Happy Birthday Hubby!

I can't even put into words all that my wonderful husband is to me!

I hope he has a GREAT birthday today.

A whole lot of nothing going on

That's right...a whole lot of nothing going on. Just working, working, working.

But...see my vacation ticker on the right? 2 weeks till Destin! WOOOHOOO!

I cannot wait! Sun, sleep, seafood - YES!

I'm prepping by getting as much sun as I can on the weekends in our pool. And working out like crazy so I look halfway decent in a bathing suit at the beach.

I have to tell you though...another reason I'm working out like crazy is because I went for my yearly check up in April and my doctor told me - politely but very concerned..."this is the heaviest you've EVER been". Yep - turned 40 4 months prior and weighing more than when I delivered either one of my kids. Slap in the face...point taken...hence - MOTIVATION!

Sheila and I then decided we were going to help support each other and started watching calories and working out...after trying Nutrisystems...don't do it I tell ya...don't do it! The food was not as yummy as the commercial makes it look. It did help us figure out what to eat calorie wise and how often but...ugh...won't ever go through food like that again.

Since we got off of that we have continued to monitor calories and portion control as well as exercise. Sheila's a runner...I'm a walker/jogger. I've lost 17 pounds and she's lost 20! We are working it out!!! Let me tell ya!!! (My wonderful husband is in the goove too...he's lost almost 10!) But let me advise all you 20 and 30 somethings to stay in shape! Around 36 to 38 years old and beyond...when metabolism changes...it gets sooooo much harder to shed the pounds.

Well - here's a skinnier picture of my friend...I'm waiting for her to send me some Nashville pictures from her camera and then maybe I'll post a skinnier picture of me!

Nashville wrap up

Well...gotta love traveling, wireless connections and Blogger. I couldn't get the pictures uploaded and the conference sessions we had to go to were earlier every day. So...I didn't get things blogged and wrappped up as soon as I wanted.

We had more gym time and more conference sessions but squezzed in a few more Nashville sights too.

Included in the conference price were tickets to the Grand Ole Opry so we went to that on Tuesday night. The performers were Lorrie Morgan, Jewel, Jason Michael Carroll, Cherryholmes, Darius Rucker and Charlie Daniels. It was a good show.

Wednesday after we finished our conference but before we came home we went downtown to the original Grand Ole Opry - The Ryman Auditorium. It was very pretty.

Niether Sheila nor I realized there was so much history in and around Nashville. I'm sure we didn't even touch the tip of the iceberg of all the things we could have seen.

The adventure definitely wrapped up on the ride home. Jeremy from The Bachelorette was on our flight! Circumstances prevented me from getting to talk to him much less get a picture. I was soooo bummed...but ask Sheila - It was him! So cool! (He was much cuter in person, ladies!!!)

Here's a few final pictures. Enjoy!


Silly picture of Sheila and I at the Ryman Auditorium

One of the entrances to the convention center at Gaylord Opryland

Sheila being silly at The Parthenon

Charlie Daniels playing Devil Went Down to Georgia

Jewel

Sheila in the gardens at The Hermitage - looking skinnier

Part of the gardens at The Hermitage

Another entrance to the convention center

"Divine" - street entertainment at The Gaylord

The Ryman Auditorium

The Grand Ole Opry House

The Parthenon

The Hermitage - Andrew Jackson's home

Windows at The Ryman - beautiful.

Sunset view from the plane on the way home.

The Adventure - day 3

So...very frustrated that I can't get pictures uploaded. Something up with Blogger??? I was just gonna post pictues with captions...guess that's not the plan.

Well - after a nice calm restful sleep we went to the gym again this morning, then went to The Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's plantation - our 7th president), went to a couple of our conference sessions then went to The Parthanon (a replica of the one in Greece). After all that we went to another yummy dinner and had to get back to the hotel so I could process payroll.

Short and sweet...I'm TIRED - I lost Sheila about 2 hours ago...she conked out quick!
I'm going to sleep in about 10 seconds!

Hopefully I'll get the pictures posted first thing in the morning.

