Category Archives: family

Happy Mother’s Day!

dancing

To my mother:

Thank you for the unyielding, unwavering love you’ve shown me, every day since the day you and Dad brought me home from the hospital.  I feel so honored, grateful and blessed to call you my Mom.  I look up to you so much, even more now that I’m older and truly realize all that you’ve done for me, the sacrifices you made and the understanding you bestowed.  Thank you for making me feel beautiful, and telling me so when there were days I felt anything but.  Thank you for holding me up when I fell down, and for dancing next to me when I stood tall.  Thank you for literally helping me learn to walk again, and for holding my hand when I wanted so badly to quit.  There are so many memories that I cherish, and so many more that I know we’ll have.  I love you. 

Even though I wasn’t able to spend the day with my Mom today, we were able to have a nice long chat on the phone and catch up with each other.  I look forward to Sunday afternoons for that very reason; my Mom and I can talk on the phone and an hour will pass before we even know it.  Every time we talk I’m instantly transported back to the couch in my parents’ living room, where we used to curl up with blankets and talk for hours.  Whenever I’m there for a visit, we’re always sure to spend time on that same couch, reminiscing about the past and talking excitedly about the future.

apron

I figured that if I couldn’t physically celebrate Mother’s Day with my Mom today, I could do the next best thing to pay homage to her: bake.  I learned how to bake from my Mom, who no doubt learned from her Mom, and so on.  I have vivid memories of being a young girl with an apron tied around my waist, pouring through the endless kitchen cabinets.  What became known as “glass bowl” involved Mom giving me a dozen different ingredients to measure, mix and make my own creation.  We’d never actually cook or eat whatever concoction I created, but I know that’s where my love for baking first blossomed.  To this day she is the best cook I know.

This afternoon I made banana chocolate chip muffins, with a cream cheese filling.  Some of my favorite things to make with Mom were sweet treats: decorated sugar cookies, cranberry orange scones, and the infamous chocolate ganache praline cake that is somewhat of a legend in our family.

muffins

Banana Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese-Filled Muffins
Makes 15 muffins

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 3/4 cup brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 egg
    • 2 overripe bananas
    • 1/2 cup milk
    • 1/3 cup butter, softened but not melted
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
    • Spreadable cream cheese, softened

Preheat oven to 350.  Arrange 15 liners in muffins tins.  In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In another bowl, beat together egg, bananas, milk, butter and vanilla extract on a low setting until smooth.  Pour wet mixture into flour mixture and stir until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop a spoonful of the muffin batter into each liner.  Using a teaspoon, drop cream cheese into each of the liners.  Top each with remaining batter.  Bake for 18 minutes.

Mom and Dad Visit Atlanta, Round 2

Since the last time my parents visited Atlanta was over a year ago (not trying to make you two feel bad or anything, I promise!), I was extremely excited to have them in town this past weekend.  So much has changed since their last visit: Drew and I both have new jobs, our apartment is looking at little more homey–it’d only been a few months after the wedding when they came to visit–and, oh yeah, a dog lives in our apartment now.  Coincidentally, they were also visiting during a pretty big weekend-both St. Patrick’s Day and the Georgia marathon were on Sunday.  Their first few minutes in the city were spent experiencing the organized extreme chaos that is Atlanta traffic.

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Reunited at last! Mom may have been more excited to see Theo than us…

Thankfully, Friday night’s dinner was just a short walk away from our apartment.  After stocking our freezer and pantry with some of Mom’s best homemade goodies, we set out for Takorea.  I had been talking up this Korean/Mexican restaurant to Mom and Dad for months and not surprisingly, it didn’t disappoint.  We got two orders of sesame fries for the table-I think those were Mom’s favorite food of the entire weekend.  And trust me, we ate a ton.

Saturday we awoke to absolutely perfect weather.  I’d been watching the forecast all week and the weatherman actually got it right-low 70′s and sunny.  Much, much better than the cold snow back home in Kentucky, right guys?  We went to Flying Biscuit for breakfast, a cafe Drew and I had been meaning to go to since we moved to Atlanta-especially since it’s just a few blocks from the apartment.  After another great meal we decided to take advantage of the warm weather and head to Piedmont Park.  After a quick browse through the farmer’s market, we headed on to the dog park.  We met a bunch of cute dogs and of course Theo was the life of the party, as usual.  One dog in particular would not leave Theo’s side for even a second.  We called him ‘stalker dog’ for the remainder of the visit-he even tried to leave with us and made an escape run for the gate!

photo 1

We spent the rest of the day relaxing until heading back out for our dinner reservation for JCT Kitchen.  Fries apparently were the theme of the weekend.  While browsing our menus, we raved to Mom and Dad about the truffle oil Parmesan fries.  I think those were Dad’s favorite thing.  I’m sure he and Drew could have each polished off their own bowl.  Thankfully, they shared with their wives ;-)

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Enjoying lunch at Brickstore Pub in Decatur

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Sunday was another beautiful day, although a bit chillier with the sun hiding behind clouds most of the day.  After attending church and showing Mom and Dad the new building that Grace Midtown moved into almost a year ago, we headed out to Decatur for lunch.  Drew and I figured we needed to celebrate St. Patty’s Day appropriately, plus we couldn’t skip an excuse to go back to Brickstore Pub.  Once again taking advantage of the nice weather, we dined outside and then browsed the shops along the square.  Before heading back home, we drove through Decatur, showing Mom and Dad where we hope to move next year.  We discovered some really, really nice neighborhoods (and some not-so-nice ones).  We even stumbled upon two little girls running a lemonade stand.  It’s still a ways away yet, but Drew and I get excited thinking and planning for the future.

