Mother's Day Weekend

How the heck is it already Thursday, y'all?  This week has flown by and I don't really even know what I did!  So, there in lies one of the many reasons I still haven't gotten around to writing this post until now.  

Just wanted to share what Mother's Day weekend looked like from the single lady's point of view.  I'll give you a hint, it's nothing all that exciting or intriguing.  I did have a great time with my mama though.  She is one hip lady.

Let's start with Friday.  We (Beth, JD, Robbie, and I)  went to an art sale/concert fundraiser for the local Youth YMCA program for a bit and then headed to Za's for some pizza and beer.  YUM!  I love that place!  Since my DSLR is on the fritz (slightly broken and in need of a new memory card), I brought along my Nikon 1 and finally got used to the settings on it.  I'm not gonna lie, I have struggled with that camera since the day I got it.  I'm still not willing to admit that it's operator error.  Have I mentioned that I'm stubborn?

So Saturday morning, I woke up and hauled my cookies to Lexington for brunch and bridesmaid dress shopping for Kate's wedding.  It was a lot of fun, and I'm super pumped to be in her wedding with some other fantastic ladies!  The bachelorette party is going to be a blast!!!

After that, I headed back to Louisville to have dinner with Robbie and Chris.  After watching them eat steaks and not touching my chicken because I was still so full from brunch,  we went to the semi-monthly Bier Garden at the German American Club.  I'm not gonna lie, it might be one of my favorite things to do in Louisville.  There's nothing special about it, just German beer and food and sitting around a picnic table.  But we never cease to have a blast each time we go.

On Sunday for Mother's Day, I packed a picnic lunch for my family and I so we could check out the new park system in Louisville out past Middletown.  Apparently, this park installation is currently the largest in the country right now.  Pretty cool, right?!?  

This little booger had a blast at the playground while his sister's went to the spray park right next door.  Is that face not the funniest thing you've ever seen???  Man, that kid slays me!

Will looking super cool in his shades.

My sweet mama and her kids!

More fun on the swings.

Lexi, my step-niece.

Emily, my other step-niece.  I can't believe how big she's gotten!  It seems like yesterday when she was toddling around.  Crazy.

Anyway, the whole weekend was a great success!  I'm really looking forward to exploring the rest of the park, especially since there are some pretty cook trails going in.  For more info on the Beckley Creek Park and the Parklands at Floyd's Fork, check it out here!

Five on Friday, finally!

It's been awhile since I joined Christina, April, Natasha, and Darci for the Five on Friday link up, but I'm glad to be back!  My friend Courts recommended their blogs to me a long time ago, and I have thoroughly enjoyed getting a glimpse into the lives of the link up hostesses!  Sidebar, congrats to Christina and April on their new additions!  It's kind of odd to read about strangers live's, but that's why the Interwebs is so amazing, right?!?

So here are my favorite things this week! This post is brought to you by my recent retail therapy session.  It's been one of those kind of weeks...

1. Maxi dresses!  So, I'm a bit diminutive in stature (barely five feet, if not under) and finding maxi dresses that don't drag on the ground is kind of a mini-miracle.  I may have bought a couple today at Gap.  Maybe this one below.  Not confirming or denying, but you know.

2.  Speaking of maxi dresses…I may or may not have purchased this maxi skirt too.  And maybe I bought in it navy too.  

Does anyone else think this skirt looks weird with those shoes?  Maybe it's just because I'm used to all my maxi dresses and skirts skimming my toes.  Meh.  Whatever.

3.  J. Crew.  I have a love hate relationship with J. Crew these days.  Love because I know I can almost  always find something there that I like.  Hate because, DAY-UM they have gotten overpriced! I mean, you started out as a khaki pants store for Pete's sake!  Get over yourself and quit charging $188 for a blazer.  But I digress…  I definitely bought these shorts today.

Love that color!!!

4.  Okay, so this one isn't related to my recent shopping excursion.  I've been listening to this song very loudly every time it comes on my satellite radio.  Hope you enjoy!

By the way, this video is not at all what I would have pictured.  But, now that I've seen it, I kinda think it's perfect.

