C is for Charleston!!

I know you wondered if I would make it. I DID! Sure, its way later than the normal morning post, but I'm on the road, so.... this is the best we can do, folks.

Charleston is MAGNIF! The air just smells better. Well, unless you're down wind of the Westvaco paper mill or the pluff mud that makes you wish you had no smelling abilities. Otherwise, it is wonderful. (Sidenote: the Kiawah Indians named Charleston the "Land of the Healing Breezes" way back when. I think they're right.) Seriously though... there is nothing like the old home town!

We got here (Nathan, Neal, Chelsea and I) just in time to check in for the Cooper River Bridge Run. In years past, the registration/packet pick-up was so uneventful. No line, minimal waiting, etc. This year.... different story. There was a line wrapping around the Gaillard Auditorium. People everywhere! 40,000 participants are expected to participate in this year's event. While I was in line, they capped it off. There were no less than 5,000 peeps milling around while we were navigating to find our participant bags. Nathan started to develop agorophobia so we had to leave. :)

After some driving around giving tours (from my old Carriage Tour Guide days), we grabbed some uh-mazing pizza and hit up a random party. Standard.

Off to get some sleep before the big ole race. Tomorrow will be some quality time at the beach as well as excessive photo taking, no doubt. A special twist of events has led to me getting to also spend time with my sis. Life is good!

Tomorrow = race, beach, kicking it downtown. There will, naturally, be a post tomorrow involving something amazing starting with the letter D. Be there or be square.

B is for Babies, Bliss and Boys

I think I'm going to like this "blog every day" thing. I've chosen to ignore the throngs of new readers and continue to pretend no one reads this leetle blog. Ignorance is bliss, indeed.

Babies-
I am in a really fun stage of life. One filled with friends' babies!! Y'all.... the CUTEST babies are in my world. James (pronounced "Yah Maze") is almost a year old! I can't even talk about it. Peyton turned TWO last week! Haynes is getting older too quickly and Williams is already almost a month old. Where does time go? These babies make me happy! Not to mention Pete, Kate, Etta and Lucie. I'm trying to think of what age baby showers become more common than wedding showers. I think, for me, it was 27. I would say 26, but you may remember that is the year of 17 weddings. These baby children are precious! There's something magical about watching a bambino start life and learn everything. It is also the first time in life where I am getting to really know kiddos. Sure, I may have retired from babysitting (for the most part) but I say- bring on the visits with the babies! :)

Bliss-
I have had a few dozen "moments" in my life. Moments where I am doing EXACTLY what i want to be doing- EXACTLY when I want to be doing it. A bunch of those have happened in Charleston, so I'm excited to be back there for a weekend. Last night was one of those moments. Chancey, Nathan and I made dinner and sat on the porch. So simple- so lovely. We *may* or may not have gone to Bobbie's Dairy Dip for a tasty treat. While we were there, I saw the Downeys! Some amazing neighbors from up the road. They are too cute and it made the neighborhood feel small. I just plain love having a community and just living life together. What fun!

Boys-
No... this won't be as exciting as the title lead you to believe. Its because (in addish to "Friday Night Lights") a FAVE show is back on!! TBS' little treat "My Boys!" As I watch, I imagine how we'd be friends in real life. They say things I would say. They have mustache growing contests like my friends would do. They mock each other like we would. It gets me thinking about what a show of my life would look like. What would the name be? Would it mirror my imaginary book title, "Talking to Myself"?

Another day begins. This one will include a long road trip. The next installment will be from the glorious lowcountry. Buh bye!

A... is for April Fools and Anticipation!

Good morning, friends!

Today is the big day of the month long blog challenge! Each day I shall post a tidbit of life in my world...and we begin. I'm a little nervous, to tell you the truth- all of this disclosure!

April Fools:
My most successful execution of an April Fools joke took place in spring of 2001! I still giggle when I think about it! I was headed back to SC from a spring break trip to see family in Florida. As I drove the 8 hours on I-95, I had time to plot. :) I decided my unsuspecting twin would be the perfect target. A fact she still loathes. Before heading west to Columbia, I detoured the 30 miles east to see mom and dad in Charleston on that pretty Sunday afternoon. After we caught up a bit, I presented my plan - ever so calculated. I would need both mom and dad to participate. We were going to convince Kristin that mom was pregnant... at 50. (Sorry, mom. the story needs it, okay?) Mom and dad have a history of "the speaker phone call". You know, the call where you hear every other word and one or more people are yelling? That one. So, on Sundays, we catch up via speaker phone. I knew this would be the perfect vehicle for convincing Kris. I also knew I would need to make a very strategic call shortly before in order for her to believe it. I call and piqued her interest by telling her mom and dad were about to call and blow her mind- then hung up before she could say anything. Moments later, mom and dad call and shoot the breeze. Then, they break the news.... perfectly! Kristin didn't breathe. We wait the painful 10 seconds then yell, "APRIL FOOLS". Kristin whispered some expletive and slammed the phone down. My favorite part of this story is how hard Kris has tried to get me back over the years. She has promised me that, one day, I'll be chasing kids, covered in food and miserably tired... not knowing what day it is. THEN she will get me back. :)

Anticipation:
There is just something about Spring! I find myself waking up a little too gingerly; with excitement for excitement sake. I tend to be a tad on the hyper side any way, so this will not come as a shock to most of you. Is it the tiny buds on trees? The flowers making their way out of the ground? The bunny, that we dubbed Pedro, that (I tell myself) returns every spring to bid us hello? Is it the arrival of "the news" at my house later (aka Us Weekly)? I couldn't tell you. It is some sort of magic that occurs at this time, exclusively, each year.

Before big events, I have trouble sleeping. I find myself waking up on the hour. No seriously- 1:08, 2:08, 3:08 etc. Its almost entertaining. THAT is how I feel about a lot of things in my life right now. Hopeful expectation!

I am headed to Charleston this weekend with some friends from Nashville. We're headed down for the Cooper River Bridge Run. I neglected to actually train, so I'm walking it! It will be wonderful to be at the beach, my stomping grounds and in the dirty south. I also sent off my taxes and am going to get a REFUND! It may be small, but y'all- this is a miracle.

I've just barely met my "post before 11am daily" goal! Let's hear it for discipline! Time for coffee.