Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.

G.B. Stern

Sunday gratitude:

• my wonderful mother!

Heaven give you many, many merry days.
William Shakespeare

I'm heading out of town this evening to meet my momma in Williamsburg, Virginia for the wedding of her oldest friend's daughter, Brittany. It will be a nice time to celebrate with them but also have a little vacation getaway in an interesting area.

The weekend bride-to-be, Brittany, with her mom, my momma and me at my wedding rehearsal dinner. They have been friends since they were in elementary school!

And talk about daughters looking like their mothers...

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another,
"What! You too? I thought I was the only one."
CS Lewis

On Friday, Ashley and CJ arrived for their St. Louis visit. Ashley has been here numerous times but this was a first visit for CJ so it was fun to show him all the great St. Louis stuff. They are so much fun and such great houseguests - so easy to have fun with and the appreciate new experiences too!

Heading to see Avenue Q at the Fox Theatre.

Soulard Farmers Market

Ted Drewes (CJ was really excited about it!).

Out to dinner with my"St. Louis friend" Melissa and her husband.

Busch Stadium to see the Cardinals play.

View from our great seats.

Go Cards!

Life is partly what we make it, and partly what
is made by the friends whom we choose.
Tehyi Hsieh

I'm so thrilled because this weekend my dear Ashley and her husband, CJ, are coming to visit us here in St. Louis. This will be Ashley's fourth trip but it is CJ's first. We have lots of fun things planned including seeing Avenue Q at The Fox Theater, a trip to the Soulard Farmers Market, a tour of Anheuser-Busch and the cherry on top is the Cardinals game on Sunday.

They're excited for St. Louis (see, I told you they were fun)!

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and

over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein

Over the past few weeks I've definitely had those "I hate my hair" moments. But really, we all know that no one likes their hair. It's a fact, girls with curly hair want straight hair and girls with short hair want long hair. No one is ever happy!

I understand that but was really looking for something different to do with my hair. Good Lord, just any thing different! It really was a true issue of the Einstein saying above, henexpecting something different when still doing to the same thing over and over.

So I was due for my 2 month highlight and cut and told her, "Seriously, I hate it. Do what you think would be best." My darling hair stylist got a big smile and said, "Really? Fabulous!"

I went from this:

To this:

I love it! I can still do it curly but it also keeps shape straight. Now that I have a bit of a "swoop" I may go even shorter in the bangs area next time. Shows you to certainly trust the experts!

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if
green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.
Doug Larson

Seriously, one of my very favorite things about St. Louis (except for the Cardinals, of course) is the Soulard Farmers Market.

One could say that, perhaps, my love of the Soulard Farmers Market equals that of Publix.

The market is located in the area of Soulard which is just south of downtown and also home to Anheuser-Busch. The neighborhood was established in the late 1700s by a Frenchman Antoine Soulard who as fleeing the French Revolution.

The Soulard Farmers Market was founded in 1838 and is full of vendors offering produce, farm raised meat, plants, homemade soups, food vendors and even counterfeit sunglasses (adds to the charm!). The best part is that it is so cheap.

One of the produce stands

Freshly made croissant with warm ham and cheese from the Soulard Bakery stand

Preppy: a student of a prep school. [from mid 20th c.]; relating to things (such as clothing) that are typical of students at prep schools.

While in Sarasota I love looking through the bookshelves and closets to scavenge some of my mom's old goodies. It's like HomeGoods for free - a great vase, napkins or old books. I never know what fun thing I may find!

With a small suitcase, I didn't take home much but I couldn't pass up finally grabbing her copy of The Official Preppy Handbook. So worn, I had to tape the binding together, but I just love this book. Too funny!

I'll be sure to buy the scheduled sequel!

Such a classic.

Falling apart!

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.
G.B. Stern

Sunday gratitude:

• reminders through my work in Junior League how very, very fortunate I am.
  
• free (really good) Cardinals tickets.
• waffles with bacon IN them. Oh yes, it is true. And delicious thanks to Casey!
• maybe, maybe, maybe getting a dog.
• Ashley and CJ will be here next weekend!
  

I love people who can make me laugh.
I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh.
It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person.

Audrey Hepburn

Today I'm participating in Kelly's Korner with "Show Us Your Life." This week's topic is our love story.

We had a romantic start.

We met at a bar.

Swoon.

But really, my dear friend Ashley picked him up at said bar for me. She was in a serious relationship, to the man to whom she is now married, and helped her single friend out. With a big group of nice looking guys standing around, she promptly went around and introduced herself to each one.

"Nice to meet you. Where are you from? Where do you work?"

Soon, I heard her call, "Oh, Randall..." and motion me over.

"Randall, this is Nick," she introduced.

"Nick, this is Randall."

Ashley paused, "Excuse me, I have to use the ladies room."

As she walked away, Nick turned to me and said, "So, is she seeing anyone?"

I replied, "Yes, seriously actually."

Nick said, "Oh, are you?"

"Nope," I said.

"Alrighty," he replied.

So an Iowa corn-fed boy fell in love with a Florida girl.


Let's just say, she did well.


Three years later Nick got down on one knee in front of friends young and old at my 25th birthday party to ask me to be his wife.


We were married on November 8, 2008.


Can't wait to laugh with this man for the rest of my life.

A Sunday well-spent brings a week of content.
Proverb

We had one of those rare weekends a while back where Nick was actually out of work on a Sunday before 1 p.m. We took advantage of the beautiful spring weather and all the free amenities St. Louis has to offer.

After sitting in traffic in Forest Park for what seemed like forever, we finally got a parking spot and headed on foot to the Saint Louis Zoo and up Art Hill to the Saint Louis Art Museum.

Beautiful trees in bloom near the zoo.

Funny Guy Fieri hair attached to a zoo visor.

One of my favorite exhibits at the zoo, the penguins!

On top of Art Hill.

In front of the museum (we appreciated the shade!)

I love her (in the Impressionist gallery)!