Midwestward Ho!

As I mentioned in yesterdays post, I just got back from my trip to southwest Missouri, where my dad grew up.  My grandfather and several (and that is an understatement) family members still live.

The highlight of the trip was our 48th Annual Cuendet family reunion which celebrates the lineage of my great-great grandfather.  Our family is of Swiss decent and has a strong sense of heritage.  We're passionate, fussy and traditional people. 

I also got to spend a good amount of time with my extended family that is spread across Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma. 

I would much rather you see, than read my rambings.

We watched a lot of Cardinals games...

We spent time catching up with old family....

...and meeting new family.

We did a lot of "back building" sittin'...

Flagging down the ice cream truck for Firecracker pops...

Were inspired by the World Cup....

...and did a lot of World Cup supportin'.

We were all amazed at Papa's tomato plants.

Took a lot of pictures...

Visited childhood favorites....

...and stood in the same creeks we played in as kids.

But most of all, we enjoyed the lazy days of summer.

Salt air it ain't thin, it'll stick right to your skin. It'll make you feel fine, make you feel fine...

Don't you just love a good Jimmy Buffett song? Tin Cup Chalice has to be my absolute favorite. I grew up on that stuff. Anyway...

Chase and I ventured down to the Gulf Coast this weekend to spend some quality time with his family. I have to admit, I really love living a quick car ride after work down to the beach! We didn't do much special, just spent quality family time together. I am very thankful for the wonderful family I married into. I have always felt right at home with them...and that's a good, warm feeling to have!

Chase and me

Chase

My sister in law Taylor and me


L-R: Madison, Valerie, Hunter, Barbie, Eddie, Taylor, Chase, Alice

Meet Me in St. Lou-eeeey, Lou-eeeey...

Meet me at the fair! Don't tell me the lights are shining any place but there!!


Ah, this past Thursday, Friday and Saturday Chase and I went for our much anticipated trip to St. Louis. This city is one of my favorite places on Earth! Why? I'm a HUGE Cardinals fan. Our family made a trek to this town on the mighty Mississippi every summer for a quick vacation, sight see and eat peanuts at Busch Stadium. It's also the town where my parents, as well as Chase and I got engaged! I guess you could say it holds great sentimental value.

We left Birmingham on Thursday morning and a short 59 minute flight later, we were there! Chase had a few work meetings on Thursday and Friday, but that keep me boarded up in our hotel. We stayed in St. Louis' Union Station Marriott. Union Station in it's heyday in the 40's was one of the busiest train stations in the United States. The architecture is unreal...very Romanesque. You know me... if it has flair, good bones and architecture, it's good enough for me.


Thursday night we met up with my sorority sister, Paige and her husband Christopher, who are city dwellers. We had an amazing dinner at this great neighborhood Irish pub called McGurk's. I would highly recommend if you are traveling to St. Louis soon. Very local....and we love local!

Friday, after a nice brunch with Paige and Chase's meetings, we ventured to the the St. Louis Zoo. A free zoo! How nice is that?! Because we have both been to STL several times, we ventured beyond past visited landmarks such as the Anheuser Busch Brewery, the Gateway Arch and Grants Farm. Friday evening, we met up with several of Chase's business contacts at Mike Shannon's for dinner and drinks and then on to a Cardinals game!! I must say that this trip was paramount because it was my first time to ever see the Cards win a home game....and that's about 16 years worth of ballgames!!
The trip went by without any flaws...well except one true emergency. After Chase and I celebrated the Cards win over more drinks, we returned to our hotel about 1:00 AM to nestle into those comfy Marriott beds. Little did we know that at 5:00 that morning would the hotel fire alarm sound. I was slightly alarmed, so I made Chase get up and take the proper exit routes with several other sleepy eyed guest. He was reluctant to get up, but after convincing him that we might possibly get stuck in our hotel room if there was a fire, I pried him out of bed. How you might ask? Only after brewing a cup of coffee to take with him while we waited. If we could hook him up to a coffee drip, we would. Turns out someone who probably had too much fun at the ballgame the night before pulled the alarm as a prank.

