Mama's been BUSY!

Well Brett took his long hiatus from civilization and went to Talladega of all places with his college buddies this past weekend for Todd's bachelor party. Enough said.

I was a busy lady while he was gone. No rest for me!  I was able to get phase 1 of the nursery complete. Phase one is the omission of most furniture, addition of the minimum for Auntie Lizzie and Granny's visit in 2 weeks!  Now I have decided I am not posting pics of the nursery until its time to debut.... you shall wait!

I was also able to get some plants potted out front, and finish off our china cabinet display!  We inherited this piece from Brett's great grandparents on his dad's side.  FINALLY our china gets a grand  debut!!!  I am still obsessed with our china. It's made with 24kt gold, so it was apparently a really good investment when we got married and is worth way more now. Ha! Who would have thunk?

Looking forward, I have a whole lot going on. May 8th is my first Baby Shower (YAH!), May 15- wedding in Oxford, May 22-wedding in Houston, TX, May 29- wedding in Hilton Head, June 5-wedding in Port Gibson, MS, June 12- Wedding in Turks and Caicos, June 19 and 26 weddings in Jackson, July 3, wedding in Water Valley and July 3rd and 4th- the 4th of July Celebration that I am IN CHARGE of this year.  The entire thing.  So anyone guess what I'm doing during the month of July?  Resting!!!!   That is if Barron doesn't make an early arrival b/c of the stress I'll be under!

I was raised to love the 4th of July. Its been my favorite holiday since I can remember.  My parents were very involved with our town's celebration in Riverton, NJ.  So its only natural that I continue the legacy and take on the task of the L-O-U Celebration.  Lizzie and I were honored to learn though that the Riverton 4th of July Committee has decided to dedicate this years celebration in memory of my dad and his 20+ years dedication of service he had tot he 4th of July celebration there.  Very touching.

The 15th annual Double Decker Festival was yesterday here in Oxford. It was great! What a success for a Sunday crowd. I think this was the most amount of people I have seen since I have been pregnant, so everyone was asking 1,000 questions about me and little B.  SO here's the quicky press release: I feel great. Freak of Nature. No sickness, no cravings, no aversions and I've gained 4lbs. I don't eat any more or less then before. I definitely don't look like I just finished my 6th month of pregnancy!  My feet would be my only complaint. They get worn out a bit faster these days and I failed my diabetes test thursday, ha.  Re-test: TOMORROW MORNING!

I'm starting to feel the emptiness since dad's passing.  I catch myself daily now thinking I need to call, thinking I haven't heard from him, or wondering about him and then I remember he's gone.  It is sad, I won't lie.  Its going to take time and its going to take a year of "firsts" before it doesn't feel so empty and it feels more normal.  Prayers still needed, for peace and less stress, please please.

How is everyone else doing? I do like to know that!!!

Travel bound, no more.

Well, I'm back!  Its been a few weeks, my apologies.  I got home from my travels Monday and came home to a week FULL of events and tuxedos!

After I left Tampa, I flew to Hilton Head, SC to finalize plans for my cousins wedding.  I haven't been to Hilton Head before, but its a neat town. Not at all what I expected! Every shopping center is hidden behind trees and brush and not obvious. So shopping was harder to find what we were looking for. Dang!  I also was able to FINALLY find baby clothes stores.  Probably 

10-15!  I have been on the hunt for a going home outfit for Barron. I won't disclose what I've found, you'll just have to wait.

The wedding I'm doing is at the Colloton River Plantation. It's where the movie Bagger Vance was filmed!  I am so excited for Brett, he was invited to play golf with my cousin on Friday

 before the wedding! So he'll be playing where the movie was filmed (and played).

My Cousin Cindy and I in Hilton Head, next to the Heritage Classic Golf Tournament that was about to start.

We headed to Charleston Sunday, and I was so excited to have lunch with my old freshman year roomie, Ashley Abide and our friend Fran.  Ashley is finishing up her residency and begins her specialty of Oncology this July.  I'm so proud of her, but she always promised she would deliver my children (she was going into neonatal) but now oncology.  I feel much better, I have her on the cancer side of things though.

Charleston was also not what I expected.  It was like looking at New Orleans, and Old Philadelphia at the same time. I didn't realize it was more a city, than a town.

We walked for miles (I nearly died).  Went to the battery, then went baby shopping again. I had the best time with my cousin Cindy. I just adore her.  I flew out Monday, and arrived back at home after 11 days and 3000 miles.  It had been a long haul and I knew I was coming home to a hell of a week.

Lunch with Ashley and Fran!

For the past 5 years, I have outfitted the Kappa Alpha fraternity at Ole Miss with their "gentlemen's attire" for a formal called "Old South" where the ladies dress up in hoop skirt time period dresses as well.  Its usually been about 100-120 tuxedos I provide.  THIS YEAR, Ole Miss had 150 and ALSO Mississippi State University KA's also hired me to do the same, for the same weekend.  So there was 86 more. 

My office was tuxedo wonderland this week.  My girls did a great job keeping things calm and organized while I was gone.  We checked in every tux, remeasured and alphabetized. Delivered ALL 236 on Thursday and then Friday helped fix any new size requests.  It was an ordeal and I'm glad its ALMOST over. Tomorrow, we check all 236 back in.

I was thrilled to have yesterday to myself.  Brett and I were able to move most of the furniture out of the baby's room, and then I went and bought my glider/rocking chair and the twin bed.  I also was able to re-apolsture all the kitchen chairs. They were heineous but now, so pretty!

Meg came by, to pick up her couch, I have been watching for her for the past 4 years.  She has officially moved to Jackson. Tears.  Meg and Ryan will be getting married this July 9th in Antigua.  It will be just the two of them, but they will come home and have a throw down August 7th.  I'm so happy for her. I'm sad and disappointed I won't be able to be more involved than I can be.  Aug 7 is really pushing the envelope on Barron's arrival and  her bachlorette party is the weekend I will be in Hilton Head for the wedding.  But I know Meg knows just how delighted I am for she, Ryan and their positive future.

Meg's celebration of engagement!!!

Brett's got the garden planted. yah!  3 gardens this year AND an updated picture of the famous "stepping stones".

Everything is green around here and I feel a lot of normalcy returning post dad's death, winter and wedding season kicking off. Thank god for all of that.

Kate

P.S. So Brett bought a new truck while I was gone for Barron to ride in comfortably!  Ha!  It is nice though....

Memorializing Dad

Yesterday was a beautiful Easter Sunday to memorialize dad.  All my life we spent Easter in Florida, so it was only appropriate that we take this time to have the memorial for Dad then. We made it an immediate family affair and I have to say, it was the best funeral I've been a part of.  

We took the boat out to the Gulf of Mexico and listened to dad's ipod. turned on some buffett.  When we settled on a nice place at sea, Uncle Bill said a few words and took a few turns at spreading Dad's ashes. Then Liz spread, then I.  It was a sad but upbeat time.  It was real, he was left to dust and we hauled him by boat to his final resting place.  It was a stunning day at sea, the sun shining, the water calm and not a cloud in sky.  

  

  We rode back to the dock, and loaded up in the car and headed to Mahauffer's bar where he wanted a bit more to be left. We made a duct tape memorial to him, with some ashes in (Uncle bill did this). We posted on a spot we know he will be, and wrote his name and our names.  We ordered dad a Dewers & soda, gave him a cigarette and sealed his urn off with more duct tape. With a memo on the front that said  "OAO" (over and out- dad's famous signature on letters).

  

The owner of the bar, cleared a shelf for dad to sit behind the bar, watching and sharing a drink with every patron.