Red Sox in the South

Those of you who know me know that I have moved a fair amount of times in my life, however, I don't believe I have ever lived in a state that is quite as fanatic about their sports teams as Georgia. In other states you might come across pockets of fans but here in Georgia everything revolves around UGA football and the Braves. Literally during football season the topic of discussion at any stop during your day, including the hair salon and grocery store, will be the dawgs and where you will be watching the game.

But this week the Red Sox came to the south and lordy bee there are some Sox fans in Georgia after all!! This Tuesday Mike and I headed to Atlanta after work to root on the Sox...well I was rooting for the Sox and Mike was rooting for the Braves. Mike out did himself with our tickets this time. From the very start ( when Mike took me to my first MLB game ever at Camden Yards) Mike has come up with some impressive seats for baseball games, this time we had club level. Gigantic difference!! Our view was awesome and our entire level felt the first class version of ballpark food. My only complaint is that there were no Dippin' Dots on our level....but fear not I found some on the level below before we left. Moral of that story? Get club tickets if you want to feel fancy for a night out at the ballpark.

The game was awesome and at times it felt like we were sitting in Boston as chants of "Let's go Red Sox!" rang out through the stadium. Its not very often that there seems to be more visiting team fans at a Braves game! I got to leave the game happy after a Red Sox win and the feeling that Red Sox nation even spreads into Georgia.

Hope y'all are enjoying the start of summer and baseball season!

Dear graduates...

So the end of the school year is finally wrapped up for us here at Wesleyan College, graduation was on Saturday and campus has started to settle into it's summer routine. This coming weekend my little sister and my little cousin will suddenly become college graduates and leap into the real world too. When the heck did I get so old?! 

So in celebration of graduation here is my letter to the graduates of 2014 (I have no idea why I write with a better flow in letter form so just bear with me for a bit.)

Dear graduates,

congratulations!! You made it, all of the crazy hours of studying, researching, waiting up for grades or registration has finally paid off and in a very big way. I know you are in a state of shock and feeling pretty unsure of what comes next but don't worry that's normal and you'll snap out of it. Before you charge into a total freakout take time to celebrate this accomplishment! Take time to thank everyone who helped you along the way...parents, teachers, friends, anyone who helped to keep you motivated. Trust me a simple thank you goes a long way! Take some time to reflect on how much you have grown both in your studies and as a person, remember college is about a lot more than just books! And finally take time to let go of the stress. The world is a clean slate again, just like when you came into college. Take with you the cherished friends that you have made along the way and surround yourself with people that are excited to see what you will accomplish next!

Now that you've taken your little freakout vacation (I took mine in Virginia Beach with Erin right before I started my first "big girl" job in Crofton,MD) you are ready for the real world. Remember:

look everyone you meet in the eye and offer a firm handshake (you will be amazed how far that will get you...thank you Dad for teaching me that!).

Listen carefully to what everyone at work tells you and remember it! People love it when you don't need to be repeatedly reminded of something.

If you need help, ask for it...heck that is what those first two weeks are for.

Learn how to say "no" because if you don't everyone will keep piling on the work until you are so frazzled that you drop something (thank you Uncle Bruce for attempting to hammer this idea into my head, I'm still working on it).

And at the end of the day try to leave your work at work....if at all possible.

When all else fails pour a glass of wine and call up your college roomie (even if she lives in Minnesota) because no one else will understand what you are going through better than she does!

So chin up! We are all so excited to see what you will do out there in the "real world!"

Sincerely,

your biggest cheerleader

Because only a college roomie can understand how you went from your first freshmen outing to her wedding day!! Love ya Gray!

Sunshine, Savannah and Polo!

Wow I cannot believe how fast April flew by! How in the world is it already May?! Mike and I were super excited to get to spend the last Sunday in April enjoying the Savannah sunshine with Erin, Mike and Henry! We spent most of the day through the eyes of a 2 year old which is always a nice change of pace. Henry absolutely loved the train yard, building and destructing blocks at the children's museum and stealing Uncle Mikey's french fries.

