My Birthweek

For my birthweek I decided to take the week off to visit with friends and enjoy the opening weekend of college football. The week started with a trip to Chattanooga. Saturday, Lauren and I went downtown to volunteer for the Kids on the Block. We sold tickets at the river entrance of the Southern Brewers Festival. We were right beside the stage for the Krystal eating contest which was pretty interesting. The winner ate 53 Krystals in 8 minutes! The record is 95 I believe... kinda gross but somewhat entertaining. After our 4 hour shift, her husband, my sister and her boyfriend met us at the Blue Plate for a little dinner. We then headed back into the festival where we ran into many of our old high school classmates sampling brews from all over the Southeast. It was a fun night!

Jess and Lauren


Did you see the movie "Beer Fest"? This is das boot just like in the movie! These people with a video camera came up and asked Wes to try and chug it. It took like 5 guys to actually finish it.


Sunday was family day! With mine and mom's bday approaching (for those of you who dont know, mom and I share a birthday!) we decided to go ahead and celebrate the weekend before. Mom, Jess and I went shopping for Jess some business clothes for her new job! She got a job working for the United Way/YMCA/County Schools heading up the kid fitness program. Should be a really fun job! After a day of shopping, we grabbed dad and ate dinner at my favorite Japanese restaurant, Kanpai! After dinner mom, Jess and I went and saw Sex and the City (it was my 3rd time.. I love that movie!).

My present from Jessica.. :)

Monday and Tuesday were more laid back. The most exciting part was getting to have lunch and spend some tummy time with Mel and miss Emma!

Wednesday, I headed to Columbia. When I got in town, I stopped by my friend Will's new business in Chapin, the Butchers Block. He and a few members of the family opened a meat market. It was really cool! After visiting with him for a few, I headed to down the road to Pomaria to visit with Will's parents and his sister and brother in law and his new niece! Jessie and Shawn have an adorable baby girl, Nora, and are expecting a boy in October!

For dinner, several of my friends in Columbia got together to eat at the Copper River Grill. It was just like old times. I sure miss you guys!

Boozer, his wife Lindsay and Will


Clary and Whitney


Kasey and Ryan


Thursday started opening weekend of college football! I went to the branch where I used to work in Columbia and spent some time with my old coworkers. Went to lunch with a vendor and my old branch manager then several of my coworkers headed out to the fairgrounds to tailgate and go to the game. REMEMBER... I am NOT a gamecock fan I just love college football! :) No Maryann, I'm not a traitor!!!

my cousin Jeffrey stopped by the tailgate


Walter, Walter, Chuck and Barry


Williams Brice Stadium


Jenn came up to see me!


Kurtis and my old neighbor Tommy


Friday I ate lunch with some friends and hung out for a little bit then made my way through the traffic on I-20 towards Atlanta for my next football game. Friday night was low key hanging out at the hotel anticipating the big day. Saturday we watched college gameday which was being recorded not far from where we were staying in Centennial Olympic Park. We met her cousin Josh for lunch at Ted Turner's restaurant where I had my first Bison burger. It was very tasty! I got to catch a little bit of different games that were on tv including the LSU App State game which was my cousin Jason's debut as the App State kicker! Even though they weren't able to pull off another upset, he did really well!! We spent our hours before the game at the CNN center then headed to the GA Dome. For those of you who watched the Clemson Alabama game, you know how my night ended. :(
me and Whit in our seats in the 26th row of the GA Dome

our view..

Sunday (birthday) I ate lunch with Whit, her cousin Josh and aunt Arlene, then headed back to Chatt. I was really excited because I was going to have dinner with some of my favorite people! Jenn, Lauren, Mel, Dusty, Wes and Emma met me for dinner at one of our favorite places, Mozzarellas! We even had two newcomers join us because Wes and Lauren were babysitting their niece and nephew. Even though it wasn't the same as the meals we've had there over the years, it was a great time!

The Crane family


our first pic with the newest girl in our group


our little group minus Phil


I just love her!


Monday before heading back to Bham I decided to give Woody a bath in his pool. It was quite entertaining so I thought I'd share a few pics...

all he wanted to do was play with his frisbee




all clean!


Thanks to everyone who made this week a great vacation and thanks for all the birthday wishes!!

"We do not stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." -Oliver Wendell Holmes