3 weekends in a row?!

I don't know how it happened, but the fates aligned this month and I was able to spend time with Amy 3 weekends in a row! Because she lives in ATL, we usually go months before seeing each other's faces... we've been lucky. Last weekend we celebrated her brother's marriage to his beautiful new bride. That boy is a brother to me, and as the wedding ensued I couldn't help but remember him and his groomsmen catching animals in the backyard and wanting nothing to do with girls. Now one has twin boys and Brian's married and they're all growed up. I'm pretty much an honorary member of Amy's family (yeah, I was the one who got to sit next to the groom's parents) and was happy to be a part of the celebration.

This weekend I was blessed to bring the littles to Wyldlife camp in Ocala (more on that later when the pictures are loaded...) I left early this morning to come home because Ames and Paul got FL/GA tickets last-minute and were staying over for the weekend. I heart seeing my BFF- and getting to see her the whole month of October makes it seem like we live only a few hours apart instead of six. 

Now I have the whole day to spend with Mike... we have plans to be proactive on decorating the house with Thanksgiving as our deadline.... but he's still recovering from the shenanigans of yesterday's game so it might be up to me to get stuff done.

bahhahaha

Every time I look at this picture I burst out laughing. 

More on the wedding later :)

Picture dump day #2

The cabin was amazing. Set back in the woods, right on a beautiful river, just absolutely perfect. Diego had the time of his life exploring and bringing us every stick he found, which in the woods, is a lot of sticks. 

Mmmmm. Have I ever mentioned that I feel most at home in the woods?

Especially the woods in the 'south.' I'm pretty dead set on raising my children within the vicinity of the Blue Ridge/Smoky Mountains... I guess I'd feel different if I were raised going somewhere else like the Rockies or Cascades, but I feel so at home here. I think it will always be like that for me... 

In my heart I'll always hold memories of family getaways and summer youth camp in North Carolina, of camp in Tennessee and rafting down the Ocoee. 

I'm meant to be here, or at least closer than a 9 hour drive. 

Oh, just having breakfast on this rock jutting out into the river. No big deal. 

Okay, let me explain these next set of pictures. I set the timer but didn't realize it was going to take five quick succession pictures. I cracked up today at our ridiculous faces... 

#1-- We were ready.

#2-- Thought the picture was over. How it managed to get ALL of us with our eyes closed, not sure. But it's awesome. Except Diego, who was like, "What was that sound?!"

#3-- please focus on Michael's face. It's like he sees a leprechaun behind the camera... he can't believe that it took another picture!!

#4 And then we all catch on, except for Paul, who's like, "Taking pictures suck. I just want to eat." and Amy, who's like, "Maybe they won't notice if I fart right now..."

#5 Did Paul and Kelly mean to make the same face?

Oh leaves, this is why we drove so far. 

Look at us trying to be stern parents while our unruly child causes a scene in front of everyone...

<3

Yeah, he fell in. It was cold. His butt was soaked.

We came across this lame stream after driving for a super long time looking for an apparently non-existent waterfall that no one could tell us how to get to. In an act of desperation and need to get out of the dang car, we spotted a crick, pulled over, and ran into it. 

.... what are Paul and Amy looking at?....

And then we found the stupid thing! Hooray. The day was saved and we were able to get a little bit of hiking in. 

This was one tuckered out pup. 

bahhahaha

Weekend with my besties, hubs included. It was uh-mazing.

Picture dump time:

Day one, apple picking in Ellijay, GA.

 After a lovely morning walking through Piedmont park waiting for Amy to get off work, we were off to the mountains. Took us a bit of time to get there (dang GPS) but we finally made it and it was absolutely lovely. 

 how about 'dem apples?

 Apple smash GO!

No D, you cannot climb the ladder to retrieve Dad from the tree. 

 Seriously, how can you not love this sweet face? 

 sneak attack picture!!

Can one of these men please be my grandfather?

working out, or hardly working?

every day I've come home with full intentions to go on a run.

BUT every day I don't.

BUT I have been working out at 5 AM bootcamp in our neighborhood with Ashley (week 4!! whoop whoop!)

BUT I know I need to run to get my butt in gear and to make up for football tailgating every weekend.

BUT (I just wanna come home and eat a good meal with Mr. Chex.)
         (It's too hot)
         (I'm too tired)
         (It's been raining)
         (I.just.don't.wanna.)

(Me after bootcamp and doing 50 million pushups. i'm le tired.)

*P.S. I ended up running tonight. And it felt dang good.*