Cheeeeese.

Cheeeeese.

Just when you think we wouldn’t be able to stuff ourselves with anymore food, we went all out and ordered deep dish for dinner.  Nancy’s is a restaurant that actually originated out of Chicago and makes authentic deep-dish style pizza here in Atlanta.  Soon after, with happy hearts and full bellies, we said our goodbyes.  It was a weekend full of fun, laughter, great food and some much-needed time with family.  Mom and Dad, thank you so much for coming to visit and see our stomping grounds, filling our freezer with enough meals to last us a month, and making us feel so loved.  I know how proud you are of the two of us, but really, I’m just as proud and blessed to have such amazing parents.  Until next time!  And hey, let’s not make it almost a year and a half again, OK?!

A Long Weekend at the Beach!

North Carolina has always held a special place in my heart.  Ever since I was a baby, right around the time I just started to learn to walk, our family would spend a week-long summer vacation at Bald Head Island.  More recently, during my time in college, we spent time at Winding River Plantation, just outside of Southport, and just a short drive from the ferry boat that we’d take over to the island.  There are so many memories I’ve accumulated over the years, and two summers ago I was able to give Drew a little better idea of what my childhood (and teenage) vacations were all about.  Who would have thought the place where I spent so many summers growing up would turn out to be our honeymoon back-up plan?  Needless to say, it’s a place that means a lot to me.

Throwback picture: Drew and I at Fishy Fishy back in 2010.

This past weekend, Drew and I took Friday off from work and headed down to North Carolina, to stay with my parents at their house in Winding River.  We hadn’t been there since our honeymoon almost 11 months earlier, so we were very happy to have a chance to go back.  Even though we won’t be able to take a full-blown vacation this summer, a three-day weekend at the beach was going to fit the bill just right.  We also had Theo in tow, which would make for an even more eventful weekend.  I think it’s safe to say we were more excited about Theo experiencing the ocean for the first time than almost anything else.

After sleeping in on Friday after a midnight arrival the night before, we set out for the beach.  After scoping out an empty patch of sand to set up camp, we headed for the ocean.  I was expecting for Theo to dart for the waves the second he saw them, leaving me racing behind to catch up.  This was not at all what happened.  Theo was very hesitant at first and jumped back every time a wave rolled in.  It took several tries and coaxing from all four of us before he became more comfortable with the water.  By the end of the trip, he was jumping and playing in the waves with Drew.  He was definitely the source of our entertainment for the day, digging holes and kicking wet sand everywhere.

Theo wasn’t exactly thrilled with the ocean waves at first…

…but by the end of the day, he was having a great time!

Theo made his own shady spot by digging a hole right behind Drew’s beach chair. Smart dog.

That night we headed into town for a wine tasting and then dinner at Fishy Fishy.  It was a great change to spend some time in Southport, with all its small-town charm, after living in Atlanta.  Most of the houses and storefronts along the main street were already decorated with colorful bunting and ribbons for the 4th of July parade.  Dinner at Fishy Fishy was something Drew and I had been looking forward to all week-it was one of our best meals during the honeymoon.  They must have changed the menu since we were there last as they didn’t have Drew’s beloved chicken skewers.  He was able to find something very similar so once again, all was well with the world ;-)

The four of us at Fishy Fishy.

One of my favorite things to do when visiting Mom and Dad is to stay up late, talking and reminiscing.  Along with some of Mom’s infamous peach and blueberry pie, we stayed up until almost midnight—a good two hours later than when Drew and I typically go to bed.  Yes, we really are an elderly couple at heart.   Saturday we decided to go to the pool since the beach would no doubt be much more crowded with it officially being the weekend and the upcoming holiday.  I also did a  less than stellar job at applying SPF the day before and had quite the uneven sunburn to show for it.  Seeking out shade and taking a refreshing dip in the pool was definitely our best bet.

Theo got spoiled rotten by Mom and Dad. They sure do love their grand dog!

Even with all the great restaurants around, some of our best meals come from cooking in at the house.  Mom and Dad have the art of grilling seafood down to a science and the shrimp and mahi-mahi tacos we had that night were absolutely delicious.  The Patron margaritas weren’t so bad either ;-)   Theo had quite a few food treats himself over the course of the weekend-Mama and Papa Edwards took care of him with several goodies.

Margaritas made by the master mixologist, Dad.

As they usually do, the long weekend ended much too soon and after a big brunch on Sunday, we packed up the car and headed back to Atlanta.  I think Mom and Dad were almost more sad to Theo leave than the two of us! I have a feeling that when they move to their North Carolina house for good, it won’t be long before they adopt a dog of their own.  On the drive home, about 100 miles outside Atlanta, we ran into a horrible hailstorm and actually had to pull under an overhang on the interstate.  Drew’s car has really taken a beating, making it through two hailstorms within the past two months.  Theo practically slept through the whole thing, curled up in the backseat.  We finally made it home safe and sound, not too far behind schedule even with the storm.

