aces faces and places

Half Marathon in New Orleans - Part 3

2011-02-14T18:05:00.001-06:00

Afterwards............ Boy do my knees hurt. I did take an ice bath to reduce the soreness. Then, hot shower and quick nap. Have I mentioned that my knees still hurt?

We went back to the French Quarter and ate at Cafe Pontalba. I was starving and hoping that the restaurant we chose was within close walking distance. We couldn't decide if we should go to Pat O'Briens afterwards. So, we flipped a coin. Luckily, the coin told us to go. We all had a hurricane!

It was great sitting outside visiting with different people who had run in the race. Afterwards, we made a stop at Cafe Du Monde. But, our eyes were definitely bigger than our stomachs. We order 24 beignets, but had about 16 left over. They were so good - what a sugar rush.

After sleeping late, we made the trip back home. To celebrate Valentine's Day, we went Macaroni Grill for lunch in Mobile. When we got home, Kelly Bennett had decorated our house with this congratulations sign. It was a great weekend and a fabulous experience.

Half Marathon in New Orleans - Part 2

2011-02-13T17:22:00.001-06:00

In order to make it to the 7:00 a.m. start, I had to get up at 4:45 a.m. But, I didn't really sleep that night anyway. I sure didn't was to oversleep and miss the race. I had come to far! Luckily, I was able to park at the finish line (Delgado Community College) and take a shuttle to the start line. I sat next to an older gentleman from New Orleans who was running the full marathon. He gave me a great pep talk and escorted me to the start line. Our racing coach had told us to wear old clothes to stay warm at the start line. I ditched my old pajama pants at the start line. But, I wore AJ's long sleeved shirt through mile 3. Race officials collect the discarded clothes for the homeless.

The corral start was a little overwhemling, but exciting. My legs and feet were so cold and numb through the first 2 miles. I was amazed at all the spectators cheering. One local cheerleading group was dressed like KISS with full make-up. Another group of men were outfitted in red dresses passing out water. Along the route, people were handing out slices of king cake, Krispy Kreme donuts, beer, mimosas, oysters, etc. Some people were standing in front of their homes cheering in their pajamas, drinking coffee. I am so glad that I wore my DetermiNation shirt. There were DetermiNation coaches and supporters throughout the race. They had cowbells and a few ran alongside me for a bit. On the back of my race shirt, I put all the names of my supporters. It felt good to know that so many people were "behind" me.

At mile 5, I saw the Dybas. They took my picture and cheered me on. It definitely gave me a lift to see someone that I knew.

I felt pretty good through mile 7. Then, my left knee started feeling a little sore. Kelly Bennett had given me gummy bears and told me to have a couple every few miles. That gave me a boost too. I had 2 gummy bears at mile 6 and 4 at mile 10. I didn't eat anything else during the race. I also didn't want to have to stop at any of the porta potties.

At mile 11, both knees were really killing me. But, only 2.1 miles to go. I felt really good cardio-wise all the way through the end. I saw AJ at what ended up being .02 from the finish line. I saw him before he saw me. Seeing him definitely pepped me up. He told me that the Hodos were about another .01 down the route. They took this picture.

At least I had some people still behind me. I finished in 2 hours and 46 minutes. I had hoped to finish in 2 hours and 30 minutes. But, I DID FINISH.

I met AJ and the Hodos at the finish. Then, we went to the DetermiNation tent. The literally had a red carpet out for us and cheered us into the tent. That was very special. They had a goodie bag for me and were so welcoming. I met up with my other teammates and with other runners who had raised money for the American Cancer Society. These are some pictures that they took for the ACS brochure.

My team raised $22K+, the second most amount raised. We were only behind the American Cancer Society home office... and they had 24 members.

When we left the tent, I was interviewed about why I ran. To see my story, see this: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/DetermiNation/DNFY10National?px=18456200&pg=personal&fr_id=27265

I am glad I have a supportive husband. And, my bib and medal! Yea.

Half Marathon in New Orleans - Part 1

2011-02-12T17:00:00.001-06:00

We left Auburn for New Orleans at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 12. The closer we got to the city, the more nervous I became. We stopped off at the condo in Metairie to drop off our bags. One of my construction alums graciously let us use his corporate condo for the weekend. Then, we went to the convention center to pick up my race packet at the Expo. Wow - the Expo was overwhelming. There were tons of people everywhere.

David and AJ were patient at the Expo

With the sign at the Expo

Hodos!

We had dinner at Cafe Masperos in the French Quarter and then went for a walk. I ordered pasta to "carb load" for the race. A Carnival cruise set was setting sail on the river. It was pretty cool to see. We also saw a fiverboat and 3 of the largest rats I have ever seen. Yikes!

Voyage to a Championship - Day 2

2011-01-09T20:32:00.001-06:00

We are in... Vegas! As part of our whirlwind trip, we decided to take a party bus with the Las Vegas Auburn Club instead of driving a car. The bus was scheduled to leave Excalibur. On Sunday morning, we timed the walk from MGM Grand to the bus pick up at Excalibur - 14 minutes give or take. We wanted to be prepared on game day.

Mom and I had the great idea to walk the Strip for exercise. In order to reach our distance goal, we ended up walking for an hour and 15 minutes. We also time the walk from MGM to the Flamingo. Mom, Dad, Jeff, and I attended Auburn party at the Flamingo. It was hosted by the Las Vegas Auburn Club and we met Freddie Carney! Freddie is president of the LVAC and put together all the buses for game day.

Jeff and I on the bridge from NYNY to Excalibur, in front of the MGM Grand.

My parents at the Auburn party.

Mom and I with Freddie Carney.

Auburn party

Voyage to a Championship - Day 1

2011-01-08T19:54:00.001-06:00

The first day finally arrived for our epic trip. A lot of things had to come together for Auburn to be in the position to play for a national championship. A lot of things had to come together for me and AJ to take this trip. After a long month from the SEC Championship and our invitation to play in the BCS game, we finally arrived at the Atlanta airport. I don't think AJ slept a full night from Dec. 4 to Jan. 8 because he has been so excited.

The contents of my suitcase were orange and blue. The Atlanta airport was orange and blue. I was so nervous about losing our game tickets. I even devised a plan so that AJ would be on one side of the security gate and I would be on the other so we could keep an eye on the tickets.

At the gate, I used my charm and sweet talking to get AJ on an exit aisle seat. Then, the gate agent called me back up and got ME on the exit row. On the plane, I sat next to newlyweds from Austrailia. As everyone boarded, they asked me - Is there some sort of sporting event going on? They had no idea......

AJ and his dad, Tony, at the gate ready to board the plane.

My brother, Jeff, was able to come with us too.

Mom with her #2 button.

Me and mom at the gate.

We arrived in Vegas around 10:30 p.m. Unable to contain our excitement, Jeff and I decided to head to the West Wing Bar at the MGM Grand. We had a great time catching up. We counted how many Auburn bowls games we have attended. We have both gone to 17 games, but not the same 17. I thought that was amazing.

