Robbed!

Well....after about a week of being down and out without a computer, I'm back up and running and ready to blog once again.

So to recap...on Thursday, January 22nd Matt and I's house was broken into....probably the most violating and unsettling thing that has happened to me ever. They kicked in the back door, broke our screens/window and took our TVs, computers, and cameras! Matt came home for lunch to find everything a mess and called me right away. My heart sank when I heard the words come out of Matt's mouth "we've been robbed". I hope to never hear those words again!

Since then our lives have been in worldwind security mode. I'll be the first to admit, we've definitely punched it into overdrive, but after something like this happens you never really want to be at home and when you are at home....you want to make sure you're safer than Fort Knox!

So....hightened security systems, motion detectors, new deadbolts, and last but certainly not least...a new buddy are sure to do the trick!

Meet Hunter....a Siberian Husky/ German Shepherd mix and hopefully the new member of our family and sure to keep us safe! We're going to meet him on Saturday and if all goes well...we'll be bringing him home that day! He's a year and a half and already fully trained, house broken, and crate trained...which is always nice! Matt is super excited and I think it will be a great way to start 2009 off on the right foot. So here's to a new start, a new dog, and a newly secure house!

Sandpiper Vacation Rentals

New Year...New Business Venture!

2009 marks the year my dad and I started a new company called Sandpiper Vacation Rentals (http://www.sandpipervacationrentals.com/)!!!! Its a rental management company exclusive to Seaside cottages in Seaside, Florida. We manage properties for Seaside homeowners looking to rent their cottage to folks looking to enjoy the white sandy beaches and quaint village of Seaside along Santa Rosa Beach!

I'm extremely excited in this new venture. I've created the website and I'm currently handling all the internet marketing and advertising. It's a new road for me, but I'm enjoying the experience and learning new things along the way. Starting a company from scratch is quite the undertaking, but its nice to do it with someone who's done it before....its not quite my dad's first rodeo...thank God! :)

Anyways...this year is sure to be in more ways than one and I hope to have many more updates on this blog and possibly another blog started in the coming months.

In the meantime - please check out the website (http://www.sandpipervacationrentals.com/) and contact us if you're interested in us managing a cottage that you currently own in Seaside or renting one for a nice little beach vacation!

Happy New Year!

Tough Times in the Economy

Wow, its been a couple weeks since I last posted anything....well, I'll try to catch everyone up with some pictures later but for the time being its probably the economy thats on my mind most! On top of the ridiculous gas crisis that the state of Georgia is facing right now due to Hurricane's Gustav and Ike, our country is facing one of the biggest economic windfalls in history....what's happening to good ol' US of A? I can't help but worry about Matt and I's job security. While consulting firms tend to do better during times like these - I'm not so sure about Matt's financial world.
We're doing out part when it comes to the gas crisis....working from home in an effort to conserve....should we be doing the same with our money? I'm thinking so. We were thinking about putting our lovely townhome on the market in the spring, but that doesn't seem like the best idea these days....we might just wait this out a couple more years and enjoy our low mortgage payment and 5% interest rate. That trip to Greece next summer isn't looking like the best idea either.....who knows. Hopefully McCain will get elected and we won't have to worry as much about raised taxes and an inexperienced leader of the free world....but thats a whole other tangent. Wow...if only getting older was easier? I'm tired of growing up! These are just a few things that Matt and I are concerned about these days....I'll try to write something more cheerful next time.....

A Labor of Love for my Auburn Tigers!

Catchy title huh? Thought it would encompass Labor Day festivities with our Auburn game day fun! This past weekend Matt and I drove to Auburn to enjoy our first game of the season against the lovely Louisianna Monroe. As expected....it was a shut out! 34-0! WAR DAMN EAGLE! We had a great time and tailgated with my brother and some of his frat buddies and then with Paige and JH and finally at Barrett and Nancy's posh RV digs before heading into the game. I only last thru 1st quarter and then decided to meet up with some friends at the bars. It was way too hot to sit in a stadium and watch the game with no alcohol. Jim Beam minis are more Matt's thing ;) Still, we had a great time and headed to the lake on Sunday to meet up with my parents and Hayley, Evan, and Collin. Trev and his buddies joined us later on. We were all ridiculously hung over, but only Evan showed it ;) Love ya buddy! Anyways, here are some pics from our fun Labor Day weekend....off to Boston on Thursday for some "Jacket" fun! :)


Trevor and Evan at the Lake

WAR EAGLE!!!

