The va-cay! :)

First off, getting up and getting dressed in normal clothes has been a challenge.  I much prefer the routine of showering, throwing on swimsuit, and running for the beach... But don't we all? :)


via

Let me back up a minute before I go into the vacation details.  Last week I was in a terrible mood.  I have to apologize for the weeks of bad moods.  I certainly have used that card more times than I'm allowed lately. 

I made mention of an emotional roller coaster.  I feel like by saying that much, I owe you all more. You have listened to me cry and fuss over things and this too will be grouped into that category.  I won't give the long version (simply because I don't feel like it anymore..) but a little over a week ago, I thought things were turning around for me.  I thought Anthony had come back to me.  And he did, but it wasn't going to last.  I spent one weekend going through all the emotions I've felt over the past year crammed into two days.  I had a major high and a major low to deal with. 

As I said, I won't give the whole long story, but things just weren't working out how they should.  So ways were parted once again and I was grateful that it happened to be the week I got to go on vacation.  Timing was perfect.  Because my nerves were shot people.  SHOT. 

While I was at the beach, I got the opportunity to talk to one of my good friends.  She has been in my spot before and we had a good heart-to-heart.  Some of her words burned their way into my brain and I haven't been able to stop thinking about them since.  So, with that said... I am asking for lots of prayers for the next few weeks.  It is a time of change in my life.  A time to let go of those things that have brought me down and a time to find those things that will lift me back up. 

Now, let's talk about something fun.  My VA-CAY!!!!!!!!!!! :)


LOVED my hat.  Great purchase on my part. :)

First off, I have some amazing friends.  Truly these women are one in a million.  I am so grateful that God allowed me to find friends at a young age and has allowed me to carry them with me through my life.  None of us live in the same town (and some state) but we have remained friends through it all.  Sure, we don't always know the "latest" things in each other lives, but that's why this trip is always so important.  We get to be those little girls again with each other.  I love them all. And I am very sad that we were a woman down this year.  Whitney, we missed you and love you.  Next year, you BETTER be there.  You ALL better be! :)

The trip began Wednesday morning.  I got up a few minutes before 5:00.  I had packed my bags the night before and was set on GO when I got Hillary's call for me to pull out of the driveway.  Meredith had spent Tuesday night with Hillary because she lives in Knoxville and that was just even more time added onto her trip.  So, off I went!  I met up with my girls in Walmart in Athens, AL.  I mean all the cool kids meet at WM, right? =)

I bought a new phone cover and a memory card since I was scared to erase anything on my others and then were were off.  Beach bound baby.  =)  Anyone that truly knows me, knows I belong on a beach.  It truly is my happy place on Earth.  I could sit there for hours, for days, for months alone and still be 100% happy to be there.  I feel like my whole world completes itself when I get there and feel that sand between my toes.  I could marry the beach.  Yes, I just said that.



Come to Mama...

Wednesday night we had dinner at the SunSet Grille. The food was fabulous, the service not so much.  But I was with my girls so it was all good.  No, I didn't even throw a Nelms fit.  That's how relaxed I finally was. :)

View from our table.



Hillary and Meredith at dinner.

After dinner, Hillary went to church and Meredith and I spent some time on the beach just talking about life and how nice it was to finally be at the beach and out of the choas of our lives.  Mert, thanks for that time.  I enjoyed it and all the "common things" we never knew we had in common, LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When Hillary joined us again we were off to the pool.  It was become our thing to have late night therapy sessions via the pool.  This year was no different.  I enjoyed my time with these girls SO much. 

Thursday morning we got up, had breakfast, and made our way to the beach.  The girls and I laid out for awhile and then they went in (too much sun) and I stayed out there a little longer.  I actually could have sat there a lot longer than I did, but I got hungry and needed lunch, haha.


This is how I spent the day... ahh. :)

After lunch we played in the pool for one last cool off before getting ready for the concert.  While in the pool, we met an interesting character.  I will refer to him as "Scooba Steve."  There are just no words to describe him.  You really should have been there to see him and his bling.  I think I'm still jealous.  Oh and he shot a music video for us... True story.  HAHA! =) 




Have I mentioned that I LOVE this hat?

So we all rushed around and got ready for me to see my man, Mr. Jason Aldean.  I was beyond excited and I'm not sure how the girls stood me.  I guess that's just how great my friends are.  They love me when I'm annoying. :)  We went and ate at Lulu's.  I had hyped the place up pretty good and felt bad when we got there and it wasn't as "hopping fun" as it was the last time I was there.  But then I also realized the last trip I was there late and there was a band playing and all.  This time we were there practically in the middle of the afternoon before things really got heated up :)  But it was still a good, fun time!


At Lulu's!

We headed over to The Wharf.  If you have never been there, this it is a must go.  This place was really, really a neat place.  It has a hotel, shops, bars, ferris wheel, and many restuarants that sit on the same grounds as the ampitheater does.  But what is really neat is the ampitheater itself. 

Waiting on the concert to start!

We were fortunate enough to be sitting among a good group of people.  Everyone was singing along to the music before the concert and talking like we all came as a big group.  But then....

....Thompson Square performed....
....Chris Young tried to perform.....
....We were asked to evacuate the ampitheater....

....yes, I teared up....

There was a storm brewing over us and so with the lighening that was in the storm, they had to ask us to leave for our safety.  So everyone gets up to move out when the bottom absolutely FELL out of the sky.  When I say that my clothes became a second skin, I mean it literally.  Nothing and no one was dry. 

See what I mean?  Yeah... we were drenched and once we finally got out of the ampitheater we had to run to the nearest dry place- the parking garage.  Classy.  We stayed in the parking garage awhile and then ventured around the buildings (with covers) to see what else there was to do in the meantime.  We made our way into a restuarant and had an appetizer of chicken and garlic bread.  While we were in there we got the word, the show was in fact rescheduled for September... My heart was broken. 

We gathered up our wet belongings and made it back to the condo to get in some dry clothes.  It actually felt strange to be in something dry at this point. 

Friday we got up and went back out onto the beach.  It was an overcast morning so we didn't stay out there long.  We went back to the condo and put on some clothes and made some stops at the shops around our area.  Coffee was a must.  And it was good coffee.   By the time we got our running around done, the sun had peeked and we returned to the beach. 

Meet George.

George just walked himself straight up to us on the beach.  He was quite massive.  Oh, and I totally do George's dance moves now.. But only at the beach.  It isn't appropriate to do on land. :)

That night we went over to Pensacola to try out Peg Leg Pete's.... Ya'll, like REALLY need to go there and eat the catfish.  Out of this world good.



My attempt at getting us all three in one shot...

Saturday morning- we ate pizza (yes) and headed out...

I was so sad to come home.  But I mean all good things must come to end, right?

This was a fabulous trip and I am again, so grateful, that I got to enjoy this time with my girls. 

I love you all.. and I'll see you in 4 months at MEREDITH'S WEDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and start saving your $$ for next year's cruise... HO. :)