2010 Review - No Wonder I Am Tired

2010-12-31T21:44:00.002-06:00

Like everyone else, it is time to reflect on 2010. What did I really accomplish? I have to say this was a pretty good year. I achieved 3 major personal goals. I also traveled a lot and had a ton of fun. I pretty much covered most of Florida during 2010. As best as I can remember, in 2010 I traveled to:

- Tampa, FL
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Orlando, FL
- Destin, FL (twice)
- Dallas, TX
- Washington, DC
- Miami/South Beach, FL
- Fairhope, AL
- Pensacola, FL
- New Orleans, LA (twice)
- Mobile, AL
- Cozumel, Mexico
- New York, New York

My Top 10 Adventures/Events/Ideas of 2010 (in no particular order):
1. In addition to traveling, I greatly enjoyed Auburn's undefeated season and my unexpected trip to the SEC Championship game.
2. Another highlight of the year was the cruise I took with 4 of my college sorority sisters.
3. I celebrated my 20th high school reunion and saw some "old" friends.
4. I took one of my friends to the airport so he could fly to his new job in Afghanistan. (I also think he might be the only reader I have on this blog)... Haha - Hey Steve.
5. I studied for and passed the CFRE exam (Certified Fundraising Executive)
6. I started training to run in a half marathon in February 2011 AND to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
7. I spent a lot of time at the Atlanta Braves games. I probably went to more games in 2010 than in all the other years combined.
8. I pushed myself professionally.
9. I am cooking new recipes, trying different wines, and writing more on my blog.
10. I was selected to take on the role of president-elect for Junior League.

On to 2011....
I have 3 new goals to achieve. Two of these will be more difficult to achieve than any of the ones from 2010. But, if you don't try, you can't succeed, right?

I hope that 2011 will start with a bang and a National Championship. I cannot wait to go to the game on January 10. I have the highest of expectations for my Auburn Tigers and for this trip.

Stay tuned.....

Merry Go Round

2010-12-18T20:48:00.001-06:00

AJ and I went on our annual trip to the Merry Go Round in the Valley. I think I have been every year since I was born (except for my senior year in high school when I had my tonsils out.). I also think that only people from the Valley call it the Merry Go Round.

I don't think it could have been any colder that night. Of course, we didn't have on coats or gloves. Oh, we love to be spontaneous.

AJ shivering on the horse.

Sips and Strokes!

2010-12-17T20:56:00.001-06:00

Mom and I went to Sips and Strokes on Friday, December 17. When I told mom that the class started at 8:00 p.m., I thought she was going to faint. We got out of there at 11:30 and we were the first to leave. It was so much fun. This class was to benefit my half marathon team and the American Cancer Society.

Our blank canvases before we got started.

Mom getting ready to paint.

The finished products. Can you tell it is late at night?

CADC Girls Night Out

2010-12-15T20:36:00.001-06:00

On Wednesday, December 15, it was Girls Night Out for CADC. We had a great time at Laredo's. I love these girls.

Carla and Juanita.

Cassandra and Melissa. Look at Cassandra's ring!

All of us together.

Our arms together.

Carla's Christmas Party

2010-12-11T20:44:00.001-06:00

The Bells invited us to their annual Christmas party. We finally got everyone together for a picture. We watched the Heisman ceremony. Thank goodness Cam won. I was nervous even though he won by a landslide.

SEC Game!

2010-12-04T20:23:00.001-06:00

At 10:45 a.m., I had on my running clothes when I got a call from my friend, Hank Galbreath. He said he was unable to go to the game. He had two tickets waiting for him in Atlanta. He asked if I could get to Atlanta an hour and half before kickoff to pick up the tickets. I reminded him who he was talking to..... haha. I pretended to be Superman and made a quick wardrobe change. Oh, the tickets were from Lloyd Nix, the 1957 AU champion quarterback.

I called AJ in a panic and told him I was headed to the game. I asked him to find me someone to sit with. Amy Camp met me in the parking lot of the LaGrange Cracker Barrell. Everything from there worked great - front row parking at Marta station, walked straight on to the Marta train, found AJ at the top of the Marta exit, found Lloyd Nix with the tickets, and walked right in. Whew! Couldn't believe it. What a great day!

AJ met up with a bunch of his South Carolina friends.

We saw sweet Libby Amos!

I didn't feel comfortable about the win until the fourth quarter.

CADC Christmas Party

2010-12-03T20:17:00.001-06:00

On Friday, December 3, we had the CADC Christmas Party at the AU Club. Grace Anthony attended with me. She is our new coordinator (but not officially with HR yet...)

Group Pic, Take 1

Group Pic, Take 2

The Bells - Love them!

Me, Carla, and Dan

Auburn Beats Bama!

2010-11-26T20:09:00.001-06:00

We were way too nervous to go to Tuscaloosa for the Auburn game. I almost couldn't watch it on TV. We watched the first half at our house. Then, when that wasn't going so well, we drove to my parent's house during half time. My mom was too shaky to drive to our house. My dad was the smartest one of all. He went to the movie theater and watched a film with David Housel. We called them when the game was over and headed to Toomers!

AJ is so excited at Toomers.

AJ running towards Toomers.

So excited....

The day after the game.

Auburn Football Season - Wow!

2010-11-15T20:01:00.001-06:00

What an amazing Auburn Football Season! It has been so much fun. We had a great time at the Auburn/UGA game.

Before the game, we met Steve Wallace at the tailgate.

He is a three-time Super Bowl Champ. Note the huge ring.

Tigerwalk at Auburn/UGA game.

Toomers on Sunday after the win.

First Half Marathon - American Cancer Society

2010-11-05T19:55:00.003-05:00

So, I decided to do a half marathon.... Yikes!

I am excited about participating in my FIRST half marathon. I am especially thrilled that my first half marathon will benefit the American Cancer Society.

Visit my homepage to contribute:
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/DetermiNation/DNFY10National?px=18456200&pg=personal&fr_id=27265

In late 2004, my mother, Elizabeth Grant, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Luckily, the cancer was caught early and was non-invasive. Even though her prognosis was positive, it was devastating news for our family. She chose to be aggressive with her treatment and have radiation. Happily, in early 2010, my mom celebrated the milestone of being cancer free for five years. I hadn't thought of the perfect way to honor her, until now. I continue to be so impressed with my mother's strength and positive attitude.

Me and Mom celebrating 2010

I am grateful that there have been people who have contributed to the American Cancer Society in the past so that my mom could be a survivor. I am running to raise money, with a personal goal of $1,300, so that additional research can be done to prevent and eventually cure cancer.

I am also running to honor my father-in-law Tony Jones, a stomach cancer survivor. I am running to honor my cousin-in-law, Jeff Goodwin, who is successfully battling a brain tumor. And, I am running in honor and memory of so many friends and family who have been affected by cancer.

So, when I am struggling with my training, I will remember that running is easy compared to beating cancer. Every mile I conquer will be more meaningful because I’m doing this for something greater – for a cause I truly believe in.

When I cross that finish line, I will be doing it for you and for all the people we know who’ve been touched by this disease. Please support me and my team with a donation so that together, with the American Cancer Society, we can help save lives and create a world with less cancer and more birthdays.

Let me know when you make a donation and I will be happy to put the name of your honoree on this webpage.

My friend, Hank, contributed in memory of his sister, Sally, and in honor of his sister, Jane, and his wife, Ann.
My friend, Lana, contributed in memory of her mother who passed away in 1993.

Junior League - Vicki Clark

2010-11-02T19:49:00.001-05:00

On Tuesday, November 2, we had Vicki Clark speak at our Junior League chapter. She lived up to her reputation and was such an inspiring speaker. I am so excited that we were able to get her here in Auburn. We have been trying to get her here for over 5 years! We had a wonderful time with her after our meeting too.

Vicki and the after hours girls.

Mark and Carol's Wedding

2010-10-30T16:54:00.001-05:00

AJ and I were invited to attend Mark and Carol's Wedding. It was in Enterprise on October 30. Since this was a pivotal game for Auburn, we listened on the radio on the ride down and actually watched a little of it at the country club before the wedding. We were also able to visit with Mark a little bit before the wedding. He was a happy groom, not nervous at all. Carol was a beautiful bride.

