AL portion of trip

Auburn wasn't at my parents long before she was running around the yard and getting dirty. Since my parents bought some land behind the house they took down the backyard fence. This made it extra difficult to contain her and catch her. She thought it was hilarious when we got close to her and she would run off again. Thank goodness for the word treat. If not, she would still be outside running around the house. 

The best part about going home (besides seeing family, of course) is Momma's homemade strawberry cake, peanut butter balls, and sausage balls. You never go hungry at Momma's house!

Wednesday we got ready and drove to Columbus. Our first stop, McAlister's for lunch! Yummm sweet tea! After that I took mom to Babies-R-Us. She hadn't had baby time with me yet so I figured a store full of baby stuff would put a smile on her face. I think after three hours she was good. From essentials to just darn cute, we looked at it all. There was no way we were leaving without getting a few things. :) In the time we spent at the store, Doug got my oil changed, tires rotated, and went to about 5 stores. So he was more productive. We had more fun. :) 

After all that shopping I was in need of refueling. Luckily there was an Atlanta Bread right next door. We forgot about all the yummy baked goods they have there. I went for a cookie and ended up leaving with a cheese danish, two muffin tops, and a hot chocolate. Yummy goodness! And no, I didn't eat it all at one time. But man do I wish we had an Atlanta Bread close by!

Auburn's second home is my parents house. She loves playing with my dad and running around their big yard. She was exhausted every single night from all her play time. He even took her on walks. She doesn't get many of those this time of the year at home.

Play time with Grandpa!

Then pay time with Grandma!

Then nap! 

Spoiled much?

She loves curling up with her mommy :)

Wednesday night we had dinner with my mom's side of the family at San Marcos. It was great getting to see everyone and spend time with them. I knew it was going to be crazy at the shower so having that time to sit and talk with them was very nice! 

Thursday we headed to Auburn to see the new trees and do some shopping. I hit all my favorites: Kirklands, Tiger Rags, and J&M. I may have gotten a little (or a lot) teary eyed when I saw the Lutzy bracelet. :( Makes me sad. But the trees helped cheer me up! Unfortunately it was freezing and windy so we didn't stay outside too long. And instead of lemonade at Toomer's Drugs, mom and Doug opted for coffee. I went into Auburn Art and now have a new store to add to the list to visit. They have the neatest stuff. Expensive! But they have things no other store does. I got the best onesie for Mason's birthday. I plan on putting him in it, taking a picture, and taking it right off of him. That way he hopefully won't get it messy and I can frame it.

The start of his collection...

Even Auburn got a little something. 

That night we had pizza at the Williams' house. I have spent a very large portion of my childhood in their house so it was almost like a second homecoming. It had been a very long time since we all were able to get together. I can't wait for Mason to meet them and feel the love they have given me. After pizza Doug and I walked down to my aunt and uncle's house (Maria and Tony) for puppy time. My aunt got a new puppy a little over a year ago. I got to meet little Cooper last Christmas when I went home and we became instant friends (after a little piece of turkey). This year, my aunt's daughter got a puppy. So I had to go by to meet the new family member and see my old friend. I forgot how playful puppies are (and how sharp their teeth are)! Poor Cooper was getting terrorized the entire time. But I think he loved it! It was hard to get them to sit still or stop aggravating each other but it was so cute to watch. And I got lots and lots and lots of kisses! It made me want my next puppy even more.

Friday was a straight up couchin' it, no shower, lazy day. The only one that did anything was Auburn when Dad took her for a walk. That night she passed out! I guess the trip and all the play time finally wore her out. First  she was in Doug's lap then in my arms. I got my first taste of rocking my baby to sleep. It was amazing! Auburn never sits still while I am holding her. That hour was quite precious and will be most cherished!

Our last day in Alabama was the day of the shower. We got to the church early but we already had gifts and people waiting on us. I think for two hours I did nothing but hug necks and open gifts. I was exhausted by the time we left. It was a good exhaustion though. I absolutely loved seeing all my family and friends. Some drove many hours just to be there and some I have not seen in many, many years. I could have stayed for hours longer to catch up with everyone but Doug would have had to carry me out. I am ever so grateful for everyone that came. You all mean so much to us and we just can't thank you enough for celebrating Mason with us. I have a lot of uncertainty in my life right now but one thing I know for sure is that Mason will be loved oh so very much! We can't wait to introduce him to yall!

