Engagement pictures!

Today, Jake and I met one of our wedding photographers to do our Engagement photo session around downtown Columbia, and we had the BEST time! I was sooo nervous beforehand, mainly because I just didn't know what to expect, and couldn't imagine what it would be like to be "paparazzi"ed.... but once we met Jordan, she was as wonderful as she sounded on the phone, and I calmed down pretty quickly. She was so nice and put us at ease as she provided us guidance on what to do in the photos. She wound up having me take off the vest I was wearing, gave me her REALLY PRETTY scarf to wear, and TOOK MY HAIR DOWN out of its usual ponytail. :) As you all probably know, my hair is always in its ponytail... I cannot wait to see what the photos look like with my hair down. I'm a little nervous about that. Anyway, she said the photos would be on her blog within 2-3 weeks, so I have a little bit to wait. If you're curious to check out some of our photographers' work before then, their website is: www.landonjacob.com. Their names are Landon and Jordan Thompson, and they are a husband and wife team. We think they are GREAT. We absolutely love their work, and I am soooo excited to see the engagement photos that Jordan took today and for them to shoot our wedding! I'll try to post again when they get our photos on their blog!

Litchfield Beach!

So, later that day after we finished our 5k race, we met up with Jake's parents here in Columbia for a brunch of sorts at Waffle House before hitting the road to Litchfield Beach for the week! The beach was perfect. We had perfect weather the entire time until our last night there, when it finally thunderstormed. We spent our days on the beach, in the pool, in the hottub, visiting Myrtle Beach, shopping, eating, but mostly just relaxing. We spent our nights going out for dinner (usually AMAZING seafood - especially the conch fritters!!!) and hanging out in the condo and hottub with Jake's parents. It was a great time, and a very much needed vacation from work. I had not been to the beach for a week in forever, and definitely not since I started working! I definitely did not want to leave to come back home. And, on our last day there, I just happened to get stung by a jellyfish for the first time in my life! It hurt SO BADLY. I never did see the jellyfish, but I definitely felt it. Thanks to Jake for pouring some vinegar stuff on it to take the stinging away. And as a side note, a week after the sting, just when you think it is all okay and going away, it comes back ITCHING like nothing has ever ITCHED in my life. So, if you are ever stung, be prepared for that. But, I did get a fairly decent tan. And, a big thanks to Jake's parents for letting me join them on their family vacation! Here are some photo highlights from our week.

Jake and his dad

Jake and his mom

Jake and his parents

Me with my DELICIOUS conch fritters!

The worst part of my jellyfish ATTACK!

Me on our last day

Our caricature we had done at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach! I love it!

Do you think it looks like us?

Mom's visit!

My sweet Mama came down to visit me and spend the night last Friday night. Jake treated us to a delicious dinner at Za's, and we spent some time in Barnes and Noble on Friday night. Saturday, we got up and went to the Farmer's Market, and I got some peaches and a cantaloupe. Mmmm yummy! Then, we had lunch at Lizard's Thicket and made a trip to Walmart to get something to hang up my quilted Palmetto wallhanging that my mom made me for my office. Then, we went down to the office and hung it up! It is soooo beautiful, and all my coworkers are definitely jealous. Here is the only pic I took during her visit.

And I'd like to say a very big thanks to Mom for all your help cleaning up my house! I love you!

Happy Birthday, Steve!

Well, as I mentioned in an earlier post, last week was Steve's birthday! Jake and I met up with him and some of his friends, as well as Robert and his girlfriend, Jessica, at the baseball game. It was such a treat to watch Steve's heckling skills of the opposing team, especially number one-seven, from about 5 rows behind their dugout. It was so fun, we hardly noticed the rain falling on us. Funny, it rained last year while we were there celebrating Steve's birthday, too. And it was so great to see Robert and meet Jessica! After the baseball game, we headed on over to the Flying Saucer where we were served by a Beer Goddess. Wish I had gotten a pic of Steve with her. Haha fun times!

Here are some pics!

Just like old times...

The birthday boy and me!

Jake and me

Had to include this one just because of Steve!

Robert and Jessica

Now, these pics below are of #one-seven and Steve with the ball that #17 threw to him after much heckling.

Yes, it does say "To Shrek"

My Columbia Blowfish cozy that Robert bought for me! I love these things!

And finally, a couple pics from Flying Saucer...

Afternoon activities!

This afternoon, Jake and I are getting off work at 3pm. We were supposed to head to Charlotte to see Aerosmith with some friends, but the show was cancelled due to artist injury. So, we decided instead to go see the movie Up! in 3D at 4:30 and get that crossed off both of our lists.

Also, tomorrow is Steve's birthday, and he has chosen to celebrate it tonight at the Columbia Blowfish game followed by some quality time at Flying Saucer! Steve is one of my best friends, and I am really excited to be celebrating his 25th birthday! WOW. I cannot believe he is that old. In other exciting news, my friend Robert (Steve's brother) is coming into town for the birthday shenanigans and bringing his new girlfriend, so I am very excited to see him and meet her, and for him to meet Jake as well! Robert has been in law school up in Minnesota for the past couple years and I cannot even remember the last time I saw him, so I am doubly (is doubly even a word?) excited about that! These two boys are like family to me, and I don't see them near enough.

So, I have a very fun afternoon/evening ahead - movie and baseball game and Flying Saucer with some of my all time favorite people! What could be better? Let's hope it doesn't rain on us at the game like it did last year. If it does, that just means more time at the Saucer!

I hope to get some good pics tonight!!!

Visit with Max!

Last weekend, Max made a trip home to be in his friend's wedding. His flight got into Charlotte early Thursday morning, and he was supposed to leave Lake Wylie in the early afternoon on Friday to head to Greenville, SC for the wedding weekend festivities. I really wanted to take advantage of the fact that he was so nearby so that he and Jake could meet. It was kind of hard trying to figure out the best time/place to try to meet up with him and work around the wedding plans. I had to work Thursday til 6 pm, and then had a neighborhood watch organizational meeting at 6:30, so I knew it would be too late to make it up to LW to visit him on Thursday. After a few phone calls back and forth with Max, we finally went with Mom's suggestion to drive up late Friday morning and meet for lunch in Rock Hill so he would still have some time before he needed to leave. Since Jake and I were both scheduled off on Friday, it was the perfect plan! Thanks, Mom! We left Columbia around 10:00 or so that morning, and we met Max and Mom at Zaxby's (Max's choice because he had never had it!!) around 11:30 where we all enjoyed a delightful lunch. I was really excited that Jake and Max got to meet each other, and it is always nice visiting with Mom. After some entertaining conversation over lunch, we had a little photo shoot in the parking lot before we left. All in all, it was a great visit, and I think everyone had a good time!

Here is Max's plate after he had finished. I think he enjoyed it!

Max with Jake and me

Jake with Mom... showing her party face!

Mom with Max and me. Party faces all around!