Since arriving home yesterday afternoon, we've literally been posted on the couch! It's a yucky Sunday afternoon, we've already been to early church, ate breakfast and now enjoying the paper while Dubya takes a nap between us. Could it have been a more perfect long weekend?

Rollin' on the Rivah

This weekend my best friends (and sorority sisters) in the entire world came down to see me!!! In my very first blog entry about a year ago, I explained my wonderful pals. They are the infamous Brownies. (Now how we came to the name ourselves the Brownies is a very long story, that which will find it's appropriate place in a future blog.) For further character explanation of the Brownie, please refer to Laura's blog entry.

Friday, after a long and stressful day, Dubya and I packed down my car and headed up 65 to Athens to my grandfather's rivah camp. It's a slice of Heaven on Earth. Don't believe me? See for yourself! We spent our entire weekend basking in the sun on my birthday present....an island raft! We ate wonderful food, drank tasty concoctions, talked, talked, talked, jumped off the dock, danced to Michael Jackson, visited to with my Poppy....I could yammer on, but I won't bore you anymore.

After spending long weekends with friends that I don't see near enough, it really makes me step back and thank God for all the blessings he has placed in my life. I have a husband who does more than any other husband I have heard of, a great job, and a wonderful family that doesn't get caught up in material things in life and focuses on the things that matter. Though I wouldn't rate my blessings in any order, my Brownies are one that I pulled out all the lucky cards on. Life is good.

{On a side note, my sister Sally got engaged this weekend!!!}

"The Beach is Back!"

So we got home from the beach on Monday. We had a ball with the whole Allen family, plus Valerie and Madison, and Taylor's boyfriend Tyler. For the first time ever, Chase and I got to be married and sleep in the same bed (which was TERRIBLY uncomfortable) when we were staying with his family. Geez, I feel so grown up finally!

Saturday was spent lounging on the beach. Val, Mad and I all built a very assymetrical, sustainable (ahem, kinda...in the "green" sense of things) and creative sandcastle. Tracy Pace would be so proud of me! The down time on the beach was spent people watching and indulging in my newest addiction book, "Wifey" by none other than my favorite author, Judy Blume. Yep, the "Fudge" book lady....she writes adult novels too.

Sunday, we (Chase, me, Hunter, Taylor, Tyler and Barbie) arose early to go deep sea fishing. We arrived at Orange Beach Marina by our captains Joseph and Andy (friends of friends) and Andy's girlfriend Sarah. Let's just say Sarah would not need floatation devices if the boat sank out in the middle of the sea. :) (I know, not nice!) I ended up catching about 7 or 8 fish....one of that being a shark! It was only 3' long, but still....A SHARK!

Monday, we stayed on the beach for an hour or two and then took Christmas card pictures and headed home. Not getting enough gumbo on the short trip, Chase and I ramsacked two pack and go places in search of gumbo. No gumbo at either place....some Yankee probably grabbed up the last batch on their way home. I guess I would feel better knowing a Yankee had the gumbo, because you can't get the real thing up there. Bless their heart....life must be tough talking weird and thinking that BBQ is burgers and hotdogs on the grill....none the less, not having gumbo. I can still manage to find the real thing here.

Tuesday rounded up for my 25th birthday. Holy friggin big mama cow! I'm a quarter of a century old. Where did time go? I got SEVERAL phone calls during the day and LB sent me adult mad libs and an Audrey Hepburn picture book. God bless her soul, she knows the way to my heart. I love that girl. Paige called and we talked....she got a new job! Yeay!!!

Okay, rambled enough, not feeling very talkative (imagine that) nor do I feel that I have enough funny stories to tell you about, so I'll leave it at this for now. I will shortly post beach pics.