I know. I know. I know. This week has been reDONCulous. We got back from a wonderfully relaxing trip to the beach and I hit the ground running. Y'all, I love my job. I mean it. However, I tell my boss every year that if I'm going to lose my job anytime soon to make sure (s)he calls and tells me while I'm at the beach. And then I secretly wait for that phone call because then I have no reason to go home. Seriously. I would stay forever until it got really cold if I could. Much as I'm sure you would love for me to share all of the exciting details of our trip, my bosom friend Sarah already did it on her blog. And she used pictures.

Since we've been back it's mostly been mission trip planning, babysitting, and trying not to trip on the 300 children running around the church for VBS. Anyone know a good way to get VBS songs unstuck from your head? Also, I've been reading The Hunger Games series which has kept me fairly occyoopado this week. I really cannot put it down and have found myself putting off other really important things just so I can keep reading. Honestly, my toes need to be painted at least have the old, chipped paint removed, my eyebrows need to be tweezed separated, and I am at least 3 weeks behind on People, but I just can't stop reading.

Tomorrow I'm headed to good ole' Kentucky with some youth. Should be good. And hot. But probably not as hot as here. Can't wait. I should probably get back to reading packing now and double check to make sure I have socks and underwear. Somehow I always manage to pack 3 weeks worth of clothes and then forget something as basic as underwear. I can't imagine Emily would approve of me discussing my underwear. This blog has really gone downhill. I promise I'll try to do better once I get home.

Fondest regards,
The Lady

Dear readahs,
If you need me I will be at the beach practicing the fine art of leisah. You won't get a post this week, but I believe you have come to expect that sort of thing.

Fondest regards,
The Lady

This weekend CB and I went kayaking. I like to think that I'm just the right amount of outdoorsy. I know that I don't seem like it what with my completely rational deathly fear of things that fly coupled with my idea that "roughing it" means the hotel only has 3 stars, but ignore that for a moment because none of it applies when there is water involved. I heart water and I think I could be perfectly happy spending every day kayaking on the river...as long as I got to shower and eat a good meal and sleep in a real bed at the end of the day. Also, I'm really good at kayaking...as long as there aren't too many shoals and trees and other things to avoid. Also, apparently CB and I look the part:

Kayak guy: Have you ever been on this river before?
CB: Yes
Me: Well, yeah, but not this stretch.
Kayak guy: Yeah? Where do you normally go?
yada, yada, yada...me telling him...
Kayak guy: Really? Do y'all normally take your own equipment?
Me: Well, yeah...

Which is totally sort of true. I didn't feel the need to tell him that "our own equipment" is normally wal-mart inner tubes and a floating cooler (for the, you know, cokes) or that "on the river" meant I'd done a couple of tubing trips. I didn't want to embarrass him because tubing is way more hard core than kayaking.

Aaaanyway, the whole point of this tale is that I found a kayaking place that completely caters to The Lady of Leisure. First, you check in in a lovely pavilion complete with tables, couches, chairs, and coordinating toss pillows. Not your average outpost. Then, they drive you to the drop-in point and not in one of those old school buses with the vinyl seats and no AC. No, Ma'am. You are squired to the river in no less than a stretch excursion complete with twinkly lights in the ceiling. Magical. It made me wish I'd remembered to put mascara on. CB apologized for not getting me a corsage. I said, "It's okay. I should've got you a boat-onniere." And then we both died laughing...well...I laughed and he smiled politely.

Okay, okay.

Then we got in the river which trip was supposed to take 3 hours, but we knocked it out in a little over 1.5 because, as I said, we are awesome kayakers. I was a little disappointed that it wasn't a longer trip, but CB (ever the optimist) pointed out that it could be worse, "Remember the last time someone went on a 3 hour tour?" Touche.

The best part (after the limo, obvi) is that you get out at the lovely pavilion where you parked your car instead of having to ride a smelly, hot bus back to the outpost. Plus, if you prepare better than we did, you can have food waiting for you when you arrive. All outdoor activities should be this posh. I think any semblance I had of being outdoorsy just flew right out the window with that last sentence.

Fondest regards,
The Lady

I didn't want to mention my application because I didn't want any of y'all to get too excited, but I received my official invitation to the 2011-2012 Provisional Class for Junior League Athens today! It came with a "check yes or no" card. I'm totally checking yes. And I have 2 months to buy a new dress.

8 days until I go to the beach!

Also, I didn't do much this weekend because I had to work; however, I did celebrate Memorial Day the American way with 7 solid hours by the pool. Combine that with "work" and we've got 10 pool hours logged already this week. Pretty good.

Fondest regards,

The JLA Lady!

The Little Lady has 2.5 days of school left! Why am I so excited about this? I will tell you:

1. Babysitting all day means I have a good excuse to wear shorts and t-shirts everywhere...including the office.

2. We get to spend our time together doing fun stuff instead of practicing piano and doing homework. Piano practice and homework are lame, but please don't tell her I said that.