We almost headed home after the shower but the weather back home was not supporting that decision. There was ice and snow from the Carolina's all the way to our house. We got about 5 inches of snow at home. So we relaxed and did the entire trip on Sunday. Of course the little bit of rain the lingered made the trip a bit more difficult for Auburn and us in turn. We made it home in good time and went straight to bed since I had to work the next day. 

It was a long trip with a lot of driving but I am so thankful we have great family and friends who wanted to share this time with us. We will be heading back down before we know it with another passenger in the car with us. I think next time we are renting a van or a camper!

GA portion of trip

The trip down was long but event free. The most traffic we hit was when we came up on a funeral procession. The part that added so much time to the trip was the pit stops.  We both potty a lot, so we stopped for that. Auburn needed to potty and stretch her legs, so we stopped for that. We had to eat, so we stopped for that. I am one of those "drive until you get there" people. So I was very irritated with all the stops. But we made it eventually and in one piece so we were thankful.

On her "throne" in Mommy's lap

Half way through the trip I had to relocate to the back seat so I could prop my swollen feet up. When we stopped for lunch at Zaxby's Auburn climbed in the back with me, hoping to get a bite or two (which we all know she did).  

Mason was really excited to be in the south! He was moving more than he ever has! In the car he was a little more active than normal but he went nuts when we got to the hotel. As I laid in bed waiting on my dinner, I watched my belly move as he wiggled from one side to the other. It was a "straight out of Aliens" moment. For over an hour straight he danced around and made me very uncomfortable.

I forgot how many yummy places Augusta has to eat at! So many favorites... Monterrey, Mellow Mushroom, Steak and Shake, Shane's Rib Shack, T'Bonz, California Dreaming, Barberitos, Miyako, Pizza Joint, Krystal's, Giuseppe's, Carolina Ale House, McAlisters... the list goes on and on. It was so hard to figure out where to eat when we got in. Not only was it after 8 pm, but it was Valentine's Day and our hotel was right on the busiest road in Augusta. I was exhausted and had very swollen ankles/feet so I had no intention of leaving the bed. I told Doug just to drive to the closest place and get something. Since traffic wasn't bad he went and got my favorite salad, the Greek salad at Mellow Mushroom. The salad is good but it's their Esperanza dressing that makes it amazing! We didn't end up eating until almost ten. But there is nothing like going to sleep with a full belly. :)

For Valentine's Day Doug picked me up a box of chocolates. I am normally not a box of chocolates kind of a girl but apparently pregnant me is. I ate the entire box by Sunday. Doug did have a few pieces but I didn't share that much. I loved my box of chocolates but I asked Doug not to give me another. I don't want him to lose an arm if he tried to steal a piece but I really don't want my ass to be another box of chocolates bigger.

Auburn pouting when Doug left to go get dinner. She hates missing out on "rides".

Nothing fancy but it was so freaking good!

Auburn did really good our first night in the hotel. She barks and growls at every sound she hears. With Valentine's Day, there was much more activity in the hallways. But luckily everyone settled in early and we got some much needed sleep. We were really thankful the baby next door to us slept through the night. He/she was very vocal before they went to sleep. I guess it was a preview of what's to come. :)

Getting ready for the shower

Before the shower we went and got our Monterrey fix. I was really surprised to see one of our favorite waiters still worked there. It was nice seeing the familiar face. We ate at noon (with Church crowd) in about half an hour, for only $15! We so miss southern prices!

Thanks to the "Mom of the year" that sat behind us, we learned exactly how we do NOT want to parent. I could not believe the way she was talking to her children. She even called their dad and said horrible things about them, right in front of them. I know we all have bad days and we need to vent sometimes. But across the table from your kids (one who was more than old enough to understand the things she was saying) in a restaurant is not the place. Poor kids! And it was all over the second to youngest (total of 4!) not finishing his food. 