5. And then there is this.  Also totally unrelated.  In another lifetime, I use to manage one of our concrete plants.  I use the term "manage" loosely because I really had no idea what the heck I was doing.  Anyway, the other day, I had to runs few tests on a load of concrete.  My fabulous coworker snapped this photo of me from across the way, complete in clothes that I pulled out of my dad's basement.  The overalls and tee shirt were circa about 1998.  They did not fit, needless to say.  Whomp whom.  But it's better than ruining the outfit I wore to work, which consisted of a dress and flip flops.  Not exactly up to OSHA standards.  Once again, I am off subject.  Shocking.  So here I am, testing concrete.  My favorite thing to do.  Sense the tone.  I hate testing concrete.

So thus completes my Friday Fives!  Hope y'all have a great weekend!

Something looks off...

Just an FYI, you are not crazy, I have changed the name of the blog as well as done some editing. There will probably be more changes to come! Thanks for stopping by, San Diego!

Talk Derby to Me!

Now, looking down from the press box, I pointed to the

huge grassy meadow enclosed by the track. “That whole thing,” I said, “will be jammed with

people; fifty thousand or so, and most of them staggering drunk. It’s a fantastic scene–

thousands of people fainting, crying, copulating, trampling each other and fighting with

broken whiskey bottles. We’ll have to spend some time out there, but it’s hard to move

around, too many bodies.”

“Is it safe out there?” Will we ever come back?”

from "Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved

by Hunter S. Thompson

Oh, Gonzo, you are so true and so inaccurate at the same time.  The Kentucky Derby is indeed madness, but it is soooo much more.  I fall in love with Kentucky a little bit more each year once the Derby festivities kick off.

This year was my first time in over fifteen years that I celebrated as a Louisville native. All I can say is that it's good to be back.  The month long celebration of Derby brings the whole city alive and abuzz with a new energy that you can only experience, not describe.  Or maybe you can describe it, but I'm not that great of a writer.  Semantics.  

Moving on, here's a month's worth of snapshots documenting the crazy, wonderful celebration of the Sport of Kings!  Enjoy!

Kaia (Beth, did I spell this right?) on Derby Day.  The weather was perfect!!!

A little street ball between races.

Almost a home run.

On Sunday, I cooked a truly Southern breakfast for my Yankee cousin (hee hee!) and his girlfriend, complete with country ham biscuits and shrimp and grits.  It was delicious!!!

I  love Pomegranate's line of jockey and horse linens!  Too cute!

If you've never had country ham, you should try it at least once.  I'm not a fan, but I don't eat pork, so don't take my opinion to count as much.

Mmmm, cheese grits...

The kickoff event that starts the Derby Festival is Thunder over Louisville.  The day starts with a fantastic airshow featuring the Blue Angels and ends with the best fireworks display in North America!

We spent the day out on my roommate's boat on the Ohio River.  There is no better way to watch!  Although, it was a bit rough on the water and super muddy that day.  I'm so grateful that Robbie bought a boat.  And even more grateful that I'm not responsible for the upkeep!

Just a small sampling of the awesome show!

So, it has become apparent to me that not everyone in the country knows or has had the pleasure of having Benedictine.  To that I say, what a shame.  Benedictine is a cream cheese spread made with cucumbers and is pretty much heaven on white bread.  It originated in Louisville, and in my opinion, is a staple to any Southerner's diet.

My favorite picture from the whole month, my best friend, her husband, and the soon-to-be-arriving Button.  Can't wait for the baby shower next month!  I'm sure I'll put a post together about a month after the baby comes highlighting the shower.  I'm nothing if not timely.  Ha!

Oaks attire!  For those of you not in the know, Oaks is the Friday before Derby and is a fillies race.  It's a tad bit calmer, less crowded, and more manageable to attend than Derby itself.

I was lucky enough to be invited by some business colleagues along with some of my coworkers.  It's always a great day, and never a dull moment!

Melissa and I on the deck outside of the suites.

So little to my knowledge, I had my fascinator on backwards for most of the morning, and all of the pictures. Because I'm classy like that.  I eventually put it on correctly.

