Showing posts with label Turning Thirty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Turning Thirty. Show all posts

Friday, November 22, 2013

who's thirty? - part 3 (final part!)

Final part. I'm glad I broke these up but wish I would have written the story down sooner. HOPEFULLY I am not forgetting anything but if I am, please leave me a comment below and tell me some of the details. Or, please also leave me a comment and tell me your favorite memory from that weekend...That means you, Marcie, Meagan and Ally... I want to know!  I wan to look back on this years later and laugh my butt off at how much fun we have. So do it. Leave a comment.


Let's start where we left off.  Coming back to my parents' house after the winery...we stopped in, picked up Marcie and grabbed our bags (oh...and kissed my baby goodbye!) and packed up the car.  By this time Meagan and I are starving (thanks, wine!) and it was time to snack it up.  So once we got in the car, before we even left the stinking driveway, I tried so very hard to get the stupid cooler open.  Little did I know...if you pull on it with all of your strength, the entire lid will come off and hit you square in the forehead.   That was awesome.  And luckily all of the ladies in the car were watching me at that exact moment so everyone got to witnessed it. I'm glad we could all have a good laugh about it. Because we did. So much laughing.

So the photo below is me "icing" my head with a cold soda.  It honestly really hurt and I ended up taking meds for it too.  Who knew I could smack myself in the forehead that hard?  At least it was funny?!


I'm not sure what is happening in these photos. We are insane.  But we had a great time!  I promise it is only Coca Cola in those glasses!  We were just too excited to use them.  Having our own little party in the backseat to pass the time to the hotel.



Once we arrived at the hotel, Meagan threw together some festive birthday beverages and we did the obligatory "cheers" shot.  I love my sister and friends!  And sprinkles. ;)
 
The view from our hotel room. Not too shabby, right?!
What a pretty sunset view.
Meagan and Marcie.  This was during our girls dinner at Merchants. SO good.


Sisters! p.s. my dress is from Francesca's and I need an excuse to wear it again. Tomorrow.
If I remember correctly...after dinner, our first bar stop was at Coyote Ugly.  After seeing the movie so, so, so many years ago, I was more than excited to check it out.  Well, I wasn't sure what to expect when we went and was a little surprised.  We had a good time but the trip there was short. lol
Love it.  Love Merica! 

 

It wouldn't be a trip to Nashville, TN without a visit with Elvis, am I right?!


 

We did end up visiting a couple of other places.  I don't have the best documentation..I must have been having too much fun.  We did though make it to a karaoke bar and that was incredibly entertaining!  There are some decent singers in Nashville.  Probably much better singing than we would have heard in Indy.

We were all getting a little tired and headed back to the hotel around 1is in the morning.  I know, 1am?  That's so much later than I normally stay up and considering that most of us didn't get much sleep the night before after driving...I would say that 1am wasn't too bad.  Maybe next time I should have more coffee in the afternoon instead of half a bottle of wine!!

After we changed clothes, cleaned up the sweat and got some water (it was SO HOT) it was time for bed.  The next morning, Meagan and I were in charge of checking out while Ally and Marcie pulled the car around.  We made the most of the few minutes to document. Of course.  And Meagan made me wear the hat again. Maybe I like pink? Goodness.


 

After going back to my parents' house, it was time to pick up the kiddo and hit the road.  Back to Indy we went.  Everyone was so worn out from so much fun.  I hope Meagan doesn't mind me posting these... her and Jackson were all tuckered out and so cute.



Those last few photos above were us just passing the time and resting on our way home.  The drive went really well and although we had the best time, we were all glad to be back at our own houses and sleeping in our own beds.  I am so very thankful for my sister and my friends (and my parents and granny!!!) for the wonderful weekend that we had.  And Todd too for allowing me to take the trip and take his baby all weekend.  I would do this again in a heartbeat and although it was a quick and exhausting one, it was a best one.  I'm a pretty lucky girl and this was the best way to kick off my 30th year. 

Love.

Friday, November 15, 2013

who's thirty? - part 2

And now...Part two.  The winery.

After grabbing some caffeine, we made our way to Arrington Vineyards.  I had no idea that this place is just a few short minutes from where my parents live!  To say that the place is beautiful does not even do it justice.  The weather was a little warm but oh-so-lovely.  We started off with a quick wine tasting to sample several different kinds of wines and then chose a bottle for ourselves to share out on the hill.  

This is a video taken from a golf cart.  A nice lady picked us up from where we were parked at the bottom of the hill so she could take us up to the top for our wine tasting.  So hilariously awesome.



