Lazy Weekend

For the first weekend in 5 weeks, we had no plans. Nothing. Nada. And it was fabulous! We slept in, watched some stuff on the DVR and lounged around the house. Then we sat by the pool, saw Star Trek at the movies (LOVED it!) and watched a lot of UGA Softball in the World Series on ESPN.

I hope your weekend was wonderful, too!

Memorial Day Trip

Last weekend, Marc and I flew out to Arkansas to visit his fabulous friends Toby and Natasha. I had not met them before, although Natasha and I had been facebook friends and hit it off as we shared our love of broadway musicals and Buffy.

Marc and I had a wonderful time with Toby, Natasha and their kids and we can't wait to visit again very soon. Sadly, I didn't get any pictures of us together, but I know Natasha did - so e-mail them to me soon, please! :-)

As we flew into Arkansas, I was very interested in how the landscape looked. It reminded me of a patchwork quilt.

Doggie Love

We have been out of town for the past two weekends, and we left the doggies at home with one of Marc's students. So when we got home yesterday, Marc wanted to give the girls lots of love!

Sandy's Turn

Usually it's Lullabelle sitting with Marc in his recliner, but last week Sandy wanted to get in on the action. Sandy NEVER wants to sit in a lap. I quickly grabbed the camera and got a couple of shots before she decided she had had enough and jumped down.

Lucky Mama

After 27 years of teaching hormonal high schoolers math, my mom is retiring. Her last day will actually be next Friday, but yesterday her high school had a retirement party for her. Thankfully, they consulted her kids on scheduling the party so we could all attend.



Mama has known the principal of Luella High School since the late 80s, when she was on the committee who interviewed him for a vice principal position at Stockbridge High (where she taught before Luella.) She always said if he was a principal somewhere, she would want to work for him. He got Luella when it opened in 2003 and Mama has taught there since. (It didn't hurt that it is a much shorter drive to work for her every day!) Principal Eckerle clearly thinks highly of my mother, and his remarks reflected that esteem.


One of my mama's students found out she was retiring and burst into the party; he couldn't believe she was retiring.

Hudson and Bowen enjoyed the party, and practiced sitting in desks.

Now Mama plans to spend more time at the beach, will work on her new porch and on her yard. She will spend more time with her sisters and told Daddy she might even start cooking again. Mama will also spend more time with her kids and grandchildren - and she was able to wait until we were about to leave to tell Marc and me that she was ready for some more little grandkiddies.

New York City

This past weekend, I had to go to New York for business, and Marc was able to join me for this trip. In between functions, we had a great time.

I had plans to see two Tony-nominated Broadway shows - Shrek and Rock of Ages. Instead we saw The Little Mermaid. (It was right across the street from our hotel. What can I say - we are lazy!) The show was a little long, but the costumes and scenery were amazing.

Since this was only Marc's second trip to NYC, we were a little touristy. We walked around Times Square at night (with a million other people!) to look at the lights and where the ball drops on New Year's Eve.

One of my work functions was the Peabody Awards. We saw our favorites Lost and Saturday Night Live pick up their awards, but didn't get to meet anyone famous this year. We did also see Laura Linney (for John Adams) and most of the cast of Breaking Bad.

Marc took his first subway ride.

And we went down to Battery Park to see the Statue of Liberty.

We walked around the park.

And then instead of dragging Marc to another Broadway show, we took in a Yankees game.

Marc is a big Yankees fan, so he was excited to go and see the new stadium.

We had great seats on the third base line, and the Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 7-6.

While I packed lots of options, it was really chilly. Especially at the game. I had on three layers, and had the whole-body shakes by the time we left. I am clearly a Georgia girl!

Pay Attention To Lullabelle!

Please put the computer away and pet me.

Come on - I'm much better than whatever is on that screen.


Fine, I'll just nap for a while - but I'm not going away!


Ahhhh. . .better.

Much better!

It's Yucky!

Last time I visited with my youngest nephew Bowen, he wasn't really a talker. He knew what you were saying or asking, but he just kind of watched. Now he is speaking in full sentences, and I had so much fun trying to capture his cuteness on video. I didn't mind him talking with his mouth full of food - I was just so excited he wanted to talk to his Crazy Aunt Mary!

So please indulge me - and I am only posting about a very small sampling of what I captured on my camera!

How I Spent My Saturday

Check out this photo from UGA's undergraduate commencement ceremony on Saturday. It was taken by my colleague Ric Wallace, the Technical Director for Commencement.

I don't know how many photos Ric originally took, or how it was stitched together so seamlessly. But it's amazing!

Mother's Day In Pictures

Marc and I drove down to Hampton to spend the afternoon with my parents, my brother and his wife, and my nephews. We ate lunch . . .

. . .we took a walk. . .

. . .we grubbed for worms. . .

. . .we checked out Huddy's new toy. . .

. . .we hung out on the boat. . .

. . .and we caught some fish!

For Your Viewing Pleasure

My nephew's soccer picture - he is growing up SO fast!

I Have a Confession to Make

I have not been a Taylor Swift fan.

I know, I know. She's tremendously talented and terribly cute and in this day and age of over processed pop princesses (see Britney Spears), she's a breath of fresh air.

But I became a Taylor Swift convert Wednesday at the car wash when this video came on the television. The song took my breath away, and the video made me cry. I was very close to openly sobbing at Crazy Rays.

It made me think about my wonderful mom, and it made me hope that if I one day have a daughter, I will be the type of mother about which such a song can written.

Still Lovin' the New Bed

I Feel So Old

It's 7:49pm and I am about to go to bed.

I've worked 38 hours in the past 3 days, with more-than-full days tomorrow, Friday and Saturday. This always happens as the school year winds down and I know to expect it around Commencement. However, it still hits hard.

But I have been blessed with a wonderful, fabulous, lovely hubby, who has done the laundry, taken care of the girls and understood why he's eating frozen dinners or take-out while I'm working.

Random Wednesday - Doggie Love Edition

Pomp and Circumstance

For the past 18 months, my very dear friend Connie has been working on an Executive MBA from the Terry College at UGA. Many times, her brain came close to exploding. She didn't have time to read trashy magazines or fun novels, and our pool time and Target trips were severly affected. But this past Saturday, Connie graduated. YAY!!! It was a great moment and I was so glad to share it with her.

She and her hubby Jake joined us for the weekend, and several of our friends from Augusta stayed over Saturday night. It was fun having a full house. I think this is the first time that every bedroom was occupied.

Marc got artistic with the picture taking.

After the ceremony, we had a little party to celebrate Connie's amazing accomplishment. Connie's family and friends joined us, including this adorable little girl. She took to Marc (like most kids do) and was trying to freeze him with her drink. It was very cute.

New Bed

While we were in St. Simons, Marc and I did a little shopping and bought Lullabelle a new dog bed. Now we have one in the bedroom and one in the living room and don't have to move a single bed back and forth.

LB took to the bed immediately. While she was sleeping, she got her head wedged under the rocking chair. Didn't phase her a bit - she kept on snoozin'.