3. She bought Anne of Green Gables (abridged version) to read this summer. I cannot wait to watch the movie with her which I imagine will be me watching the movie and her spinning in circles (literally).

4. Speaking of movies...I will have a date for all the kids movies I want to see.

5. She joined swim team. This means I get paid to spend an hour a day reading and tanning (the lifeguards are watching and I stick my head up every now and then) which is about as close to being a Lady of Leisure as anyone can ask for.

Summer is so great...Stay tuned for the beginning of August post in which we are both chomping at the bit for her to be back in school.

Fondest regards,
The Lady

Y'all. The last couple of weeks have just been crazy, crazy, crazy! Sorry I've been so negligent, especially since I have such wonderful things to say! Lately I've just been so busy that all I want to do when I get home is grab a cold...Coke and watch Grey's on my Netflix. However, work has calmed down a bit I've taken the day off before I jump back into the fray tomorrow, so I can write for a few minutes.

My friends Bethany and Matt have been talking about hosting a Kentucky Derby party for a few years now. Matt loves any excuse to gamble and Bethany loves any excuse to buy a new dress, so why not? Well, a few weeks ago, Bethany told me that they were actually going to be able to do it this year at which point I hinted (not so subtly) that "Kentucky Derby" might be an excellent theme for a birthday party for yours truly who's birthday coincidentally fell the day before the Derby this year and all they would have to do is add cupcakes. She agreed and suddenly her dream party was all about me...obvi. Sooo, I bought a dress (on sale and which I also wore on Easter Sunday because I'm trying this whole "saving" thing), donned my DIY decorated hat, and headed to the East Side for the Derby.

OH! And (most of) The Fam came too! It also happened to be Mother's Day that weekend. I know, I know, you're asking, "Birthday, Derby, Mother's Day! How in the world can you back that much special into 2 days?!?" Well, we're a special family. Seeing as I was my mom's original and (in my opinion) very best Mother's Day present, it fit that we should celebrate them both together. Pretty great, huh?

So we did celebrate...and we gambled...and we lost (who in the world saw Animal Kingdom coming? Not Nehro.)...BUT we had tons of fun and I got to wear a fantastic hat and get lots of attention and presents and isn't that what really matters?

Speaking of presents...Colonel Brandon took me out to dinner at 5&10 for my actual birthday. It was fabulous as always. I love 5&10. When he arrived (in his danggood looking suit!) he brought with him a very large gift which turned out to be...a sewing machine! So sweet and thoughtful. However, I am apparently much better at hinting than I realized because Mom and Daddy showed up the next day with a very large gift which turned out to be...a sewing machine! So sweet and thoughtful. However, I am apparently much...oh, sorry.

Lewis suggested I open a sweatshop and put The Little Lady to work, but we returned one instead and I bought some new clothes. You know, to wear until I figure out how to make my own.

For Mother's Day, The Little Lady and her family took my family and me to lunch at The Country Club. I don't think I have to tell y'all how much I enjoyed eating at The Club. All in all, it was a really incredible weekend!

After that I had to buckle down and get to work so we could give the Senior Youth a decent send-off. School's almost out, graduation is upon us, and summer is only a few days away (so why did I have to wear a coat outside last night?). Only a few short weeks until...

Back to the grindstone tomorrow so that I can enjoy that amazing view without having to worry about work. Worrying about work at the beach is not allowed and is definitely not leisahly!

Fondest regards,

The Lady

"Training a child is exactly like training a puppy; a little heedless inattention and it is out of hand immediately." Etiquette. 1922.

Today is my birthday. It's been a long road and many years, but I have finally reached 25ish again. The many congratulations and well wishes have been well deserved warmly received. Birthdays are, after all, a big accomplishment. A lady always gives credit where credit is due, though, and I wouldn't be where I am today without the help of a wonderful team of people. Most of all my Mother, without whom none of this (note: I am gesturing to myself) would be possible.

So....In honor of Mother's Day ---

The Top 10 things I learned from my mother:

10. Eyebrow maintenance is important. Telling you to tweeze is telling you I care.

9. Cooking is an expression of love. Cook well.

8. There is no such thing as online privacy. If it's online, it's public. And if Mom can Google it, she will.

7. Lady is as Lady does.

6. Every choice bears a consequence. Those consequences are Mom's choice.

5. Marriage takes hard work and patience, but is totally worth it. That said, don't settle.

4. Adorable though I may be, sometimes I can drive people crazy.

3. It's a good idea to give crazy people some space.

2. You may not always like your family, but you sure as heck better love your family.

1. I can never, ever, ever do anything to make my mom stop loving me. Ever.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!!!

Love,
The Lady