The wedding was held outside at the Enterprise Country Club. The weather was perfect. We met tons of news friends AND celebrated Auburn's win over Ole Miss.

Our friend, Steven, was unable to attend. He is currently working in Afghanistan.

We made sure he was represented.

Walking back down the aisle as husband and wife.

We sat with the Schneiders at our dinner table.

AJ wasn't happy about Steve not being there...

The guys celebrating

AJ and the groom

Finally got a picture of us together

With Carol, the bride

LSWho? LSU - And, check them off the list

2010-10-23T16:37:00.001-05:00

The AU/LSU weekend was wild. The week included tons of work events, including the CADC Banquet and CADC Dean's Club. We had a lot of alumni in town. Then, on Saturday, it was on the game.

I was so looking forward to seeing Kati Murphy Downes. She is one of my college friends and sorority sisters. She and her husband, Kevin, live in Texas now. So, I haven't seen them in years. Luckily, AU won and we were able to celebrate. It is fun to have guests in town during football season. Going downtown and rolling Toomer's Corner is something you get jaded to when you are a "local". I know it sounds crazy. I want AU to win as much or more than the next person. But, living here, I don't always participate in ALL the downtown activities. I am glad that Kevin and Kati and their friends stayed with us and reminded us to CELEBRATE!

Me and Kati. My toilet paper throwing abilities were lacking during this trip.

Our group at Toomer's. So fun. We did walk through town and looked at everyone standing in line trying to get in the bars. Most of the waits were over an hour - crazy. We also drove by the Supper Club for old times sake.

CADC Dean's Club

2010-10-22T19:40:00.001-05:00

On Friday, October 22, we had our annual fall CADC Dean's Club event. It was a great day...one of my favorite days of the year. In the afternoon, we met at the AU Hotel and Conference Center. Then, a group toured Samford Tower and the other group watched the Rural Studio film.

At night, we had our event at the new Auburn Arena Courtside Lounge. I highly recommend it. It was fabulous. Everyone had a great time.

At the Auburn Arena - Leighton, Me, and Brenna. Last day all together.

Can't believe that I stood next to these beautiful girls.

I ♥ NYC - Part 4 - AU Event

2010-10-10T22:24:00.005-05:00

Sunday evening, we hosted an alumni event at the AKA Lounge. This was perfectly located at our hotel and was in close proximity to MoMA.

Two of our architecture alumni selected this lounge and helped us book it. They closed down the lounge for our private party.

Sweet Julie Young, recent Architecture grad. and Chi O.

We had about 40 attendees.

After our event, we took the subway to Bar Baresco in Chelsea for dinner. Our friend, Katie, booked it for us. It was a wonderful night. We pretty much closed the place down and took a harrowing cab ride back to the hotel. So glad that AJ was able to go on this trip with me.

I ♥ NYC - Part 3 - Rural Studio Exhibit at MoMA

2010-10-10T22:05:00.002-05:00

Our Rural Studio program was featured at an exhibit at MoMA - Small Scale, Big Change: New Architectures of Social Engagement. Along with some of our alumni, we took a tour of the exhibit. It was very well done.

Sketches of the $20K house at the Rural Studio exhibit.

A life size picture of the $20K house.

Models of the $20K project.

After seeing our exhibit, I had to take a side trip and visit Van Gogh's Starry Night. I snapped a pic of it before the security guard scolded me.

I ♥ NYC - Part 2

2010-10-10T21:42:00.001-05:00

I have always wanted to jog through Central Park. This was the perfect time to cross this off my To-Do list. The weather was great and our hotel was one block south of the park entrance. I decided to stay with other runners on the main path. Even though I wanted to break off on the side trails, I reminded myself of all the Law & Orders I have seen.

I saw so many sites on my journey, including the carousel.

The park was very crowded on Sunday.

AJ and I walked to Rockfeller Center and ate at Bill's Bar & Burger.

I had a fantastic veggie burger. We met a guy in the restaurant who had graduated from Auburn. He had just moved to NYC and seemed pretty homesick. We talked to him for a while.

After lunch, we got stuck in the Columbus Day parade (Hispanic version). AJ asked a policeman how long it would last. He said 6 hours! We told him that parades in Alabama last for 30 minutes.

I ♥ NYC - Part 1

2010-10-09T21:20:00.004-05:00

I really do ♥ New York City. The real excitement of any trip to NYC starts when I see the skyline and then land at LaGuardia. My anticipation builds as my taxi approaches Midtown. I love the energy of the city. This time, I was even more excited when we arrived at our hotel. First, our hotel (AKA Central Park) was wonderful - located just south of Central Park right behind the Plaza Hotel. Second, Alabama was losing to South Carolina. Then, Auburn beat Kentucky. During half time, we ran out to a local cafe and grabbed dinner so we could watch the rest of the game. This was shaping up to be a great trip.

Our boutique hotel.

Last Braves Game (For Us) - October 3, 2010

2010-10-03T21:07:00.001-05:00

Well... It was a fun run while it lasted. We had a great time at the Braves game on Sunday, October 3. We knew we had made the playoffs AND that we wouldn't get to attend the first set of games. We had already committed to be in New York. Who could have predicted that the Braves would be playing at home that following weekend? AJ was also very excited to see the concert after the game - REO Speedwagon.

After the game, waiting for the concert to begin.

REO Speedwagon drummer

Heading out after the game.

Auburn vs. South Carolina and AU Minority Award

2010-09-25T19:51:00.002-05:00

For two straight weeks, I was on the field for pre-game festivities. One of my great friends and colleagues, Carla Bell, won the AU Minority Award. Working with our students and our dean, I nominated and supported Carla for this award. I was thrilled when she was chosen. It is very deserving.

Carla, her sweet husband Roger, and the eagle.

Carla and family

Me and Carla.

One of our professors, Tin Man Lau, was award the Alumni professor award.

Carla and Robert Gibbs, White House spokesperson

Auburn vs. Clemson Game

2010-09-18T19:40:00.001-05:00

I had a great time at the Auburn vs. Clemson Game. One of our alumnae, Rebecca Hatcher, was on the field for pre-game festivities as a former Pam Sheffield award winner. I was able to escort her on the field.

Rebecca and the eagle

Several of the previous winners.

My favorite former winners - Pat Wingfield, Susan Hubbard, Rebecca Hatcher

Picture of the student section in "All Blue"

I accidentally glance over when they fed the eagle a treat after a great flight... a rat - eeeek.

This year's recipient, Joyce Ringer and family.

One of my favorite families - the Stones (minus son, Stuart)

Tara Maple's 40th Birthday and Maestro

2010-09-14T21:18:00.001-05:00

On September 14th, we had the first meeting of the year for the Junior League of Lee County. Our president, Tara Maple, led her first meeting... on her 40th birthday! With a celebration during the meeting, we decided to extend her birthday at Maestro.

Maestro is a (relatively) new bar and tapas restaurant in Auburn. It was nice weather so we sat outside. I am sure that the other patrons at Maestro were happy that we chose to be outside. With five of us, all Type-A personalities, it got quite loud at times. What a relaxing and fun evening with an amazing group of women!

Lisa ordered a tapas sampler. It was so pretty, I had to take a picture.

Me, Tara - the birthday girl, Lisa, Nancy, and Kathy

Red Wine Under $9.99 and Recipes for People Who Hate to Cook Meat

2010-09-12T20:55:00.001-05:00

As a new hobby, I have decided to test and review red wines under $9.99. The way I figure it, everyone wins. I am often a sucker for marketing and interesting designs. So, when I was at Publix, I couldn't resist the bottle - Mad Housewife. It is a California cabernet and was on sale for $7.99. Now, I am by no means a Mad Housewife. Actually, I am quite the opposite. But, the bottle looked so intriguing.