If you are ever lucky enough to attend an Oaks or Derby, I highly recommend it.  If not, Keeneland is only about 70 miles away, and is always a great alternative!  Love those ponies!

Until next time, go, baby, go!  

The Concrete Ball Recap

It has been over two weeks since the Concrete Ball.  I'm just now starting to feel like I'm not an extra from the Walking Dead.  It was a whirlwind once the day was finally upon us, and for the most part, it went really well.

There were some snafus and issues that came up, but all in all, the event was a great success!  Some of the highlights pictured below...

Elvis made a surprise guest appearance to our "Viva Las Vegas" themed event!  My Aunt Cathy was so excited, she loves Elvis!

It was a freaking hoot!

This was the first year we had casino games.  It was a huge hit with our guests and will definitely be a repeat next year!  

One of the best parts was that the grand prize raffle winners were my friend's Deanna and Adam!  It was so great to give that giant check to some of my favorite people!!! Don't judge me for ditching my heels.  My legs and feet were swollen for two days after that night…

I had to steal some Facebook photos from my friend's pages since I spent most of the night running around like a crazy woman.  Love these guys!

Prom picture!  Ha ha!

My little brother sneaking in a kiss on Alison's cheek.  Such a sly devil…

We still don't have final numbers yet, but I'm crossing my fingers that we exceeded our projected profits.  I will say that it was a steep learning curve for the day of, and I have a lot of things to work on personally for next year.  But honestly, I can't wait to start planning again!  

Maybe a Gatsby or Gangster theme?  Who knows???

All Concrete Ball Everything

I am not even going to bother apologizing for my lack of posting.  Instead I'm going to show you what I've been spending most of my time working on these days.  I'm also going to shamelessly ask for your support as well.  That's how fundraising for non-profits works, and I 'm not even embarrassed.

So first, who or what is Day Spring?  Well, let me just copy their mission statement.  Because they say it a hell of a lot better than I do.  

"It is the mission of Day Spring to empower adults with intellectual disabilities to live fulfilling lives by offering support in a residential setting. We share a way of life that values the gifts of every community member."

To me specifically, Day Spring is a place where my cousin, aunt, and hopefully my brother can and will call home.  I cannot express how unique Day Spring is in the way that they value each resident and work to make each of their lives as fulfilling as we try to make our own.  It is a place that I know (God forbid) that if something where to happen to my parents and me, that Will could live happily and grow as a person.  

One of the biggest fears and challenges a parent or sibling of a person with special needs can face is the looming and overwhelming question of "what will happen if something happens to me?"  Day Spring eases my mind with that regard.  It is a home, not in the sense of an institution, but of a home like the one Will, Cathy, and Emily lived in growing up.  A happy, warm, welcoming place.  Not a cold, drab, unfamiliar one.  

This is what make Day Spring different.  And that is why I am happy (blessed) to put everything I can into this event.  I believe in their mission and the people they serve.

So the Concrete Ball, what???  What does concrete have to do with Day Spring?  That story is a bit longer. To sum it up, my grandfather's memorials were to be sent to Day Spring when he passed in 2000.  Because he (and my Dad and I) are in the concrete industry, there was an overwhelming support from the concrete industry.  In short, Day Spring decided to make a fundraiser to present a capital raffle prize drawing using that money, and the Concrete Ball was born.  I know that there's more to it than that, but that's as succinct as I can make it for now.  

Are you all still even reading?  Have I bored you to death yet???

Alright, let's get to the point here, lady.  This year is my first year taking over as event chair.  My aunt Beth has been doing it for 13 years, so it's time for her to take a well deserved break.  So, because it's my first year, I'm trying to get creative with how we do everything, like me marketing to the general public through ye' olde blog.  Everyone likes change, right?  Yes, no, I dunno?

So here's where you come in.  There are a ton of ways to show your support and possibly win some cool prizes, a large sum of money, or have a fantastic evening at a gala!  

One, raffle tickets.  You can buy for a mere $10, a chance to win the capital prize of $15,000!  We draw the winner around 11:00 pm at the event, but you don't need to be there to win!  