                      

After saying our goodbyes (which are never fun), Mike and I snuck over to Tybee Island to scope out the house his family is renting for our wedding in October. And since we were there I couldn't possibly pass up the chance to get some sand between my toes! Thankfully Mike is very patient and drove all over to find a parking spot so I could see the ocean. Love him!!

This week brought about the end of classes at Wesleyan, the athletic banquet, the equestrian team potluck and the start of finals. Gracious this first year of coaching has flown! I survived my first athletic banquet speech without any issues and managed to not fall on my face in front of the entire athletic department and our college president....small victory! I also publicly proclaimed next year as "The road to Zones" so here's to making that happen!! To celebrate the end of the year and the start of summer some of the equestrian team, Mike and I headed up to Alpharetta for a polo match today.

The sun was out in full force but sipping on sweet tea in a big hat watching polo ponies is always a great way to spend the afternoon in my book!

Yes, I know I own two horses and literally see horses every day of my life but I become a kid every time I see new horses so I just had to go make some horsey friends.

Miriam thoroughly enjoyed her first polo outing...and eating my sunglasses. I still can't believe that this weekend last year I was hosting Courtenay's baby shower for this little one!

Fun fact for the day: one polo field takes up the area of 9 football fields!

Hope y'all are getting to enjoy the sunshine!

Love y'all!

Easter by Pinterest and Southern Living

Happy Easter from Macon,Georgia!!

Mike and I headed over to Wesleyan to enjoy the sunshine today and caught a glimpse of the newest additions to the lake family. Aren't they adorable?!

Then we headed up to see Lou pony for deworming day...he was not very excited about it. And as you can see it was the perfect day for everything nautical...anchor dress, Sperry's and then a mimosa in my adorable anchor glass :)

While Mike and I dearly missed our families today there is one advantage to having a holiday with just the two of us, plenty of practice in the kitchen for when we get to host huge family holidays! Today's menu consisted of turkey with Old Bay (you can take the girl out of Maryland but you can't take the Maryland out of the girl), sweet potato casserole, brown sugar bacon wrapped green beans (thank you Pinterest) and homemade biscuits (thank you Southern Living). Everything was amazing!! So y'all come on over so we can serve our new yummy recipes to someone other than ourselves! Also be sure to check out this month's Southern Living with their spotlight on Macon!

Love y'all

Here is the Lazy Biscuit recipe from Southern Living:

Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups self rising flour

1/2 tsp sugar

1 1/4 cups chilled buttermilk

1/2 cup butter melted

Preheat oven to 475

Whisk together flour and sugar in large bowl.

Stir together buttermilk and melted butter in small bowl. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until dough pulls away from sides of bowl.

Drop dough onto parchment lined baking sheet with a 2 inch cookie scoop, 1 inch apart.

Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown

Brush with melted butter (optional)

Makes 14

"If I could I'd do it all the same..."

This week brought some very sad news to my alma mater, Virginia Intermont College. While VI's doors will close on July 1st and remain closed there is not a single Cobra out there who will be able to shut out all of their amazing memories of VI. I may have worked my tush off to graduate in 3 years but there isn't a single thing I would go back and change....except to maybe stay for an extra year! VI gave me the knowledge and confidence to go out and pursue my dreams in the equine industry, as well as the backing of a well known and respected program. Just having the name VI on my resume and transcripts has opened so many doors for me that I still gush about the program anytime I'm asked about my college in an interview. The professors and faculty at VI have been a constant source of advice, support and knowledge for all of their students...even after graduation! I know that anytime I'm in a pickle I can pick up the phone and call anyone of the professors in the equine program and get a good solid answer. I cannot thank Eddie, Sue, Heather, Lisa, Lauren and Kristen enough for all of their support both during my time at VI and since graduating.

 

VI not only shaped me into the horseperson that I am today but into the person that I am in all aspects of life. VI was a place to grow and "find your voice," it was a place that let each of its students pursue their passions and discover new ones, it was a place that let us explore our opinions, change our opinions and voice our opinions. VI certainly taught us how to grow up and protect what you believe. Most importantly VI was home away from home.