I was pleasantly surprised. It had a lighter taste and was very smooth. For a cheaper wine, it didn't have that aftertaste that leaves you thirsty. And, it didn't give me a headache. I would definitely recommend. I give it 4 out of 5 corks.

For those who know me, I am not a big meat eater. I especially don't enjoy cooking meat. But, when you are married to a meat eater, you have to figure out something. I don't eat meat on the bone, ribs, wings, etc. I eat a burger once every few months. I can manage eating chicken, but absolutely cannot touch it raw. I learned this the hard way. As a newlywed, I tried to cook a chicken casserole using full raw chicken breasts. I prepared and cooked it, but was so sick by the end that I left it on the counter for my husband to eat. I promptly went to bed.

So, I have figured out some work arounds. I often purchase the Tyson white meat chicken in the pouch. It is already fully cooked. Because I don't like the texture of it right out of the pouch, I do put it in a skillet to get it more shredded and to make it drier. (At this point, I am sure you feel sorry for my husband...)

This weekend, I made a chicken, broccoli, pasta, and cheese casserole. After shredding and drying out the chicken, I cooked penne pasta. I steamed the pre-packaged broccoli. I mixed this all together with a little cheddar cheese and poured it in a Pyrex cooking dish. I topped it with the chicken and more cheese. I heated it at 400 degrees until it was brown and bubbly. I thought it was yummy. My husband asked for more meat to be included next time..... Baby steps.

I ♥ Alley Jackson

2010-09-11T20:32:00.001-05:00

I really do ♥ Alley Jackson. (And, I do mean Alley Jackson and not Allen Jackson.) I first met Alley when she was a sophomore at Auburn. She was my first advisee when I became a Chi Omega advisor. I didn't know what I was doing, but we figured out everything together. Alley would come over to our house to escape the craziness that is college life. I knew from the beginning that Alley is a special person. She is beautiful - inside and out, caring, and so funny. Alley is also a wonderful Christian role model.

It has been neat to watch Alley grow up. She has worked at the Alabama Governor's Mansion and now works in Special Events at the Auburn President's Office. And, she is only 25! What an impressive resume. Her job keeps her quite busy so we were thrilled when she came to visit us on Saturday night to watch the Alabama vs. Penn State game. AJ and I had a great time catching up with her.

We decide to wear orange in the hopes of getting Penn State a win over Alabama. It didn't work.

Alley cooked a blueberry cobbler for our dessert.

I ♥ Atlanta Building Science

2010-09-09T13:44:00.001-05:00

I really do ♥ the Atlanta Auburn Building Science Alumni Group. This great group of alumni has raised over $600,000 for our Building Science program over the years. This fall we are going to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this organization.

To support our Visiting Industry Professor endowment, our Atlanta Alumni Group and our Industry Advisory Council sold tickets for a chance to win a custom painted Harley Davidson FatBob motorcycle. A little over 400 tickets were sold @ $100 each.

To draw the winning ticket, the Atlanta group decided to incorporate this in to their annual fall social. The social was held at Jocks & Jills in Atlanta during the Auburn vs. Mississippi State game.

The group had the bike at their annual golf tournament. Of course, I had to try it out.

Skip getting the tickets ready to draw at half time.

Kelley picked an unbiased person to draw the ticket.

The crowd, especially Wayne Bylsma, eagerly awaiting the drawing.

The winning ticket was old by alum, Dan Messer.

Kelley called the guy who won. He lives in Ohio and told Kelley that he was recuperating from a motorcycle accident. He said that he was thrilled to win because his bike was messed up from his accident. He even said that he would drive to Auburn the following day (from Ohio) to pick up the bike.

Skip counting up the money from the ticke sales.

Love these girls! Sonia Grant and Julie Cannon are two of our Building science alumni.

Scott Maskell hosting our guests.

Skip and Dan back to cheering on the Tigers vs. Mississippi State.

Ruth Crittenden, one of our very successful female BSC grads.

It was a fun night in the ATL. But, this made for a late night betting back to Auburn. Glad we won. It made the drive home so much more enjoyable.

Labor Day Weekend - Yipee!

2010-09-06T20:26:00.000-05:00

What a great Labor Day weekend! It started off on Saturday morning with me playing tennis at Saugahatchee. I was asked to serve as the fourth person for doubles play. I did inform the group that I had not hit balls in a year. I held my own and the weather was great. But, I did have to take a nap before the Auburn game....

I cannot believe it is already football season. We visited two tailgates, including the Hodo's, before the game and sat with one of my alums in his suite. AJ and I were joined by my dad and Johnny Minter in the suite. And, my dad got to meet Lloyd Nix, the quarterback from the '57 season. I didn't know that dad had always wanted to meet him.

My brother, Jeff, and his wife, Sarah, spent the night with us after the game. We stayed up talking until 1:00 a.m. I haven't been up that long in a while.

The next morning, Jeff and Sarah invited us to join them at the Georgia Aquarium. AJ really wanted to watch the US Open matches so I went with them. Jeff had given me a speech as we rode towards the parking deck of the aquarium. He told me to not get frustrated with the crowds because he was pretty irritated the last time he was there. So, I said, "Dada has a short fuse." Charlotte loved this and kept saying "Dada has a short fuse" the rest of the day. Of course, Sarah and I enjoyed this. The Aquarium was amazing, but incredibly crowded.

On Labor Day morning, I decided to relax at our club pool. Thank goodness for the Adult Only pool. The water was cool, perfect for laps. Instead of swimming my usual mile or 1,650 yards, I swam 2100 yards. It felt great and I had the pool to myself for 2 hours.

When people starting arriving, I left. The rest of the day I watched tennis with AJ and our friend, Chris. What a great day and weekend.

Letter from Mrs. Jacobs - May 23, 1990

2010-09-05T20:58:00.000-05:00

It has been a summer of reunions. I had my high school reunion one week and then went on a reunion cruise with some of my college sorority sisters.

In going through my high school and college boxes of "stuff", I found lots of pictures, notes, cards, old class papers, report cards, and much more. I came across a letter from Mrs. Jacobs, my high school AP teacher. It is dated May 23, 1990. This was written a couple of weeks before our graduation. The letter brought back a flood of memories of high school and in particular, my AP English class. My AP classmates included DeAnna Colley, Kelly Cates, Laurie Jennings, Courtney Williams, Jason Hudson, LaShandra Banks, and Dori Hadaway.

Mrs. Jacobs really captured the spirit of our class in this letter. I know that reading the letter now means so much more that it did when I was 18 years old.

A couple of quotes from the letter:
"MY fifth period class has made this the best year I have taught in the "50" years of my career. You are an exceptional group. I have taught brilliant students before - some frightfully brilliant, but I have never felt the closeness of your class in any other group. This is what I appreciate most in you."

"I have never experienced such a spirit of cooperation. Whether you realize it or not, this is unusual. This is also the key to a happy and successful life."

"My prayer is that you will continue to grow, that you will contribute as well as take, that you will always be as considerate of others as you are now, that you will never lose your positive attitude, and that you will be blessed with love, joy, and success."

Love, Mrs. J.

Often one receives compliments, but it is usually about something you did individually. I really appreciate Mrs. Jacobs' insights into our group. She gave us the highest compliments of all. Mrs. Jacobs gave us all many gifts, but this letter might be the one I treasure most. It is tangible, something I can read. This means so much since I can't talk to Mrs. Jacobs anymore. Sadly, she passed away a few years ago. But, she lives on in all of us.....

