News!

Well we have some big news….

No, we aren’t having a baby.

We are moving the middle of next month –and no worries folks, just to a different DC suburb, not moving away. It’s a few more metro stops out – in a nice little safe suburban area, but definitely not full of nightlife, restaurants and shopping like we are used to. (Although in less than 5 minutes, we can walk to a Trader Joes, Whole Foods, a few casual restaurants and 2 coffee places so I assume I will survive suburbia). Most days,  I’m a bit torn on how I feel about the move. Many days  I am not thrilled about it – because I love our little area of the metro DC area which is technically a suburb, but just as urban as DC.  We can get to many places in DC quicker than some people in DC can get there. I love urban living – walking to the Georgetown waterfront for Saturday morning coffee, evening strolls by monuments, being close to the movie theater, restaurants, bars and shops. Our first apartment seemed the perfect compromise for our first year of marriage – splitting our commute (Dave works in suburbs) and living in a safe yet urban area. Plus it was our first married home – full of happy memories, laughter, a few fights, maybe a few burned dinners, celebrations with friends, but mostly just the ordinary blessings of finally living together, day in and day out.  I love(d) our first little corner of the Capitol and it will indeed be sad to leave.

But, what we don’t like about our first place: less than 650 square feet – which might be doable except we have no closet space in our older building. Dave and I really like each other but living somewhere where you both can’t fit comfortably into the kitchen at the same time and you don’t have any private space is difficult. It’s made even more difficult when guests come and we fit 4-5 people into a 1br >650 sq. ft. apt. We basically wake our guests up (who had to sleep on the couch) when we get ready for work in the morning . Also, we lack some basic amenities like a dishwasher and central heat and air (I have learned that many in DC do not consider these basic amenities. Growing up in Mississippi, I would not have survived with the tiny little wall AC unit we have currently!!)

So although I tear up about leaving our neighborhood pretty much 2-3 times a week, we are eager to gain amenities like central heat and air, a dishwasher, 2 bedrooms, almost 250 extra sq. ft, a patio, a pool, CLOSETS! It will be nice to have our families visit this fall and have a proper room to place them in! And like most urban people, we discovered that the only way to get more space for a price we could afford is to move further out. I’ve gotten a few snobby comments about moving further away from DC, but we have to do what is best for us. In all honesty, it’s not that far, just a short metro ride away. I love to host gatherings so I hope we can still do that on the weekends – cookout on our new patio anyone? Not to mention we have a couple friends in our new area....

Before we started packing, I took a few photos…basically I wanted to document and remember our first happy little home…..and to show you readers our first little love nest. I kept putting a "where we live" post until our place was perfect, but now I have no choice! We never finished framing and hanging all our pictures, buying new pillows, etc, painting furniture, but we did at least set up a home – imperfect and tight, but a home.  One of the promises Dave made is that if I moved, we would tackle a few projects a month until our apt is fully put together. Home improvement cost money (and time) so we have to spread our projects out, but I hope Dave is excited for a few months of furniture painting, frame shopping, Ikea hacks, etc.

So, here folks, is where life happened for us this first year….

You walk in our apartment and their is immediately a small hallway/entrance area that houses a little art, a bookcase, a coat closet and tiny linen closet and leads to the bathroom on the right, the bedroom straight ahead the living/dining/kitchen on the left.

the hallway...

The cross picture was a gift from my friend Kristen at Thimblepress (If 

you have read my blog long enough, you know I am huge Thimblepress 

fan - and a huge Kristen fan) I have several prints, scarfs and 

even my wedding invitations/programs/etc) 

cheap bookcase decorated with some MS and DC art!

the bathroom on the right...

Blues and Grays - tried to work with the colors!

the bedroom straight ahead....

We had "His and Her" dressers - mine used to be white "pre-move" as 

opposed to white with scratches all over it! I intend on painting it 

gray once we move to the new place...one of my many projects!

 I love our bedding but as far as night stands, we kind of just used what we had. 

The table on the right is really an end table for our living room but I 

didn't have room and the small dresser on the left will likely be painted to go in 

our new guestroom. I'll be bargain shopping for some new "his and her" nightstands-
and a lamp for my side so I can keep reading when Dave wants to go to bed!

basically the only wedding pics we've hung!

the living room/dining room/kitchen to the left....

