Happy Easter!

Miguel and I went home to Atlanta for Easter weekend. Though it is wonderful to spend time with our parents, the real reason we headed home was to see our baby niece, Karis! 

Sunday morning we met up with my family for some Easter breakfast. 

My brother-in-law Jared, my Daddy, me, Miguel, my sister Sarah, Karis, my Gramma, and my Mom 

Most of breakfast we just spent admiring how cute Karis is! Everyone wanted to hold her and shower her with cuddles and kisses! It was especially fun for Miguel and me to see all the differences in Karis that she has developed since the last time we saw her right after she was born. 

Miguel loves his niece!

Kisses from Great Gramma!

Though we all wanted to hold and love on Karis, I think she loved being adored by her daddy most of all! Jared hadn't seen Sarah or Karis for two weeks and was definitely needing to soak up some baby time!

Karis loves, loves, loves her daddy!

Miguel and I were so excited that we got to spend time with Karis on her very first Easter! We were delighted to be able to give her an Easter basket in person! We filled the basket with a plush, carrot rattle, a crinkle, tag square, and a "Bunny and Bee" book with the matching stuffed Bunny.

I tried to read Karis the book at breakfast, but I think I held Jared's attention more than Karis's ;)

The Easter Bunny came three times for Karis! She is obviously very loved and spoiled. The china in the picture below is Peter Cottontail and my sister and I each have a different set. I love that my mom the Easter Bunny got Karis her very own set!

After spending the morning with my family, Miguel and I headed to his parents' house and had a lovely Easter dinner. I forgot to take pictures while we were at the Amadors' though. Probably because we were all consumed with either watching the masters or trying to learn how to play Euchre. Euchre is a card came that seems to be pretty popular up north. A bunch of our "yankee" friends are familiar with it. Friday night Miguel and I attempted to play and ever since then we have decided to learn it better so we can play with the big boys next time we're in town!

I just have to finish up by sharing some photos from earlier in the weekend...

Look how cute this onsie is that Karis wore on Saturday! It says "My Auntie Loves Me". I do, do, DO love her soooooo much! Plus, you can't beat that face... ohhhh emm gee! So adorable!

Sarah W. also came by to meet Karis! Karis was very excited to show Sarah how she can "stand up" now.

Sarah W and Karis

My parents' dog, Luke, isn't quite sure about having a baby come visit. Another thing on the floor that people talk to in silly voices confuses him. I believe he is under the impression that he should be the only recipient of that. 

We had a wonderful time being at home with family. I don't remember the last time we left Atlanta that I didn't drive away with tears in my eyes. I so badly wish I got to see everyone more often. But I am so thankful that we get to see each other as much as we do! Countdown is on for our Summer family vacation and the next time I get to see sweet Karis!!!

Bob-Bob

 I miss my grandpa, Bob-bob. He was such an amazing man. I was so lucky to be part of his family!

Some of the things that remind me of Bob-bob:

Fairy Tale Love: Bob-bob loved my grandma like the hero loves the princess in story books. Every girl wants to be loved like that. 

Black Coffee: I can't see a mug of hot, black coffee without thinking of Bob-bob. No matter where we ate or what time of the day it was he always ordered black coffee.

Thin Chocolate Chip Cookies: He made the best cookies. Whenever we would see each other he would give each of us a big bag with our names on them. Mine never lasted very long. My brother-in-law once said he believed the recipe called for crack because they are soooo addictive... once you start eating them it's too hard to stop! ;)

The Smell of Cigarettes: Bob-bob stopped smoking a couple of years ago, but the smell of cigarettes always reminds me of visiting my grandparents when I was a kid. The smell got associated with them when I was still young enough to believe grandparents where akin to Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny, so it's always a happy memory trigger!

Politics: Bob-bob always had very strong opinions regarding politics. I didn't always agree with him, but this election year has brought back many memories of conversations we had together. 

Hilton Head: Every year since I was an infant my grandparents took my family on vacation to Hilton Head Island each summer. I have so many good memories of HH and Bob-bob it would be impossible to recount them all! But I think I will always remember him going out onto the golf course at night to fish for golf balls. =)

Bob-bob was such a great granddad, father, and friend. He never met a person he didn't like and always tried to make you feel welcome. I miss him terribly, but I know he is so happy now that he is hanging out with my grandma again! 

