Shawn's Party

SO last weekend, I made a secret jaunt down to Tampa for the weekend. It was a very special person's 40th birthday, and I wanted to pull off one of her own surprises (she is the one that encouraged me to surprise my sister over New Years). Shawn is one of my dearest friends, and honestly, we haven't been friends THAT long - prob 4 yrs now - but it feels like we've been friends forEVAH .....

I sent her bday present to her early, in hopes to throw her off - and it worked. She was suspicious of the party, but I have asked her 100x and she SWEARS she had no idea I was coming down. I LOVE LOVE LOVE surprises so this was extra fun for me! I sat in my 'spot' in their kitchen - the spot I always sat while at their house - and just waited .. waited .. waited. I heard her come in and got SO excited listening to her make her way thru the foyer and into the kitchen. Her reaction was PERFECT and we both burst into tears. We never really got a 'proper' goodbye - so this visit was bittersweet. It was a great time, an absolutely PERFECT party! Shawn's hubby, mom, sister, Honey, and BFF did a FANTASTIC job putting it together and I was so happy to be a part of it. My sister was able to come with me and it was a fun little weekend getaway!

I've attached a slideshow of some of the pictures - the first picture is me and my BFF Shannon - that's not my sister, although everyone seems to think we're related.

Hope you had a wonderful birthday week, Shawn - LOVE YOU!

Enjoy!

Click here to view these pictures larger

Ritz Chix Weekend

My annual Girls Trip was just a few weeks ago ~ hence why I probably had my emotional last post. It was a short weekend trip to celebrate the birthdays of 2 of my dearest friends. We do it EVERY YEAR and this is our 4th year. We set up camp at a Ritz Carlton -- our initial plan was to go to a different Ritz Carlton every year, and we were doing that, but when we landed at the one in Naples LAST year, we decided we would forever converge upon that beautiful property year after year ... at least until they tell us we can't come back! {or I convince them the Ritz Carlton in Atlanta would be fun *cough cough*}.

Ahhhh, but you have this to look at every single morning .... who wouldn't want that?

Me and my sister from another mister ..... if I had a dollar for every time someone asked if we were sisters, well, you know the drill.

Our first night - these girls provided so many belly laughs ... I can't even begin to list .. and I'm sitting here laughing just thinking about them all.

This was "upon arrival" -- this is standard and customary. Welcome cocktail in the club level!

The food is always spectacular - this was just one of MANY dessert options. {BUT it ALWAYS seems to be seafood at dinner ... always. AND for those of you that know me, know I pretty much starved -- so it was off to the hotel bar to get a cheeseburger - the BEST bacon cheeseburger ever}


and we ALWAYS meet someone interesting on these trips ... this year these 2 ladies were staying all the way from NY. They stopped to talk to us and then ended up sitting with us for the evening. It was so nice to listen to THEIR stories and how they've been best friends for over 30yrs and every year, they go to a Ritz Carlton and stay for the weekend and have been doing it for more years than they can remember. How awesome is THAT?!

I realize how lucky I am to have such wonderful women in my life. I have some absolutely FABULOUS friends that tell it like it is and keep me grounded.

I've also met some A-MAZ-ING women thru blogging and twitter and have been fortunate enough to meet several of them in real life. More on THAT coming soon .....

~ TRUTH ~

So I've been a little non-existent in the blogosphere lately .... new{ish} town, new home, new job, new friends, you get it.

I honestly have not felt motivated to blog - at all - until just a few days ago. I'm really going thru a 'different' time and just felt like anything I posted would be blah blah boring. I wouldn't say it's a difficult time, but it's different. I am blessed to be back in an area where I already had friends. I also moved into a neighborhood where I had been visiting for the past 5 yrs, and so I was familiar with the ladies here. Which, yes, I know, I am LUCKY..... but I miss my friends in Tampa. Bad.

I miss impromptu Target runs.

I miss meeting up for dinner because after the 5th phone call of the day, we figure we might as well just eat dinner together.

I miss celebrating birthdays - because that is something we ALWAYS do - my group of friends. I'm not there anymore and it's not THEIR fault, but it doesn't mean that I don't WANT to be there and it doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt my heart a little that I just physically CAN'T be there.

I miss going for Rt 44 Cokes and DDPs.

I miss meeting up on a Sunday afternoon and hanging out by the pool.

I miss meeting the girls at the gym for Body Pump {yes, I really do miss this}.

I miss wine tasting parties .... that always ended up with less wine tasting and more party.

I miss laughing so hard my sides hurt.

I miss church -- I miss it SO SO much that I cried the entire time while watching online this past weekend - but I miss our church family even more.

I miss having friends over for dinner because I've made too much or I feel like making 'beer can chicken' and know they love it as much as we do.

Most of all, I miss being able to get a hug from a girlfriend that 'gets me'.

Please don't mistake this for a 'poor me' post - it is not. I am just being real. I miss my girlfriends more than I ever thought I would. I have moved a lot ... and my home in Florida was probably one of the most impactful times in my life. I came to know Jesus more and fell comfortably into a way of life. I am so grateful for that time. The friendships I made there will be ones for life. For that I am sure.

This is a new beginning and one I'm finally facing head on. I have some amazing ladies in my life here in GA and I am looking forward to nourishing those relationships. I'm happy to be back in my 'home'town and near my sister and my parents. I'm happy to be able to see my BFF & mentor whenever I want, who is guiding me in my new career.

But I left a small piece of my heart in Tampa .... and I'm ok with that.

Is this for real?

I'm PRETTY sure this is for real ... but honestly, these days, you can't ever tell. I found it via Facebook and I have laughed until I cried - and it's NOT funny!! It's really not ..... the brother's interview makes you FORGET this is a serious matter.

I digress ....