**The Living room was my favorite room. First off, it had multiple authentic mid century pieces which I love! It also had blues and greens and geometric patterns.  It reflects us better than our any other room in our tiny apartment.  Finally, this room was the closest to being completely decorated - it had some art, the most color, the largest number of photos - and it's obviously where we spent most of our waking hours. We still have a a few pictures  to frame for the next apartment (and maybe a few pillows to buy) but I am glad we have most of the furniture/decor for this room so that at least one room in our new place can go ahead and start feeling like home! (My mom, lifetime mover, taught me that trick -  get one room unpacked and mostly set up first, so that when the rest of your house seems chaotic with picture frames lying against the walls and boxes unpacked and packing peanuts everywhere, you can walk into the unpacked tidy decorated room and calm down!

Don't you just love that rug?

The green ottomans in the corner serve as extra seating for 

parties - and one houses my nephew's toy box! (notice how our closet on the left 

doesn't even go all the way the ceiling-- as I said, crammed for storage!)

I call this wall our "Mississippi" wall -- all Mississippi prints and 

3 Mississippi artists (including my brother in law)

Our little "bar" -- I thought we had a better picture than this. Sadly you can't see 

the "I love you more than biscuits and gravy" sign on the left wall---it's a special 

sign because it was the breakfast bar at our wedding!

Our wedding invitation - notice the crack in the glass -- yep, put that

 on my project list for the next place!

and the dining room/kitchen...

So, I never took pictures of this room before I began taking pictures down and packing up (oops). Currently, the dining room serves as packing station as you can see in the picture below.  So, to give you a small idea, I am including pictures from thanksgiving -- we had a packed house and a fold out table, but you will get the idea...we also used this room as a workspace (you can see our desk and bulletin board in the left corner!)  I did not get any pictures of the kitchen, but no worries, the kitchen is just a kitchen. I never decorated it - because how do you really decorate an apartment kitchen without changing fixtures, etc. Our kitchen was separated from the dining room and living area by a partial wall (which as you can see, we stacked appliances on...hey, what did I say? NO STORAGE SPACE)

Packing Central

Living Room, Dining Room and a the kitchen entrance... (The metal tub 

on the floor was just temporarily there, it held cokes and beers)

Two tables set up for Thanksgiving - plus a desk that served as a buffet, ha!

It sure is tiny, but it's been a happy home. And, after several apartments falling through, we were so blessed to have this place work out.  Lots of wonderful memories here!

A very "DC" 4th of July

There is something incredibly patriotic and pride-producing about spending the 4th in DC. I have spent 3 Independence Days in this great city, and enjoying your typical 4th of July activities - pool time, baseball, cookouts, fireworks, etc -- with the Nation's capitol and monuments in the background really reminds me of our freedom and how fortunate we are to live in this great (albeit imperfect) nation.  I've had a lot of happy 4th of July's - Massachusetts, Missouri (most of my childhood 4ths were spent at summer camp), Napa, Mississippi - and the reality is, as hard as I try to remember the reason for the holiday, it's easy to just treat the 4th as a fun summer celebration with friends - that's just not the case in DC. It's impossible to look at our nation's capitol on July 4th and not swell with pride and gratefulness. What we have, this very particular form of democracy, is rare. And so many days, specifically in DC, it is easy to look at the many things in America that need improvement (and we should try to fix these things) and get discouraged, but the fact is, we are fortunate that the responsibility, freedom and opportunity to elect new leaders and  draft new laws and aim to improve is so deeply rooted in our nation's history and political framework. 

Living in DC also makes me grateful that America is a melting pot.  I love that so many southerners live in DC, that when I am homesick, I can easily find a Mississippian to hang out with! But DC also has so many people from all over this country and all over the world.  This city is made up of so many people with different cultures, faiths, political outlooks, skin colors, than me - and all are American. Certainly the diversity is one of the things that makes this country so unique.

Dave and I basically took the whole 3 day weekend to relax -- minus a little cleaning, laundry and some studying (Dave, not me), we just enjoyed the holiday, fellowship and life in this great city and nation. 

