Have I Gone Mad?

{Life is busy so I seem to be making less time to blog; but I want to blog because I like the record keeping aspect of it and it is helpful in keeping family and friends far away updated. So thanks for sticking around even though I'm not the most consistent.} 

The Mad Hatter: Have I gone mad?

Alice Kingsley: I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are.

March Madness applied 100% to my life the past few weeks. Lots of travel, family, and friends - just the way I like it. 

I kicked off the month here in Atlanta at one of the better festivals I've attended, The Brunch Festival. Like most good millennials, I've got brunch down to a science and have a few places I frequent for a good mimosa and more importantly good bacon. Needless to say, I was really looking forward to this event and it didn't disappoint. 

Braves Spring Training game: Snuck in some family time before fam jam time!

 The middle of the month brought our Second Annual Fam Jam Reunion (wrap up of the first one here!). Thirteen of us made it down to the happiest place on Earth for a long weekend of thrills, laughs, and a successful trip drinking around the world. We successfully navigated the craziness that is Disney with a large group and left with tired feet and full hearts. It's hard for me to put into words what these trips do for my soul so I'm just going to say that I'm thankful for and blessed by these people every day.

Doing Disney as an adult wasn't half bad.

I was home for a grand total of 48 hours before turning around to head back to the Sunshine State for a wedding weekend. One of my boys needed a wedding date and I'll never say no to dancing with any of them! Auburn makes the world get one degree smaller so of course I knew the groom's sister and all of the friends we met were so welcoming. 

Backyard weddings are always so beautiful.

After the whirlwind of traveling and being social, I knew I would need some me time so had scheduled a stay at the Len Foote Hike Inn. The Hike Inn is a back-country inn that requires you to hike in about 6 miles from Amicalola Falls. Meals are served family style and the sunrise is spectacular. From the Hike Inn you can head on to Springer Mounter (the southern most point of the Appalachian Trail) before heading back to the Falls. I highly recommend this for anyone! The hike is doable and the experience was incredible. 

Nature always wins.

Sunrise from the Hike Inn through the Star Base.

The Holiday Scramble and Guardrail Life

I began writing this post almost a month ago. Finally having taken a breath from the tail end of the holiday season. Then guardrails took over my life. So here we are well into March and I'm back on the horse.

Adulthood tip: you learn a lot about things you never knew you didn't know.

Thanksgiving to now has been a whirlwind of travels, work insanity, and blessed moments.

Cue Thanksgiving and some much needed Florida sun.  A road trip with my nephews down to Bamma and Bampa's kicked off a wonderful few days with the family. I love the time I get to spend with them and it becomes more precious as the years go on.

Airplane with the younger nephew is easy...

...with this grown boy, less so.

December was the usual whirlwind of tacky sweaters and too much food. My family's Christmas this year consisted of camping in FDR State Park and a very simple exchange of gifts (except the basketball hoop for the nephews which was of course wrapped in a tarp). I kicked off 2016 with new and old friends in Atlanta.

Jordie is a professional camper in her old age!

January saw a youth retreat at Camp Mikell in the beautiful north Georgia mountains, a weekend in the Big Apple, and guardrails, just so many guardrails. I became very intimate with the guardrails along I-20 within the metro Atlanta area. Moral of that story is drive safe until GDOT gets them replaced and up to the new standards.

Wayne's World set at SNL Exhibit, I died.

Highlights of February included lots of hikes (holla at mild winters, boo climate change), a visit with my sister and her family, and crashing a wedding. So far 2016 is off to a great and fast start!

A Sunday afternoon meditation at the Georgia Aquarium was crashed by these two!