mother/daughter weekend {in photos}

The "Backwaters" + my girls + our moms.

We've tried to plan this since our freshman year...almost 6 years ago [hard to believe we've known each other that long...& only that long].

And finally...it happened.

A near perfect weekend.

Weekend[ish] Update [in Photos]

Friday: Dinner & a really fun game with these girls & their husbands.

 

Saturday: Went to my grandparents'.  My grandmother is so proud of all her flowers.  She counts her blooms.  Daily.  Probably.

Sunday: Such a beautiful day.  After church & lunch, I sat out on the deck & started a new Karen book :)

Monday: Picked up my cousin from school, ran errands, took her to get ice cream & to the park, & then dropped her off at dance.

weekend recap: part 2

picking up where I left off...

...the girls & I ran by our favorite Dahlonega coffee place,

then left for Beth's house in Athens & Em met us there.  when she called to find out where to meet us, Case & I were knitting [more like Case was knitting & trying to re-teach me], Beth was making jewelry, & Katie was reading a book.  we're basically 80-year-olds in twenty-something bodies.  I'm a little surprised Em didn't turn around & go back home to her husband.  but, no...she was brave & kept driving to our little retirement home-like party.

once we were all accounted for, we went to Olive Garden for dinner & Barnes & Noble while we waited.  bookstores are my weakness.  I happened upon this book & fell in LOVE...so I had to get it.  see why?

& I did get one grown up book, too...

image

after that, we went back to Beth's & just hung out the rest of the night.  

we played a little Mad Gab [my favorite!], 

made Case a blog [!!!], 

re-designed Em's, 

& then...I went to the bathroom & came back to find this happening:

apparently Em's great new camera has some pretty cool timer features.  so naturally...it was time to pretend they were on a roller coaster.

annndd...then this ensued.

so glad I have friends who don't act their age.  apparently we can either be 5 or 80...& every now & then maybe we'll act like 23- & 24-year-olds.

& now for a few [more] normal pictures...

so thankful to have had these 3 in my life for the past five & a half years...one of the biggest blessings of my life.

#94. silly friends.

#95. our own little photo booth.

#96. friends who love me for me.

#97. birthday glasses compliments of Em :)

miscellany monday: recap of a pretty perfect weekend

{one} Friday my mom took off work for a doctor's appointment in Athens, so I switched my work days around & went with her.  We got to do a little shopping while there.  Best parts: I started my Christmas shopping (!!!) & also found the running tights I wanted on sale & a cheap Nike (those words don't usually go together) running shirt at Academy.  Very successful day!

{two} All day Saturday was spent with these girls!

 

{three} Starbucks had their holiday drinks (aka, my favorite thing ever) for buy one get one free.

via

{four} The way home included Beth's 1st visit to a Chick-Fil-A Dwarf House.  Priceless.

{five} My brother's home for Thanksgiving break, so Saturday night we watched Bones & The Office from this week that I still hadn't caught up on.

{six} Great morning at church.  I love having a church where the things that you don't really want to hear but most definitely need to hear are said.

{seven} After church: pizza with my family & the Robinettes & decorating Mulberry for Christmas!  Though there were complaints about my Christmas music choices & my window-washing disability, all-in-all, it was a great afternoon of Christmas cheer!

{eight} Great run with my favorite running partners.  First time I've gotten to run with my #1.  Ran the whole distance of a 5k for the first time & my time's not far off what I'd like it to be.

{nine} Went to Harry Potter with Ben!  I love when I see a movie & so much of it is exactly how I pictured it when I read the book!

{ten} Fell asleep watching Valentine's Day & editing pictures.

P.S. With all this other Christmas cheer going on, I can't take it anymore...goodbye fall header, hello Christmas!

#25. church where all of the Bible is taught.

#26. a brother with similar movie & tv taste.

#27. Christmas windows at Mulberry!

#28. Christmas music playing at Mulberry!

#29. the ability, hard as it may be, to maintain friendships even at all different phases in life.

#30. my favorite season for coffee.

#31. sales!

my friends are creepy.

Had a beautiful day with 3 of my favorites today.  It was supposed to be breakfast...& that turned into all day.  A few hours just isn't enough...

Conclusion: We really do have other friends...but I'm not quite sure why.

These are the kind of friends that everyone needs some of.  They begin as strangers who very quickly become sisters...the kinds who really see you, who tell you the truth & ask the hard questions, who see the best & the worst of you, who love you no matter what, who deal some of us me who are not good communicators when we live hours away from each other, who make you laugh more than anyone else can, who can take a "nothing day & suddenly make it all seem worthwhile"...

My cup runneth over.

Mr. & Mrs. Shostak!

My weekend centered around the wedding of one of my best friends & it was SO wonderful.  I don't think I've ever been to a service that was less about the bride & groom & more about Jesus.  The bridesmaids & groomsmen came in to Come Thou Fount, Case's favorite, & she came in to Be Thou My Vision (Em's husband, John, played (& later sang) beautifully).  We had communion during the ceremony...the pastors served Case & Ryan, who served the wedding party as their families served the rest of the congregation.  So, so beautiful.  Also, I got to see lots of friends at the reception.  Sadly, I don't have a lot of pictures of all of my Bible Study & Alpha Gam girls at the reception...apparently the camera that I took was not the best to take...it's not super user-friendly to just anyone & lots of the pictures were out of focus.  However, my favorite people were there & it was wonderful.  Case was an amazing bride & we all had so much fun celebrating with them!  Can't wait to see how God works through this brand new phase of life for Case & Ryan.