Summer is Here

It's a hot hot Summer here in Nashville but we are attempting to make the best of these days.  How wonderful that we have lived here for almost a year!  Please forgive the inconsistent updates, but we have been quite busy around these parts since Spring.  Steven is fulfilling his internship requirements this Summer at a private equity firm here in Nashville, while I am teaching private art lessons and preparing for a new school year of teaching.
Check out my art education blog (not to be confused with my personal art and photography blog)!

The dogs are both well, aside from a recent paw surgery for our little Mae.  We have signed another year lease at our apartment complex, so this gives us time to relax before making any future decisions upon Steven's graduation in May 2013.

We love having guests, and on that note, Steven's mom and grandmother came to stay with us last weekend.  It was a nice weekend but we found that there was just not enough time to do everything we had hoped on our list.. this city just has too much to offer for only a weekend stay!  We did take advantage of great restaurants, Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and Museum of Art, scenic drives, and below is a photo taken from our Sunday walking tour of the lovely downtown Franklin!

Spring in the Music City

Welcome Spring!

Here we are to update you on our latest news from Nashville. Steven has just started a new quarter at Owen and on January 4th I started a great new art teaching job with an elementary school in Brentwood! I have been working on an art blog too, feel free to check it out HERE.

This March marked 4 years that Steven and I have known one another. I am so thankful for that wonderful trip down to Sandestin and for our friends who unknowingly assisted in our fateful meeting! To mark this momentous occasion we will be taking a trip to Destin next month during my Spring Break.. soft sands, favorite restaurants, and beach hair here we come!

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!