A Shower for Anna & Jackson

My sister-in-law Anna is expecting her first child in a few weeks and Matt and I couldn't be more excited! Some of the family hosted a "Ready to Pop" shower for Anna and baby Jackson and it was great. The decorations were adorable thanks to my incredibly talented sister-in-law Ashley.

Ashley is seriously crafty - check out this adorable diaper cake, and she made the cupcakes too!

Anna was glowing and she got the sweetest gifts. Jackson is going to be one very well dressed little fella. This was Matt's personal favorite - what baby boy doesn't need a bathrobe?

I just know Anna & Ryan are going to be the most wonderful parents - and Jackson is already loved by so many people. Matt and I can't wait to finally be an aunt & uncle and spoil this little angel to pieces!!

End of Summer 2012

The summer has really flown by. I can't complain though - Fall is in the air, football season is here, and it's time for pumpkin everything!! Here's a few highlights from the end of the summer.
 My dear friend Mary Andrews is getting married this October, and we celebrated her upcoming wedding with a brunch. Here's the bride-to-be with a fancy-schmancy bloody mary.

The hostesses & bride: Keri, Ellen, Mary Andrews, me, Caitlyn, Lauren & Meg - we certainly missed Elizabeth too!

And here's Isabelle, Ellen's little cutie.

In August we saw B.B. King at Chastain - he's got to be 80+ and still puts on a great show!

Bryan & Caitlyn joined us, and we are so happy to have them in Atlanta.



Earlier this month, we had a little getaway to Lake Rabun. The weather was perfect and it was a wonderful weekend.

We stayed here...

not here....

Although there are great 'sword & serpent' memories from the majestic Mountain Valley Inn. When I passed by this place, I could not believe that I actually stayed there - more than once - what were we thinking?!

The weekend was perfect - lots of relaxing on the porch, a little hiking, and a nice change of scenery! 

It was also a special treat to visit my friend Bowen (and her now fiance Matt!), who was the captain of our pontoon cruises and also introduced us to "Boat Church," a Lake Rabun tradition.

Boat Church is every Sunday from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and a minister from a local church brings his crew - choir, keyboard, and all - out on the water. Everyone brings their boat around to listen to the sermon. It was quite a unique worship experience.

As it was the final sermon of the summer, the preacher man ended with a dip in the lake.

Lots of fun in the past few months - looking forward to the Fall!

Birthdays, Babies & Brides

There's been many celebrations over the past few months, and I'm reminded of how much I have to be thankful for.
First, my Mom celebrated her 50th birthday in June. I think compared to most of my peers, my mom is a spring chicken. Anna Bryce came home for the weekend, and we made a list of 50 things to do on her 50th bday - most of these were embarassing, awkward tasks (run through a sprinkler, hug a random stranger, ride a merry-go-round at the mall, etc.) I've got hilarious pictures to capture every moment - especially hugging a stranger, although Mom would die if I shared most of them.

I celebrated 27 here in Atlanta with a few of my favorite people. Taverna Plaka is quite the place to celebrate a birthday! For some reason their signature event is throwing napkins all over the place.

Matt picked up the most delicious cupcakes I have ever had - omg. 

 Speaking of birthdays, little baby Massengill will be here before we know it. My sweet friend Kathryn is expecting her first child at the end of this month and I can't wait! We celebrated Wilson at a monogram shower in early July. Let me tell you, this will be one well dressed little baby!

I felt a bit like a fish out of water shopping for baby clothes. The saleslady had to kindly explain that baby boys don't wear bloomers. Who knew? I had so much fun shopping for these tiny little outfits, and I'm looking forward to spoiling a little nephew soon :)

Moving on to the brides... Lisa is getting married over Labor Day weekend, and we celebrated her last few weeks as a Bachelorette at Lake Seed. Here's the bride-to-be...rockin' a life jacket :)

It was a wonderful reunion of law school girls - cruising on the boat, delicious meals & competitive games of catch-phrase. What could be better!?

Finally, my cousin Taylor tied the knot last weekend. She was an absolutely BEAUTIFUL bride! Anna Bryce sang in the ceremony and I cried / read scripture.

Here's the new Mr. & Mrs. Crosby.

We love you Taylor & Tripp and hope you enjoy every minute of being Newlyweds!

My Favorite Things of Summer

Thunderstorms are one of my favorite things of summer - as long as I don't lose power of course! Listening to the rain and counting the seconds between the lightening and the thunder just like when I was a kid.

These pop up storms of summer remind me of a poem by one of my favorite authors, Emily Dickinson. Please indulge my nerdiness -

The Lightening is a Yellow Fork

The Lightening is a yellow Fork
From Tables in the sky
By inadvertent fingers dropt
The awful Cutlery

Of mansions never quite disclosed
And never quite concealed
The Apparatus of the Dark
To ignorance revealed.


I love the imagery of lightening as a fork dropped accidentally by someone dining at a mansion in the sky - it makes me picture some wonderful banquet in Heaven.

NYC Part II

Our first night in the Big Apple ended with a visit to Times Square.  

Day 2 started with a visit to 30 Rock. Sadly, no sight of Liz Lemon, but we did visit "Top of the Rock" and were able to get great views of the city.

 Central Park

Empire State Building in the foreground and to its right, way off in the distance, is One World Trade Center - still under construction, but officially the tallest building in NYC.

After a quick costume change, we met AB at the theater to see the Broadway musical,  Mary Poppins. This was one of my favorite movies as a kid, and I absolutely loved this show! It was SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS!

After that, a walk on the "High Line" and dinner with Anna Bryce and her friend Amy in the Meatpacking District - such a neat neighborhood away from all the crowds.

These two sweet girls were so funny and it was a joy to treat them to a good meal. They said it was their "first meal with linen tablecloths since they moved to the city." Guess it's back to Ramen Noodles girls!

Matt & I ended the night with a coffee & dessert at the Stardust Diner. This little jewel is tucked away near all of the theaters and employs lots of "rising stars" with dreams of making it to Broadway. The food is good, but the entertainment is amazing! All of the waiters & waitresses take turns performing their favorite songs.

 I really think AB needs to apply for a job here!

We ended our trip with a visit to the Natural History Museum (for me) where the dinosaurs were enormous....

And a stop by the famous Carnegie Deli (for Matt) where the sandwiches were even bigger!

Finally, we visited the 9/11 Memorial - overflowing with tourists yet solemn and quiet. It was breathtaking and heartbreaking and inspiring all at the same time.

 It felt strange leaving Anna Bryce in New York, but I know she is as happy as a clam there. I'm so proud of my little sister for listening to her heart and following her dreams. Thanks for being a fantastic tour guide AB - love you lots!