Sweet Friends ~n~ Sweet Shakes

I recently spent a "springy" day with one of my good friends, Courtney and her adorable son Cooper. It was a perfect afternoon. We went to Thomasville, GA which sports an adorable little downtown full of shops and restaurants. Here are some picks of these two special people.

Cooper loved the milkshakes from Izzo's Soda Fountain. I'd go back just for the retro atmosphere! Isn't it adorable?

Ode to Chicago

Several weeks ago, my husband, Jason and I had one of those moments. You know, those moments when you realize that you will never experience this again, so you just revel in it.

Jason is not only an academic, but he is also a composer. In fact, composing choral music is his passion. He can get lost for hours, days at a time creating beautiful music.

We traveled to Chicago because of the talented and generous Dr. Bagley of University of Connecticut. He was conducting the National Men's Honor Choir for the American Choral Directors Association Annual Convention and commissioned Jason to write a piece for the choir to sing at the concert. This was quite an honor as Jason's piece would get to be performed by a choir of almost 300 of the best singers in the US; it would be performed in a stunning venue, the Auditorium Theatre; and his piece would be heard by 1000s attending the concert. We knew that it would be exciting but had no idea how touching it would be. We attended several of the rehearsals and were so enthralled with the way Dr. Bagley lead the men. He really demanded a lot of the choir and was so inspiring. The concert ended up being absolutely amazing. The recognition Jason received was very humbling. (He even signed autographs and had two offers to publish his piece). It was a special weekend we will always remember.

National Honor Choir Rehearsal Auditorium Theatre in Chicago Signing Autographs National Men's Honor Choir Dr. Bagley and Jason Coming home after a wonderful weekend.

St. Marks: My Favorite Place on Earth

Here are some pictures from St. Marks, FL taken in December when my parents were visiting. This is my "happy place."

Food, Family and...Alligators!

I am thankful for a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday. It was full of fun with tons of food and memories. The best part of the week was the day we spent at Wakulla Springs State Park near Tallahassee. Here are a few memories of the week.

Keeping up with the Boys

Wakulla Springs Picnic Area

On the Boat

Watching for Alligators

We saw at least 8 or 9 Alligators!

Exploring the Park

A Broken Leg Can't Stop Him!

How a 4-Year-Old Eats Pumpkin Pie

I hope your Thanksgiving was as delicious as ours!