Tim McGraw!

What an amazing performance! Great seats, great company....a GREAT night! Even better than I expected I think. Halfway To Hazard was amazing! I was really impressed. They border more on a country/rock band than anything; a really good band to throw in the mix! Jason Aldean was awesome! Check out the picture of him. A Georgia boy at heart and you can really tell when he's playing at home. He did a really good job. Definitely a crowd pleaser.

Then there was Tim! Aside from the fact that he is the ultimate eye candy, he was jammin' last night! Even during his new songs that nobody knew, he still rocked the crowd! I think the venue has a lot to do with it too. Lakewood (HiFi Buys Amphitheatre) is the best place for concerts! It is outside and it isn't a huge place, so every ticket is a good ticket. Not like ours last night though! We were in the front section; row T from the stage! It was awesome! We had some really fun people behind us too, which always makes the concert more fun.

A short post I know, but I'll try to add more pics of the show later.

Concert Time

Yep, we are going to see Tim McGraw tonight! I am just full of excitement! Josh and I purchased these tickets back in December...talk about anticipation. It has been about eight years since the last Tim concert I attended. Too long! I am sure the concert is going to be great!

Accompanying Tim tonight will be Jason Aldean and Halfway To Hazard. I am not that familiar with Halfway to Hazard, but Jason Aldean has done nothing but impress me! There is no doubt in my mind it will be an amazing concert. I will be sure to let you know how it went! Can't wait...only 14 hours to go!

Surfing Adventure

So we did it...well, we tried to do it anyway. Let me just say that 5:30am does not come early enough when you are excited about doing something new. Josh and I woke up Sunday morning at Folly Beach, put on our swimsuits and headed out to the beach for our first adventures of surfing.

The sun was rising, the waves were crazy, the water was warm, and there we stood on the beach with a surfboard looking at each other like we may be nuts after all. After a little nervous laughter and several questions of who was going first, Josh headed out to sea! I stood on the beach, camera in hand, and watched as he made his way out on the surfboard. He actually made it look pretty simple, paddling his way through each wave. Then, after several attempts, he stood up on the board and rode the wave the best he could. It was so exciting! This first surfing picture is of Josh standing up for the first time.

Then it was my turn. A few simple instructions from Josh and I was ready to try it. So I grabbed the board and started wading through the surf. After climbing onto the surfboard, I started to paddle. Let me just say that the rental boards they give you to use are huge! My arms barely reached either side, so it looked like I was paddling with my fingertips. Then the first wave hit me and I thought I just got sprayed in face with water from a pressure washer. I am sure it was an interesting sight; me paddling just as fast as my arms would allow, hair all across my face, saltwater in my mouth and nose, me gasping for air and frantically blinking my eyes in hopes I would regain some sort of vision before the next wave hit me. I remember briefly thinking, "I remember Josh making this look a lot easier." Somehow I did it though, I actually made it to a spot suitable for catching a good wave. So, I turn around and see a wave coming and I start paddling again. At this point my arm muscles, which rarely get exercised, are burning with pain. Then I notice I am not even moving. You know when a big wave comes and it pulls you backwards? That was me, paddling just as fast as I could and not even moving. So the wave catches me... I'm in it! I'm going! Then I think, "Ok, time to stand up!" I put my arms on the board to assist with the standing up process and they collapse like Jell-O. Not kidding at all, they were so tired I barely got to my knees before the wave was over. So what did I do? I got up and headed back out for another try! That is me in the picture making it to my knees before flopping into the water.

This process continued for a few tries before I finally got one. Yep, I stood up....and that was about the extent of it, me standing on a huge piece of foam. It was so much fun! It was one of those things that once you got that feel of how it was supposed to work, you crave to keep trying it. I was pleasantly surprised at all the excitement that came along with it. Something I would definitely do again...LOTS!! :)

A bit of advice for those new surfers out there...the ankle strap can be tricky. Once I regained my balance in the water after falling off, my legs were swiped out from under me as the surfboard was taken with the next wave. It comes as a quick surprise if you aren't prepared for it.

This last picture is great! Really captures the intensity of the whole adventure. Definitely a reminder that you are all alone out there...paddling for your life. ;) I really wish Josh and I would have rented surfboards when we first arrived at the beach, it was well worth having the whole weekend. We will know next time though. SO MUCH FUN!

Folly Beach, SC

What an amazing weekend! I have a feeling I will be blogging about this vacation for a while. We all had such a good time. The drive from home to Folly Beach really only took about five hours. We left Friday morning and after stopping for breakfast, gas, the restrooms to change Ellie, and lunch, we finally arrived about 3:00pm. Trips are always longer with a little one, but it really wasn't a bad drive at all.

