Culture Shock and A Kubota Date

This weekend my pups, Wilson and Tucker, came with me to Jeff's....and got their first taste of farm life....

A little different than the city, huh, boys? Tucker pretty much didn't leave the fence. He wasn't quite sure about the 1,000 pound creatures eating hay on the other side....who frankly, could care less about his terrifying barks.

Wilson and Roscoe entertained him for a short while, but the cows are old news to Roscoe, and Wilson had other interests....

Like this big ol' pool....this is moments before he got his butt beat, I believe...

So like a good parents, we filled up a pool for the rugrats, of their own. And he was a guuuud boy the rest of the day.

Leaving the heathens to harrass the cows, us grow ups (haha) went on our own adventure....Kabota style. This seems to be the mode of transportation we prefer here. Because we don't want to grow up, it's finally cooling off outside, and gimme a break, it's so much fun!!

We climbed up to the second floor of this barn to take a break, soak in the view, and swing for a while. I love the old fashion buggies inside! This barn is gorgeous inside, and was hand built with the most beautiful detail....it was built especially for the Budweiser Clydesdale Horses when they came to visit Columbus once, and asked to stay at little ol' Robinson Farms! How cool!

We rode until nearly 4 hours had passed by, and believe it or not, we weren't tired of each other yet! And I'm almost positive I had to have talked his head off....patience is truly a virtue.

But he seemed happy enough. I suppose I was too. ;)

Baby, take me for a ride in your BIG GREEN TRACTOR...

Jason Aldean couldn't have sung it better, and he surely couldn't have had more fun!

Football in the South

..... IS HOT!

It's really, really hot! Like 100 degrees hot.

But it didnt stop us from sweating our cute tushes off at the tailgate with each other on Saturday before the most intense game EVER against Clemson.

Along with my BF Jess spending the weekend with me, my other bestie Leah brought her precious twins to spend some time with us at the tailgate. She had to be very, very careful...I was about to sneak away with these babies!

And this little guy used to be the baby of our tailgate...but no more! Patton Knight is a little man now! And he entertained us the whole time (the band at the tailgate next door helped out too, because Patton danced to the music the whole time)!

It was a hot, hot day, and I'm praying for cooler weather, but I loved seeing my friends (short and tall!). Bring on the fall weather, please, and more Auburn Football!! WDE!

How to Say Goodbye...in Korean

My precious friend, my very FIRST friend I ever met in Columbus, Haley, is moving. And not just out of town.

Out of state.

Actually, out of country.

To KOREA.

She's taken a great job with another Army installation, and will be moving October 9th, and so with the tears, and my denial, that meant one heck of a goodbye party was in order!

So with Jeff's help (and house) I went to planning!

We had a great location....

And enough BBQ and ribs for 40 of her favorite people!

Sweet Lisa made an incredible sign to hang above the porch!

And then the guests poured in to love on Haley and have a great night!

And after a long night of playing host with most, someone crashed and burned...and much deserved, I must say!

It was a wonderful night, honoring one of my bestest friends, and I am still in major denial that she's leaving. She has been here for me through so many ups and downs through the past few years, and I've become quite dependent on our friendship!! So I dont know if I should put large bottles of shampoo in her luggage, or jinx her background check or what....but I'm just bound and determined to STOP HER FROM MOVING!!!

Besides, what the heck is Skype anyway?!?!

Old Stompin' Grounds

This weekend I spent special time in a special place with some very special people.

My parents, godparents and I met at Lake Martin on Saturday for a day of boating. Kent and Deborah are second parents to me, and their sons, like brothers.

The girls sat in the back of course, gossiping about the boys, roughing the waves, and soaking up the sun. I loved on my mama, 'cause she's like the.best.eva. I loved on my mama #2 too. 'Cause she's definitely the best eva too. She has been there since the day I was born. Well, before that actually. I guess my mama had her first. But I'm her favorite.

We dined at Sinclair's, where we ate our weight in GIANT onion rings, and enjoyed some shade. And then back on the water, we did a drive by of Chimney Rock. Kent and Daddy jumped of this monster many times as boys, and yes, girls this is THE PLACE.... We all remember my story bid night in the Chi O chapter room....we're supposed to tell a story....I stand up, long winded of course, and tell 54 strangers how just a week or so before starting college my BFF Leah and I are at the lake and the dare devil in me climbs to the top (80 feet mind you) and jumps! Atempt #1: success! Attempt #2...not so much....a broken tailbone.... Oh memories.... Pitiful thing is I'd do it again!!

Lake Martin is so very special to all of us on that boat, to our whole family. My dad's parents lived there for a very long time, as did the Speigner's (Kent's parents) just two houses down. I have so many precious memories on this water, of learning to ski, or buying candy necklaces at the marina, of fishing off the dock, of pontoon rides, and Granddaddy's itchy fiberglass fishing boat, and of course, Murphy, their Springer Spaniel.

When Kent pulled into the old sleu, a lump formed in my throat, I wanted to turn back time so very badly. The house has changed, but some things are so familiar to the 12 year old inside me who misses her Granddaddy still, and the lake house.

This was the boathouse, which has now been added on to and become a guesthouse. I spent quality time with Granddaddy here watching him piddle with this tools. For some reason, I remember a big vice mounted on counter top, probably because it was eye level with me, the very loud air compressor, and my most favorite....a huge bucket of corn. I'd get handfuls of corn and feed the ducks, that would all but walk INTO the boathouse with us to eat out of our hands.

My dad's workshop reminds me of this boathouse, vice and all, and makes me smile every time I walk in and see him piddling. Maybe I'll buy him ducks for Christmas.

See those azalea bushes? This is a good one... Jessie, our cousin Lindsey and I were hunting Easter eggs one Easter weekend, and good ol' Jessie, the lover of all sweets, picked up a delicious white round object in those bushes and popped that puppy in her mouth and ate it! Turned out it was a MOTHBALL! Oh Jessie! What followed was a very interesting afternoon of calls to the poison control hotlines, and drinking vomit-inducing Ipecac!

The seawall is still the same too. I would dig up the clay that squished between my toes under water, and mold it into the finest pottery around. It would dry on that seawall all day and my Grandmother would tell me just how perfect it was! That was also the same seawall many a snake would sunbathe on...OOC!

All in all, it was a wonderful day, with the most special people in the world to me. I loved hearing their lake stories from Kent and Daddy growing up, and pointing out the old neighbor's homes, and spending time with my moms. :) Now as soon as I come up with about $1.5mil, I'll go back and buy my grandparent's old place (my how property values have changed on that lake! OOC!) and retire there! Happy Labor Day, friends!

I Heart the Gulf

I'm pretty sad summer is coming to a close, but I'm excited for cooler weather and AUBURN FOOTBALL season for sure! I'm also so thankful I was able to squeeze in one last beach trip with this guy!

We took walks on the beach.

We ate waaay to many crab cakes and mashes potatoes. At multiple restaurants.

We caught and tortured sand crabs like little kids!

We relaxed. We played. We drank. We laughed. We danced. We shopped. And we enjoyed every stinkin' minute of it.