I’m not sure when the next time we’ll be able to take a trip to the beach will be, but I’m sure it won’t be too long.  Theo definitely enjoyed his time and it was a great mental getaway for Drew and I not to have to think about work or worry about the real world for a few days.  Many thanks to Mom and Dad for inviting us for the weekend, it was a real treat!

Wedding Season, Take 2 (and another trip to Kentucky!)

I said it before and I’ll say it again: wedding season has arrived!  Back in late April, Drew and I attended our first wedding of the year.  This past weekend, we headed back to Louisville for another wedding.  Valerie and Mitch, friends from WKU, tied the knot on June 9th.  What made it extra special was seeing a lot of close friends I hadn’t seen in a while.  Chelsea and Karly, along with several other people that I hadn’t seen since my last time on the hill, were also attending.

Thanks once again to the horror that is Atlanta rush-hour traffic, we didn’t reach Nanny and Granddaddy’s house until after midnight.  Saturday morning we met up with Bethany and Andrew for breakfast and McDonald’s.  Granddaddy told me the story of how he’d take his grandchildren Bryan and Bethany to McDonald’s almost every Saturday morning, and it became a family tradition of sorts.  It was great to catch up with Bethany and Andrew, and of course I was happy to get my iced coffee fix.

The rest of the afternoon was pretty laid-back until it was time to get ready for the wedding.  Taking a cue from a sorority formal several years ago (one of Drew’s and my first dates, actually), we decided to match and both wear green.  This definitely brought back memories! On our way to the venue, I actually plugged in the wrong GPS and we got way off-track.  After realizing the mistake, we booked it to the reception (thanks to Drew’s awesome driving skills) with literally no minutes to spare.  Nervous that we’d be caught at the “late guests” since the ceremony was outside, Drew and I quietly made our way to the back, where we watched the ceremony unfold from the back porch.

The beautiful bride and handsome groom. Congrats, Mr. and Mrs. Kaiser!

After the ceremony, we went inside what looked like a renovated old country mansion.  It had a beautiful wrap around porch and the reception area was decorated simply but beautifully.  Burlap covered the tablecloths and beautiful peach-colored sashes were tied on the backs of all the chairs.  The centerpieces consisted of lanterns and scattered rose petals.  We marveled at the candy bar consisting of dozens of green and orange-colored goodies (and definitely filled up swag bags later in the evening).

Overall the wedding was absolutely beautiful.  Valerie and Mitch looked so happy and it was definitely a magical night.  We all took advantage of the nice weather, enjoying being outside on the wrap-around porch and visiting the zebras and llamas on the farm next door.  I wore by wedding shoes (I’m determined to get several more uses out of them!) and by the end of the night my feet were aching from all the dancing.  After saying our goodbyes, Drew and I headed back to Nanny and Granddaddy’s house to spend a little bit more time with them before we all headed to bed.

Meeting Mom and Dad for breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Guess it would have been easier to get a picture of all three of us together, huh? :)

Sunday morning Drew and I had plans to meet my Mom and Dad for brunch, just like we did on the way home from Evan and Danielle’s wedding.  Chelsea and Karly were also able to join us which was a nice little treat.  After a big breakfast at Cracker Barrel, Mom and Dad came back to the house for a bit to visit with Theo.  They hadn’t seen him since Christmas and were amazed at just how big he’s gotten these past several months.  Before hitting the road, Mom and Dad loaded us up with lots of yummy goodies and treats for Theo.  Thanks again you two, Drew and I are looking forward to the many good eats :)

After being out of town for the past three weekends, I’m definitely ready to stay put in Atlanta for a while.  It’s been nice to go back to Kentucky and see friends and family as much as we have, but it’ll also be nice not to have to travel anywhere for a while.  Our plans for the upcoming weekend include a long-overdue date night, a visit to the dog park for Theo and hopefully a Sunday afternoon outing with the couples from our house church.  The next time we travel will be the weekend leading up to Fourth of July when we go for a long weekend to my parent’s house in North Carolina.  By then I’m sure we will be ready for a weekend of relaxation at the beach!

Memorial Day Weekend in Fort Mitchell!

Celebrating a weekend home with Mom and Dad!

When Drew and I met Mom and Dad for brunch the day after Evan and Danielle’s wedding back in April, I mentioned to them that I had the long 4-day weekend off from work over Memorial Day.  After thinking about it all of 5 minutes we decided that it would be the perfect opportunity for me to make a trip to Fort Mitchell.  So last Friday morning, I flew to Kentucky where Dad picked me up at the airport.  My flight back to Atlanta was scheduled to leave late Monday afternoon, so I’d have a good amount of time to visit with Mom and Dad.  I was beyond excited!

After Dad picked me up from the airport, we headed out for some lunch and shopping.  After Mom got home from work, we celebrated with cocktails and dinner out at one of my favorite restaurants, Sweet Basil.  I ordered a tofu stir fry and Mom and Dad both tried a piece (good sports!), but I think they were more than happy to stick with their chicken and beed ;-) A trip back home isn’t complete without a visit to Graeter’s for dessert.  Breaking away from my usual mint chocolate chip, I ordered the Buckeye Blitz which was like a Reese’s cup in ice cream form, aka, heaven. We spent the rest of the night out on the back deck, enjoying the warm weather and talking until well after the sun went down.