The shower at Sara and Wes's house was amazing. Her house is beautiful and she is a saint for opening it up for all our friends to visit with us. I want to, once again, thank them for giving us the shower. We are so lucky to have them as friends. We had yummy snacks, beautiful decorations, and great company. Once again, even though it has been awhile since we have seen each other, true friends always pick up right where they left off. It wasn't like it has been over a year, but more like weeks. I never realize how much I miss everyone until I am there with them. We made some really great friends in our short time there. I am so thankful for all of them. The gifts were great and very much appreciated but the time spent with them was much better! It was so nice talking and catching up with everyone. I can't wait to introduce Mason to them! Thank you to all who came to celebrate Mason with us! We love ya!

(pictures coming soon)

Unfortunately, Auburn did not care for us leaving her in the room when we went to the shower. I think she would have been ok if the cleaners weren't on our floor. They were very nice and told us not to worry about her. By the time we got back she was literally hoarse from barking. My poor heart broke hearing her. The cleaners were right across the hall and she wanted to be friends. They, once again, were super nice. They laughed and said, "She missed yall!" Ha! Needless to say, she slept very well that night. She was exhausted!

For dinner we went with our old neighbors to Shane's Rib Shack. Their daughter, Jordan, has grown up so much. We hope Mason is as smart and sweet as she is. We went by their house to check out the old neighborhood afterwards. Very little has changed, which was nice to see. Our house looked to be in good shape, so that was reassuring. We miss the old place but we both agree if we moved back we could not move back into that house. After having renters, it doesn't feel like our home anymore. :( But a big house with a big kitchen, garage, and fenced in backyard is worth the trade up! 

Auburn was very nervous that we were going to leave her at the hotel when we were packing up to head to Atlanta. She would sneak out the door and fly down the hallway every time we opened the door. The hallways were like her quarter mile track. It was the cutest thing. One time a man got off the elevator, rounded the corner, and ran into her. She barked and he jumped out of his skin. It was the funniest thing ever. The guy clearly was not a dog person and we all know Auburn loves everyone so it made for an interesting encounter.

The rain started right around the time we got into Atlanta. Since Auburn hates windshield wipers, she spent most of that trip buried in pillows and blankets in the backseat. She didn't even bark at the drive-thru people at Steak and Shake! I let my prego self get the best of me. I ate my chili cheese French fries and my strawberry milkshake before Doug finished half of his shake. Yeah, I am not proud of that moment. Doug got a good kick out of it. So glad I could amuse him...

When we got to our friends', Christin and Brian, house the rain was coming down and it was cold! Brian started a fire for us then made us a very yummy dinner. It was so nice putting my feet up in front of the fire and having dinner cooked for me. Doug has heated up / gone and went to get dinner but we didn't have the fire ambiance. For dessert Christin made what she called peanut butter fudge but it was the "healthy" kind so not much was ate. She redeemed herself by making a batch of Ghiradelli brownies. Now those were yummy! We spent the entire night talking and catching up. It was very nice and relaxing. I wish we had more time to spend with them but we only had one night. Auburn and Brian became best friends immediately. I am not sure if she was really tired or high, but she melted in his hands. I have never seen her so calm around someone. He just held her, rubbed her belly, and she drifted off to sleep. She even let him move her around at will. Normally she will growl, wiggle, then run off. Maybe Brian is the dog whisperer.

The next morning we slept in since the ice was going to delay us anyways. The city did good prepping for the storm but they couldn't get every single road. Plus, it's still Atlanta so we had no plans of getting up early to get in that craziness! This trip was better since the rain was gone but Auburn, at this point, was getting more confident in the car. She was standing up on the back of the front seat and jumping from front to back like a bunny! The only bad part was she couldn't see which spot was a "supported" place to land or not. There were a few falls and even some stuck moments but she survived.

A day at the beach

Monday Doug was off so I decided to take the day off with him. Unknowingly at the time, Doug's uncle from Wisconsin and his family were on vacation in Ocean City, MD and his parents were driving over to see them. So we hitched a ride to the beach. It was a gorgeous day! The sun was shining and a cool beach breeze was blowing. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell the Atlantic is was summer. The water was very chilly but we got in anyways (see the great picture Doug got of me below). We ate some lunch, hung out on the beach, and went for a walk down the boardwalk. It was great meeting family that I had never met before. I couldn't tell you half the people I met because there were so many people there but we had a great time with them all. They welcomed us into their rental and made us feel at home. Maybe one day Doug and I will get to spend more than 24 hours at the beach...

