best week ever.

A few weeks ago, Jacob and I took a mini-vacation to Barnsley Gardens, a golf resort on the grounds of a historic former plantation about an hour north of Atlanta.  

This mini-vacation was my attempt to get out of town for Jacob's birthday and see new things while still being financially responsible.

Only nothing about Barnsley Gardens is cheap.  So while I may have saved money not flying anywhere, I paid $5 for a disposable razor after I forgot mine, so I guess it all evens out. 

The place is gorgeous, though and definitely worth it.  The staff is super friendly and accommodating, the property is gorgeous (lush and green, thanks to all of the rain), and there is so much to do.  It's hard to believe it's only an hour from Atlanta - we felt very far away and very relaxed.

So relaxed, in fact, that we tried to extend our vacation an extra night, but they were completely booked.  Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

Our trip to Barnsley Gardens was wedged in between two nights of Phish in Alpharetta and the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup at the Georgia Dome.

It was an action-packed, exhausting five days of live music, golf, soccer - many of Jacob's most favorite things.

In fact, I affectionately started referring to the week as “Jacob’s Best Week Ever.”  Lucky for me, a lot of his favorite things are my favorite things.  

Add in a trip to the beach, the spa, a Georgia Bulldogs win, and the Lumineers singing "This Must Be the Place," (LISTEN TO THIS SONG) and that would've been my "Best Week Ever" too.   

 

I'm not sure if I'm high-maintenance, or if a lot of things make me happy. 

I'm curious - tell me - what would your best week ever look like?

she's come a long way.

Remember Cindy, my friend from childhood whose art is being featured at the Coastal Living Show House on Daniel Island?

This is us in high school, '95-'96-ish, tailgating before a Carolina game in the Olympia parking lot, likely up to no good.

We've certainly come a long way.

Most importantly, we don't wear business casual to football games anymore.  (Nice vest, geek!)

But also, we've discovered our passions and are pursuing them passionately.  Her with painting, and me with writing.  

Tomorrow, Cindy's passion will be out on display in Mt. Pleasant at her art show.

To say I'm proud of her might imply that I had anything to do with her talent and her success, and clearly that's not the case.  Yet, I am proud. 

Mostly, though, I'm just so very excited for her.   

I always knew she'd go on to do great things - I mean, back in high school she managed to make a Nissan Stanza Wagon look cool.  And that's hard to do.

But her very own art show?  Well, that's big.

Congrats, Cindy! I wish I could be there.

Charleston peeps - please go check out her art show.  Non-Charleston peeps - you can check her art out here. 

independence day.

Well thanks to all of YOU, my dreams of becoming a super model have been realized.  I won the Sandpiper contest and a $200 gift certificate to my favorite store.

THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!  THANK YOU! 

In sincere gratitude for your votes, how about some pictures from July 4th?  Jacob and I spent the holiday with his family at their home in Debordieu, a beach community just south of Pawley's Island, South Carolina.

Everyone in Debordieu celebrates Independence Day in a big way - like a morning golf cart parade>afternoon beach games>evening picnic>nighttime corn hole - kind of way. 

Really nothing says "freedom" like a military flyover and a golf cart disguised as an alligator, am I right?

We soaked up every ounce of sun, sand, beer and wine the weekend had to offer, and capped it off with a trip to Lake Murray to see my parents on the way back.

One set of parents at the beach, and another set at the lake?  Hard not to feel lucky about that. 

Also, we forced invited my parents to watch a Phish concert when we were at their house.  I'm not so sure they were impressed.  They didn't get up and leave, but they weren't exactly moved like we were.  My dad had the best line of the night, however, when he said, pointing at Jon Fishman, "So does that guy always wear the donuts?"

An instant Chuck Gallman classic.