Del Boca Vista

Ok, so I've probably seen one too many episodes of Seinfeld....

But, last Friday we did travel to Boca Raton, FL for Joel's friend Abe's wedding. The ceremony was really special, as the bride's father and Abe's father both officiated. I don't have any pictures of the ceremony (Joel forgot to bring the camera) and the pictures I do have are courtesy of my new bud and Campbell alum, Sam, so most of the pictures include him.

Suzanne, Bryan, Sam, me & Joel--Table #13...the Campbell alums + me

Sam had me cracking up

Sunburned Sam and the groom~~Congrats Abe & Sarah!

On Saturday, we decided to continue the party on the beach. Strangely, I have never actually been to the beach in the summertime...nor have I felt sand so hot! The water was a nice 82 degrees, so we spent the majority of the time there. There were definitely some interesting swimsuit choices going on in Florida...as you can see in the picture.

All-in-all it was another fast and fun trip...we got back really late on Saturday night because our flight was delayed because of some weather and it took us almost an hour to pick up our bag. Sunday was also an action packed day-- had a church committee meeting, worked in the nursery, took a three hour nap (ok, I probably could have skipped that) and that evening we went to see the Braves game from my company's suite. Whew!

And to the amazement of my co-workers, I'm actually going to be at work tomorrow (I've been out the past 4 Fridays). We are, however, going to be traveling to Charlotte on Saturday to visit Sharla, Josh and baby Teeny! I'm so glad I don't have to keep it a secret anymore :-) We're also going to see The Lion King with them and some of their family. Sammy has been less than happy with all of our traveling, but this will be the last weekend we'll be gone until Jamaica.

Thirteen Things I'm Looking Forward To

Thirteen Things I'm Looking Forward To:

(Joel will love this one because he picks on me for never being able to live in the moment--I'm always ready for the next big thing)

1. Going to Florida tomorrow

2. Being done with all of this traveling--We've been away from our house for three weekends in a row....two more to go!

3. Shopping for clothes for our vacation and being happy about how I look --thanks to my trainer

4. Going on vacation to Jamaica

5. Weekend trip to the NC mountains with friends

6. Setting up my tv/scrapbooking room in our spare bedroom

7. Finally seeing The Nanny Diaries with Sharla...they moved the release date from April to August, and then to September

8. Seeing the Lourve and Annie Leibovitz exhibits at the High Museum--hopefully with my artistic sis, Amber, and we'll drag Megan around just like we did last year :-)

9. Having time to try to make cookies again. I'm super jealous of my sis-in-law, Lauren's baking skills. She'll be in Atlanta soon though, so maybe she can give me some tips.

10. Christmastime! Decorating the house, cooking, seeing family, Advent season at church, cold(ish) weather and I already knowing what I'm asking for

11. The opening of the Bojangles that they are building near my house

12. LOST season 4....in JANUARY 2008

13. No, it's not me that's expecting...it's my best friend, Sharla! And I'm looking forward to meeting her and Josh's little one in February!!! (See their blog here )

As I said, we are off to Florida tomorrow for the last wedding of the summer...we're flying back on Saturday night. Then church on Sunday--I have nursery duty--yay! And then to Turner Field on Sunday night to rock the company suite and see the Braves vs. the Cardinals. Another action packed weekend...

"To be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord" ~ 2 Corinthians 5:8

KINSTON - Mattie Lee Bryant Penny, 85, of Kinston, passed away on Sunday July 8, 2007, at her residence. Mattie was a retired telephone operator, a member of Immanuel Baptist Church, member of the Pioneer Club and an ICOR volunteer. Graveside services will be held at 12:00 noon, July 14, 2007, at Pinelawn Memorial Park with Pastor Mike Creekmore officiating. The family will receive friends from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 14, 2007, at Edwards Funeral Home. Survivors include her sons, Robert Elton Penny of Stockholm, Sweden and Donald Norris Penny and wife Joanne, of Buies Creek, N.C., daughter Jo Lee Penny of Kinston, sister Ruth Ballard of Peachland, N.C. and seven grandchildren. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to her church, Immanuel Baptist Church, 712 Airport Road, Kinston, NC 28504. Funeral arrangements by Edwards Funeral Home.

We made it to NC and back safely for Grandma Penny's funeral. It was a nice service and many people said how much she would have enjoyed seeing everyone--but we know she did see all of us there. I was amazed at how many of her former co-workers from the telephone company came, since she retired over twenty years ago. She was loved by many friends and family, but she was ready to go home to be with her Lord. She was the sweetest lady, who was always in a good mood even if she was sick or feeling bad. She always wanted to make you feel at home and wouldn't let you get away without trying a piece of cake or pie that she had prepared. She will surely be missed.

Joel and his Grandma at our wedding

No end of travel in sight....

We have been in NC for the past two weekends, will be home this coming weekend, and then back out to FL and NC for the two weekends after that! No wonder I can't get anything done around the house!

At least these have been happy occasions for traveling (update: I started this blog on Sunday afternoon... shortly after Joel called his mom and found out that his grandma died Sunday around 5:00...so there will be even more traveling in our future, but not for a happy occasion--will blog more on this later)...this weekend we traveled to Blowing Rock, NC for Alan and Stephanie Collins' wedding. As I mentioned before, Joel was photographing the wedding and I did my best not to step in as wedding coordinator--although I did insist on having a picture of the whole group since the wedding was small.

The Newlyweds

One of my favorites--Josh & Alan

Me and Sharla---see the uncropped version that includes Baby Teeny

Me and Mr. Photographer :-)

Thursday Thirteen-- Places I Want to Visit

I stole this idea from one of the blogs I read (and I'm trying to pass the last 30 minutes at work before my long weekend!)

1. Jamaica--see ticker

2. Rome--going in May!

3. Venice--probably also going in May!

4. Hawaii--especially while my aunt and uncle are living there

5. Paris

6. Egypt--I really want to see the pyramids

7. The Grand Canyon

8. Alaska or Canada to see the Northern Lights

9. Greece--preferably on a Mediterranean cruise

10. Australia

11. Oklahoma--I have family there that I have never met

12. Yellowstone and/or Yosemite--that one's really for Joel

13. Sequoia National Park

Happy 4th of July!

Praise God for our freedom (and a short week!)

We're just laying low today- working on a few things around the house. Just back to work tomorrow and then we're heading up to Blowing Rock, NC for Sharla's brother-in-law's wedding. Joel is going to photograph the ceremony for them. I still have a secret hope that one day when we retire he'll try to photograph weddings on the weekends and I could be the wedding coordinator! He is really great though and a whole other side of him comes out when he's "working."

In other news, I've hired a personal trainer. Actually it's one of our neighbors (another helpful neighbor, who would have thought!) who has a gym in her basement. So I'm working with her three times a week for the next 11 weeks and I better be in shape for Jamaica! Then I just have to keep on top of myself to not put it back on...

Happy 4th from Sammy (I just tried to put his bandanna on, but apparently he's gotten too fat for it...so here's a pic from '05)

Mr. & Mrs. Nelson Surles

Congratulations to Rachel and Nelson Surles!

They had an awesome wedding and reception at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill on June 29th. It was great for everyone to get together again, since we are really all spread out now! (Ben in NYC, The Surles, Adam and Melissa in Raleigh, The Bradleys in Charlotte and us in Atlanta) Since we're pretty sure there won't be another wedding for a few years we're definitely going to have to work a little harder at planning times to get together.

Didn't realize how much we missed Liz until we got to hang out again! Thanks for being a great DD and hostess....we definitely owe you!


A few of the guys...probably up to no good

The happy couple and me....love them!

Good times with great friends!