Family fun in the Florida Keys!!

Consider this blog post to be the official announcement that it is now socially acceptable to play Christmas music in your homes, cars, offices, and shopping/dining destinations.  In months that do not begin with D, I've found that all things red, green, sparkly and holiday-esque are almost repulsive.  Okay, maybe that is a strong word, but it is at the very least obnoxious.  Mostly because the Christmas season is encroaching on the season of Thanksgiving and autumn, a mutually awesome time of year.  But I think it was my friend's mom who said it best: "Kinda ironic that we spend the most money the day after we say we're thankful for what we already have."  And that American mindset is precisely why Christmas is cropping up as early as September in some places.  And it's even harder to get over the forceful start of the holiday season when you live in Florida...mostly because the thermometer tipped below 60 degrees for like the first time this year...yesterday.  And I wore flip flops anyway.  

All ranting aside, I wanted to take a moment to share some of the things that Aaron and I are thankful for...(gasp!)...after Thanksgiving!

First up, this is our "thankful tree".  Throughout the month of November, we clipped little pieces of paper that were written with things that (you guessed it!) we're thankful for.   

Some of the things we had on there:

• a job that I love and kids that make me laugh everyday (Laura)
• my new job (Aaron)
• Chet's Creek Church
• living in the sunshine state
• our sweet niece, Kaitlyn
• new friends
• good health
• lovely weather

For the Thanksgiving holiday itself, we had a wonderful trip to the Keys (Little Torch Key, for those who are wondering).  Here are some of the pics from our time with family:

Family photo of the whole gang. Mom, Dad, Aaron, me, Julie, Nick, Lyn & Mikey. 

How cool we really are.

The "Gehron" table.

The "Knepper" table.

Killin' it on the couch for the Dolphins game.  Tryptophan hit us bad this year.

Roughin' it in the keys with a hot tub.  Geez Aaron and Dad, would you guys just RELAX already!?

The ferry over to Pigeon Key...a historic work camp island during the building of the 7 mile bridge.

A tiki hut in the middle of the ocean.  We couldn't help but take a WE'RE IN BORA BORA!!! picture. 

Picture #1: The boys were playing a little wiffle ball (spell check me on that one...).  Picture #2: What happens when the ball goes into the canal.  

We found Jack Sparrow in Key West at the sunset celebration.

My sweet parents. 

<3 

Our Sunset entertainer.

Found some sweet shades at Margaritaville... 

As did the guys.

Mike and Rita (Mikey and Lindsay's parents)

Oh look!  The dog found some sweet shades, too!  Mike paid a whopping $4 for the picture...

Marilyn....she's so sassy.

Nick and Julie at the Southernmost Point.  90 Miles to Cuba.  Cause I was wondering. 

Mikey pulling Lyn and Linds on the gigantic tube that we found at the house we rented. 

Lindsay is pretty hardcore about tubing.

Nick & Aaron on the boat with me and Jul on the tube in the background.

Like I said, roughin' it in the keys.

This is my deer friend.  Ha.  Ha. (Get it!?)

He tried to kiss me but I'm not supposed to touch him.  I don't think.

We had a great time hanging with family and family/friends for Thanksgiving break and are so very thankful for the great memories that we made.  We broke all tradition of ushering in the holiday season with cool weather, decorating for Christmas, and enjoying time at home with family.  Monday was a little bit of a reality check from our sunny November vacation.  Jimmy Buffet's "Jingle Bells" came over my radio first thing Monday morning, and I found it a bit ironic.  But it was the sign on our way back to the Florida mainland that said it best:

Snow and sleigh bells or not, we'll be gearing up for Christmas in the weeks ahead...but I nevertheless want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

Seminole State of Mind

So, all disappointment about the final outcome aside...

(WHAT IN THE HECK, NOLES!?!?) 

Sigh...okay...It's out of my system...We had a great time in Tallahassee for Homecoming this weekend.  Got to see a lot of familiar faces, and had some serious sister time.  We tailgated on campus for pretty much the whole day (thanks Wesley for the great parking spot!)   We played football, cornhole, ate, ate, ate, ate, had some nice beverages to wash it down with ;), saw friends, french teachers, and family (the three essential Fs in life, haha).  Here are some pictures from the weekend.  Mme Ral, send me that pic Jeff took so I can put it on here, pretty please?