Shopping with Charlotte

2010-08-28T20:42:00.001-05:00

On Saturday, I shopped with Charlotte. I am so glad that she likes to shop and look for clothes. She was excited to go to Wal Mart and informed me that she was going to ride in her stroller. I told her Wal Mart was buggy time instead. On the drive to Wal Mart, she told me that she was tired. I told her to pep up, that we had lots of shopping to do. She laughed and agreed. To keep her awake in her car seat, we danced.

She then insisted that she wanted a quesadilla. After lunch, it was on to the mall where Charlotte got to ride in her stroller. She was great as we shopped and wanted to "ride" in the cars at the mall. But, she wanted the cars to be stationary and not moving.

I think that Charlotte was telling us she wasn't ready to leave.

Tony's Retirement Party

2010-08-25T20:41:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, August 25, we attended Tony Jones' retirement party at West Georgia Technical College. A ton of his co-workers were there and made it a special day for all of us. They asked all of the employees to each bring an RC Cola. There was a table full. I am not sure how he is going to drink all of that.

Everyone that spoke did such a wonderful job. But, the best speaker was Tony! He made everyone feel special and made everyone laugh.

Family members and friends were there to celebrate with Tony.

Invitation for the party.

The theme was golf and RC cola.

Tony got great presents including an Auburn picture, Auburn car tags, and rounds of golf.

Carolyn and Tony

The guys - Tony, AJ, and Phil

Tony and Karen

Tony, his brother, and two of his sisters

What is it? A good thing.... Chi O Cruise Day 5

2010-08-23T20:23:00.001-05:00

A late night turned in to an early morning. We woke up at 5:30 a.m. to eat an early breakfast and to be the first ones off the ship. The restaurant opened at 6:30 and there we were. We went through customs with ease and got in the car by 7:30 a.m.

It was a great trip, but we were all ready to get homes to our families.

We have planned a trip in 2 years. Cannot wait!

What is it? A good thing.... Chi O Cruise Day 4

2010-08-22T19:54:00.001-05:00

Sunday, August 22nd - Day at Sea. The cruise director said it would be a beautiful day.... It rained most of the day. We would not be deterred. Another morning at the gym. This time I did the treadmill. It faced the front of the ship. You could see the ship moving while you moved on the treadmill - an odd feeling. I saw a school (?) of dolphins swimming while I was in the gym.

We decided to have a quiet lunch and then go to the CHOCOLATE BAR. Wow. With a sugar high and rain outside, we chose to take a dance class. We learned the dance moves from Michael Jackson's Thriller video. This was so much fun!! We took the class on the stage of the main theater and there were tons of people watching. Later in the day, we also took a Hip Hop class.

Before dinner, we got an unexpected surprise. Renaldo delivered Wendy's confiscated wine, just in time too. We had literally poured out the last drop as he knocked on the door.

Plotting our karaoke song.

Before dinner, we made a stop at the sushi bar. It was delicious and they rotated out different types of rolls.

During the day, we had the idea to do a group karaoke. After much deliberation, we decided on Baby Got Back by Sir Mixalot. We even prepared some dance moves. Initially, we thought about doing costumes. But, after further consideration, we decide against it. Sharon was going to be a pimp.

Again, we underestimated how quickly the words would scroll on the screen. We did have some fans and got some cheers. It may be because they were happy we were off the stage.

Gary Sears, the guy from our dinner table, watched our karaoke act. At the end, he said, "I don't know how you girls made it out of college." Our response, "We were the smart ones!"

Back to the room to pack. A monkey towel! This one is for AJ.

What is it? A good thing.... Chi O Cruise Day 3

2010-08-21T19:20:00.001-05:00

Saturday, August 21st - Cozumel, Mexico! At the last minute, we decided to take an excursion. We chose the Deluxe Beach trip at Playa Mia. This was a very good choice....once we got there.

The air conditioned bus was supposed to depart the port at 8:45 a.m. We were on the 4th deck and had to get to the 3rd deck to exit the ship. Seeing no stairs, Wendy, Caroline, and I got on the nearest elevator and pressed 3. Nothing happened. Then, we couldn't get the elevator doors opened. Panic started setting in. Finally the doors opened and we started running down the hall looking for an exit, reminiscent of Leonardo DiCaprio during Titanic. We were the last ones off the ship. This didn't deter the photographers at the end of the gang way. They insisted we take a picture. We finally push past them and ran to meet Sharon and Tiffany. Glad we didn't miss the bus.

After a 10 minute ride, we were delivered to Playa Mia. Beach chairs, floats, umbrellas, lunch, and frozen drinks included. Even though it was 9:00 a.m., we all started with the Miami Vice - frozen pina colada with frozen strawberry margarita.

Thankful that I brought my own goggles and figuring that shark feeding time had passed, I set out for a swim in the ocean. The water was so clear and I saw tons of fish. I guess that I was so mesmerized by all the fish, I inadvertently swam past the buoys. Yikes! I was out in the area with the speed boats. I took a deep breath and started tried to swim back inside the buoys.

A quote from the beach said by a bunch of 20 something guys: "Where are all the cougars?" I couldn't tell if they were looking at us, but either way it was funny.

After 5 hours on the beach, we headed back. The border people were not very patient as we tried to gather our passports. One of the guys blew his whistle at Wendy.

A much needed shower and nap revved us up for dinner. At dinner the night before, "Robert" was seated with us. He was by himself and seemingly an introvert. We all tried to engage him in conversation, but it was painful for all involved. I suggeted that we have some prepared questions for Robert so that it wouldn't be so awkward. Sharon pipe up and said, "I have one. How about - How many people have you killed in your basement?" This sent us all into hysterics. Luckily for Robert, he chose other dining plans.

Wendy also had other dinner plans. After ordering an appetizer, she started fading fast. The seas were choppy and Wendy was down for the count. She ran to the room before the main course.

In order to get us to stay up late, Sharon enticed us by saying she would do karaoke and we could pick the song. We picked "Brass Monkey" by the Beastie Boys. She was a good sport, but we had all forgotten how fast the song was. Wendy rallied and joined us at karaoke. Walking back to our room, I asked Sharon if she would still do the worm. She dropped down to the floor and attempted it. Wendy said she looked like a fish out of water instead of a worm. We even got a teenaged boy to try to help Sharon.

Caroline loved this bulldog towel in our room that night. We all loved that Renaldo cleaned our room and made our beds everytime we left the room.

What is it? A good thing.... Chi O Cruise Day 2

2010-08-20T18:46:00.002-05:00

Friday, August 20th was our first day at sea. More importantly, it was also Spa Day! We all got up early to work out before our treatments. I did the elliptical in front of a full length mirror. That was interesting - nothing to look at, but the mirror in front of me. I also did the steam room after my workout. I love a steam room, but rarely have time to utilize the one at our club.

I chose the75 minute Spa Topia package: hot stone massage, back and neck massage, foot massage, mini-facial. A few minutes in, this is the conversation.
From Ineke, my therapist from South Africa with thick blue eyeshadow: "Your neck and upper back muscles are extremely tight."
Me: "No kidding."
Ineke: "Your face is dry. Do you know why?"
Me: "Yea I know why. I swim in chlorine with my face submerged 3 to 4 days a week."
Me: "Can we just not talk anymore?"
Ineke: "Whatever you say."

After being totally relaxed, we spent a couple of hours on the pool deck. Boy, what a site to see. If I saw one tattoo, I saw a million. After a shower, I had THE BEST nap. Then, it was time for Formal Dinner.

In our formal wear.

At dinner.

Zucchini eggplant parmagiana on a lake of marinara - delicious. The food was a lot better than I was expecting. For 3 of the nights, I also ordered chocolate melting cake with ice cream.

