Father's Day

Yesterday was Father's Day and I didn't get a chance to blog about it. So today I am posting one for my Dad. We spent the day up at Lake Allatooona of course. Hot sun, cool water, good food... it's pretty much the usual around those parts. Here is one of my favorite pictures of us, it's from Corinne's wedding back in 2007. My Dad LOVES to dance!

I hope you enjoyed your day yesterday, Dad! I love you!

My Apple

I made this purchase after much thought and actually what turned out to be many years of pondering. I have worked day in and day out on a computer at my job over the past 3.5 years and the last thing I ever wanted to do when I got home, was get back on a computer!

So I went YEARS without the internet and/or a home computer and actually didn't mind it so much. But now with the pet sitting and other things, I found myself truly needing the computer after work hours and on the weekends so...

I finally bit the bullet!

And all I can say is this is a beautiful piece of machinery. I can't wait to find out all of the fun things I will be able to do with it, besides surfing the web. I like to think I am more of a creative mind and really believe this was a better choice for me in the long run. I think it was a super investment and I absolutely love it! I am a Mac :)

It's Official!

One of my nearest, dearest and best friends in the whole wide world, Holly, is PREGNANT!! It's finally official. She told me a few weeks ago, when she was at 12 weeks, but she (and I) had to wait to spill the beans. She couldn't officially tell the world, which means posting it on Facebook, until her husband, Brett made the appropriate phone calls to his close friends (most of the family knew of course.)

Brett is obviously a man, so a few days turned into a few weeks and Holly was dying to scream at the top of her lungs, "I'M PREGNANT!" She just had to wait for Brett to personally tell his close friends before the entire FB world and everybody else in it knew.

What saying it on Facebook really means is that somebody you went to middle school with, but haven't actually spoken to in 15 years, might know before anybody else does. But Brett did leave the country for two weeks, so we will give him the benefit of the doubt... this time! So it's official, it has been posted!

The funny part of all of this was that I already knew Holly was pregnant when she told me. I could sense it. Not that Holly doesn't make plans, I'm just usually the initiator every time. So when she insisted that we go to lunch that week, I knew she had a secret to spill. I knew she was going to tell me she was pregnant, and sure enough, she did!

It was such amazing and exciting news to hear! Having a baby truly is a beautiful miracle and I couldn't be happier for them!

Their timing couldn't be more perfect either. They have been married a little over 3 years, they just purchased the house they want to raise their children in a few months back, and Brett is just about to finish getting his Master's Degree. The next step had to be a little bundle of joy...

After we ate lunch that day, I told Holly that I HAD to take her picture because I was definitely going to blog about this (Holly has her own blog and is one of the few that actually reads mine!) She didn't want to take the picture but was a great sport.

Mommy Amburgey

And just recently, Holly sent me the very first sonogram pictures of Baby Amburgey. I'm dying to know what it is!

Boy...

Or Girl... Amazing, isn't it?!

I could't be happier for them. I wish Holly a happy and healthy pregnancy. And I wish the entire Amburgey family love and sweet blessings always! Congratulations!!

xoxo

Beach Street Pizza

I wanted to dedicate an entire post to Tyler's brother, Steven's new restaurant in St. Augustine: Beach Street Pizza. http://www.beachstreetpizza.com/

We were especially excited when Brittney and Theo invited us down (see St. Augustine post) because we knew it would give us a chance to see Steven. He just recently moved to Florida from Chicago to fulfill his life-long dream of owning his own pizza place. He left everything behind in Chicago to start his new future and to build a new home in St. Augustine.

We actually left for the trip at 4:00am that Friday morning, so by the time we made it to our hotel, it was way too early for check-in. We thought, what better time to go grab a pie! So we headed south down A1A to Beach Street Pizza.

It's a quaint little pizza shop directly across from the beach. Jill, Steven's wife, had just made the permanent move down from Chicago the night before. So we were lucky enough to see both of them!

We were starving so we ordered a pie off the pipeline pizza section and actually received some garlic knots on the house. It was delicious!! The ingredients were so fresh. I loved the marinara sauce he used and thought the dough was fantastic. They are all Steven's very own unique recipes and I must say that he has outdone himself. It was great food and great company. We wish them the BEST OF LUCK!

If you are ever in St. Augustine, be sure to check out Beach Street Pizza!

http://www.beachstreetpizza.com

*Since opening a restaurant is extremely hectic and chaotic, we didn't get to see much of Steven and Jill. But we were lucky enough to spend some time with them for breakfast early on Monday morning before we hit the road. After breakfast, we walked over to the check out the Fort (Castillo de San Marcos) on the island. Here is a picture of the brothers, Steven and Tyler:

St. Augustine

Tyler and I were invited down to St. Augustine for Memorial Day Weekend with Brittney and Theo. This was a special weekend for them because it's where they will be getting married in August!

So this trip was meant to spend the weekend at the beach, but it was also meant to plan the rest of their wedding. Theo had never been to St. Augustine or seen any of the venues that Brittney booked in person so this was his (and our) sneak peak into the big day.

