Great Weekend!

May has its perks...

Spring like weather (sometimes!)

Cinco de Mayo

Memorial Day

Seeing fabulous friends!

It means only 6 more months till a week in WaterColor with my 

favorite niece and nephew (and of course my favorite sister, brother in law, mom, lee, and husband!). 

This weekend had its perks! Fabulous PERKS!

*Great food*Great friends*Great time with baby Rhys*Great shopping*Just Great*

I got in to the ham Friday night. Met Kali, Lo, Natalie, and the new Dr McGoldrick at Jackson's. It was great-have I mentioned that May and this weekend were great?

Girl talk. Friday night. Loved it.

Saturday we woke up, breakfast was the least favorite part of the day. I guess I have been spoiled by these muffins. So when we went to Magic Muffins, I was highly disappointed. However, a diet coke never disappoints. After the hard, stale muffin, we went shopping!!

My favorite b'ham places were visited! We got to go here and to Three Sheets, which fun purchases were made at both places! =)

The Summit was the next visit.

Lunch was amazing, always is when you eat chicken salad from this amazing place. Emily and Eleanor made time to eat lunch with Natalie and me! What a great visit.

After lunch, I got to play with this little guy!!! PRECIOUS! And visit with Shireen and Russell!

He is so precious, wish I could see him more!

After a quick and much needed visit with the Wrights, all three of them! We of course, well--did more shopping!

Dinner Saturday night was amazing! I got halibut from Bottega! AMAZING! 

*AMAZING dinner with AMAZING friends! AMAZING night*

Laura, Rachel, and I suprised Natalie with the MOST AMAZING cake from Edgars Bakery! If you have never had a carmel cake from here, you are missing out! I then had it for snack on Saturday night (after my accident in natalie's car), breakfast Sunday morning, snack Sunday before I left. 

I think if I had it for every meal the rest of my life, I would be content! 

I love May! 

=)

I get to go to this great place this weekend (the ham!)

And get to see all these fun people!!! (plus more fun friends!)

And...eat at this amazing restaurant!! Yum! Oh how I miss the food of Birmingham!

One Year Ago

A year ago today! Crazy! It all started when Andrew asked me if I would be interested in taking a job in dallas as we knew one day Feb 28th, 2009 would come along! God is so good. It's been a year and quite the transitional year. I interviewed at Children's Medical Center in April 2008 and before I knew it I was starting my first day on May 5th, 2008. Dallas has been interesting, good, but interesting. Some things from the past year:

I have realized how amazing my friends are.

I have missed my family *esp seeing my favorite niece and nephew grow up more than EVER*

I have lived in 2 apts, moved into my second one so it could fit another body, my husband! =)

I have realized the south is very southern and hospitable, meaning TN, AL states! 

I have realized when people say I still live in the "south" they dont know  what real southern hospitality is, guess you gotta live there to really know the real south!

I have realized that shopping is no better here, or at least I havent found it to be yet (still working on that one).

I still miss La Paz shrimp fajitas but Dallas does have better food! Mexican and all other cuisines!

I miss Hot n' Hot shrimp and grits so much!

I love how quacamole is now a household staple.

I have finally somewhat gotten over my fear of flying.

I never thought I would fly so much in my life.

I transitioned from working with adults to children and I love it SO much more.

I transitioned from working with one of my great great friends to no one I knew. But have loved getting all the amazing girls I work with. They make me laugh and make the days go by!

I have had the best meals of my life in Dallas.

I got engaged.

I went from having all my best friends surrounding me to having no friends, still working on that!

My brother-in-law had his third brain surgery. 

I lost my sweet sweet granny.

My sweet little niece turned one and my precious nephew turned 3!

Im still trying to find a church like my old one but today (yesterday when i wrote that) might have been a start to finding a home church body for us.

I have never seen such a flat city in my life.

I bought my first pieces of big girl furniture. 

I do like being in a big city with all the fun buildings but miss the Birmingham size city also.

I admit, I like the Dallas skyline better than Birmingham but not Nashville (not yet..not sure I ever will, I mean its home!)

I went through the biggest transition of my life thus far. Im know more will come in life.

I have realized how much more diverse Dallas is than Birmingham or Nashville. 

I got married!

I miss girls night and sipping on a crisp glass of vino with my best friends.

I miss running hills (oddly).

I miss the quaint villages of mnt brooke.

I miss walking to La Paz, walking to Clumpies.

I love having Sprinkles around.

I now have a husband and love living with my best friend.

Im learning to love Dallas....shh, dont tell Andrew (ok, not really LOVE but its more LIKE Dallas).

Im STILL adjusting and transitioning! 

Its crazy bc people say it takes about a year to get fully acquainted. I remember the days of driving around Dallas wondering where the heck I was and then I would realize Im only a block from my apt. When I got lost, I would "somehow" always find my way to Sprinkles! I had a theory of eating a Sprinkles everytime I got lost.  That had to stop! =)

When I first started at Childrens, I felt like I knew NOTHING about pediatrics (and I didnt!). I have learned alot this year but I know Im still learning. Not just in work but in life, in marriage, in my walk with the Lord. Im still adjusting from moving, I guess Im a slow transitioner. I didnt think it would be as hard as it was. It was definitely worth it, I love not having to get on a plane to see my best friend. Now I get to roll over in the morning to see him. Its wonderful. I still go through my times of missing my family and friends more than I thought I would. But I guess thats why God made airplanes! 

