Queen's Ball

Life has been busy around here and it's going to get busier the next couple of weeks!  Last weekend we were in Tampa for my friend, M's, Queen Ball (May 14th).  It's all related to Gasparilla, which is a celebration similar to Mardi Gras that is held in Tampa at the end of February/beginning of March ever year.  There are many other festivities that have to do with Gasparilla throughout the year, including this one.  There is always a "court" with a king and a queen and M was queen this year.  I LOVED spending Saturday night with some old friends and it was SUCH a nice party! 

 Queen in the middle!

The ball was at M's mother's horse farm outside of Tampa.  It was beautiful!  They built a pirate ship (back to Gasparilla traditions) and had a dance floor, band, bar and lots of yummy food, all in the pirate ship tent.  It was such a nice party and Will and I were so happy to be a part of it.  

On the way!

Mother's Day 2011

Yesterday, we celebrated Mother's Day in Tampa with my immediate family and my extended family.  We celebrated my mom at lunch with Five Guys and an afternoon by the pool.  Just my type of celebrating!  I could not have asked for a better mom and consider her my best friend.  I call about anything and everything and we talk multiple times a day.  Thanks for being so wonderful all these years!  I hope to be half the mom you are one day :)

I am so embarrassed to say I don't have a more recent picture of my mom and I.  This is from like four years ago!  I will have to work on taking more pictures with such an important person in my life!!

For dinner, my grandmother, uncle and three cousins (and one cousin-in-law) came over.  We honored my 84 year-old grandmother who is still as fabulous as ever.  We didn't really do presents but we all gave a memory of growing up with her.  It was a fun night to say the least!

 My sweet grandmother and I last summer.

And I cannot forget my mother-in-law, K.  Even though we weren't with her yesterday, we thought about her throughout the day.  She is amazing and I am so blessed to have such a loving MIL.  

 Will and his mom at a wedding last summer.

New Posts

Make sure to read TWO new posts below!  I'm trying to keep up with this thing :)

L's Wedding Weekend

Last weekend, we headed to Jacksonville for my cousin, L's wedding.  She met J while studying abroad in Ireland and they fell in love!  It really is such an interesting story and they have been waiting a long time for their wedding.  They had to fill out tons and tons of paperwork and get the right "cards" and such for J to be allowed to move to the country and get married.  They both looked so happy and are enjoying a fantastic honeymoon!  

We headed up to Jacksonville Friday after work.  When I say "work," I mean subbing for me :)  We got to Jacksonville in time to have dinner with my family, both sisters, parents and uncle and his girlfriend.  Then we went back to the hotel for a cocktail party.  There was such nice weather Friday evening so the outside party on the river was so pretty. 

Saturday Will and I got a chance to go to the beach with Will's friend J.  We were only there a short time but it was nice to catch up with J, who went to college with Will and I and was in our wedding.  Then we booked it back to the hotel, got ready and went to the wedding.  The church was SO pretty and the ceremony was really nice.  L and J seemed so calm and happy!  After the traditional K/P extended family photo, we headed to the reception at the Cummer museum.  

The museum is a pretty art gallery on the river.  It was so nice and we spent the majority of the night outside.  

 Beautiful church and ceremony!  Such a happy couple!

 My sisters and I before the reception.

Will and I before the reception!

Sunday we enjoyed a brunch at my aunt and uncle's house and came back to Orlando.  We had to leave early enough to get Brock from the boarders.  He did great with his cone and stitches and we have left the cone off since.

Just for fun - the L/P picture from our wedding!

Easter 2011

Things have been pretty busy around here and I just realized that I missed two weekends of fun!  We headed to Tampa for yet another weekend and had so much fun!  Saturday Will and I went to the beach to relax.  Side note - Our sweet Brock was neutered the previous week and we had a terrible experience with the SPCA (to say the least).  If you have a dog that you are thinking of taking to the SPCA for ANYTHING at all, don't do it.  We were told Brock's procedure would be $95 and in the middle of surgery, we received a phone call while he was open on the table, saying he needed something else done and it would cost a total of $245.  It was something he needed so we obviously agreed but it was NOT handled appropriately by the SPCA.  He was totally fine afterward and is doing perfect now, but it was somewhat traumatic for me.  Moving on ...

Will and I enjoyed a nice day at the beach Saturday and an even more beautiful day Sunday.  We went to church with my parents and younger sister, M, Sunday morning.  We had a wonderful breakfast and then an egg hunt.  Yes, an egg hunt.  It's true that I am 23, my younger sister is 16 and my dad is well, older.  We did indeed have an egg hunt!  It's a tradition we've had for years (thanks to my sweet mom) and we're still enjoying it.  Gotta do that before any grandchildren are involved ;)

 Before church, rather bright ha!

For dinner, my grandmother, my uncle, L, and two cousins, M and J, came over.  I love when everyone is together and that's one more reason I LOVE living so close to home.  I am really really trying to get better about taking pictures!

Jimmy Buffett

We had an amazing weekend in Tampa.  We seem to spend more weekends in Tampa than Orlando, and that will continue next weekend with Easter.  The following weekend we will be in Jacksonville for my cousin's wedding.  We have been super busy on the weekends but I love it!!  This past weekend we made a trip to Tampa to attend the Jimmy Buffett concert.  We went with my friend L and her boyfriend K and had so much fun!  Happy Monday!  

 Will and me :)

Me and L!

 L and K, so cute!

 During the concert <3

Stormy times

Nothing too exciting has been going on here.  We've made a few trips to Tampa and had lots of fun.  I played by the pool with Brock and Will went hunting.  I also got to see tons of my high school friends Saturday night at a party some of the girls had.  It was so good catching up with everyone!  On a different note ...

The weather has been CRAZY here!  Last week, my parents' area in Tampa had a few tornadoes come through that left trees, homes and gas stations ruined.  Here are some "stolen" pictures to get an idea of the damage.

This picture was taken at the end of my parents' street!  One of our neighbors on this street lost her roof and rain poured into her house.

Taken from my friend, K.  She lives hear my parents' with 3 other girls and this is a view from their street.

Another K picture.  This was the gas station near my parents'.  I'm not sure if it is open yet but the roof was ripped off and clearly there is a lot of damage.

Thankfully my parents' house was not damaged.  They lost a few trees/tree limbs but that was basically the extent of the damage.  Pray that the weather today does NOT impact anyone the way it did last week!