What is it? A good thing.... Chi O Cruise Day 1

2010-08-19T18:24:00.002-05:00

On Thursday, August 19th we embarked on a Chi O Cruise from Mobile to Cozumel. Our group included me, Sharon Callison Ghaleb, Caroline Jones Lambert, Wendy Gilbert McMillan, and Tiffany Braswell Larson. There was drama even before we boarded the ship. I receive my passport the Saturday before we left. Wendy got her passport on the DAY before we left. Tiffany flew in from Wisconsin.

The cruise ship allows each person to carry on a bottle of wine. I brought 2 bottles to share and asked Caroline to carry one on. When Caroline went through security, they asked her if she had a bottle of wine.

Quote of the Day from Caroline: "I think it is wine. THEY handed this to me and told me to carry it on."

Wendy's wine got confiscated because she put it in her suitcase.

Luckily, everything worked and we all made it on the ship. We toasted with the champagne that Sharon brought aboard. We then ran to the spa to box everyone else out to book our appointments.

At dinner, we were seated with The Sears - two brothers, one wife, and one son. The brothers were in their 70s/80s and the son, Gary, told us he was 55, single, and on e-Harmony and Match.com. This all made for interesting dinner conversation. I am not sure how The Sears took us at first. With the 5 of talking all at once, we can be pretty overwhelming.

I brought Chi O cups for everyone to enjoy on our trip.

We started playing cards right away - Hearts. After dinner, we went to the "Vegas" style show. While we waited, we played a quick hand. Sharon threw her card and it slipped into the sofa cushion. We didn't want to be a card short in the deck so Wendy and Sharon tried to lift up the seat. In the process of rescuing the card, they broke the seat.

Reunion 2010

2010-08-15T21:44:00.002-05:00

I had a great time at my high school reunion. We pulled it together in 3 weeks and had about 30 classmates there - 30% attendance isn't so bad. We held the reunion at the Irish Bred Pub in West Point, GA. There was also the Back to School Bash going on in downtown. It was exciting to see so many people in town. We actually had to park at Batson Cook.

It felt like we were still in high school. It was especially fun to see Beth Browning. I had not seen her since 6th grade! She said that she remembered all of our spend the night parties. She also said she remembered that I had a beagle, but couldn't remember details about my brother.

I was thrilled that Ms. Williams attended. We had a her as a teacher at Central, then South, then as principal at the Jr. High. Unfortunately, she didn't follow us to high school. She had not aged one bit.

It was fun to see The Hud, DeAnna, Joan Conley, LaShandra Banks, and others. Joan had the smart idea of charging drinks on her twin brother's tab. Her name tag said Joan Conley so the waitresses thought she was John's wife. I am glad I left before John got his tab.

Tanya Fincher was most changed and Tricia Keeble was least changed. Todd's wife got everyone going on the dance floor and Lynn Clark brought a million old pictures. AJ entertained the husbands by doing commentary on the Braves game.

We all vowed to meet up in the Winter.... We will see if that happens. Even if it doesn't, this night was one to remember.

A few classmates with Ms. Williams.

AJ being a supportive husband at the party.

I hadn't seen Beth in about 25 years.

Back with DeAnna.

Group shot.

4th of July

2010-07-04T20:09:00.000-05:00

We had a great time during the 4th of July. We all went to my parent's party. It was actually their 18th annual 4th of July party. Afterwards, we watched the Auburn fireworks from our cul de sac.

Then, we got the crazy idea to go to the Supper Club. What a blast from the past. Sarah had never been before so we had to initiate her. We asked for the senior citizen's discount, but the Supper Club bouncers didn't think that was very funny. Adam Hood was playing. We all shouted out for him to play some Dan Adams' tunes. That went over well. We had fun being silly....

Welcome to Miami!

2010-06-11T19:40:00.000-05:00

AJ and I had a great time once we actually got to Miami. When we arrived at the Atlanta airport, we couldn't print our boarding passes. After speaking with several people, it was determined that AJ was on the "No Fly" terrorist watch list. Oh brother. Only one person at Delta knew how to complete the TSA paperwork to clear AJ as a terrorist.

We stayed at the beautiful Fountainebleau Resort. Things got better once we checked in. Our room ended up being on the penthouse floor. Yea.

The second day... When I was visiting some AU alumni, AJ had to evacuate the hotel. There was an alarm and he was told it was either a bomb threat or a fire. He had to run down 15 floors. It ended up being a small fire, thank goodness.

We had fun eating at South Beach. Our AU event went great. AJ was stationed in the hotel lobby and directing the Auburn people to our reception. (He had on an Auburn shirt.) Then, everyone thought he knew where ALL school receptions were - Arkansas, Kansas State, Ohio State, etc.

We also visited Gulf Stream horse track. They weren't in racing season so we snuck out to the track and the winner's circle.

Film Premiere and Dallas Arts District Tour

2010-06-06T17:01:00.000-05:00

We had the Dallas film premiere of "Citizen Architect" on May 26 at the Magnolia Theatre. The film will air on PBS in August. We had over 300 people in attendance.

The following day we took a tour of the Dallas Arts District - the Wyly Theatre and the new Opera House.

After a Year + Hiatus - We Are Back!

2010-05-24T22:50:00.000-05:00

After a more than a year hiatus, we are getting the blog back going.

Now, we are at the beach in Destin. Everything seems so much better at the beach. After a couple of days here, these are my observations:

- I forgot how difficult it is to swim laps in a two-piece swimsut....
- Running in the sand is infinitely harder than running on asphalt.
- I don't have the best body on the beach, but I sure don't have the worst.

More to come....

Yankees Game in Tampa

2009-03-18T13:26:00.000-05:00

AJ and I saw the Yankees play in Tampa. I visited with our alumni by day and saw baseball at night. AJ was in heaven. The ballpark was a great size and there were no bad seats.

George Steinbrenner and Reggie Jackson were sitting right behind us. They waved to us. The stadium also had a tribute area for some of the former Yankee greats.

How Do You Stop the TN Titans Undefeated Season?

2008-11-23T16:48:00.000-06:00

.... Invite Tara and AJ.

We were so excited to attend the Titans game against Brett Favre and the Jets. The bad news is that this ended up being the first loss of the season for the Titans. Tara Fisher invited us to the game. We got to sit with Tara and Stuart Stone. We were literally on the 50-yard line right behind the Titans bench. It was the perfect day for a game - sunny and cold.

Me and AJ at the game.

Jeff Fisher giving the team a pep talk coming back from halftime.

Jeff Fisher arguing with the officials. There were tons of calls that went against the Titans.

Auburn Homecoming Game

2008-11-08T12:37:00.000-06:00

My friend, Lana, brought her daughter, Madi, to Auburn last Saturday. Madi is interested in attending AU next year. I would love to have her in school here. She has already been accepted at SCAAD (Savannah College of Art And Design). If she chooses to go there, that is fine too. I just can't believe she is old enough to go to college. When I met her, Madi was 6 years-old!

This was their first Auburn game. Madi brought her friend, Rachel. We actually ran into several Newnan people on campus. I was so pround of Lana, Madi, and Rachel for having on official Auburn gear. Oh, my mom made my Auburn pencil skirt. I love it.

First Game at Prattville

2008-10-31T14:39:00.000-05:00

This was Charlotte's first football game. And, my first game at Prattville. It was freezing on Halloween night. Charlotte seemed to do better than any of us. It is a good thing she did well at the game. I am sure she has many football games in her future. She was a good little space heater when you held her.

Prattville killed Central-Tuscaloosa. It was Senior Night so the band didn't perform. That was a bummer.

