Happy Mardi Gras!

It seems like just yesterday that we were all there, but really it was 13 years ago,

when my Birmingham JVC roommates and I graced the streets of New Orleans and celebrated Mardi Gras.  We headed off after work on Friday and I don't think we slept until we were back in the car on Sunday.  We met up with our other fellow JVCers and headed out to Bourbon Street. We walked up and down the street fully engulfed with people, beads being thrown all over, and drinks being drunk.  We visited many different bars and then headed home in the wee hours of the morning.  When we got back to the house, there was only floor space left since there were close to 20 of us staying there that night.  The following day we went and watched the parade

and then were back to Bourbon Street for a night of dancing, drinking, and dancing.

We had a great time throughout the weekend and left with many beads. (No! I didn't have to show anything to get mine.)  Miss you girls!

A Day Out in San Francisco

My friend Emily was married just about a month ago to her beau Jessie (and you have already seen some of the pictures, but here is the rest of the story!) Her wedding was spectacular to say the least. I was so blessed to be able to come and be apart of it. I started the day getting ready in the oldest hotel in San Francisco called the Fairmont. It was very swanky and sheek!

After I was ready, I took a cab down to the church,

which I found out later, I could have walked to. It was only 2ish blocks away. Oh well...

The ceremony was beautiful and a little break from the full mass, then we had an hour before the cocktail hour. I decided to walk around downtown in my formal dress. I got tons of complements and catcalls, but the best when a man who I thought was in trouble asked for some directions and then ended up asking for money, a hug and then told me he loved me! Lucky for me I ran into a few other wedding goers, because I wouldn't have found the venue for the reception.

The following morning I slept in and then got up and got ready. As I was driving out of town, I took some more shots from my car window. Pretty good huh!?!?! Yes, mom I was stopped and not driving when I took the shots.

And here is are my images from the wedding.

Emily and Jessie's Wedding

It received the invitation and so excited to be invited to her wedding. We had lived together down in Alabama the year I was a part of JVC. She as bubbly, cheerful, and the life of our house. I couldn't wait to see what her wedding to Jessie would be like.
The invitation said formal, so I sent email after email to the bride trying to figure out what dress I should wear. I decided on this one and was glad I did. Many of the other guests wore dresses similar to mine, if not more decadent. The guys were in tuxes (that weren't rented) and 3 piece suits.




The groom, whom I never met, but as I learned later was perfect for her. He even protected her from an intruder that came into her house.

She was stunning in her dress.

The cake was under the spotlight on the dance floor as we entered the ballroom. Yet before we made it up there, we were filled with spirits during the cocktail hour with an open bar and appetizers.

The smell of the flowers hit you before you even came in the room. The arrangements were off the table, so you could still have wonderful conversation with the guests sitting at your table. I sat with 2 sisters, Emily's uncle and his wife and her mother, as well as work friends of Jessies'.

The band did a wonderful job of keeping the party going as they sang song after song.

The bride and groom danced and danced until their feet couldn't take it anymore.

Wedding Compilation of Photos

Here is the rest of the wedding photos. I had a great time, but my battery was giving me fits. I guess I need to make sure it is fully charged or have a backup. Both would be best I am sure.

Travel and Wedding

Mary, one of my roommates from JVC, was married last weekend and I was there to be apart of the wedding as well as get some shots of her big day. Although I had some battery problems, I was able to get some before it ran out.

She was married all the way across the US and it was such a feet to get there. I flew into Philly and met up with DJ MagPag and we drove down the Delaware Coast, who knew Delaware had coast line to make it to Bethany Beach at 1am Saturday morning. We hit some torrential down pours and saw lots of accidents along the way, but our good ole red got us there safe and sound. We also paid an exuberant amount of money for tolls.

The wedding was wonderful and there was a nice length of time between the ceremony and the reception to let us explore the town and devour burgers and peanuts at the famous burger joint.We got refreshed and ready to head down to catch the bus, but on our walk there we watched the bus pull away, so we ended up driving. This picture was taken on the way back from our walk. We were walking up on the sand and I saw all our shadows. I made everyone walk back and take our photo, becasue I didn't want it to be another photo I saw in my head that I never took.We danced and ate the night away and the following morning DJ MagPag and I were up at and leaving at 6:30 to make my flight at 11:30 with a 2 1/2 hour drive ahead of us. We had lots of great bonding time and I was glad to be on that plane, because I had only gotten 7 hours of sleep the previous days and I knew I would be teaching Monday.