Two, you can buy a one in twenty chance online to win some of the bad ass prizes we have on our Wheel of Chance.  Prices vary by which item you want to purchase, and range from  $25-$100.  There are some awesome items on the Wheel, like an iPad Air, a Big Green Egg, and vacation getaways!  Trust me, they are all a steal for the price of each chance.  This is another drawing that you do not need to be present to win.  

Third, come to the Ball!!!  The event is April 26th, 6:00 pm at the Galt House East Grand Ballroom.  We have a cocktail party, sit down dinner, casino games, silent and live auction, and dancing to a live band!  Tickets for the full evening are $175 (please purchase in advance) or if that is a bit too much for your budget, you can buy a late night ticket for $50.  The late night ticket includes all the fun, without the dinner.  Oh, and did I mention we have an open bar??? Shout to Brown Forman and West Sixth Brewing for our beverage sponsorship!!!  Both levels of tickets include the open bar!

Hey, Eileen, this sounds like the party of the year!  How can I buy all these tickets and chances on money and prizes???  Simple, my friend, simple.  Just go to Day Spring's website and click on the directed links!!!

Hope to see you there in your cocktail wear!  Thanks for reading my rambling post!

March Madness Indeed...

I'm not gonna lie, this was a tough season as a Cats fan.  But lo and behold, our team rallied for tournament time and put all talk of one and done's being bad for basketball to rest.  I have never been prouder to be a Wildcat, and couldn't be happier for those kids and our coach (unless we had won, of course).  Runner up isn't bad, and in fact, it's pretty frickin' awesome.  Here's this weekend's recap from Dallas and the Final Four.  And as always, GO CATS!!!

{Dad really came through and got us some sweet seats for the Final Four and Championship games}

One of the best parts of (actually the best, by a long shot) was the boyfriend being able to fly down and meet me.  He also was able to swing a place to stay at his buddy's and save us a ton of money on a hotel.  It had been almost two months since we've seen each other, so this impromptu trip was great timing.  I had been really missing the heck outta him, and waiting until May was going to stink!  Now it's about six weeks between visits instead of twelve.  Big difference!

{Pregame smiles through major nerves!}

{Always love seeing that in lights!!!}

{Post game excitement/disbelief that our Cats were going to the final game!}

The next morning we headed to Whiskey Cake near Allen, where we staying, for brunch with our host and his girlfriend.  It was absolutely delicious! 

{Super funky and urban decor meets homestyle food with a twist}

{Just tasting the Little Pink Drink that his girlfriend ordered.  Or so he says…}

After brunch we headed to Fort Worth to meet some old friend's of Justin's for a beer.  I think the small brewery and bar we went to was called Magnolia Carlos something or other…  Anyway, it was great to meet some old friends of Justin that were from home.   We had to head back fairly early in the evening to get ready to dinner with my dad and crew at Dallas Fish Market.

For dinner, on top of the sushi appetizer and lobster bisque soup, I had sea bass with truffles.  Oh my goodness, insanely yummy!  Unfortunately, I was so full from the first two courses that I could't eat much of it.  We had a great time at dinner, and it was great that my dad finally got to meet Justin.  

Monday night we headed back to the arena to watch the Cats take on UConn.  Unfortunately, it wasn't in the cards for us, but like I said before, I couldn't be more proud to be a wildcat.  Congrats to our team and coach for a great run!!!

So the drive home was when things went downhill.  It started with a flat tire.  A tire that I had just replaced the week before because of a flat.  It wasn't so much a big deal as a pain in the ass.  I got the flat so early in the morning (5:30 local time) that I had to wait for a tire store to open before I could get on the road.  So, three and a half hours after my initial start time, I headed down the road.  After numerous contractions sites, one major traffic jam (see above pic), and a ton of torrential rain, I made it home after 16 hours.  Exhausted was an understatement.

Despite the tournament outcome and the terrible drive home (alone), I couldn't be happier with my trip! Now, it's Concrete Ball or bust for the next few weeks!  T-minus 16 days and counting!  Hopefully I can find some time to blog in between, but I'm not making any promises!

Have a great rest of the week, and now and forever, GO CATS!!!!