Homemade watermelon margaritas…an Edwards’ family summer tradition.

Even with it the long weekend giving me the ability to sleep in as much as I wanted, I was up early for a morning workout with Mom.  Later on we headed up to Cincinnati to do some shopping at the Kenwood Town Centre, and did quite well for ourselves.  I haven’t done much shopping in Atlanta so I was more than ready to with Mom–she’s always been my best shopping buddy.  That night we made the infamous watermelon margaritas and grilled fish tacos on the back deck, with Mom’s berry trifle for dessert.  Jennifer and Derek came over for a while and we chatted about their upcoming October wedding.  It was fun talking about bridesmaids’ dresses and centerpieces with her because I was in her shoes exactly one year ago, planning my own wedding.  I also got to see their dog Kemba, who I hadn’t seen since Christmas, and I almost didn’t recognize him since he’s gotten so big!

The birdhouse where we saw three baby finches peek their heads in and out!

After church Sunday morning, we headed back to the house and I made us banana and nutella-stuffed French toast.  Drew and I have been making French toast with his homemade bread for months now, and only recently did I think to add sliced bananas to it.  I think I could eat that for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a solid week and not get tired of it.  We spent the rest of the day lounging around outside, enjoying the extremely warm weather.  Dad gave me a tour of his garden and all the vegetables and fruits that he’s growing.  I’m looking forward to starting our garden when Drew and I move into a house.  Fingers crossed I inherited Dad’s green thumb!  We also marveled at the baby finches that had hatched in the birdhouse hanging from our locust tree, and watched as the momma bird fed her babies.  It’s incredible how such little birds can make such loud noises!

The sugar peas from Dad’s garden. They are so much fresher tasting than what you find at the grocery store!

Monday came far too soon and after another brief shopping trip and lunch, Mom drove me back to the airport.  One would think that after me being away at college for four years and now living in Atlanta that we’d be used to saying our goodbyes.  It never gets easier and I still always tear up every time we have to part ways.  I suppose that’s something that I’ll never really get used to, but I was so thankful that I got to see them for a long weekend.  It was a wonderful, much-needed visit full of relaxation, fun and good food.  We’ll be meeting for brunch again after we travel to Louisville for another wedding next weekend!

A Visit to Kentucky for Evan and Danielle’s Wedding!

Our table at the reception. Also, proof that it's pretty much impossible to get 8 or more people to look at the same camera all at once :)

Well, it’s official: wedding season has begun! One of my favorite things about Springtime (besides the increasingly warmer hot weather-Atlanta is supposed to be in the high 80’s all week!), is the steady trickle of wedding invitations that start coming in through the mail.  Our fridge has several save the date magnets for 2012 weddings on it!  This past weekend we traveled back home to Kentucky, more specifically Louisville, to celebrate the wedding of Drew’s cousin, Evan, to Danielle. The weekend was absolutely amazing, especially since we got to visit and spend time with so many friends and family members.

Drew and I got an early start Friday morning, taking Theo to the boarder for the long weekend, and then making the drive Louisville.  Unlike 99% of our other road trips to Kentucky, we didn’t encounter any traffic and were even able to make a leisurely lunch stop before reaching Nanny and Granddaddy’s house.   That night we headed to the beautiful church downtown for the rehearsal ceremony.  It was so great to see that side of the family, many of whom we hadn’t seen since our own wedding.  We sat with Andrew and Bethany, and had a good time catching up with them since we last saw them over Christmas.  Throughout the rehearsal, Evan and Danielle didn’t seem too nervous, I’m sure they were excited and ready for their big day as much as anyone.

After the rehearsal, we headed to Marketplace Restaurant for dinner.  The restaurant itself is beautiful, but the back room that was reserved for our party was simply breathtaking.  I can’t say enough good things about the food-all of us could have easily eaten plate after plate of their parmesan-crusted fries.  They reminded Drew and me of the fries we always order whenever we have date night at JCT Kitchen.   All of our entrees and dessert were delicious as well.  It’s too bad we don’t live closer; I know we would be making quite a few trips back to Marketplace for dinner (more specifically, those fries!)

Just Married!

We spent the day on Saturday visiting with Bethany, Andrew and Venita, who came over for lunch.  We can always count on being fed well whenever we visit Nanny and Granddaddy; there is never a shortage of sweets, that’s for sure!  Drew’s parents arrived not long after, along with the always fashionable Smokey.  We were able to visit with them a bit before heading on to the church.  When we arrived, we were able to see Danielle posing for a few photos in front of the big red doors of the church.  She and Evan did a “sneak peek” photo shoot, as he reached for her hand on the other side of the door. It was so sweet to see them both so happy, knowing that they were holding the other’s hand even if they couldn’t see each other just yet.  No doubt those photos are going to turn out beautifully!

The ceremony itself was beautiful and the church was filled with friends and family.  We sat closer to the front as Drew was to read a passage of scripture during the ceremony.  When the doors opened and Danielle and her father walked down the aisle, I had to steal a glance at Evan.  I know everyone always looks at the bride during this moment, but it was amazing to see the look on Evan’s face as he watched his bride walk toward him.  I hope their photographer was able to capture that moment because it was truly special.