Long holiday weekends are perfect for sleeping in, TV marathons, holding babies, reading, taking leisurely evening walks to a monument, enjoying America's pastime on America's birthday (what's more American than baseball and hot dogs on the 4th?), having dinner and fireworks and drinks with friends, and going to a dinner party where a  GENUINE TEXAN cooked yummy Brisket. I was also able to try 3 new recipes (to be discussed at a later date), have a girls day including brunch in Georgetown and time by the pool, finally hunt down snow cones (very few snow cones in DC and I don't know why), do a tiny bit of chores and go to the gym in an effort to rid myself of all the good holiday food calories! Dave and I ended the weekend together by cooking pork chops, sipping cocktails and snuggling up on the couch to watch Redbox movies.

Does your evening walk include monuments? :)

My newest friend Henry

Bid Dave and Henry first meet

Baseball on the 4th with 2 of my FAVS!

Seriously, this view....wow

Brisket, Mac and Cheese, Salad, Biscuits, Beer and Ice Cream 

Sandwiches-- the perfect Saturday night!

How Southerners do a pool day (I am kidding, kindof, because 

we actually ended up chatting more than reading!)

It took a lot of  Google searching to find this snow cone. Tiny, but oh so good.

Thanks to my friend, Mary Kendall, I have fallen in love with

 the Moscow Mule - a perfect summer drink. Moscow Mules 

are best served in cold copper mugs and thanks

 to Constance, I now have 2 mugs! Apparently I'm trendy.

If I had to pick my favorite DC weekends from our first year here, this would be near the top of the list. It was practically perfect in every way. Enough Dave Time. Enough Girl Time. Enough Group Time.  Time spend appreciating America. Time spent appreciating summer. Time spent enjoying DC. Time spent trying new things and new places. Time spent being productive. Time spent resting.

As cheesy as it may sound (and feel free to roll your eyes) --  this weekend reminded me how happy (and blessed) I am to live in America,  live in DC, have Dave as my sidekick through life and be surrounded by other wonderful people. And, just like I needed 3 days to stop focusing on the problems in our country and just reflect on the blessing of living in America, I needed 3 full days to not stress and just enjoy life! I am grateful that I was able to do both!

How to be a "New Girl"

Confession – this was a blog post I started several months ago, but then my sister Marley (who has been a new girl a few more times than I have) wrote a post on her tips for making friends in a new location. Since many of you read both our blogs, I didn’t want to be redundant  so I held off on finishing and publishing my post.

I've been a new girl several times before in my life...and sometimes I have been better at it than others. Along the way, I have learned a few tips that help you settle in, make friends and feel at home more quickly.  I probably did the "new girl" phase best in Jackson. I hated my first couple months in town (even though I spent most of my growing up years in the big J, most of my friends had since moved) but committed myself to jumping in. Within the year, Jackson was home and I had a great group of pals, a wonderful church home, a fun apartment and roomie and a sense of involvement in the community.  I tried to apply the same "dive in" plan here in DC and it took awhile (maybe a bit longer than Jackson) but I (we) feel at home in DC now.

Jackson, MS

Washington, DC

(PS I had no reason to post these pics except for the fact that they are 

the last two places I moved and made friends...oh, and I think they 

are both very pretty cities, aren't they? Love both my "homes")

8 Tips for Being the New Girl

(1)    Get involved in community immediately and stay involved even when it’s awkward.  Join a running group, charity, church, political group or alum group. Don’t just go to church, but join a Bible Study or Community Group or get involved in a ministry (Becoming involved in church activities is extra beneficial – you are likely growing spiritually, not just socially, and you are not only making friends, but making like minded friends who share your faith and beliefs! Bonus!) Prepare yourself now for the fact that it will be awkward at times– there will be times when it is uncomfortable to walk into church, Bible Study, Young Republicans, Junior League (insert whatever you are involved with here) and mingle. There will be times when you make small talk yet again or sit alone and feel lonely. Keep pressing on. Each time you go, you will likely know one more person. If you try to get involved in a community or group and find that it's not the place for you, then replace that group fairly quickly. Getting plugged in helps you make friends, feel involved and stay busy -- so you don't stay at home lonely!