Oh the day of packing..or month of packing all ended up in this uhaul that Andrew drove! So precious. Natalie rode with me and kept me entertained for 10+ hrs! Wow, longest road trip for me! I dont think I have ever spent so much on gas in that uhaul. Hopefully we wont have to do that many times, except maybe one day....one day....way in the future....when we maybe move! You like that--one day, maybe, in the furture! ha, i would say that phrase is Andrew friendly! 

One of our many rest stops!

Welcome to Texas!

We finally made it! 

One year and counting.....

May 5th will be my year marker at work. I still cant believe its been a year. Thanks for everyone's listening ear, advise, laughter, joy, prayers during this transition! 

Happy One Month

Last month this time, I was doing this....

About to get to do this......

And excited to marry this man.....

What a fun day! 

El Dorado Royale!!

So it was off to the honeymoon...

Saturday night we staying at Union Station, which was such a treat. Its beautiful in there. I could get used to room service considering we had it for b'fast everyday and at least one other meal/snack (it was our 4th meal of the day not lunch or dinner). 

Sunday we flew to Dallas and stayed at DFW in the Grand Hyatt-incredibly nice! It was amazing, and once again--room service, b'fast in bed. Ah, the joys of being spoiled! We ate at the hotel restaurant, which of course was marked up ten fold but it was really good too. I love food!

We flew out to Mexico early Monday morning. Ah, flying into Cancun was amazing--the beautiful crystal blue ocean, sand, sun...what more could you ask for! We then drove to Riveria Maya where we stayed at El Dorado Royale. The service was impeccable. Wonderful wonderful. There are hotel like rooms and then casitas, we were lucky enough to stay in the casitas.  You can see below:

This is a little bundle of casitas with their own little lazy river pool (it didnt actually let you lazy river to the main pool). There are probable 10-15 little bundles or neighborhoods of casitas. They are in a  "U" shape and in the middle of the "U" there sits the main pool/swim up bar. The one with all the flowers, bigger building is the back of the main lobby.

We did this EVERY morning--b'fast on our balcony. Amazing and refreshing. Loved it. We did manage to eat about 4 meals a day as I said in the beginning. Talk about stretching your stomach. I got back and was hungry by 9am and 5pm. The food was ok. We started out at the worst place to eat in the resort the first night so that was good and only got better from there. There are 7 restaurants to eat on the resort--oriental, mexican (surprisingly the worst one, ugh! american, fondue, itialian, and some others).

Breakfast/Room service, our favorite!

Dinner at La Fondue

Actually one of the better places to eat

We were lucky enough to get a massage on the ocean, one of my favorite things about the week. Hearing the ocean in the background was the best part of it. I loved it. It was a couples massage so we got them at the same time, which was the best--simply bc I got to see Andrew experience his first spa treatment. ha, the oils pretty much intoxicated him. He was a noodle when we were finished. We went into the spa, got a pedicure, and then got in the hot tub. Where the hot tub is there is a hydrotherapy pool system. Andrew loved it. Freezing pool, not fun for me. There are 4 little different areas of the pool and Andrew tried them all. See below! 

After our massage. 

Loving the hydrotherapy pool.

No way I was getting in that freezing pool.

Other than the massage, we pretty much ate, layed by the pool/beach, ate, explored the resort, and ate some more. Cant forget the fruity beach drinks. The wine was miserable there and im not a huge fan of fruity beach drinks. I settled but I missed my daily refreshing white vino! =)

Some more pics of the week...

One night before dinner.

Gotta love self timer pics!

The lobby in the background, which was beautiful.

These little (or huge) guys were everywhere. I was terrified at the beginning but by the end, they had names and we loved them! I know, kinda weird. They are sweet and harmless. Andrew tried to fight one. I think it could kick his butt, i mean look at that tail!

The main areas had white lights around the trees. I love white lights, somehow they make everything happy! Not that you can't be happy at this place.

Andrew's favorite place, the swim up bar at our pool. The bar tender in the background--always make good friends! =)

We took accustom to the traditional morning bloody mary's in the AM. Love them! 

Time to go home

=(

The Best!

So we were honored and thrilled to have Mary shoot our wedding. Check out the absolutely amazing video she put together with some of our pictures! 

Morgan Slideshow!!

Mary, we love you and were honored that you shot our wedding. You and Adam are incredible. Thank you so much, from the bottom of our hearts. It was truly a JOY having you around all day and night! So much fun!  

Words dont express how much we are in love with her work. See for yourself! 

Picture Blog!

Mom, sister, and me!

All the best girls in the world!

My sister and I at the Bridesmaids Lucheon

I gave everyone a cowgirl hat and pink pashminas for their dress on Saturday night.

The cowgirl in me must be coming out, but they were adorable at the TX BBQ Rehearsal Dinner.

Love these girls,

Julie, Lo, Rachel, Sadie

My highschool favorites, Carla and Angie--

scripture readers in the wedding.

The Morgans!

The Mr and Mrs cutouts--absolutley amazing! I have never looked so good as a cowgirl! 

These are definitely coming out at the least expected times...could be lots of fun!

So I just figured out how to put pictures in different place..the long blog was getting annoying.

Me and Andrew!        

All the girls with the cowgirl hats! So cute!!    

My nephew and me before the wedding!

             

Meredith from Private Ed. came to do my makeup

She is so sweet and great at what she does!

Before I woke up, my mom put a sweet little gift that under my door on Sat morning. It was a sweet little hanky with  my new initials and the date. I wrapped it around my flowers. Very sweet.

Michele getting Tyler ready for his important role.

The perfect departure....a fun antique car that was a surprise, HUGE snowflakes! WONDERFUL! Mr and Mrs!!!

These are really all the pictures I have for now...

Honeymoon next!

To be continued...............