San Francisco (part one)

Hello faithful blog readers out there! Despite what you may have thought, I am actually still here and doing just fine! :) It's just been a busy, busy last few weeks which has made it difficult to find time to keep the blog up to date.

At the beginning of September, my friend Maggie and I made the cross-country trek via American Airlines to sunny California to visit our good friend Mary Elizabeth. We had an amazing time there. The scenery was breathtaking, the food scrumptious, and the people were so friendly! Here comes picture overload for the next few posts. It's too much to try to do it all in one post, so I am going to just break it up a little.

Flying out there, we could see smoke from the fires at Yosemite:

 The first afternoon, we spent just walking around the city:

 Lombard Street: curviest road in America

 Streetcars:

 The Bay:

Chocolate!!!!

  

 Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate! Amazing!

 One of many views of Alcatraz:

 So good to be together again!

 Dinner our first night. I will have to say that the food we ate in San Francisco might be some of the best food that I have ever put in my mouth! Amazing freshness, beautiful presentation, and thoughtful pairing of flavors.

More to come...

Homemade Pizza

Pioneer Woman's Pizza Crust:

1 tsp yeast

4 cups flour (I used whole wheat)

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/3 c. EVOO

1. Pour 1 1/2 cup of warm water and add yeast

2. Combine flour and salt

3. Drizzle olive oil until just incorporated with mixer

4. Stir yeast/water and drizzle and mix until dough forms a ball

5. Let rise in warm place for 1-2 hours (go for a long run while it rises! :)

Pizza sauce:
2 TBSP olive oil
15 oz tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste
2 TBSP garlic
2TBSP brown sugar
2TBSP red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt, pepper, basil, oregano, cumin

On the road again (and again and again)

Is it possible that in just 2 weeks time I could have visited seven places? Yes, apparently it is! North Carolina, Virginia, Birmingham, Nashville, Athens, Birmingham (again), and South Carolina--all in 15 days! It's been a bit of a whirlwind around here...working full time, preparing for 2 online classes, and just the day to day activities in addition to the travels. It's all been fun, though, and I am thankful for this season of life where I am able to come and go with ease.

I've already caught up on North Carolina, Virginia, and first trip to Birmingham, so let's pick up with the Nashville trip. Here we are in Nashville on a little scouting trip to locate a rehearsal dinner venue for my brother's wedding in January:

 Two days later it was off to Athens, GA, where we shipped this little girl off to college. I can not believe that my baby sister is all grown up! My mom and I cried all the way home from moving her in! We will miss her, but are excited for her new opportunity to learn and grow.

 Sweet girl, we will miss you!

 Had I known what exactly I would be doing when I volunteered to help her move into the dorm, I might not have so eagerly volunteered. See this huge hill? Yes, that was the hill that we had to push industrial sized buckets up and down as we moved all of her stuff (and carried a futon up it too!). Did I mention that it was raining?! No big deal, right?! It was a mess and quite a workout. Fun times as a big sister! :)

 Whew! Hauling a load with sis:

 Her cute little dorm room. She and her roomie ordered matching bedding with monogrammed pillows:

 Home for 2 days, then off to Birmingham again to babysit my cutie pies:

 Watching Thomas the Train on the ipad:

 Home for 4 days and then off to South Carolina to hang out with these cuties! These three musketeers belong to my best friend and her husband. Rena Carolyn's husband was in his brother's wedding, so I went along as the "nanny" to be an extra set of hands for the weekend. It was tons of fun...never a dull moment!

 Playing dress up in her mommy's jewelry while her hair curled:

 Having fun in Ruthie's room while their mommy and daddy got ready...

 Aren't they precious?

 Sweet boy! Charlie and I got to spend a lot of quality time together...

 Baby Elsie (just 8 weeks old!). She was such a trooper the whole weekend!

 Wedding day! Bonnie Ann was the flower girl. Giving Uncle Will some sugar:

 Pretty mommy and little boy (RC's mother-in-law made all three of the children's outfits! She is so talented!)

 Bonnie Ann with her pretty Aunt Katie:

 All ready to be the flower girl:

 Sweet moments:

 Cute!

 Family picture with the groom:

 The happy couple:

It was an amazing wedding and reception, and I am sorry that I didn't get more pictures, but my hands were a little full! ;) 

Life is full right now, but so many sweet memories!

And then he was three...

Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday when I became an aunt for the first time and held this precious bundle in my arms:

 And now, he has grown into such a fine young man who turned 3 years old this week!

 My parents and Kathryn and I drove down to Birmingham for the party last weekend. Here is the birthday family:

 Mommy and her little boy:

 It was such a fun party! Take a backyard like this:

 Add a few friends:

 And fun times:

 Driving around:

 Add some cake:

 And icecream!

 And enjoy visiting with friends:

Throw in some extra fun birthday presents:

 And lots of hugs from family:

  

And you'll end up with a splashing good time! We love you, buddy, and pray that God will continue to shape you as you grow into the man of God you were designed to be!