The reception took place at the Louisville Zoo and definitely turned out to be as fun as we thought it would.  After being greeted at the entrance by several zoo animals, we took a short golf cart ride to where the tented reception was taking place.  After grabbing a drink and heading inside to find our table, we took a look at the menu.  Once again, there was no shortage of food–several stations were set up all throughout the tent offering different cuisines: sushi, fajitas, pasta and a mashed potato martini bar were just a few of the goodies being served.  The highlight had to be the chocolate cake with the most amazing frosting I’ve ever tasted (and trust me, I’ve eaten a lot of frosting!) The lighting, table settings and decorations were absolutely beautiful; the zoo theme was in full effect with tables named after animals and a zebra-striped candy buffet table.

The wedding cake that was (almost) too pretty to eat.

Mid-way through dinner, the weather outside took a turn for the worse and it ended up hailing the size of golf balls.  It was a little alarming at first since it had been bright and sunny when we arrived.  Thankfully it settled down after a bit and we were able to continue enjoying the evening.  The best part is that I don’t think the weather even fazed Evan and Danielle as their smiles didn’t leave their faces the entire night.  After mingling with the family and bit more and dancing to a few songs, Drew and I said our goodbyes to everyone and headed back to Nanny and Granddaddy’s house.

The giant hail that came down during the reception. We didn't late it spoil our fun though!

The next morning we awoke early and enjoyed a quick breakfast with Nanny and Granddaddy before they headed off to church.  One of the things I was most excited for during the weekend was meeting my Mom and Dad and Uncle Doug for lunch at Cheddar’s before having to head back to Atlanta.  I hadn’t seen any of them since around Christmastime, so it was a visit very much overdue! I’m so glad we were able to visit with them as phone calls and email just aren’t the same.  Thankfully it sounds like we won’t have to go as long until our next visit.  Mom and Dad sent us back with a large cooler full of goodies so it looks like Drew and I won’t have to cook for ourselves for quite a while.  Thank you both so much for taking care of us as always.  Uncle Doug, thanks for treating us to lunch!

Meeting Mom and Dad for lunch at Cheddar's. So happy we got to see them!

It was a wonderful weekend, and we’re so happy we were able to see as many friends and family members as we did.  Nanny and Granddaddy, thank you both so much for allowing us to stay with you-we always have such good visits with you all and are very much looking forward to a weekend at the lake.  Bethany and Andrew, we had so much fun with you both—you all need to make a trip to Atlanta ASAP ;-) And finally, to Evan and Danielle, we wish you nothing but the best as you begin your new life together. We’re so incredibly happy for you two and we’re honored we were able to be a part of your special day!

Cruising through the Bahamas

Two weeks ago, Drew and I embarked on our first cruise experience together, along with Drew’s parents April and Jim.  Drew had gone on a trip with his parents back in high school, but this was my first time.  Needless to say, I was absolutely thrilled.  I thought that being a college graduate meant my opportunities for Spring Break trips were over, so getting to take a week’s vacation mid-March (which also happens to be the time of year that you really need a break the most!) was a real treat.

Cocoa Cay. Drew called the deep blue, crisp water "Proof that God is a UK fan."

We drove halfway to Florida on Saturday, stopping in St. Simon’s for the night.  The quaint island reminded me instantly of years’ worth of family vacations to Southport and Bald Head Island in North Carolina I’d had growing up.  It was nice spending time in a place that moves on its own time, and wasn’t enthralled in the hustle and bustle of the real world.  When my cell phone first lost its signal I felt a mild panic attack coming on.  Second later, I smiled, and turned off my phone.  I was officially on vacation.

Monday morning we boarded the ship (I was careful not to call it a “boat,” as I’d been warned that they really don’t like that), which was a lot smoother process than I’d thought.  It boggled my mind that over 2,000 people would be on one ship but after seeing the size of the Majesty of the Seas, it all made perfect sense.  We celebrated our first moments onboard with a Bahama Mama, complete with bright colored umbrella and light-up souvenir glass.  One of the things cruises are best known for is their ability to feed people, good food and lots of it.  It’s a good thing that Drew and I logged a 4 mile run back in St. Simon’s because after one look at the very first buffet, I was definitely going to be eating well!

Our hammock, my favorite spot on Cocoa Cay

We spent two days at sea, and another two at Cocoa Cay, Royal Caribbean’s one private island in the Bahamas, and Nassau.  While in Cocoa Cay, Drew and I went snorkeling.  The water was freezing but we had a lot of fun floating around and looking for fish.  We spent the remainder of the day lounging in hammocks reading, strolling along the beach, and (surprise, surprise) eating lunch at the beach cookout. We spent a lot of time in Nassau, which was a lot bigger than I’d expected, shopping in the straw market, eating lunch on a restaurant patio, and taking a glass-bottom boat tour through the Bahamas.

During a particularly "interesting" point in the "Love and Marriage" gameshow.

One of the highlights of the trip was Thursday night, when Drew and I were selected to represent the newlyweds group on a spin-off of the old Newlyweds show, called the “Love and Marriage” Gameshow.  Both the men and women took turns answering questions about one another and their marriage, while the spouses sat backstage in a soundproof room.  Whoever got the most matches won a bottle of champagne.  While Drew and I didn’t win, we received a swag bag filled with a lot of goodies, and got quite a few laughs out of the audience (mostly at our own expense, of course).  Once we got back to our room, there was a DVD recording of the gameshow from the show’s host, the cruise director.  It’s a nice memento to have from our cruise!