The best part had to be all of the tastings! They invited Tyler and I to every single one... now maybe they were just being polite, we'll probably never know, but we tagged along anyway!

We got to see where the rehearsal dinner is going to be, ate the food, met the chef, tried their wedding cake, saw the beautiful reception site, ate the food, met the chef... it was pretty cool! The reception site was absolutely stunning and we cannot wait the share their special day with them.

Other than that, we spent most of our time relaxing on the beautiful beach, hanging out at the pool and checking out the town. St. Augustine is the oldest city in America and was founded in 1565. Now I've never been to Europe but Tyler, Brittney and Theo all said the streets and shops around town reminded them all of Europe. It was very charming.

It was such a hilarious and fun trip, we definitely created many memories which we will cherish for years to come. We cannot wait to go back for Brittney and Theo's BIG day!

A gorgeous sunset at Caps, one of the best restaurants in town (every single local we talked to recommended this place (FAB oysters and GREAT photo op!)

Crab legs at O.C. White's (the same people own The White Room, which is where the reception will be.)

The sailboats were so beautiful out on the water, the bay is just around the corner from where we stayed.

First day on the beach...

Drinks at Santa Maria on the bay.

The happy couple!

"Sammi"

I promised an update on my first pet sitting adventure. It was probably some of the easiest money I've ever made! I went over to the house prior for a meet and greet, to get instructions, and to ensure the owner that he could trust me to take his key, jot down his alarm code, and have run of his house for the entire weekend.

The guy was great and his dog was even cooler. Sammi is a 10 year old German Shepard and was just a doll. She's super laid back and pretty much just keeps to herself - so independent. I honestly didn't have to do much of anything. She didn't need walks, or any sort of special care, she just goes "poopoo' in the back yard, in the pine straw, and that's where it stays. I have to say that when the owner told me the magic word was "poopoo," it was a little hard to contain myself. To imagine this extremely successful man using the word "poopoo" everyday with his girl, Sammi made me giggle.

The hardest part of it all was, after having dinner and a few adult beverages on a Friday and Saturday night, knowing that I couldn't go straight home... I had to let Sammi out one last time. I was most concerned that the alarm was going to sound and I wouldn't know what to do! But, I overcame my 'tipsy' fears. Sammi is a sweetheart and we had a great weekend together.

To promote my business and to ensure that I would be asked to come back, I knew I needed to be remembered. I needed a leave behind of some sort. So I spent hours on the computer Sunday morning working on my very own business cards. I also figured that I should leave something tangible, like a treat or a toy, for Sammi. So I wrapped up some 100% natural doggie treats in a cellophane baggy and tied it with that adorable paw print ribbon I used previously for my fliers. I also left a little note about how Sammi and I spent our time over the weekend. I didn't want this guy to think I didn't care about her or was just doing this for the money. I wanted to put a lot of thought and care into it and I wanted it to show.

All I can say is adorable! I thought I did a pretty darn good job. Now, of course this owner is a MAN, so he probably didn't think, "Oh, cute" when he came home on Sunday. But if he thought, just for one second, that his dog was well cared for over the weekend, that was all mattered.

And to be honest, I really enjoyed doing this. All of it. I loved taking care of Sammi, I loved trying to make a great impression, and I loved that this could be the start of something...

Benny's Wedding

Last weekend was Benny's (Ben & Jenny's) wedding weekend at Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa. It was a gorgeous wedding and an overall wonderful weekend. Those are the only words I can find to describe it - gorgeous and simply wonderful. Exactly how I would love for my wedding to be one day.

Tyler drove us up very early that Friday morning so he could hit the links with the boys and I could lay by the pool for some much needed sunshine. The resort was smack dab in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains and it was breathtaking. It was exceptionally beautiful in the mornings when all of the mountain mist was still laying low and the air was really fresh.

The rehearsal dinner that evening was supposed to be a little more on the casual side, and it was, but I bet you the hot dog I had cost at least $80. It was the best hog dog I ever ate though! It was a very lovely evening with old friends and so many new. Tyler's Best Man speech brought a tear to nearly every one's eye... I don't know how he get up there and does it. The rest of the evening was spent mingling among friends and family and then it was off to the hotel bar for late night of course.

On wedding day, the boys played golf again and the girls hit the pool. Rain threatened all day, and we did feel a few drops but not a single one during the ceremony. There were some rolls of thunder in the background and it actually sounded pretty neat. It was cool to see the mountains in the background and then hear the thunder roar. Jenny looked beautiful and started tearing up just as soon as she saw all of her guests seating and waiting for her entry.

What to say about the reception except that it was amazing. It was absolutely stunning, the setting was breathtaking, and the band was simply bad ass! Everybody danced, the food was incredible and the company couldn't be beat! It was one of the best weddings I've been to in a long time. It was gorgeous and simply wonderful...

Congratulations, Benny!

Pet Sitting

I am so excited that I had to blog about this! A few months ago, right after the new year, I scratched and scratched my brain for something I could do that would bring in a little extra cash flow (without actually getting a part-time job.) I have some major credit card debt that I need to pay off and my goal is to have it paid off by the age of 30... only 9 more months to go! Yikes.

