Happy (late) Mother’s Day!

I hope all Mom’s out there, to human or fur babies, had a wonderful Mother’s Day!

I spent Mother’s Day weekend in Pensacola. Friday, I went to a late lunch with my Senior Manager and very casually dropped in the conversation over tacos that I was going out of town for the weekend and would be hitting the road for my 5 hour drive straight from the client site. She immediately told me I could leave right after lunch. SCORE! I was officially on the road about 2:40 (eastern time) and made it to Pensacola after one pit-stop at about 6:30 (central time). I drove straight to Washington High School, where my family was participating in Relay for Life. My Mom was not yet in town, but I got a chance to spend some time with my brother, uncles Damian, Nathan, and Michael; Grandma, cousins John Thomas, Evan and Ryan; and aunts Debbie and Erin (and this is only a fraction of the family). Naturally, after asking me about my day and drive, my uncles immediately start hounding me about Chris. You see, Chris has only met my Grandma and Aunt Debbie and only because they were in Atlanta for business. Chris and I have been dating about 7 1/2 months and believe me when I say I am not trying to hide him from my family. After meeting all of his, I have no doubt he could handle the circus of a family I have. Its just worked out that way. When we first started dating, it was the holiday season and it was a little too soon to not only be introducing him to my family, but also have him miss out on his family traditions in order to be a part of mine. Then once New Year’s passed, it was his busy season and then my busy season, during which time, I did not make any trips home nor did any family come visit me due to my busy work schedule. Now that work has calmed down and I have more free time, they are getting antsy to say the least. I answered all kinds of questions from my uncles, such as “How old is he?”, “What does he do?”, “Did he go to FSU?”, “How did you meet?”, “What does he look like?”, etc. I even got “Is he skinny?” from my Uncle Nathan, which I’m not sure where that one came from.

My Mom eventually showed up to Relay with her new friend and we walked several laps around the track, checked out the silent auction, and just hung out at our team’s campsite. The family started leaving one by one and I stuck around until about 12:30, at which time I told my Grandma I was giving up and needed a bed and headed to their house. She understood and made herself comfortable to stay the whole night like she does every year. I don’t know how she does it. She is 74 years old, almost 75, and she still manages to camp out every year at Relay and usually only naps for an hour or so, if that. She is Wonder Woman and in more ways than that!

Saturday, our plan was to head to the beach before the rain came in the afternoon. Well, the rain never came in the afternoon, but neither did the sunshine. Ashley and Nate met my Mom, her friend, Scott, and me at Perdido Bay when they got in town. Nate pretty much dropped Ashley off with us and headed to the sound side and state park to do some fishing. When I got in their car to go home, I found these “love notes” Nate left Ashley, the speed demon, as she drove them to Pensacola that morning:

Haha! Ashley does have a lead foot…

Then about 6pm, the bottom of the sky fell out. Mom, Ash, and Nate went to my brother’s to pick up a few things Mom had left there when she moved back to Tally and I was at home with the grandparents when a tornado hit a few blocks away. We were perfectly fine and as far as I know, no one was hurt by it. But naturally, this put my Grandma in panic mode and she began to prepare us in case the tornado hit. Don’t get me wrong, I am terrified of tornadoes. More so than hurricanes. But it took everything I had not to fall off my stool, laughing, as my grandma “prepared” us for the storm by putting 3 chairs in the hallway under the stairs along with a pillow for each of us. Granted, this is technically what you should be doing when a tornado warning as been issued but I’ve never seen someone react this way.

When Mom, Ashley, and Nate finally made it back, they cracked up laughing at the site.

Sunday, we woke up and had a delicious Mother’s Day breakfast with my Grandma, Mom, Aunt Deb, and mommy-to-be, Ashley. It was so nice to just relax and eat and enjoy each other’s company without having to face a crowd and long wait times. We also skyped with my cousin, Lauren, who lives out in Texas and she was able to see Ashley’s baby belly (and Nate showed off his beer belly). Unfortunately, I also had to make the long drive back to Atlanta on Sunday and hit the road about 11am. All in all, it was a nice relaxing weekend!

And here are some photos from the weekend before, when Chris and I dog-sat for our friends, Travis and Heather. They have a beautiful golden retriever named Harper. Her and Shelby are besties  

This is before and after our trip to the dog park, where they both got worn out walking and playing with the other pooches.

After this coming weekend, the next few are going to busy busy! Chris and I have a wedding in Daytona for his cousin Memorial Day weekend, then we are heading out to San Francisco the following week/weekend for a vacation. Then the next weekend is Ashley’s baby shower I am hosting in Tallahassee. Then Anna (and hopefully Christy and Shaila) is coming to visit in Atlanta and I cannot wait!