Drew and I for Formal Night at dinner

Other highlights from the week include: eating chocolate cake in bed at 11 p.m., watching the Belly Flop contest (Kentucky men represented well!), a comedy/magic show, April judging the World’s Sexiest Man contest (she endured like a champ!), towel creatures, every single delicious dinner with our wonderful server Bim, the late night luau on the pooldeck, seeing “Breadfish” on the glass-bottom boat tour, walking through the sweets shop in St. Simon’s and gaining 10 pounds just inhaling all the sugar, and celebrating April’s birthday with not one, but two desserts Wednesday night.

I felt mixed emotions driving back home to Atlanta on Friday. I was happy to be returning to dry land (I had a few bouts of sea sickness during the trip) and couldn’t wait to pick up Theo from the boarder.  Still, it had been wonderful to spend some time away from work, technology, and our busy lives.  I certainly could have stayed in the hammock back in Cocoa Cay for a few more days and wouldn’t have minded one bit ;-) Jim and April, thank you both so much for allowing us to take this awesome trip with you all.  It was very much needed after several hectic weeks and work for Drew and me.  We made so many memories and have so many great pictures to show for it!

My 23rd Birthday!

Since I was a little girl, I’ve had this knack for stretching out my birthday for as long as I can, turning one day into a week-long celebration.  Though the circumstances this year were a little different, my 23rd birthday was a weekend-long party.  About a week ago over dinner, Drew said that he wanted to make me a chocolate cake.  Not just any cake, mind you, but a cake from scratch.  Knowing that Drew has never made a cake that didn’t come from a box, I was absolutely thrilled, if not a little nervous for him.  He’s seen me bake countless muffins and cookies, and has seen many of the flour-caked kitchen messes that inevitably occur.  Still, he was set on making me a chocolate layer cake so I picked out a recipe and sent it his way.  Saturday afternoon Drew logged several hours in the kitchen whipping up my birthday cake.  It was also the perfect opportunity to use a few wedding gifts that we’d received but had yet to use–our cake platter and serving utensils, and dessert plates.

That night, a big group of our friends met at Noodle, the restaurant of choice for my birthday dinner.  Drew and I are no strangers to Noodle; we’ve been there five times and love the food, as well as the fact that it’s within walking distance from our apartment.  It was fun getting to recommend our favorite dishes to our friends who hadn’t yet eaten there.  After ordering drinks and mingling, we settled into our food, which comes in very generous portion sizes.  I ordered the peanut Thai noodle bowl with chicken while Drew ordered his tried and true chicken fried rice.  Everyone’s dishes smelled amazing and it was pretty clear that everyone really enjoyed their meals.

Drew slicing into his masterpiece of a cake. It was so good!

Blowing out my make-believe candles. They still sang to me :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After wrapping things up at Noodle, we walked back the apartment for wine and cake.  Drew, being the master baker, did the honors of cutting the cake.  Everyone “oohed” and “ahhed” and of course The Birthday Song was involved.  Even though we didn’t have candles to put in the cake, I made believe they were there, made a wish and blew them out.  As we poured wine and served slices of the cake, everyone raved about what a great job Drew did.  It was also a big night for Theo since he’d never been in a room with a dozen of our friends before.  He was the life of the party, jumping in everyone’s laps and rolling over for numerous belly rubs.  After everyone left, Drew and I stayed up watching the clock, as we were determined to make it to midnight so it would officially be my birthday.  Right on the dot, my best friend (and the best Maid of Honor ever) Chelsea called to sing me Happy Birthday.  She and Katie, one of my bridesmaids and other best friend from college, are planning on coming to Atlanta for a long weekend visit in February.  I haven’t seen them since October so I’m really looking forward to a girls’ weekend with them.  Drew has already talked about having a guys’ night at Vortex, whose Triple Coronary Bypass Burger has been featured on Man. vs. Food, so I’m sure he will be just fine :-)

As we awoke to the alarm this morning, Drew once again serenaded me with a sleep-eyed version of Happy Birthday.  After getting out of the shower, I found several new clothes laid out on the bed, my birthday present from Drew.  He told me that when I went out for a girls’ night viewing party of The Bachelor last Monday that he’d high-tailed it to the mall for a Gap shopping trip.  It was the first time he’d picked out clothes for me and said he actually used my Pinterest Style board to help him choose the shirts and sweater.  What a resourceful husband I have ;-) After a great church service, where I wore my new sweater, we headed back home for brunch.  Drew’s cooking prowess was not finished for the weekend: he’d make his Dad’s recipe for homemade bread earlier in the week, and was going to use it in Nutella-stuffed French toast.  If you know me at all, you know that I have an obsession with Nutella; I could eat the stuff straight from the jar with a spoon.

Nutella stuffed French toast = Heaven on a plate.

Our homemade margherita pizza. Yum!