I'm not sure what this is about?  Please don't be mad at me. xoxoxox


We chose a bottle of Stag's White.  It was really good!  Meagan and I practically shared the bottle. lol.


This is what happens when you leave Meagan in charge of pouring the wine...


You have to be incredibly careful when you are walking from the picnic table over to the swing in the tree.  You wouldn't want to waste any, right?


Well when your friend joins you on that swing and your tiny wine glass is overflowing... sometimes you accidentally spill your wine on your friend (see her pointing to the spill...)  Sorry about that.  Party. Foul.


Isn't this place so pretty?


She is too... I love her posing :)


I wonder if anyone was embarrassed by us out there?  Ally said it was like trying to wrangle a couple of toddlers.  Oh my gosh. It was so much fun.  I think we would have stayed longer (had more wine!) but we had to get checked in at the hotel downtown.  Honestly, we could have stayed awhile longer...


Impromptu dance break...


Sisters :)


I'm so glad Meagan made me pose for this. Hysterical.  Poor Ally was waiting for us in the car so we could leave (for who knows how long) while we had a photo shoot at the entrance.  We had to document the adventure!


Meagan was taking some selfies and just kept taking them until she noticed me "drinking" in the background.  My cup was really empty or only had a drop in it... I was just trying to be funny.  It finally worked!


Once we made it back to my parent's house, we did a couple of photos to pose with the wine glasses that Meagan got us and the empty bottle of wine.  Why not?!

I cannot wait to go back there.  It was so beautiful and has such a wonderful, relaxing environment.  And for those of you that are country music fans, the vineyards is owned by Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn.  Who knew?!  
Meagan, after your marathon in April, we are going back, right?  I'll just happen to be in Nashville visiting the fam and you'll just happen to be there to you know, run a race...and we'll just happen to meet up for a bottle or two on the grassy hills? Maybe?


Friday, November 8, 2013

who's thirty? - part 1

Okay folks. Get ready for some fun.  Here comes part one of the 30th birthday celebration...
 

To be honest, turning thirty wasn't something I dreaded. I actually feel like I've been there for awhile already!  I think becoming a parent aged me (in a good way!) so the actual number didn't really bother me.  I turned 30 way back on August 13th and until recently haven't had a chance to document all of the fun that came along with that special birthday.  So today, I will do just that!  

I'm not sure how it all started but my sister, Ally and Meagan had for months talked about planning some "big" for the special occasion. I was all about it, as long as there were no strippers! lol...gotta stay classy!

After having an especially bad day at work sometime in late June or early July, Ally spilled the beans that her and Meagan had decided that for my birthday, we'd take the celebration on the road and make it a Girls Weekend in Nashville, TN.  We would get to spend some time with our family there and would get a hotel room for a night and check out the city that evening... it would be great.  And that is exactly what we did.  

This may have actually been taken on the night that Ally and Meagan had made the plan! Just funny to find this months later :)
The trip wouldn't have been complete without my little man tagging along.  He was lucky enough to spend the weekend with the family, including his two cousins, Landen and Davin.  He could have cared less if I was around.  He had the best time.

But. A road trip would also not be complete without a stop at the ER before you are supposed to hit the road. Luckily for us (Jackson, especially!) the injury was minor! A busted chin was fixed with a little help of some glue and a red Popsicle.  That was just what we needed to give our fun weekend a kick start! 


I think that may actually be all of the photos I have from Friday. It was such a busy afternoon/evening trying to get everything packed up and everyone out the door.  Whew.  But it was so worth it.  Meagan, Marcie, Ally, Jackson and I were on the road! We arrived so late....maybe around 1am and we were ready for the sleepover to begin!

Let's pick up with Saturday...

First thing in the morning (after the most delicious blueberry pancake breakfast...) Meagan and I decided to attempt a short run/walk.  After struggling with the humidity during the running part, we decided this should just be a walk.  Man. It was so hot and humid. We were soaked!  Anyway, we walked to the top of Magic Mountain! It was so pretty!!  My family really does live in a pretty incredible place.  Almost feels like visiting a vacation home.


See below. This was the view all morning/afternoon.  My mom had gotten all three boys super hero masks and capes.  To say they enjoyed wearing them would be a complete understatement! 







It was time to open gifts and celebrate with a birthday cheesecake! And for some little boys, it was time for a snow cone...or two...




After lunch and birthday cheesecake (and snow cones!) it was off to the nail salon!
 

And then.... coffee...



Next up... the winery.  That will have to be a post of it's own. Dang it. That was so much fun.  I should turn 30 more often.