(2)    Almost always say yes for the first several months.  Seriously, if you are new, you should be saying YES 80-90 percent of the time. if someone invites you to dinner and you don’t have much money, go and order a salad. If someone asks you to come to happy hour and you’re tired, suck it up and go. If you can’t go for some reason, then make sure you apologize, give a reason for not being able to go (work late, previous plans, etc) and make it clear you want to get together another time (and then possibly follow up with an invite….see #3)  Telling you to always accept invitations even when you don’t feel like going may seem harsh, but it is the quickest way to establish friendships.  First of all, people are taking a risk by asking someone they don’t know well to hang out, so you want to respond positively. Second, if you are new, you are not already in any established friend groups. If you say no, there is no guarantee that others will remember to invite you in the future. Finally, if you go to a party or event, you will hopefully leave feeling like you have one or more new friends…friends who you can connect with later for dinner, drinks or a movie; friends who you can invite to hang out and friends who will hopefully continue to reach out and include you. D and I said "yes" to a camping

When I lived in Jackson, I met a girl who was new to town and said she wanted to meet new people. However, every time I invited her to do something, she said she was "tired" or "wanted a night in". (I'm not hating on "nights in", but I think you have to take less of them when you are new to town) Eventually, I quit trying so often.  I wasn’t upset, but I wasn’t going to continue to make an effort if she really wasn’t that interested in my friendship or meeting others. Whether she knew  it or not, she was sending mixed signals about whether she really did want to be included.

So, seriously, try to say yes to as many events as possible. Once you are more settled, you will have the freedom to say no -  when you are tired, busy, not interested – without the possibility of being forgotten. But for now, be prepared to stay busy!

(3)    You do the inviting.  So you met someone at a church event and had a good conversation or a work friend invited you out for happy hour which you enjoyed.... Don’t be afraid to reciprocate and invite that person to do something.  No one wants to feel like he or she has to do all the planning and inviting, so return the favor, reach out. Not only is it nice to be asked to do something, it also clearly shows you enjoyed hanging out the first time if you want to hang out again.

(4)    Find other people who are new – new to town, new to church, new to the group. New people are eager for friends too. And, sometimes it is easier to befriend others who are new because they aren’t already established with plans and friends and commitments.

(5)    Don’t go home too often at first.  I had to go home one month after we moved to DC and I swear, the only reason I came back to DC was because I loved my husband. I went home for a week and saw family and friends and packed our stuff up. Seeing all my possessions in a moving van made me realize this wasn’t a summer away, or even a one year adventure, but something that was fairly permanent….and I cried as the Jackson skyline disappeared in the distance. I knew I was coming back to a place where I was not settled yet, had only a few friends and did not yet feel like home.  I had no choice, I had to go to Mississippi to pack, but that week of laughing with my family and nights out with friends made it really hard to come back to DC.  So, if you can avoid it, don't go home a lot at first. Avoiding going home often for the first few months forces you to make your new city into your new home.

Fast forward 6 months.  We didn’t go home again until Christmas (which I wasn’t happy about at first, but it turned out to be a good thing) and although I enjoyed our trip back to the Magnolia state, a part of me was excited to get back to our life in DC – New Years Eve with friends, weekly small group, girls nights.  Being “stuck” in DC for 6 months forced D and me to get involved. Now, I feel free to go to my home state (whenever I can afford plane tickets!) without feeling too attached.  But, I had to put in several months in DC before it felt like my new home.

(6)    Unpack and make your house feel homey! Almost a year later, our house is far from finished. Not every picture is framed and hanging. We still need another dresser. Our bedroom is almost always a little cluttered due to a lack of storage, so the door remains closed when guests come over. But, we did hang a few pieces of art, put down an area rug, add a few of our trinkets and framed photos, buy some couch pillows and arrange and rearrange furniture until we found a good layout. It feels like home to us and it feels cozy enough to invite others over (see #3 again) which we do fairly regularly. Get your home to a point where you feel comfortable hosting others and then you can slowly do the rest.

(7)    Don’t invest too much time in people who don’t want to be your friends.  The luxury with being new is that you don’t have a history with people. I’m extremely loyal so if a friend lets me down or continuously blows me off, I probably still fight for them, show a little grace and hope to salvage things. But, when I’m new and get excluded or rejected or feel I made a connection with someone but no friendship follows, I may be disappointed, but I am free to move on.  Sometimes people are busy or unaware or not interested in adding people to their circle of friends, that’s okay, move on, find others to invest in. 

(8) If you are single, consider living with a roommate. I'm not suggesting finding someone on Craig's List (although that has worked well for people I know) but search church classifieds, live with a friend or a friend of a friend, etc)  Living with someone can give you built in fellowship, access to plans and friendships, etc.

