terms with the toilet facilities...the public kind, not the ones at nice hotels or restaurants. They aren't free to use, and even toilet paper cost more. YUCK. Just Yuck.

I've already started planning my wardrobe for the trip. It's a little more difficult than you may think. We're visiting a 95% Muslim country, so out of respect, we should dress more conservative than normal. It's a little hard to plan a conservative outfit to wear in 98 degree temperatures. Fully covered arms and legs, but jeans or pants are fine. Particularly for days we plan on visiting any mosques or religious sites. (We're to add head coverings to those days.) It's two completely different sets of clothes. One set for 5 days in Egypt, and a completely different style for 3 Days in Paris.

I must admit I absolutely love immersing in other cultures. I can not wait to get completely lost in the Khan el-Khalili bazaar! Of course I want to see the pyramids, but I really want to shop!!! :-)

My top list of things I want to do in Egypt:
Pyramids
Ride a camel around the pyramids
Khan Bazaar
National museum of Antiquities
Nile Cruise
Mosque tours
City of the Dead


Guess I better get to work so I can have pounds to use at the Khan! :-)

September Trip to Egypt

Brock and I, with our crazy dreams, have decided it's been MUCH too long since a big adventure. We have always traveled together! We've done Los Angeles, New York, Italy, Monaco, France, Germany, Spain...and lots of spots in between together.

One afternoon my phone rang, it was Brock, and just like always, he says - "Don't you want to go somewhere?"

Instead of my usual hesitation about bills to pay, leaving John at home (that's another piece all together, because JOHN will not fly!), not wanting to take off work, money.... I blurted out "SURE, where are we going this time?"   My head was racing more with the fact I am now 30, and we're quickly approaching the "have a baby and settle down" phase of our life.

Initially we discussed heading to Australia, but I REALLY want to make this trip with my dad, plus with the time changes it's a hard trip to make in a week. Greece was also on the short list, because it's been on my bucket list a while, but with their government money problems, we decided to hold off on it for now.

You have to understand, Brock and I don't do small trips. We do crazy adventures. It's always a full novel in itself when we travel together. I'm going to try to round up photos and do a few blog entries on other destinations.


Before we hung up, we had nailed down Egypt, Cairo in particular, and had picked our dates. I immediately called my Mama and invited her to come along, since she really needs help getting stamps on her passport. She told me to ask my daddy, which I immediately did, and we were all settled. We'd have 3 flying to Cairo in September!

We don't typically debate or over think big trips like this. Just hammer out the destination and dates, and then worry about the rest.

Within about 2 days, Brock had already booked three nights at the Four Seasons residence in Cairo. We're staying nights 4-5 at the Hotel Meriden on the Nile. From Cairo, we're venturing to Paris for three nights, then heading back home.  I am so excited! Now, I need another job to cover the airfare!

PB&J beach trip 2010

If you don't know this already, I consider myself an honorary daughter in the Hall clan. As a matter of fact, PB&J is the little nickname for the three amigos - Penny, Brooke and Jen. ROAD TRIP!!!

We did the typical beach trip - Off to Perdido Key, LULUS with our personal serenade,  mexican, a movie day crashing on the couch because of the rain, big ole beach chair rentals, the pool, Lamberts, and peach cobbler on the way home at the farmers market. (At the giant strawberry, for those who make the trip!) 

Brock (my first cousin and one of my inner circle) let us use his condo for a quick little girly trip to the beach. It was so nice to be chillaxin listening to the waves, and his condo is gorgeous!!

A little Hall girl tradition, KRISPY KREME!

 We came back and spent one more vacation day at the pool. Although, the view from my pool is a little different with a pond view instead of the ocean. No sounds of waves crashing here, only frogs and mosquitoes buzzing.  I have gotta get the rest of the photos off of my camera!