Happy Holidays 2011

Happy holidays everyone! What a great year 2011 has been.. I'll be sad to see it go, but welcome all that 2012 has to offer. Karen Frasco Nix has worked with Steven and me to create a card to celebrate the season- if you have not already seen the result in your mailbox, view the finished product below!

Back of the card and front of the card (folding)

Inside the card

Let's Go Fly A Kite (or go for a hike)!

Percy and Edwin Warner Parks are two of our favorite escapes during the week. The dogs get so excited when we load them up and start heading towards the trails- they can hardly sit still!

There are hiking trails, areas for bikers, and horse trails as well. Depending on the time of day we arrive (since the park closes at dark) we either take one of the 5 mile loops or a 2 1/2 mile loop. Both are beautiful and full of creatures- thus far we have seen countless squirrels and chipmunks, a variety of bird life, and several deer.

At the bottom of one side of Percy Warner Park you will find Iroquois Steeplechase, a lovely site for races and equestrian events. If nothing else, I'm sure it's perfect for kite and picnic season too. We have yet to experience an event first hand but it is a must after the Winter months.

Visits with Camp Friends

Steven and I are so fortunate to have some of my great friends from Camp McDowell in and around Tennessee. Recently we've had friends come visit us from Chattanooga and Asheville- we joined forces with other camp friends in town and made memories around Nashville!

This past weekend it was our turn to make a trip over to Chattanooga. Steven and I stayed with the Ackleys in their great place on the Tennessee River, at the base of Signal mountain.
It's always fun to explore what new cities have to offer, especially in the amazing Fall weather!

Weekend in the Windy City!

Steven and I just got home from an amazing weekend in Chicago. It was my very first trip to the "Windy City" and in spite of the rain, it really did not disappoint! While we were there we caught up with an old friend, wandered around the city, shopped some of the Magnificent Mile, ate amazing food (deep dish pizza- mmmmm), and best of all.... my Aunt and Uncle gave us tickets to catch the Green Bay Packers/Chicago Bears game! Steven is a Packers fan so he was super excited about their win (27-17).

Above is a photo of us in front of artwork ("Agora") located in downtown Chicago's Grant Park.

Hello Nashville!

Steven and I have just moved into our new place in Nashville!

We are excited to finally be at a place in our lives where after 3.5 years we can literally share our life together! The dogs are excited too, as there is a dog park just around the corner where they have already made many friends. It's no Shelby Farms, but we'll hopefully find some Nashville gems for them to enjoy just as much (or at least to entertain them enough between visits back to Memphis).

The moving process was not without its moments of stress and fits of sneezing. There is a light at the end of the boxes though and after purging some belongings on both ends, most things that made the cut are finding a place in our new place.

We are so lucky to already have friends who live nearby. It's comforting to know that friendly faces are only a few miles away. Just last week we went to dinner with folks and then went out and about in East Nashville to hear some old friends do what they do on stage. I am excited for the upcoming weeks, as there are many more music and dinner dates planned!

Steven started orientation today and will continue with this all week. In the mean time, I'm getting things settled and continuing the job search. I will attend a substitute teaching orientation and workshop this week so I can have this as a back up plan until other avenues come along. Keep us in your thoughts as we adjust and I hope to talk to you very soon!

We did it!

A big thanks to everyone who helped make our day so special!
Steven and I are back from our honeymoon in Mexico and look forward to sharing our stories and many photos with all of you..

Just around the corner..

The big day is just around the corner and we are so excited! In case you missed the paper today, here is our engagement announcement from The Birmingham News..

Thanks to our crew!

We are proud to be incorporating good things from the following talents during our special day..

Photography by Erik Heerlein and Karen Frasco Nix.

Ceremony music written and performed by Ryan B. Case.
Reception music with Michael Dean and Memphis.

Flowers designed and arranged by Trish Land.
Reception catering through Bruce Roy and Belle Fleur.
Reception lighting by Steve Metz at Metropolitan.

Calligraphy by Kay McWhorter.
Invitations, announcements, design, and screen printing through Standard Deluxe.
Programs, graphic design, and printing through Minted.
Other lovely custom pieces by Betsy White Stationary Boutique.

Handcrafted heirlooms and accessories from Paloma's Nest.

The Art of the Invitation

A big thanks to the talented folks at Standard Deluxe! I met with owner Scott Peek and told him roughly the look we wanted for our wedding invitations, but gave him artistic license for the rest. They were quick to take the reigns and designed and screen printed our invitations beautifully! Steven and I could not be happier with the elegant yet rustic result.

Check out their brilliant and funky merchandise over in Waverly, Alabama or online!