Sarah was taking the picture. Jeff was yelling at the band kids. Poor AJ was by himself at a Northgate game somewhere in Atlanta.....

Oh. Can you tell I have new hair color? It is the darkest it has ever been. I gave AJ the choice of light or dark. He chose dark. I don't think he meant THIS dark. I like it.

Political Observations from AJ

2008-10-30T13:55:00.000-05:00

Admittedly, although I have voted for Democrats in the past, I tend to overwhelmingly go Republican. And I'm hoping this race for the White House will be like the Breeders' Cup Classic of last week.

As they came around for the final turn, favored Curlin held the lead. But underdog Raven's Pass found an additional late gear and pulled out the win.

I'm wishing Sen. John McCain can find similar success over the next few days.

President George W. Bush's tenure in office hasn't been the best. His time served will be defined by the war on terror and our troubling econony. But the war is just that, a war on terror. I wasn't pleased about the war but this war was going to happen there or here. Where did you want it to be held?

But to say the last eight years have been a failure isn't accurate. Bush was the Commander and Chief we needed in the critical period that followed the tragedy of September 11, 2001.

Two memories of the days that followed those attacks will live with me the remainder of my life.

The first was at Logan Airport in Boston on the day air travel was allowed to return. The first plane out that morning, I believe a United aircraft, started to taxi down the runway. As the plane moved in motion, its pilot held out an American flag.

It was a sight our country needed to see. That pilot sent a message to the world that morning. This is America, the greatest nation in the world, and we will get past this terrible time.

The second image that remains prevalent was at Yankee Stadium before game three of the World Series between Arizona and the New York Yankees.

President Bush was asked to throw out the first pitch. Bush wanted to return normalcy to our great nation although the government had warned of potential new attacks.

The 43rd Commander in Chief donned a navy blue FDNY sweatshirt. He looked up to the stands and gave a thumbs up to the nervous crowd.

His offering, a perfect strike, was hauled in by Yankee back-up catcher Todd Greene. It was only a baseball game but it was an extremely presidential moment. The crowd roared its approval by repeating, "U.S.A., U.S.A."

Joe Torre would later talk about the pitch. "He has wanted us right from the get-go to do what we need to do, to live as normal as we can. He showed courage and class."

The next president will also need to have courage and class. I know what I'm getting with McCain. I can't say the same about Sen. Barack Obama.

It disturbs me that Obama has suggested that we take the day off from school and work on Tuesday. He must believe the economy is in better shape than the rest of us. Imagine being a small business owner and hearing that Obama doesn't want your employees to work.

Obama must believe if you get fired...don't worry. The government will take care of you. Here's a candidate who wants to raise taxes during these tough economic times.

What Obama won't talk about is how the surge has worked and how the Democrats have controlled Congress the last two years. I'm still trying to figure out how McCain and the Republicans got blamed when the economy went south last month.

There's plenty of blame to go around. You can even go back to the Clinton Administration when they demanded we be politically correct concerning all matters.

I just can't trust Obama. He wants to tax hard working people and give money to those who pay no taxes at all. He appears to be in favor of socialism. How is McCain losing to this guy?

He attacks Joe the Plumber, yet it was Obama who was looking for a photo opportunity when he approached Joe. The want-to-be small business owner asked a simple question and finally got a straight answer out of Obama. It back-fired on the Democrat.

Questionable past relationships of Obama's seem to continue to come up. Is it just a coincidence that Obama landed in corrupt Chicago to begin his political career?

It is worth noting that as many as three Supreme Court Justices may retire during the next administration. We already have a Democratic house and senate. Conservatives can't afford a liberal president, one who voted against the appointments of John Roberts and Samuel Alito.

A friend of mine emailed me a couple of pictures last year of Obama scrimmaging with the University of North Carolina basketball team.

I was told then that Obama held his own and made some nice shots. I'm glad the outcome of this race won't be settled playing one-on-one on the basketball court. Obama would have a gigantic edge.

The liberal national media would like for you to think this race is over. Now I see why Obama has been urging people to get out and vote early. The truth is the race is tightening.

Here's hoping that McCain can overcome Obama and the liberal media. I just don't know. I want to believe in the American people but I'm fearing Tuesday will be a great day for the Democrats and a terrible day for America.

This Week and My Husband

2008-10-18T13:12:00.000-05:00

This has been a tough week for us. We were expecting, but found out Monday, Oct. 13 that we lost the baby. I went for a routine appointment and the doctor couldn't find a heartbeat. We were at 11 weeks. I had the hospital procedure on Tuesday. It has been a shocking, tearful, and very long week.

I wanted to share how amazing AJ has been through all of this. I always knew I had a great husband, but his actions and caretaking in this situation have blown me away. He has known exactly what to say, when to give me hugs, and when to give me space. When I had to quit eating and drinking at midnight before my hospital procedure, AJ said he wouldn't eat or drink until I could. He stood at my bed and held my hand during pre-op at the hospital. I was out of it and thought he was there for 10 minutes, but it was an hour and a half. He wouldn't sit down because the chair was too far from my bed.

When I couldn't sleep at night, AJ sat up with me and watched the Brady Bunch movie until all hours of the night. (What husband would put himself through that movie?) AJ also went and bought me the new Marcia Brady book that just hit the stands this week. He did all of this without my asking.

He has hugged me for hours at a time. He hasn't left my side. I have always felt blessed to have him as my husband. I never thought I could love him more. But, I do. I am grateful to God everyday to have AJ as my husband, partner, and best friend.

We are both thankful for our friends and our family for being with us through this.

My Niece, Charlotte Is Here

2008-08-16T19:53:00.000-05:00

My brother, Jeff, and his wife, Sarah, welcomed Charlotte Elizabeth Grant on 8/15/08. She was 7 lbs. 14 oz. and 20 inches long. Everyone is doing well and they are at home in Prattville now.

Sold The Altima

2008-07-15T14:27:00.000-05:00

So, I sold the silver Altima. It had 110,000 miles on it. It was a great car, but I was worried about being on the road so much by myself. AJ was very sad to see it to. It went to a good home - Mark Clark and family.

AU Campaign Celebration

2008-06-27T15:01:00.000-05:00

AJ and I attended the AU Campaign Celebration. It was held on Ag Hill. There were several CADC donors in attendance. It was fun visiting with everyone. The theme was country casual. There were lots of cowboy hats and western wear. This is as country as AJ and I get.

AJ, our friend Jennifer Eller (who is at LSU now), Jerry Purcell, and me.

Steven Segerlin, his date, AJ, and me.

Vegas Vacation

2008-06-03T15:42:00.000-05:00

AJ and I had a great time in Vegas the first part of June. It was cooler there in the desert than in Auburn. I swam everyday and AJ gambled everyday. We were both happy with our trip... We got to visit with our good friends Gregg and Deborah Fischer. They live in Vegas full time.

AJ won enough money on the first day to get me a half day at the spa. It was great! A sugar body scrub, a massage, and a facial. I was very relaxed.

Of course we had to visit the Bellagio - where we got engaged. We also ate at one of our favorite restaurants, Diego.

Diego

Boston

2008-05-15T15:37:00.000-05:00

I had to work in Boston from May 13 - 16. Since AJ's birthday was May 15, I definitely wanted him with me. We had a great time. We toured the city and saw Fenway Park. We were there before the Celtics won the NBA championship. The weather was perfect and we had a great time.

Georgia Force Football Game -

2008-05-12T15:25:00.000-05:00

AJ with GA Force mascot.

Our friend, Ben, in action.