Lou pony loved our college years too :)

VI was home away from home and the friends that I made there became my family. The friends I made at VI have become my lifelong friends...and make up most of my bridal party! We've been there for each other through the challenges of college and graduation, through the loss of a classmate and friend, and now through the loss of our alma mater. But no matter what we still have each other and all of our mini reunions at each others' weddings! Please keep all of the amazing faculty, staff and horses in your prayers as they go through this rough transition in VI's history. You can also help support the VI ANRC team through this link ANRC fund. The team has qualified for Nationals and in just 2 days has raised enough money ($5,000) to go! Now the rest of the money raised will go straight to the horses at VI for supplies such as grain, hay and farrier expenses.

Feel free to take a walk down memory lane with me

     

 

  

 

 

I'd say we made it out pretty great! Can't wait for more wedding reunions :)

Love y'all!

April showers bring May flowers

April showers bring May flowers for sure but that doesn't mean that April brings any rest! April has already been a super busy month and we're only one week in! This past week I hit the ground running with prepping the team and horses for the upcoming show weekend. The lesson schedule was packed and the barn was bustling as the girls got ready for horse checks...it was lovely to end out the week with a barn full of clipped and bathed horses though! Spence even got in on the busy schedule this week now that I'm out of my cast we got back to work and he stepped up to the plate this Friday and went in a lesson after some of the school horses decided to play lame when they heard whispers of an upcoming show! The equestrian team also hosted our first ever "Who,What,Wear" fashion event on Thursday with local boutique owners. The event showcased looks for interview/work, a dinner outing with coworkers, a girls' night out and examples of how to dress for your body type. The event was a hit and we are very excited to have the participating boutiques attend our horse show on the 12th to set up shop. Sunshine, ponies and shopping...what more could you want?!

People on campus were slightly stunned to see me in a dress instead of riding pants!

My first weekend back in Macon since the recruiting trip started with a 5:30 am barn trip to bring in the ponies before the hot air balloons took off over campus. Thankfully my wonderful team ladies also got up early so bringing in the horses took all of 10 minutes and then we headed off to IHOP for a team breakfast. We got back to campus just in time to see the last of the balloons lifting off and to see a stray peacock wandering around campus! A work day to prep the barn and riding arena for next weekend's show followed and then I hosted a craft party for the underclassmen on the team...more to follow on this after the seniors get their gifts :)

Today was finally a relaxing day that started with homemade venison sausage and scrambled eggs...yummm. Then Mike and I headed off to Lowe's to stock up on planting stuff to spruce up our front "porch." Fingers crossed that our tomatoes, green beans and jalapenos do well!! I think our lilies also add some nice color to the entrance and make it feel a little more like spring on this rainy Sunday.

Hope y'all had a great weekend and that everyone is starting to enjoy some sunshine!

Love y'all!

Florida wrap up and wedding update

I made it back to good ol' Georgia after a wonderful weekend at The College Prep Invitational in West Palm Beach,Florida. The weekend was so great both from a recruitment standpoint and a networking standpoint. It was wonderful to be able to bounce ideas off of other coaches and see how different equine programs are put together and run. The weekend was exactly what I needed to get refreshed and ready to come back and make the final push to the end of the school year. Its so great to get excited about next year's potential again! I was also super excited to get to reconnect with some of my VI family while in Florida! Eddie, who is now the director of the SCAD equine program, was a great source of motivation and awesome about helping me network with other coaches. I am so thankful to have come out of a program with such helpful professors who continue to want their students to strive for excellence even after graduation.

While things were fairly busy down here with me traveling all over the place for work, Mike and I were lucky enough to get a visit from my mom the week before I left for Florida. It was so great to have her here to help me with all of the little details of the wedding...and to help me satisfy my current shopping cravings!

On Sunday we got to roadtrip over to Savannah with mom to show her the venues for the wedding and soak in some sun and sangria!

Thanks to mom's trip to Georgia I was also able to drop my dress off for alterations!!! I am so insanely in love with my dress and absolutely cannot wait to wear it in October :)

Now that we've made it into April the traveling will calm down a lot but the events at the Wesleyan barn are picking back up as we prep for our upcoming horse show and then wrap up the college year with fun team events including attending the opening day at the polo fields in Atlanta! Mike also goes back to crazy work hours now that the daylight lasts a bit longer which means I get to spend the extra daylight hanging out with Spence man....cast free I might add!

Love y'all!