So when we arrived, we checked in to our condo and unpacked the car. Packing for Ellie is like moving the whole nursery, so unpacking the car took some time. Then we headed to the beach! Ellie was so precious. She was in awe of the beach and the ocean. She loved every minute of it. Josh and I were going crazy snapping pictures and taking video of her. I am sure the locals were probably thinking we had never seen the ocean before. Needless to say, I will be posting pictures from this trip for a while too!

Then we headed for the water. She was a bit frightened by the waves at first, but it did not take her long before she was giggling with excitement. Josh and I took turns holding her and jumping through the waves while the other took pictures. She was such a sight. She did not mess with the sand at first. When it got on her hands she would hold them out towards you like, "Here, get it off!" She would waddle her way down to the water with me to wash her hands. The longer we were out there the curlier her hair would get. I will post more pictures of her at the beach a little later. This post is just an overview of what the weekend agenda consisted of. ;)

So after an afternoon of playing on the beach, we headed inside to shower and prepare for dinner. We went to the Folly Beach Crab Shack the first night. We ate more than enough and then headed out to the pier for a nice evening walk. We were already wishing we could stay longer and it was only the first night.

On Saturday, we got up early to watch the sunrise and chitchat on the balcony. It was a beautiful sunrise...as usual at the beach. Then, Josh and I went for a walk on the beach before Ellie got up. Those early morning walks are always wonderful, but to add to the beauty there were several occasions we stood along the shore and watched the dolphins play just beyond the surf. It was perfect!

Once we finished our walk, Ellie was up and ready for breakfast. We headed to one of the restaurants in town to eat. That was another thing I found so enjoyable about Folly Beach, everything was within walking distance. The town was small enough that it took no time at all to walk from one side to the other. It was just a great vacation spot (or spot to live if the opportunity was there). So anyway, after breakfast we walked around town for a few minutes before heading back to get all of our beach gear ready for the day.

After the day out by the ocean, Josh and I managed to decide we were going to rent a surfboard. Surfing has always been something we both have wanted to try, so I guess once we saw that we could rent a board for $25 (for 24 hours) there wasn't anything stopping us. We rented the board late that evening with plans to try it early Sunday morning. Why early Sunday morning you ask? Well you see, less people=less audience for our first attempts. You will hear all about that later...that is a post all by itself!

To conclude our Saturday evening, we all got ready and headed for dinner at the Locklear's Pier restaurant. Dinner was delicious and the dessert was even better! A perfect end to another perfect day!
Sunday morning Josh and I got up early and tested our surfing skills or should I say the lack of skills. We had a blast! Then we spent the remainder of the day by the beach and in the water with Ellie. We ended up leaving Folly Beach about 5:00pm...tan and tired. It was a wonderful trip and weekend.

Memorial Day Update

After work yesterday, Josh and I took Ellie swimming for the first time this year. We had such a good time. Josh's parents have a pool at their house that was already eighty degrees! It was a little cool, but it felt so good with the hot weather. Nothing compared to the seventy degree pool at our house...brrrr. So anyway, after work I ran home, changed clothes, got Ellie ready, and headed to meet Josh. Ellie was so precious in her new Memorial Day swimsuit! This picture was taken just a little bit after arriving. The water was too cool for her liking, but she sat along the edge and kicked her feet around in the water. I put her in with me a couple of times, but she was a little cold. I guess my motherly instincts were kicking in, or it may have been that she was shivering, had chill bumps, and her lips were turning purple. Nah, it wasn't that bad. She was really more interested in playing around the pool than playing in the pool.

This next picture of Ellie is my favorite! Modeling her swimsuit. She is such a ham. Speaking of ham, look at those thighs! She got those from me, cottage cheese and all! Aren't they precious?! This is really a funny photo, because she spent the first half hour we were there trying to get up on that chair. Then, when she finally did she realized her feet would go through to the ground...not what she had in mind at all. Josh snapped this picture just before she frantically reaches for my hand to help her out of the trap she got herself into.

Here we are lounging around in the pool. This was really the only way Ellie wanted to be in the water. Give her time, I am sure by the end of the summer I won't be able to keep her out of the pool.

Kids are so funny. I noticed yesterday if Josh and I were playing in the pool, splashing around and such, she had this intense look of concern on her little face. A few times she even let out a yell and held her hand out to me like she was going to help. She is such a sweetheart!