(9) Don't be choosy.  Be open to meeting all types of people. Be open to making all types of friends. It's tempting to only want to hang out with people who are like you (particularly when you are out of your comfort zone...IE, I am immediately drawn to southerners!) Moving is a great opportunity to broaden your horizons, plus you are  more likely to plug in quickly if you don't limit your friendships to those who are similar to you. 

Note: I am not telling you to befriend criminals, just to be  less picky when making friends.

(10) Enjoy your new city! This doesn't help you make new friends, but it does help you feel at home and stay busy while you are in the "transition" process.  Marriage makes things a bit easier -- you get to bring a built in friend to a new city with you, but the reality is that no matter how quickly you dive into your new life, you will have a few months of getting to know people before you have established friends....don't sit at home and feel sorry for yourself, walk through a fun neighborhood, go to a local museum, try a new bakery.  I spent the first two months of married life at home and I thoroughly explored my little neighborhood, looking in stores, walking down side streets, wondering across the bridge into Georgetown, etc.

Being a "New Girl" Married v. Single (or a "New Guy")

I've been the new girl when single and when married, and honestly, being married when you are new is easier.  You have a built in friend for movies, dinners out, happy hour, exploring.  Although so much time together might not quench all your social needs, at least it quenches some!  You don't have to walk in to church alone or spend a Friday evening alone. If you are married, be grateful that you have this built in buddy to help make the transition to a new place a little easier.

However, flip side, I think singles make friends quicker.  They don't have that built in buddy so they jump in and get involved at a faster paced than married women. I've shared before about how I think singles make great friends and this rings true when they are new to town - they make friends more easily and they have the freedom to commit to last minute plans without checking in with spouses. If you are single, take advantage of this freedom and get involved with a church, group, charity immediately.  Busy yourself with plans and get settled in your new city! (PS, you never know when one of these new might turn into a dating relationship, so yet another motivating reason to get involved!)

May 2: FIVE ON FRIDAY

Joining in on "FIVE ON FRIDAY" again for a little weekend fun!

(1) Pray for Mississippi, will you? 

My sweet home state was hit by several tornados this week, one of the worst tornado days in Mississippi history. I will probably talk more about this later, but few things make me prouder to be a Mississippian than watching how we respond to tragedy. The joke is that a church van has arrived with aid before the storm has even ended.  Seriously, Mississippi gets a lot of negative press-- some of it is deserved, some isn't, but we rarely get press for the good that occurs....and you know what, thats ok, because Mississippians will continue to do good and unite, black and white, poor and wealthy, different areas of the state, different faiths - to rebuild after tragic events (even if know one is watching or applauding while we do)

(2) Meatballs.

This may sound crazy- or gross, but Dave and I are currently OBSESSED with meatballs and cooking them different ways. Several weeks ago, we had meatballs as an app at Haven Pizzeria. I've never been a big meatball eater, but these were delicious and tender! Since then, we have cooked italian meatballs in the crockpost and are trying this buffalo turkey meatball recipe this weekend (Dave loves wings, so why not try buffalo meatballs?). I've just bought the frozen turkey meatballs, but once I get the hang of it, I want to try making my own! Here's hoping my buffallo meatballs turn out like this....

(Sidenote: Meatballs, even turkey meatballs, can seam kindof heavy since its only meat, so I love the idea of pairing it with simple cut veggies, just like you would seve celery and carrots with wings!)

We are so excited for a new recipe and a movie at home this weekend...have we really become an old boring married couple? The answer is NO (we went out Fri, Sat and Sun night last weekend) -- BUT it's always nice for a casual night in! One of the things I love about marriage is one of the things I loved about roomates-- always having someone to hang with if you wanted a Saturday Night in!!

I'll let you know if these turn out successfully!


(3) 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

I had a girls theater night last night and went to see this musical at the Ford Theater.

I love a good play or musical and this one was hilarious!  Plus, if given the chance, I will go to another play at the Ford Theater. It was small enough that all seats were good and the tickets weren't expensive at all.

Hmm, I am thinking Dave needs to take me on a date night to Fords Theater soon, right???