The Adventure - day 2

1.a.m. – fire alarm wakes us up – what are the first things we grab? Purse, phone, computer…we get out in the hall and everyone is standing at their door trying to figure out if this is for real…someone down the hall says that they have called downstairs and management says everything is fine – no problems…alarm stops and we crawl back in bed…JEEZ!!! We are tired!!!

When we finally woke up at a normal hour we headed to the gym, came back to get ready for brunch, then went to the conference sessions we had chosen. Afterwards, we headed out of Nashville to Franklin where a friend I worked with moved about 10 years ago. Yea! They look great! After that we had a yummy dinner and headed back to drive around downtown Nashville. Now we’re just catching up on work, emails and of course my blog.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s wrapup…from Nashvegas (as Bleecker calls it).



Front and back of steakhouse just in front of our balcony



Me, my friend Krissi and her husband Dr. Jason Tharpe, D.C.

Sheila in the atrium by one of the many waterfalls

The Adventure begins...

So... when I get in the car as Sheila picks me up to go to the airport she says, "...And the adventure begins..."

Boy oh boy - she's right. The pilot on the plane tried to take our Subway sandwhiches away from us saying that we can't bring outside food on the plane...I'm thinking...I just saw a lady with McDonalds - what is he talking about...Sheila says...No Way - you are pullling our leg...RIGHT! We sat in the very front row and got totally picked on! Funny! The lead flight attendant was HILARIOUS! This boeing is going - she says. We were a great audience...totally cracking up. She thought we were teachers we were so silly...when we told her we worked at a church in the finance department she said that was a far cry from being a teacher...YEP!

As we stopped to get our unsweet tea from Sonic when we got to Nashville the cashier informed us that not only was it gonna be good it was gonna be "Sonic Goooood!" Yes...more giggles...

Then as we try to get to our room through the maze of hallways that reminds us of The Shining (I am so directionally challenged Sheila is convinced she won't be able to leave me alone for the next 5 days) there is a family getting on the elevator with us...The dad continually jumps up and down scaring the beejeebers out of Sheila....I'm - yes you guessed it - giggling again...

As things settle down we cruise the local mall for some beige shorts because I forgot mine (and have a ton of shirts that need to go with beige shorts). I'm also keeping an eye out for trinkets for my boys! We then headed back to the hotel to have dinner - YUMMY Sea Bass...melt in your mouth yummy! Now - we're just plain pooped - off to bed. Good night...

The adventure continues tomorrow...oh yeah and the conference too! :)

The funny funny flight attendants...

One of the views in the atrium that our balcony faces...

Our room...

Doesn't this look like the hallway in The Shining...redrum..redrum...redrum...

Look out Nashville...

Sheila, my boss and friend, and I will be on our way day after tomorrow to a conference in Nashville. Look out!

Our co-worker and worship pastor suggested several places to go and suggested a girl's weekend getaway at the Gaylord Opryland...ummmm....that is where the conference is and where we are staying and if you know Sheila and I and our seriously crazy friendship you know that the whole trip will be a pajama party - of course with work too! She's so excited about learning the most recent tax updates and information - umm....can you say Ooookaaayyyy.....??? I am excited about learning something new like I do every single day!

Anyway - I'll miss my boys! All of 'em. But my wonderful husband has everything under control! He's the BEST! I'm not lying.

I'm a picture freak so expect some after our return...maybe even during our trip...if I feel like blogging that is...

Home Safe! (and other random stuff)

Dylan got back home late Monday night. Safe! Praise the Lord!

He's a little sunburned and very tired. It's Wednesday and I don't think he's recovered yet.

We are looking forward to a nice LOOONG holiday weekend. Lots of pool time! BBQ, fireworks, family!

Next weekend I head to Nashville for about 5 days. I'll be at a conference at the Gaylord Opryland. Lots of people at work are giving advice on where to eat and what to do. I've never been there so....bring it on!

And...check out the vacation countdown ticker...a little over a month and we'll be headed to Destin. We are READY!

Here's a couple pictures of Dylan (and Riley) just for the fun of it - so glad he's home!