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the joys of video chat

On Friday, I got to watch Abbey open her birthday present (a few weeks late...) from Buck, Christine and me in real time...while Abbey sat in Kentucky and I sat in New York. Technology is pretty amazing, and I think the gift was a hit! There was pure ecstasy on this little girl's face when she realized what was actually inside the glitter-sparkle Hello Kitty suitcase: lipgloss, fingernail polish, and mirrors!



costco trip


It really is amazing what you can do in the suburbs, such as buying chocolate chips in bulk. However, getting it all back (and stored) in the city tends to create a puzzle...

she's 9 already?!

I was fifteen when my oldest niece, Mayce, was born in 2001 and the only one of my friends who was an aunt. One, has it really been nine years since I was a freshman in high school?? And, two, I can't believe it's been that long since we welcomed her into the world. Happy birthday Mayce (yesterday)!


[One of my best friends from high school, Jarrett, took this picture of the birthday girl while she was at school yesterday. Thanks for sending, Jarrett! And yes, I'm still really jealous that you got to hang out with her on her birthday...and can you believe it's been that long since I came to the lunchroom bragging to you about my new niece?!]

cupcakes and polka dots


Those are Abbey's favorite things. And those are what you will find sewn all around her cute little tutu, made by her Gammaw. Happy big 3 birthday today, Abbey!

I just got off the phone with her and during our conversation I asked if she knew that I was there the day she was born and held her in the hospital. "Yup, I remember", she said. Apparently she is a child prodigy too!

southeast tour

Last week I spent the entire week in the South with 80 degree temperatures and sunshine every day. It was a great getaway from the city and I was able to make my rounds to a few different places while I was there. On Thursday I traveled down to the loveliest village on the plains, saw some friends, (felt really old when I walked down the concourse), and had lunch at Big Blue Bagel with Rose Lynn and Anna before heading on to Atlanta to pick up Brendan from the airport. Then we spent the rest of the week with my family (Buck and Christine were down from NJ, and sadly we missed my sister and her family who didn't make it from Kentucky) and did lots of outdoor activities to soak in the sun and Easter-y things. It was hard coming back to the city on Monday but it was a wonderful trip home!

Much to Anna and Rose Lynn's amusement, I went a little Chi O crazy when I got back to Auburn. I hadn't seen the new dorms or chapter room and it was all beautiful, but I definitely felt like a stranger there because it was all SO different. Big Blue, Spidle Hall, and Lupton (my freshman dorm), however, remained exactly the same as when I left them.
Almost everyone was home for Easter!
I'm not sure who won the egg hunt, but Tate looks like he is getting things under his control...
Besides Tate drinking the egg dye and me spilling an entire cup all over everyone (after I had made sure to tell all the kids numerous times to be extra careful not to spill anything because it would stain...) we had a fun Easter egg dying session!
Tate loved his blue egg!
Pretty Easter outfits with Mayce, McKay and Tate.
We had a more unconventional Easter lunch on Sunday after my mom cooked a delicious Easter meal on Saturday for lunch. After church we went to Dreamland BBQ so Brendan could experience true, southern BBQ at its finest! Then Mayce fell asleep.

It was a wonderful Easter week!!

a warm welcome home


Despite the warm weather we're having back in Alabama, I also had this adorable face (along with my mom's adorable face!!), to pick me up from the airport on Monday.