(4) ROKU, Netflix and Evening TV

Quite possibly, the best purchase we've made all year is our roku. It was a birthday gift for Dave and we use the heck out of it. You can stream Netflix, Amazong Prime, Hulu, ESPN, etc directly on your tv...just like an apple tv, but a bit cheaper.  We are considering getting another one for our second tv eventually, although we may get apple tv so we can watch ITUNES movies too.  Right now, we have the Roku in our bedroom - since we only have cable in the living room-- and a few nights a week, we watch a tv show before bed. (I know, I know, people say this is horrible for your marriage, but for right now, it works for us....we talk plenty and there are few things I love more than just getting to cuddle up with Dave on the couch or sitting on our bed while watching TV)

Anyways, we have watched Downton Abbey, Once Upon a Time and Veronica Mars -- We have started "Parenthood"  For those of you who are tv binge watchers, what do you recommend?

(5) "Mississippi Mules"

I mentioned earlier this week that I have developed a new favorite summer cocktail..the Moscow Mule, or as I call it, the Mississippi Mule. It's like summertime in your mouth. You know how mojitos are cool, minty and refreshing, the perfect drink to sip amidst swealtering heat on a big Mississippi front porch? Well, you could probably swap a mojito for a mule and get the same effect!

1 1/2 - 2 oz Vodka

1/2 - 1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice

4-6 oz cold ginger beer

Lime slices

Mint to garnish (optional)

Ice

It's customary to serve mules in cold copper mugs...so, maybe if this remains a favorite, I will invest in some copper mugs! Doesn't this cold copper mug of summery goodness look inviting?

Forcast here in DC is warm and sunny. Excited for a sunny, happy, enjoyable weekend in the District.  My plans include a girls movie night, cooking, a baby shower for a dear friend, church and happy hour with friends....plus a little time in relaxing! I hope you all find a way to relax and enjoy atleast a little bit of this beautiful spring weekend!

"LONG AWAITED" Spring

I'm a true believer that waiting does make the blessing SWEETER.  (I feel I am constantly being taught this lesson) I don't necessarilly think those who wait feel MORE joy than others (although sometimes they might), but I do believe they feel more grateful. Several people told me I was the happiest bride they had ever seen (probably because I didn't get nervous, or worried that day, just giddy -- to be fair, I had a wedding planner and a mother to worry for me that day), but truthfully, I wasn't the happiest bride ever, probably just incredibly grateful, more grateful than most women -- because I had waited and I knew how blessed I was to be marrying Dave.

And, that is the only way I know how to describe how we Washingtonians feel about this spring....it seems full of more Joy, but only because it was so anticipated all winter! The blessing of spring is definitely SWEETER this year. Spring came late --- after we waited in inches of snow (until the end of March) and below zero temps all winter - but it finally came and it is glorious!  I am sure that spring this year is no different than any other year -- the flowers are no more beautiful than last year, nor are the warm days and cool evenings any more refeshing than every other year! But, never before have I been this eager to enjoy every delicious morsel of sunny afternoon walks, pink fluffy flowers or restaurant patio sitting!

I have spent the past few weekends enjoying dinners out with friends, concerts neighborhood walks with Dave, baseball (only 2 innings due to rain!), open windows 24/7, summer cocktails, an easter egg hunt with Jack, egg dying and breezy Cherry Blossom strolls. I look forward to many happy DC days ahead...hikes, bike rides, weekend mornings spent exploring the booths at Eastern Market, outdoor movies and lots of Happy Hours!

Here are a few snapshots from our Happy Spring!!

Cherry Blossoms....

 A Sunday Morning walk around the tidal basin!

Mr. Jefferson in all his pink adornment!

Cute man, pretty flowers-- what more can a lady want?

Monuments and Flowers

"No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow."

Easter Weekend....

Easter Sunday

 Jack's first time dying eggs!

I make him dye eggs every year and he pretends to be annoyed (but who are we kidding, he's the artsy one and his eggs are way better than mine!)

 Jack in all his silly adorableness!

 Egg Hunting!

2 goobers enjoying a spring park day!

 Jack being silly during Easter pics!

"For the winter is passed. The rain is over and gone. The flowers are springing up. And the time of the singing of the birds has come."  Solomon 2:11-12

Other Happy Outings.....

 Nats game

Ethiopian food-- yes Dave tried it and liked it!

Girls night concert!

 Nothing says spring as much as country music!

My NEW favorite spring cocktail -- the Moscow Mule (which sounds completely unspringy, so I call it the "Mississippi Mule" like Fondren Public does!)

It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want — oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain