Because

Because it's late, because I'm tired, and because this amuses me way too much...

Zac Brown Band, Dancing, and Hiking

Zac Brown Band, Dancing, and Hiking = Ridiculously Awesome Weekend (and very tired people :D )

I'm so...so...tired.  But it's the good kind of tired...the kind that comes when you've had way too much fun (is there such a thing?), and it's going to take a very boring week to help you recover from the incredible-ness that was the fun you had.

This weekend, Tim was able to get Zac Brown Band (ZBB) tickets through his work.  Let me preface this with, I am not a concert person, don't really like them, I get bored, I never know the songs, and I'm not much of a music person (by this I mean, if we're ever in a life or death situation and I am called up to remember a band name, a singer's name, the name of a song, or lyrics from a song...you're dead).  So my response to him asking me if I wanted to go was "sure, as long as it doesn't affect us going to the dance the next day that I've had on the calendar for about a month".  So we headed to the concert at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (shameless plug for my husband's company in...3...2...1...Red Clay Interactive developed their website, so check it out...http://www.vzwamp.com/) where I discovered that a lot of my reasons for not liking concerts was fixed by the VZWAMP.

I don't like being crammed into a stuffy building where I have to stand for hours shoulder to shoulder with sweaty people I don't know and where the music is too loud (yes, I know, I'm old).  The VZWAMP is outside, the weather was perfect, the trees and sky were gorgeous, I had a seat, and the outside venue allowed for the perfect rockin' music volume (oh yeah, and VIP access allowed access to the good bathrooms).  And I was not bored...not for one second.  Come to find out, the ZBB plays a lot of the tunes I've been jammin' to on the radio lately (which I didn't realize, see explanation above on how I'm not a music person).  Oh yeah, and since this was the first concert I've been to since getting an i-phone, I could look up the lyrics and sing along (I know, I'm a nerd).  THE ZBB WAS AWESOME!  It's amazing what happens when truly talented musicians play great music for 2 1/2 hours.  I had so much fun, I even came home w/ a t-shirt (again, not my thing).  So now I'm a converted ZBB-t-shirt-wearing-fan, who had the guts to ask one of the band members for a photo...(see pic below).   We didn't get home 'til 2am, but it was totally worth it.

Fuzzy but awesome pic of Brandi and me with John Driskell Hopkins, the bass player of the ZBB

Zac Brown on the big screen...I'm proud he's from GA

T-shirt twins

Us at the concert

So the next night, we headed to Athens to visit my coworker and attend a dance at the Civitan Club (a kind of sketchy building down a kind of sketchy road).  We first ate a scrum-diddily-umptious dinner at my favorite sushi restaurant, where we stuffed ourselves silly with yummy yummy sushi that I haven't had since I moved away from Athens last August.  This was the kind of stuffing that you're supposed to wait an hour before swimming...but instead we went dancing.  We spent the next few hours cutting a rug, ballroom style, at the Civitan Club (funny story about rugs... the Civitan club building has unique decor that includes green plush carpet...not on the floor...but from the top of the 70's style wood paneling up to the ceiling, so if you get tired you can find a nice soft spot on the wall to lean against...but I digress).

One of our friends lives down the less sketchy road by the Civitan club.  We drove by his house on a whim and noticed another friend's car in the driveway.  By this time it was almost midnight, but we decided to knock on the door anyway.  Inside we found a group of our Athen's friends (who we have been dearly missing) hanging out.  So we got to hang out with our cool peeps...and then got home around 2am.

The next day we slept in (wouldn't you?), went to church, and went hiking.  It was great weather, a great hike, and a great time to catch up with my hubby.  We had an amazing weekend...I'm going to sleep now.

And for your listening pleasure...Zac Brown Band singing "Chicken Fried"

Happy Easter!

"I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said." ~Matthew 28:5-6

Easter cake

This year, Tim and I decided to host Easter celebrations at our place.  We were blessed to have some of my family join us (which was great, because otherwise we would have been eating the food for the next few months).  My Dad, Aunt Judy, Uncle Jerry, Cousin Jeff, Cousin Christy, her husband Jason, and their kids Sadie and Titus came to celebrate and eat an awesome lunch (I'm not biased) of lamb, brisket, parmesan risotto, garlic green beans, butter muffins, salad, and my family recipe cookies and cake.  So now that all of your mouths are watering, maybe those of you that missed this year will come next year ;).

Our pretty table

The Chefs :)

After eating our scrumptious meal, we flocked to the grassy area behind our apartment building where my cousin Jeff and I slaughtered proceeded to cream the rest of our family at bocce ball.

It was a blessing to share this amazing day with my family.

He is risen!!!

Happy Birthday Lailey!

My Lailey-bug turned 2 years old on April 7th.  Her adoring fans friends and family showed up at the playground (where else?) to celebrate with her.  She enjoyed her second year of cupcakes and the many lovely gifts.

Driving Miss Birthday Girl on her scooter

Lailey sitting in her very own camping chair courtesy of Uncle Tim and Aunt Amy

Woody sitting in "Woody's seat"

Camping at Red Top Mountain

We brought in the month of April with a family camping trip to Red Top Mountain in Cartersville, GA!

Tim, Amy, Lailey, Sarah, and Davey

We settled into our campsite overlooking the lake after Tim walked around and scoped out all the other sites to make sure we had the best one...and we did. The picture doesn't really do the view justice, but we were up on a hill over-looking the lake. It was beautiful.

The lakeside view from our campsite

We set up Sarah's monstrosity of a tent, built a fire, and ate a very yummy dinner, courtesy of my very gracious sister, of Protestant chili & Catholic chili.

Catholic Chili = meatless, for a Friday during Lent of course! :)

We all hunkered down in the giant tent to sleep. Lailey had a blast playing in the tent, but when it came to sleeping in the tent, she wasn't so sure. It took some convincing, but when her head hit the pillow, she was gone. There is no sleeping in when a toddler is around, so we kept her entertained as long as we could from our warm sleeping bags.

Lailey playing with my headlamp

The weekend was filled with good food, good company, and good fun. Here are some pics.

Around the campfire

Mommy and Aunt Amy took Lailey to the playground

Lailey rode (and wore out) the "horsey"

Orienteering

We ended the weekend with some orienteering.

For more pics and details of the weekend, check out Sarah's blog.