AJ and I were invited to attend the Georgia Force football game. Ben Nowland, former AU player, is the starting center and one of our friends. His wife, Hillary, got us player's tickets which were great. We even got to sit next to Ben's grandparents. The Georgia Force had the greatest comeback on Arena Football history.

Mother's Day

2008-05-11T13:35:00.000-05:00

AJ and I surprised my mom at her 2-year-old Sunday school class. We tried to help with the kids, but ended up just distracting them.... We went to lunch at Outback with my parents to celebrate Mother's Day. For her present, I am taking mom to Corks & Canvas in Montgomery. We have to find a painting that we like on a day that is free for both of us. I have the best mom ever!

Graduation - May 10

2008-05-10T14:31:00.000-05:00

Steven Segerlin graduated in Building Science in May. He is a great kid and we are very proud of him. AJ and I have gotten to know him over the past year. He has such a bright future. His family came from New York for the graduation celebration. This picture was taken at the college reception.

My High School Get Together (not reunion)

2008-05-10T13:28:00.000-05:00

AJ and I went to El Rio in the Valley for my high school get together dinner. We also made plans for our "big" upcoming reunion.

Me and Laurie Jennings Phillips.

Bunco/Cinco de Mayo

2008-05-05T14:36:00.000-05:00

Being an International Business (Spanish) major, I have always loved to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. My friend, Julie, and I used to celebrate in grad. school in Auburn and then in Atlanta. Our celebrations always included margaritas.

It was my turn to host Bunco. So, I decided to have a Cinco de Mayo theme, complete with homeade frozen margaritas. Alley Jackson and Jennifer Sims served as first time subs.

The sad part of the night was that AJ was in Jekyll Island covering GA state golf championship. So, this was the first time I had stayed by myself at our house. I am usually the one that travels. I made it through the night and AJ made it back from Jekyll.

Pictures from Strutting Duck - Dan Adams Band Show

2008-05-03T14:12:00.000-05:00

Avery/The Fiddler, Dan, and Steve on stage.

Dan Adams Band with us.

Us, the Hodos, and the band.

Me and Andee listening to the band.

I Ran, Horses Ran, Saw Dan

2008-05-03T13:53:00.000-05:00

My very long Saturday began at 5:50 a.m. I decided to run in the Valley Haven Hike Bike Run in Valley, AL. The 5K run started at 8:15 eastern or unfortunately 7:15 central. There weren't very many people in the race, but those that participated were pretty fast. I wasn't trying to win any prizes....just wanted to run the whole time and finish.

I saw Bruce Schoonover, a former Knology colleague, and his daughter at the start of the race. They ran ahead of me, but I kept my eye on them. I still don't know how to determine my pace or how far I have gone during the race. I caught Bruce and passed him towards the 2.5 mile (I guess) mark. I could see the finish line as Bruce caught back up with me. I started sprinting as best I could and so did Bruce. We both didn't want the other finish ahead. We crossed at the same time. I was glad to run the whole time and finish, but I still had some left in the tank. I guess I should have gone faster.

I was back home by 8:30. I crashed, knowing that my day had just started. It was also Kentucky Derby day. AJ insisted that we have mint juleps. Do you know how difficult it is to find fresh mint on Derby day? After 3 stores, I found it. With mint juleps in hand, we watched Big Brown impressively win the Derby. Have we just seen the next Triple Crown winner? We were devastated that Eight Belles was put down after the race and a fall.

Our next stop of the day was Loco's. We met the Hodos and Dan Adams Band for dinner. It was then on to Strutting Duck. I borrowed some cowboy boots so I would fit in at the Duck. Too bad my boots didn't make any of the photos....

We visited with Dan, Steve, and Avery (aka The Fiddler) on Sunday morning. They have a video coming out on GAC in the next few weeks.

CADC Campaign Celebration - April 25

2008-04-25T13:36:00.000-05:00

By Tara:

We celebrated the CADC campaign success on April 25 at Fountainview Mansion. It was great fun. Here are a few shots of the party. One picture is of me, Leslie and Melissa. Leslie works with CADC and with the Campaign Office. Melissa raises money for the Rural Studio. The other pic. is of the dean of our college, Dan, Leslie, and me.

UGA Women's Tennis

2008-04-20T09:47:00.000-05:00

By Tara:

AJ and I went to the SEC Women's Tennis Championship on April 20. It was UGA vs. Florida. As die hard Auburn fans, it was difficult to decide how to cheer. But, the tennis was amazing. UGA won. They came back on Florida even though they lower ranked. It was very exciting. AJ celebrated with the UGA team. Notice his very orange AU shirt. The girls loved it and THEIR fans took pictures of AJ with the team too.

Excerpts from AJ's newspaper story:

By TONY JONES
tony@newnan.com

AUBURN, AL- No one will ever be able to doubt the heart and will of the University of Georgia women's tennis team.

Even after surrendering the doubles point, UGA's performance at the Yarbrough Tennis Center in the early stages of play on the singles side had the Lady Bulldogs in position to upset top-seeded Florida and repeat as SEC Champions.

Florida gained a 1-0 lead with a sweep of the doubles matches.... The entire Georgia team, just before singles play started, huddled with head coach Jeff Wallace. His girls responded by going out and winning the first set in five of the six matches.

Georgia needed to win four of the six to win the title.

Junior League 5K Art Walk/Run

2008-04-19T17:34:00.000-05:00

By Tara:

AJ and I ran in the Junior League 5K Art Walk/Run. We invited Steven Segerlin and Ashley York to join us. Now, I am not a naturally good or fast runner so I encouraged our friends to run ahead of me, at their own fast pace. AJ started off with me, but eventually went ahead as well. My goal was to A: finish B: run the whole time, and C: not embarrass myself.

I didn't finish first and I got passed by 3 daddies with baby strollers, but I met my goals. There was no official timing, but based on my own watch, I estimated my time to be about 32 minutes.

We visited with some of the Junior Leaguers then decided to go to CiCi's pizza - very healthy. We asked the Powells to join us there. AJ went along with pizza even though he had eaten pizza for 6 previous straight meals (5 at Brick Oven and 1 at Shakey's). Steven and Ashley went with us too. We all figured we deserved a treat after our workout.

What will be our next race? Stay tuned......

Davis Cup Tennis - Winston, Salem 2008

2008-04-18T19:15:00.000-05:00

By Tara:
Our first post - We attended USA Davis Cup tennis vs. France in Winston Salem on April 11 and 12. Before the matches, we saw the US team receive their championship rings from the 2007 season - Patrick McEnroe (captain), Roddick, Blake, and the Bryan brothers.

The first day we watched Andy Roddick play and then my favorite, James Blake. Roddick had an easy 3 set match. Blake battled through a tough 5 setter, but prevailed. For tennis fans, you know that Blake has struggled with 5 setters in the past. There were 14,000 US fans and 100 French fans. And there were tons of older/old tennis fans there.

On Saturday, I told AJ that I was going to get my picture made with Justin Gimmelstob. AJ really didn't question me as he knows I usually get my way with these things. We got there early and I just walked up to Justin and asked to have my picture with him. He was very gracious and said "Of course!" AJ visited with Justin and relived some of Justin's glory matches. Then, AJ spent quite a bit of time with Ted Robinson in the broadcast booth. Ted was eager to get AJ's comments on past and upcoming Grand Slam tennis events. Ted also thanked AJ for feeding him the line 2 years ago about Rafael Nadal being Roger Federer's personal kryptonite.

We then watched the Bryan brothers lose to France. After the match, we met our Atlanta friends Mike and Kitsie Cain for dinner and discussed tennis, baseball, and golf.

The Davis Cup was great and was fan friendly. This made us look forward to the French, Wimbledon, and US Open.