Tailgating with Paige and JH

Trevor and I at the FIJI tailgate

Football season is upon us!

As any loyal SEC fan knows...football season is upon us. This weekend marks Auburn's first game against Louisianna Monroe. A relatively "easy" opponent, however I've learned never to underestimate Auburn's adversaries after watching Ga. Tech defeat Auburn a couple years ago. Still...the first game of the season is always fun and I'm excited to have a different job this football season (one that doesn't require me to work on the weekends) so I can enjoy all the tailgating festivities.

We're staying with Trevor while we're there and looking forward to seeing Paige and JH again this weekend. They were in Atlanta this past weekend for Mandie and Charles' wedding and it was great to be with all my Auburn girls again. The wedding was at the 755 Club at Turner Field and the DJ kept us dancing and drinking until the weee hours, in true Auburn fashion!

At any rate, we'll be in Auburn this weekend and then off to the lake with my family to enjoy the rest of the Labor Day holiday.

Here's a picture of Matt and I in front of an empty Turner Field.

Here's hoping my Auburn boys play a good game this weekend because Matt will be in a bad mood if they don't :)

"Most Awesomeness in One Place"

This is a quote that Evan said while driving through the streets of Charleston and I have to say, Matt and I are somewhat obliged to agree.....we had an amazing weekend there with my sister, Hayley and her boyfriend, Evan. Hayley cooked a delicious spagetti dinner for us the first night and we got a chance to meet Evan's sister and husband (who Hayley says we have a lot in common with), so that was nice. Dinner was great and after polishing off a bottle of Reisling, we decided to venture out to the bars in downtown Charleston. We had an oyster shot at Pearlz, one too many Sweet Tea Vodkas at Social and finished the night with a few beers at this whole in the wall bar, Griffins. Needless to say, we were struggling on Saturday. Still, we rallied and after a Chick-Fil-A chicken biscuit and coke we were on our way to Sullivan's for some beach time. We spent the day drinking and sunbathing and then one of Evan's friends, Collin, picked us up by boat and we headed to Morris Island for .... you guessed it, more drinking! Are we noticing a theme here? We stayed out on the boat until almost 8pm and by the time we got back to Hayley's on James Island, Evan didn't know his name, Hayley was burnt and I was just exhausted. I don't know how these crazy kids do it these days! We stayed in that night and ordered pizza and watched the Olympics.....and Evan.....he was entertainment alone! "Don't chlorox the carpet" .... "I bought it, I'm going to drink it!" :) Our last day in Charleston we had an awesome brunch at Mimis on the marsh and listened to music outside and then headed into town to putz around the Battery and marketplace. After a little shopping on King Street it was time for Matt and I to hit the road. We had a FANTASTIC time though and hope to go back more often. It had been a year since we'd last been there and we can't let that happen again! Love you Hayls!

Are we getting older....or just better?

Tonight was my mom's birthday and as we sat there celebrating her 58th year on earth I thought about what it means to really age. I mention it because just last night Matt and I sat around outside on our new patio set with Candice, Brenda and Steven grilling out, drinking some wine and entirely too much Michelob Ultra. Before we knew it, it was 11pm and we'd been chatting about anything and everything for hours! It was one of the most fun and most relaxing nights I've had in awhile and Candice made the comment that we must be getting really old when this is more fun than hitting the clubs or yelling over people at some loud bar. I thought about it and I've come to the conclusion that its not so much about "getting old" as it is just getting tired of doing the same old thing over and over again. They say insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for a different result.....I think that as we get older, we just get tired of doing that same thing over and over again, so as any "sane" person would deduce....you change it up, you evolve, you find new and fun ways to entertain yourself and if thats grilling out and having a low-key Wednesday night....then so be it! Sign me up, I'm officially old and I'm embracing it with full vigor and enthusiasm :)

We're off to Charleston tomorrow to see Hayley and Evan. Seafood at Mimis on the marsh, drinks atop the rooftop bar at Vendue and a little beach time sounds like heaven right now. Matt has a break between summer and fall semesters, so he wanted to take full advantage of it and well, we always know I'm up for a trip. As always....pictures to come!