southern hospitality and the renaissance festival.

I can't remember the exact date but it was way before memorial day weekend. I was talking to my friends Sara and Meghan and all of a sudden there was this idea of them coming to Nashville to see me over the long weekend.. it was all a blur and in my head I thought it was only a pipe dream. That is until Sar purchased and airline ticket and Meghan requested off works and roped Scott into driving 1/2 the drive so her long trip from CLEVELAND would be bearable.
And oh my goodness, words could barely describe my excitement for our memorial day weekend.

I mean, c'mon.. 

I love these guys. 

Thomas and I took them downtown on Saturday for the food truck festival and we sadly didn't plan correctly and completely missed the distillery tours for Yazoo-- but they got to at least see inside? ha. 

We also hit up Centennial Park and captured this gem of a photograph: 

 

It was a weekend full of guitar playing (thank you scott) lots of instagram-ing, some yummy southern food and of course. The Renaissance Festival. 

I might have had a little too much fun in making the flower crowns. 

However, Sar was in her element.. twirling.

 

 

To say the long weekend flew would be an understatement. 

Our last night we played a round of putt-putt and I remember thinking, didn't they JUST get here?!! As much as it sucks it's a great thing when you don't want a good thing to end. 

And I really wanted these guys to stay for at least 6 more days. 

Guys! Please come back and just hang out at our apartment? 

like this? 

 perfect. see you soon!! 

someone's THIRTY!

Thomas turned the big three-zero on the first of this month and I kinda lied and surprised him with a trip to the beach! :)

He had no idea. 

I knew that I wouldn't be able to completely pack him up without rising suspicions, plus we had to have his sister watch the pup. So I told him to take that Friday after his birthday off from work because I had some big plans. I then lied to him and told him I was taking him to Chattanooga for the weekend and we were going to go hiking!! and see the aquarium!!! and other exciting things!!!!

.. lies lies lies. And yes, he's still guilting me for all those lies. 

 It was worth it all. 

So we left early after work on Thursday headed back home to pack the car and go to "Chattanooga." However when we got home, Paul and Lara were waiting there for us and SURPRISE! We were off to the beach with the Dudley's! Thomas was shocked, but he did recovered and got really excited once we were on the road... for 7 hours instead, not the 2 hour drive to Chattanooga.. ha. 

I think he was okay with it.. 

The idea started stewing back in early April with the Dudley's. The gulf shore is just a 6-7hr drive from us and that seems so doable for a long weekend. Plus Thomas was turning THIRTY which is a big deal. We had no real preference on where to stay, as long as we had good access to the beach. We started looking at Destin, and other parts of Florida but we ended up in Fort Morgan, Alabama since it was so much cheaper to be on the Alabama side rather than Florida AND we found a house within our budget that was practically on the beach. 

Score. 

I did however have a minor heart attack two nights before we left. With of all the awful storms that we had during that week, NPR informed me that this was the worst flooding they had ever seen in the Gulf Shores. Twenty-two inches of rain fell in one day, TWENTY-TWO! Luckily the landlord emailed me the night before telling us that everything was fine, but to drive carefully because there was a lot of water on the road. Oh man she was right. 

Thankfully by the time we got there it was receding. Crisis averted but I'm beginning to think after our honeymoon we just might have the worst vacation luck ever.  

Lucky for us this little mini vacation of our was so perfect. We ate so much seafood and we had two FULL days to just go and relax by the water. 

                              

 

The boys dug a hole! And then made an awesome crab!

We spent our evenings not eating dinner till late so we could enjoy the sunsets. 

Of course this little one is just so stinking cute and loving life that I'm pretty sure I have more pictures of her than the water.

          

It was so much fun. 

We all are ready to go back tomorrow. 

Happy 30th my love. :)

and of course I have way more photos which you can see HERE.