I came up with pet sitting as my 'side business.' Whenever I went out walking in the neighborhood, I always saw dogs out and about running around in their fenced-in yards. It was the perfect opportunity I thought. So I made some really cute flyer's, tied them with adorable paw print ribbon, and passed them out to every single mailbox in the Buckhead Forest neighborhood.

Well weeks passed, and then it was months, and I didn't hear a word... until last week. I got my first pet sitting phone call. My flyer's worked!! But, unfortunately I was going out of town for Jenny & Ben's wedding in Brasstown Valley. I had to say no to my very first customer. I'll admit, it was completely devastating. I didn't want to let him down... he was my 'in' for the entire neighborhood.

We got off the phone and I immediately emailed him my pet references that I said I had, really my friends who have dogs (so I fudged a little,) a pet friendly price list I designed, and told him I would be more then happy to help in the future.

I didn't hear anything back and thought it was a little odd I didn't even get a "thank you," or "it was nice talking to you, too"... but what I did get back completely made up for it.

Ever since I passed out those flyer's with my contact information, I have checked this email address daily for months now and haven't received a SINGLE piece of mail... until yesterday. I couldn't believe it, he responded to my previous email and he needed me to pet sit this coming weekend. It was completely exhilarating seeing new mail in this account! I am going to be in town and I have my very first pet sitting job.

Needless to say, I hope that this weekend goes off without a hitch. I will be pet sitting "Sammy" and can't wait to see how it goes. I will be sure to blog all of the details.

p.s. If anyone is interested in Christin's Pet Sitting Co., please email me at christinsits@gmail.com :)

Mary Poppins and the Fabulous Fox

There is a sense of excitement when going to see a theater or Broadway show. My Mom loves to see shows and as a little girl I always remember her taking me. She would dress me up in my Sunday best, drive us into the city, and we would go to the theater together. It must run in the family because I know my Grandmother loves to take the bus into New York City as often as she can to catch Broadway shows with her friends. She and my Mom have seen several shows together and so have my mom and I. We've seen The Nutcracker numerous times, The Sound of the Music, A Christmas Carol, Jersey Boys recently, and just yesterday, I took her to see Mary Poppins at the Fabulous Fox!

I bought her the tickets for Mother's Day and for the first time, I was going to take my Mom to the theater. I have to admit, at the age of 29, I felt all grown up! We went down early to enjoy a nice dinner at Baraondo Cafe Italiano, which is just one block north of the Fox Theatre. We shared a yummy bottle of Prosecco and topped it off with a delicious brick oven pizza.

We finished our meal and were off the theatre just in time for our show. I love the old world and classy feel the Fox has... it's just beautiful. I even love the old sinks in the bathrooms (weird, I know) but they make you feel like you are in another time, a simpler time. It makes me happy.

Our seats were great and so was the show. I loved watching the Mary Poppins movie as a little girl and loved seeing it live. The singing and dancing were fantastic! My favorites were "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" (whew!) and "Chim Chim Cher-ee" with the newly adapted "Step in Time." They had a great choreographed tap dance number along with this song, it was very energetic. And she really does fly, very exciting!

All in all, it was a wonderful theater experience and lovely evening together. I hope my Mom enjoyed it as much as I did. Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Fishcamp

This weekend was a perfect one to go to Lake Allatoona. It's located in northwestern Georgia on the Etowah River and is mostly in Cherokee and Bartow Counties. It is run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and was built in the 1950's.

Darin and Ashley (my brother and sister-in-law) purchased a boat a few years ago and then decided to go for the old Army Corps trailer a couple of years ago. They have put a lot of time and effort into the remodel... and it turned out AWESOME! It's no mansion, so we call it Fishcamp. The renovation came complete with a new kitchen, new bathroom, hardwoods, and a kegerator, that's right, a kegerator!

It's located on a beautiful lot of land right on the water and it is the perfect one hour getaway...

I love coming here because it's all about having fun, relaxing, spending quality time together, boat rides and grillin' some good food. No need for high heels or even a hair dryer here. It's all about flip flops and hops!

Saturday, we took a boat ride to Illinois Creek and anchored the boat for a couple of hours. Illinois Creek a great spot to people watch, drink a few, take some dips, and 'noodle' around. It's very similar to Lake Lanier's Cocktail Cove.

(These two pics are from last year... it was way too cold to get in the water this weekend)

Their Mermaid, Dixie

Ashley and Dixie on the dock

Darin fishing on the dock Sunday morning

We accidentally caught a huge turtle on Sunday... and apparently, that means good luck for one year. We'll take it! (The turtle was released, hook free!)

Sunday was Mother's Day so our parents came up to enjoy the COLD day on the lake! We had some weird (and unwanted) coldfront come through, but what can you do... except enjoy it as much as you can! So we took a boat ride out to Little River, a great restaurant spot on the lake. You can just pull up, park your boat and enjoy a nice lunch on the water. The ride back was a little painful, but hilarious none the less.

I'm so excited that Spring and Summer are upon us. I cannot wait to spend many more weekends at Fishcamp. I am so grateful to have this be my home away from home. Can't get much luckier than that. I'll take it!