After the best birthday brunch ever, Mom and Dad called to wish me Happy Birthday and we caught up for a while.  I finished opening my birthday cards and gifts.  After our late night before, an afternoon nap was in order and we dozed for several hours.  We then made a quick trip to Trader Joe’s and Publix, picking out ingredients to make two homemade pizzas.  We made margherita and BBQ chicken pizzas, both of which were absolutely delicious.  Ever since we started going to pizza clubs with several of Drew’s friends from work, we’ve really taken a liking to crafting our own pizzas.  I think a dessert fruit pizza is next on our list of must-tries.

Now that the night is winding down, we’re watching the Giants/49′ers game, completely stuffed from a great dinner.  It’s been an absolutely wonderful birthday weekend, and I’m so blessed to have such great friends and family.  Thank you to all our friends who celebrated with us on Saturday night, and for the thoughtful gifts friends and family gave me.  I don’t feel any older yet, but I’m sure it will hit me soon the next time I have to write my age on a form or tell someone I’m 23.  Last year was an amazing year filled with so many firsts, but I think this year is going to be one for the books as well.  It’ll be my first full year of marriage to a man I fall in love with over and over again every day (the Nutella French toast certainly contributed to that!), and as a college graduate with a real world job in an awesome city.  23 is going to be sweet and I’m very excited for what’s in store!

Christmas Part 3 (And Happy 2012!)

This past weekend finally wrapped out our Christmas celebration extravaganza-yes, we are really good at managing to stretch the holidays out for as long as possible, even into the new year! After Part 1 and Part 2 in Kentucky, our last celebration took place a little closer to home.  Drew and I both enjoyed being off work together on Friday (holiday schedules and considerable time off are one of the highlights of working in the advertising industry) and got some things done around the apartment.  That evening his parents arrived and we went to Mary Mac’s for dinner.  As I’ve previously blogged about, Mary Mac’s is a staple for good southern cooking (read, lots of butter).  I could probably polish off their cinnamon roll bread basket by myself.  I ended up ordering the grilled catfish with black-eyed peas and collard greens, all of which was absolutely delicious.

My delicious apricot white chocolate chip pecan scone from Bakeshop. It was huge!

After sleeping in Saturday morning, the four of us headed to another Midtown favorite, Bakeshop, for brunch.  Jim and Drew had taken Theo to the dog park earlier that morning (while I happily slept in), and said that he was making good process socializing with the bigger dogs.  I have yet to go but hopefully if the weather is nice this weekend, we can take Theo on another park outing.  After my enormous scone from Bakeshop (besides sharing a bite with Drew, I polished off every single morsel), we relaxed at the apartment while watching the UK/ UofL game.  After a Wildcats victory (did you have any doubt?) we continued to relax until it was time for dinner.  Not making a reservation on New Year’s Eve was a gamble but after a short-albeit entertaining-wait at another favorite restaurant, we were seated.  The meal itself at Noodle was delicious as always, but the service left something to be desired.  We were left without silverware or napkins, and as you’ll read later, apparently that was a reoccurring theme for the weekend.

With full bellies we headed back to the apartment, ready for the rest of our evening.  Jim and April played babysitters to Theo while Drew and I went to our house church leader’s house for snacks, champagne and board games.  We tuned in just in time to see the ball drop in Times Square, and then flipped over to another channel to watch two daredevils jump over the San Diego Bay in snowmobiles.  Now that is a way to ring in 2012!  We had a lot of fun with our friends, toasting the new year and playing fun new board games like Bananagrams and Quelf.  Theo waited up for us and when we returned, we put him to bed and barely stayed awake long enough to brush our teeth before crashing into bed ourselves.Sunday morning came early and soon we headed off to church.  My parents had visited Grace when they came to see us back in November, so it was nice to be able to take Drew’s parents as well.  We stopped by Jimmy John’s for a quick bite to eat (once again sans silverware and napkins) and made a quick run to Target for a new vacuum cleaner (thanks again, Jim!)

Listening to C.R. and Jackie tell the "Charlie Brown Christmas Story"

Soon after that we piled into the car and made the short trip to Canton for Christmas celebrations with C.R. and Jackie, along with Uncle Max, Aunt Chris, Nathan and David.  Before we all exchanged our Secret Santa gifts, C.R. and Jackie presented all the grandchildren with a precious Christmas keepsake-Drew and I received a Charlie Brown picture book with audio of the story read by C.R. and Jackie, with the intention of passing it down to our children and so forth.  We were touched by the sweet gesture and thoughtful idea and can’t wait to share the book (and our grandparents’ voices) with our little one someday. After we all exchanged our presents, Chris pulled me aside and gave me something so special and unique–I’ll never forget the moment she and I shared.  I opened the box she’d handed me to find a matching necklace and bracelet set strung with beads she’d made from our wedding ceremony program and the reception menu; I recognized the shimmery pearl paper instantly.  Every time I wear them I’ll remember the most special day of my life, and Chris, I can’t thank you enough for the special reminder!

My Scrabble-Cooking Edition boardgame from my Secret Santa, Jim

That afternoon we snacked a bit and C.R. read one of his stories before we headed to Longhorn for dinner.  I know it probably sounds like all we do is eat, and well, that’s pretty much true.  At dinner Drew and I split a chicken entrée and after seeing Max’s dessert order arrive on a huge platter in all its chocolate-y decadence, we knew we had to order one for dessert later that night.  Sadly, we were still too stuffed once we got home to eat it, and after eating some after dinner on Monday night, we still have about half left in our refrigerator.  I have plans to tackle the rest of it tomorrow night while watching Grey’s!