Love you always, Bob-bob!

Saint Patrick's Day Savannah Year 2

St. Patrick's Day in Savannah is crazy. This year we had an estimated 1 million people in town to celebrate. Normally that would send me into a panic... okay I was sort of in a panic... but I really HATE crowds... anyways...


My best friend came into town along with Miguel's twin brother, Juan, Juan's girlfriend, Jessie, college friend, Jacob, and Jacob's fiancee, Katie. We did our fair share of contributing to the tourists =)

My bestie and me!

Friday night a bunch of our friends and their multiple house guests got together at our friend, Jason's, house. When Miguel and I pulled up to Jason's house this is what we were greeted with:

Friends on the roof

Such silliness! Miguel and I didn't climb up on the roof... but we got into the party spirit by wearing some green and a leprechaun hat. =) We didn't stay too late because I had to get up early the next morning...

One of the big draws here in Savannah is the St. Patrick's Day Parade. It's a lonnnnnng parade and in many ways feels very small town to me. The allure of parade isn't necessarily watching the parade, but more of the tailgating that goes hand-in-hand with it. This tailgating part of the equation is what had me waking up at 4:30 in the morning! People set up "tailgating" in the squares along the parade route. The squares don't "open" until a whistle is blown at 6:00 AM the day of the parade. This doesn't mean that people don't show up way before that to wait it out though... once that whistle is blown it is a full out race to get the coveted spots. People are nuts about it. Some have had their family "spot" for years, and will fight to make sure they retain that special location. I was determined to get a spot this year, especially since we had such a large party of people when you added all our friends up.  The night before Miguel and I parked one of our cars along the square we decided on. We packed it full of all our big items and non-perishable things we might need the next morning. This was such a great suggestion from a co-worker and Savannah native who has many St. Patrick's Day parades under her belt. It took a lot of pressure off of me to know that all I had to do the next morning was be dropped off (instead of fighting for street parking) and run to a spot. Though we thought we were prepared, the rush of the crowd running at 6 AM startled us a little bit and we were a little late to the game. We didn't end up with a spot along the street with good parade views, but we did claim a good section of the square. 

People setting up their tailgates at 6:00 AM

After Miguel dropped me off and helped me carry stuff out of the parked car, he headed to Jason's house to wake up friends and bring them and coffee back to me to wait it out till the parade started at 10.

A couple of hours before the parade started... getting busier!

I was so thankful for friends coming to keep me company! While we waited Miguel then headed back to our house to wake up our house guests and drag them out of bed to the parade. Miguel was so busy doing all that driving! He's the best!

We had a really fun time hanging out during the parade. We played corn hole, drinking games, and spent time with new and old friends! We didn't end up leaving till 3 in the afternoon... I was pretty sleepy. We all ended up taking naps when we got back to the house. But hey, that's why you visit Savannah on St. Patrick's Day right? To partake in the festivities? If you don't want to be in Savannah and enjoy the events that makes St. Patrick's Day here famous, then please don't come... stay home and go to bars in your own city ;)

Juan and his girl friend

Miguel enjoying spending time with Greg and Juan

I love how much the city gets into the holiday. Everywhere you looked there was green. You looked absolutely ridiculous if you weren't wearing green. I love themes and green is my favorite color... what a fun holiday!

Among the hundreds of thousands of visitors we had this weekend, we happened to set up our camp in the same square as my best friend's little brother, David!

Family love!

So much fun! I watched David grow up from diapers! Now he is starting medical school in the fall! I'm so glad we got to see him!

Look! He's wayyy taller than me now... still strange in some ways ;)

Like I previously said, I was pretty tired later that evening from being up so early, so I didn't want to do much Saturday night. After everyone eventually woke up from their naps, we headed to dinner and then I took Miguel and our guests downtown and then I came home and crashed into bed! Ahhh it felt so good! You know that feeling when all you want to do is shut your eyes and have a heavy, deep sleep? Mmmmm... =)

All in all I had a pretty good St. Patrick's Day... huge crowds and all! And I feel better prepared for next year! Bring on round three, Savannah! One of these years will have St. Patrick's Day here nailed down!