The ladies: Lindsay, Moi, Julie, Haley, and Lyn.

Sisters.

Necessary awkward Kardashian pose.  This is probably the most awful one we've ever done.  Redo over Thanksgiving break, girls.

Mikey & Lynnie.

Nick and Julius.  Errr...Julie.

Mikey got a Bud Light tat.  Classy business.

Doug & Ashley came out for some fun, too.  And brought Bennett #3 with them!!  So pumped to welcome Baby B into the world in May...Congrats, you two!

College besties!! (A-dub, A-dub, & L-dub) 

The whole crew!  (This generation, anyway.)

We have a zillion pictures like this.  But here we are at the game :) 

It started raining so we had to hood up to protect our fake straight hair.  Please look at Aaron's face, too.  He looks like we're interrupting him reading a book during a football game.  

Knepper kids :)  Such nice smiles.  Not to mention they look good all dressed up in Garnet & Gold.

This update brought to you by the fact that my voice is completely gone...

Well, it's been 6 whole years, but I've done it again.  Conditions were perfect: a sinus infection making its way down to my chest and a heck of a time at the Taylor Swift concert.  Good riddance to my voice.

Grad school cursed me, because now I want nothing more than to scope my larynx to see exactly what kind of damage has been done to my poor poor vocal folds.  But regardless of what the things look like, I'm stuck with knowing that nothing makes it better than a little vocal rest.

That's where you come in, friends.

Since I have lost all ability to communicate with my real voice, I figured I'd dust off the ole virtual voice and catch up our friends and family on the happenings of late.

Let's start with good ole last night's festivities: the Taylor Swift concert.  (I know what you're thinking, and yes. yes, I did.)

It started with a conversation at the office.  Went something like, "Hey, umm, so I'm having a hard time finding people who are interested in going to see Taylor Swift in concert in November [Eyes wander away in a slight feeling of shame over liking the teen music sensation].  You wouldn't be interested in going, would you?"  My response: HECK YES I WOULD.

And that is the story of the day I knew I would have friends in Jacksonville...

Anyway.  As a bunch of twenty-somethings who were just as giddy over seeing Taylor live as the 13 year olds in pink shirts with cutesie sayings written in puff-paint, we made it an epic night.  Captured gloriously [read: not so gloriously] on my iPhone camera.  Here's the one decent picture of us, the best of the worst pictures of the Entertainer of the Year (thank you, iPhone zoom & back row seats), and the photo taken of our amazing seats at Veterans Memorial Arena:

Brooke, Angela, & Me.  No, I didn't wear a choker to celebrate my youth.  That is my hair.

She's down there in that tree, promise.

You may think I am joking, but we didn't lament for long about buying the cheapest seats we could find.  These were seriously the best seats in the house.   (If you didn't hope to get a hug from Taylor herself.)  Barstools, table space, foot rests, a drink kiosk right behind us, a bathroom a few steps away, and plenty of room to dance.  

But that's just the Taylor Swift concert.  Aaron and I have enjoyed making Jacksonville our home.  Here are some of the things we've been up to:

Dabbling in a little NFL culture & cheering for the Jags.   

Holding our niece as often as possible.

Heading to Tallahassee for FSU Football.  This is me with my co-worker, friend, and favorite NC State alum, Taylor.

Heading to NAS JAX to watch the Blue Angels perform @ the Jacksonville Airshow.  My parents joined us for that weekend, but I'm fairly certain that after taking 5 million pictures for our Christmas card, people did not make it into photos for the rest of the day.

The agenda for the next few weeks is crazy busy, too.  We're taking this weekend to relax and cheer on the Noles vs. Miami.  Can't wait to hang with my sisters, they boos, and Lauren for FSU Homecoming next week.  Nor can I wait to see my Texas love, ALW!  After that, it's time for Thanksgiving in the Keys with the Gehrons and the Kneppers.  So excited and thankful for the times ahead.

And since I haven't given you a good weather report in a while, you should know that it is quite freezing outside here in Jax.  And by freezing I mean 45.  High of 69.  Ahhh, Florida.

I'm gonna go wake up my husband, now.  It seems the effects of Daylight Savings and a weekday body clock have not impacted him as much as they have impacted me.  Have a great weekend, friends and family!  Over & Out.