The 'Chocolate Supreme' cake Max ordered. We got one to-go and it was AMAZING.

Like all of our previous Christmas celebrations, this weekend was another special time with family. Now that the holidays really are over (we stretched them out as long as we could!), I’m looking forward to focusing on 2012 and our first full year together as husband and wife.  We already have so many exciting things planned: Valentine’s Day dinner reservations have already been made, we’re taking a trip to Gatlinburg (it’ll be my first time there!) with friends in May, and we’ve recently been entertaining the idea of flying to Chicago for a long weekend on our one year wedding anniversary.  Come what may in 2012, I know it’s going to be a great one because I’ll have my new husband (and longtime best friend) by my side.

Christmas Celebrations: Part 2

After our Christmas Part 1 in Northern KY, Drew, Theo and I headed further down the state to Owensboro, arriving at his parent’s house around dinner time. The last time we’d seen their new dog Smokey was at Drew’s grandparent’s lake house, and I was quite surprised to see he hadn’t grown at all. Now that we have Theo and he’s getting bigger and bigger every day, I apparently think all dogs will continue to get bigger. But nope, Smokey is going to stay fun-sized!

On Thursday we met Jim for lunch at Old Hickory BBQ, an institution in Owensboro. Now I can say I’ve gone to both of the famous BBQ joints! After lunch Drew, April and I headed over to the local museum for the holiday tree exhibit. That night we met Mike (Drew’s best man in the wedding) and his wife Donna for dinner at Cheddar’s and had a lot of fun catching up with them. The week before, while we were in Fort Mitchell, Drew got a call from Mike that he and Donna were expecting a baby. Congrats, you two, you are going to make wonderful parents!

Friday Drew and I spent the afternoon making several batches of cookies. That night we also cooked dinner for the four of us, as well as a family friend from church. It was great finally meeting Phyllis since we’d heard a lot about her and she wasn’t able to attend the wedding. After dinner, Drew and I headed to the Atwell’s house, our homemade cookies in hand. A childhood friend of Drew’s, Josh Yeckering, was their son and had passed away during the summer. I’d heard so much about Josh since he went on several family vacations with the Hawkins, and was like a second son to April and Jim. I imagine every day without their son around is immeasurably difficult, and I’m sure the holidays aren’t much better. I can tell they take pride in knowing that Josh is smiling down on us all from heaven.

Eating Christmas Eve lunch at the "Kids" table :)

Saturday we drove to Louisville for a Christmas lunch and get-together with the rest of the family. It was great to see Bethany and Andrew, another newlywed couple in the family, who were married just a month after us.  We could all tell is was going to be a day of fun chaos though, as there were 5 dogs in tow, the majority of them merely puppies.  After a great lunch prepared by Nanny and Grandaddy, we headed into the den to exchange presents.  It reminded me a lot of the way we do things at Aunt Dawn’s house, shooting wrapper paper into a giant trash bag and “oohing” and “aahing” over what everyone received. There was a huge dessert table set up in the front room that I made several trips to throughout the rest of the day. Venita, Bethany and Tiffany had spent an entire day in the kichen baking everything from oreo truffles (my new favorite!) to buckeyes.  I was so excited to see my infamous Reese’s-stuffed cookies had made their way onto the spread as well-all three of them had just raved about them.  Toward the end of the afternoon we all gathered on the couches, chairs (and even the floor) and settled in with stuffed bellies to watch Bryan’s latest film project.  It was the first time I’d seen any of his work and I can say without a doubt that he’s going to be making films out in L.A. before we know it!

I attended a late night Christmas Eve church service for the first time that night; Mom, Dad and I usually attended the earlier one since we’d all be fast asleep by midnight.  It was exciting leaving the church as the bells chimed to welcome Christmas Day.  Even though we didn’t get much sleep, we awoke that morning pretty early and began opening some of the gifts.  After attending the morning church service, we headed back to the house for a delicious breakfast of April’s egg and sausage casserole, and the German apple streudel Dad had gotten for us.  We’d been having those for Christmas breakfast for as long as I can remember so it was great to be able to share one of our special holiday traditions with Drew’s family.

Theo loves his new Christmas toys!

Drew playing with his Kindle Fire. I think Angry Birds was download #1 ;)

I was so excited to watch Drew open his Christmas presents from me.  I’d ordered him a Kindle Fire right after Thanksgiving and every time I heard him talk about how he loved playing with his coworker’s, I had to fight to keep from spilling the beans.  Drew was very thoughtful with the gifts he gave me: an hour massage (something I always talk about wanting but would never go out and buy for myself), the Hunger Games trilogy, and a J. Crew necklace that he’d actually seen on one of my Pinterest boards.  Christmas Day and our visit to Owensboro wrapped up with a delicious dinner of grilled pork chops, cheesy mashed potatoes, vegetables and coconut pie.  It was the perfect ending to another blessed, magical Christmas.  Like the time we had in Fort Mitchell with my parents, our stay in Owensboro was great.  April and Jim, thank you for everything you did for us, from the lunches out to all the gifts; we are so fortunate to be able to celebrate the way we do.  Also, we can’t wait to hear how the Magic Bullet works out!