Wolfpack! War Eagle!

This coming weekend we are headed to Atlanta to start our football season off right.  We will be in attendance for the NC State / Tennessee Game and on Saturday I will be in attendance (along with my brother and his girlfriend Amy) for the Auburn / Clemson game.  I am so excited about the Auburn game. Why am I so excited?  Because of my outfit.  Clearly.  I had the best time finding something to wear for the game.  I even ended up adding two new orange / navy pieces to the closet. So necessary, I know.

I am going with a skirt designed by Emma Graham.  Love love love this designer! So cute.

Adorable.  I am so ready to cheer on Auburn. 

As far as the NC State game ... I have no idea.  Okay let me be honest ... I have narrowed it down to three wardrobe options. 

Go Pack  ! ! !  

Delish

I have mentioned my mother in law to be before and how she could be Paula Deen's daughter.  Well this plays very true to her talent in the kitchen.  I asked and she graciously took on the job of making our wedding gifts for our guests.  Which as her creativity keeps on rolling we keep receiving new foods for our tasting pleasure.  We have had peach jam, peach salsa, and my personal favorite that I am not even sure what it is but I am pretty sure it is crack.  I thought it was chow-chow.  I have no idea what chow-chow is but I figured it was good guess.  Wes told me it is some kind of relish ... and I asked him if it is like the one people put on cream cheese for parties.  He informed I would be correct and that is an option for plating this yummy goodness.
Needless to say ... I have been off work from the hospital and just so happens I do not have to nanny today.  Guess who ate all of the crack relish for breakfast, snack, lunch, and another snack?

This kid.

It's all gone.  And if my mother in law to be is reading this ... please make more of this deliciousness, but let's not give it to anyone.  I think it would enjoy living in my frig and pantry.... and belly.

I like my candle burning from both ends ...

My mother has used that saying time and time again with me.  And if you ever look at my google calendar one would understand why.  If I happen to have a day with nothing on it - I am first shocked and then become very excited.  Excited then turns into - okay what can I do on this day? Should I pick up that extra shift being offered at work?  Should I try and see about having a dinner date with some friends?  Should I clean the house from head to toe?  Should I do wedding planning? Should I go workout? Should I review some work for nursing?
See what happens when you have ADD mixed with an overly ambitious work ethic?  Disaster - until you get your butt in gear and some prioritization takes place.

Anyway ... back to my candle.  I have decided with some a lot encouragement from a friend to run a 1/2 marathon in December.  It will take place December 9th on Kiawah Island, SC.  The race promises to be flat and beautiful.  I am counting on the flat part.

So now in addition to wedding planning, Junior League Volunteering at Helping Horse, babysitting two days a week, and oh right my full time job at the hospital ... I am training for a 1/2.
Eh, why not?  That candle looks bright burning from both ends.

Perhaps ...

Perhaps I have lost it or I am on the verge of losing it.  I will place myself in the category of verge of losing it.  I have semi-agreed to run a 1/2 marathon in December.

Training begins tomorrow with a four mile run.

When was the last time I ran?  Hmmm... I think it was in March for the 10K in Charleston.  No wait ... June.  June was the last time I ran because I had a great amount of rage one evening and needed to get it out.  I ran three miles and couldn't walk for the next two days.  So that worked well.

Yup. So I am really looking forward to this training schedule and having my patients roll me around the unit.

I guess its time to fish my running shoes out from the back of the closet.

Wants vs Needs

There are many things in this world that I found that I need.  To some (eh-hm Wesley) they may seem like wants and expensive wants at that.  I cannot help it if I was born with expensive and fabulous taste.  That is just the way God made me ... and my momma.

We try to compromise and thankfully I do have some guilt that appears before I start spending.  Hence, yielding the spending process.  However, there are some things in life I cannot go without.  One of those things is a chandelier -
for the tailgating tent.

Is this not the cutest/greatest/finishing touch on a classic tailgate chandelier ever?!  I know, I know, amazing. I found this darling gem last year in Southern Living.  And because I was trying to be a good significant other the chandelier was not purchased.  However, my want has turned into a very great need because it has been over a year of needing.  Once again the subject was revisited and once again I was shot down.... sort of.  There was a hint of maybe in his voice .... I have learned when there is a hint there is hope.  I tried to explain my vision for our tailgate ... essentially recreating a cozy welcoming kitchen / dinning room space. Wesley doesn't exactly see my vision at the moment, but I he will come around.  I planted the seed last year ... which was followed by "Your are insane and absolutely not with my money." And this year I got a "well let me see it again on the website..." Oh yah ... that chandelier is going to be mine.

A Very Quick Recap on Our Summer

Wedding Bells!  Celebrating Lindsay & Dryw

We went to Ockracoke with a fabulous group of friends. 

Above: Me in front of the lighthouse on my beach cruiser - Old Blue

Below: My BFF & MOH - Catherine (and the puppy is Marty, we borrowed him from stranger) 

Took a trip to Nashville with the Girls ... and we saw Miranda Lambert 

and the Pistol Annies 

and 

Blake Shelton

Took a trip to Sullivan Island to visit the Brother 

& other beaches as well 

Saw mountains as well ... in NC & Colorado 

Man's Best Friend

"The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog." - George Graham Vest 


In case you were wondering where the saying ever came from. 


Now, onto my story .... 
Most of y'all know about my dog Lucy.  I adopted her as a puppy from friend of friend's parents about five years ago.  Lucy and I have walked along the beach, climbed mountains, visited Mount Rushmore, traveled across the United States and back.  Needless to say we were thick as thieves.  That is until Wesley. 


Lucy and Wesley have taken their relationship to a level.  The first occurrence of this new "Mommy is not the only one I listen to activity" happened a couple of months ago.  Wes and I were outside and I wanted Lucy to come with us on our errand.  Wes wanted her back in the house.  In the midst of us calling / telling Lucy to come here / go back into the house.... Lucy went back into the house.  I was shocked.  Floored.  Lucy HAS ALWAYS listened to me over someone else.  I couldn't believe what had just happened.  Of course, Wes was just all smiles and just thought he was something else.  I decided it was best to move on from this moment and not dwell on what just happened. 


Since this time I have started to notice how Lucy and Wes interact.  She goes to him when she wants to go out, when she is hungry, when she wants to play, when she wants to talk (yes Lucy talks to you) .... Are we starting to see a trend here?  Someone has a new best friend and it's not me.  


All and all, I see this as a very good thing.  Wes and Lucy clearly love each other... even if neither one of them listen to me anymore.  Plus, I have Ethel.  She listens to me ... what I am talking about, no she doesn't.  

Lucy and Wes on a day hike in the NC Mountains - just the two of them. =)