Playing in the waves (which were very big!)

Doug being funny, having me pose for a picture and get hammered by a big wave. Remember the cold water! My face tells you exactly how cold it was. Ha!

 Hanging at the beach house.

Strolling down the boardwalk.

This is only a small fraction of the family that were there. 

Relaxing!

Brew and a dog

Our friends Shannon and Ryan got us tickets to a Washington Nationals baseball game. Unfortunately, Doug had to work so Mrs. Nancy came along in his place. It was nice having someone with is who knew all the ins and outs of the ballpark. We got great seats, yummy drinks, and some amazing food. It took the brew and a dog thing to a whole 'nother level. I hope we get to go back again soon and Doug gets to join us. I know he would like the hotdog I had and I have already plotted my next eats (because you know its all about the food wherever I go).

A picnic and some fireworks

Every year Alexandria, VA waits to do it's Independence Day celebrating until the weekend after so they can join the 4th with their anniversary celebrations. There is a parade, concerts, and, my favorite, fireworks. Last year Doug and I went with his mom and dad.
http://heatheranddougnunley.blogspot.com/2013/07/fireworks.html
We had such a great time I made Doug promise we would go back each year. So keeping his word, he took the entire weekend off to make sure we had a great weekend.

The fireworks are set off from a barge in the Potomac River, just off the shore of Alexandria. The best view and the entertainment is set up at Oronoco Bay Park. The city encourages you to get there early, bring picnic gear, and spend the day. Last year we shopped and ate at a restaurant right on the water. When we got to the park and saw all the picnics, I had to do it. So this year we packed up the picnic basket (aka 31 bags) and headed down to the park.

It was a little warm (about low 80's) but a nice cool breeze kept most of us from getting sweaty. Poor Doug is so hot natured he gets hot when it's in the 60's. Me, on the other hand, well... I am typing this blog with a fleece blanket wrapped around me. Anyways, we brought a blanket to spread out on, some folding chairs to sit in, yummy sandwiches with all the fixings, and a cooler of beer (Merica!). We had a blast people watching, eating, listening to live music, and enjoying the evening.

One of my favorite things is that it is not packed. There are a lot of people in a small park but it was nothing like Annapolis was last weekend. You have your own space to enjoy the show. 

As the sun set the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra took the stage and played a fun medley of tunes. There was Star Wars, Harry Potter (amazing by the way!), Frozen, and then some more patriotic tunes. I think my favorite part of the fireworks is the orchestra playing along to them. Fireworks over the water with an orchestra playing under the harvest moon on a cool July evening, can't get more of a magical evening than that.

The barge the fireworks were shot from.

Kinda blurry but that is the moon in between the trees. 

As usual the fireworks started off with a bang from the cannons. Loud, but cool. The fireworks are the best because you are so close to them. No matter where you sit, you have the best seat in the house. I kept telling our friends these were some of the best in the area and the city did not disappoint. I am already planning our trip next year. If you are ever in the area the weekend after the 4th, make sure you head over to the park. I promise you will be happy you did!

July 4th

We started off the day by doing what three quarters of Americans do on Independence Day, grilled hot dogs. Nothing fancy. just a quick lunch before we got ready and headed to the main event. It was a beautiful day so we tried to be outside as much as possible. You don't get too many cool 4th of July's south of the Mason Dixon (yes, we are still in the South). Auburn loves going out with us when we grill. She is more interested in the food we are grilling or what we are doing to really run around and play. But I am working on getting her to play fetch outside the house. Crazy puppy!

That evening we went to Annapolis to eat dinner and see the fireworks. We ate dinner at a small restaurant right next to the water and then walked over to City Park (right on the water in downtown) for the fireworks. The place was PACKED! Luckily they closed down most of the roads so people where able to walk in the streets. The fireworks were shot from a barge out in the water so they were a little far off but we staked out a pretty good spot to see them from. Didn't have anyone in front of us to block the view but the masts of several boats rocking in the harbor became a little annoying.

After the fireworks we went to the bars downtown to let the traffic clear out (at least that was the excuse we used). :) No worries, we had a DD and were all home in bed by midnight.

It was a great day and something we could check off our to-do list. Next year, maybe we will get really brave and go to DC's celebration. Maybe...