There is Josh, soaking up some rays! After playing in the pool and sitting in the sun, Josh's parents grilled some hamburgers and hotdogs for dinner. Mmmm...makes me hungry again just thinking about how good they were.
Then, after a long afternoon of frolic and fun, Ellie and I were both pooped! She slept the whole way home. She did not even wake up once we got home. I think that was the first time I have changed her in her sleep. Needless to say, we both had a GREAT Memorial Day together!

Memorial Day 2008

Back to work for me! It would have been nice to take today off and enjoy Memorial Day, but instead I am working. Good news though, I am taking this Friday off for a long weekend at the beach! Josh, Ellie, and I are going with my parents to Folly Beach, SC. For those of you like me who have never heard of Folly Beach, I have included a map for you.
We are pretty excited about our little vacation. Yes, I would give just about anything to head to the beach for a whole week, but work just won't permit that this trip. So, we are leaving early Friday morning and coming back Sunday afternoon. A brief trip, but long enough for me to get some cute pictures of Ellie playing on the beach! I know, I know...buy some sand and a backdrop and I will save myself some time and money, right? Nah, the real thing is way better!

So, the weekend went well. Aside from me missing Ellie, Josh and I had a nice time together. I say that, but yesterday I spent the whole day studying after church so we didn't really get to spend much time together. I like to think of it as delayed gratification. I am working hard now so that I can enjoy things once I am finished with school. Had I thought of that five years ago I would already be finished with school, but it is better late than never.

This was a cute picture taken Saturday evening before the movie. Yes, I do take random pictures all the time. Aren't they great?! There is not anything better than having special moments captured in a photograph. If you are like me, you probably have trouble remembering things anyway so having pictures really helps jar the memory. That is another thing Josh and I have in common, not the memory loss, loving photography. We both appreciate the art behind it and enjoy creating art with it. I think I enjoy being in front of the camera a little more than Josh does, but he's warming up to the idea.

What else? Hmmm...
Ellie made it back home safely. She is such a little rascal. She is that kid that is so darn cute you just want to squeeze her all the time. No, I am not biased. She really is the cutest kid in the world. I cannot wait to see her at the beach. I took her to Florida last summer, but she was just too young to even know what was going on. Not that she will be any better this year, but at least she is old enough to walk and play in the sand. I will probably regret the longing for her to play in the sand when she returns with sand in every orifice. I am foreseeing the error in my judgement as I am typing this. I guess that is all part of the fun.
Here she is, Miss America. Look at those eyes! She is going to be such a little heart-
breaker. I think I better get her out of that pacifier stage before she starts breaking those hearts.

I wish I had some fun Memorial Day pictures to share. Maybe after work this afternoon I will have some free time to enjoy the holiday and snap some pics. No fear, the beach weekend is just ahead and I see tons of photos in the near future! :)

Home Sweet Home

Nestled in the North Georgia Mountains! Isn't it beautiful?! I was born and raised here and I am happy to say I still call it home. Who would want to leave such a breathtaking view? This picture was taken back in November of 2007 when Josh and I took the afternoon to go hiking. This is one of his favorite spots. I cannot believe it has been six months since we took this hike together. Time just goes by so fast. It seems like every weekend there is something planned. We keep saying maybe we will go again next weekend, but before you know it half the year is gone. I guess that is what happens when you get caught up in everything else. Maybe we will get to go again soon.


This is probably my favorite picture from our little hiking trip. Just the idea of solitude. The idea that you are alone in a world full of winding paths. We all know that choosing the right path is essential in getting you where you want to be, but do we always take the right path? I know I haven't. That is all part of growing I guess...the journey through adolescence and into adulthood. This is kind of a personal reminder that sometimes the path less traveled is the one worth taking.


This last picture is of my honey! This is Joshua Paul with me atop Preacher's Rock. Josh is my boyfriend and my best friend. Sounds pretty corny, huh? I get that a lot. I guess I could have came up with a better title for him. Supporter, encourager, strengthener, teacher...any of those would have done the job. He is an amazing individual. Each day I find myself admiring him more and more. I guess it is just funny how things work out. Josh has been a part of my life for the past eight years. He has not always played the main role, but his friendship has remained unwavering. What more could you ask for? Well, maybe a wonderful personality, good looks, and a great family....yeah, he has those too. More than that though, he is always thinking of others. Whether it be me, Ellie, his family, or a stranger, his thoughtful nature shines through. It's a good thing too, because thoughtfulness is at the top of my must-have quality list. :) Anyway, I am sure you will hear more about him later.