And the holiday season begins...

I love Halloween because it's the holiday that kicks off the entire holiday season. Once it arrives, Thanksgiving & Christmas are never far behind.

This year for Halloween, little Missy was a monster.

And little Tini was a pumpkin!

Will & I started having a pumpkin carving contest back in 2004. Each year it has gotten bigger and bigger. The first year it started out just the two of us. Then we challenged Erin & Daniel in 2005. The following year we had more people over to Kathy's house & even had a pizza man deliver a pizza to judge the pumpkins. The past two years we have been doing it at Erin's house. There are now prizes & lots of fun Halloween snacks. We still have a pizza man judge but this year dressing up was added. Above are the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place winners. Will, Mary Susan, & I came in 3rd with our Frankenstein pumpkin.

Trying to get the girls to cooperate for a family picture. They had just spotted an orange kitty and were ready to go get it!

Still watching that darn cat...just wasn't our night!

Still goin' strong!

9 years ago today, sweet, shy little Will asked me to be his girlfriend over AOL Instant Messenger...haha. Never knew it would grow into something so special! Love you Will!!!

And they lived happily ever after...

The past month or so has been pretty busy with showers, parties, & events leading up to one my college roommates' wedding!!! Alli & Casey tied the knot this past weekend in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. This was seriously the most beautiful, fun, romantic wedding I have ever been to. The colors, the decorations, the setting, the food, the company, the feelings & emotions - EVERYTHING was just so perfect! Her photographer was INCREDIBLE, also! I have never seen a wedding captured more beautifully. Check out her blog to see more pictures from their special day:

http://blog.amandasuanne.com/2009/10/alli-and-casey-married.html

Be sure to look at the slide show at the end of Alli & Casey's pictures on her blog, too. Casey is singing the song that is being played. He wrote it & recorded it for their first dance at the reception.

Mr. & Mrs. Casey Ryals!

The wedding & reception was at a house in Santa Rosa that Alli & Casey rented for the week. We drove down on Wednesday and stayed until Sunday. We had the best time laying out, hanging out, & going out! Such a fun way to spend the week leading up to your wedding with your closest family & friends!

We were all huddled together trying to stay warm. It was a little colder than expected!

My handsome groom drove down Friday night all by himself. So glad he was able to make it!

"I'm going back to Charleston, back where I belong..."

Alli's wedding is just one week away!!! I can't even believe it. For her bachelorette party we took a girls trip to Charleston, South Carolina. Just like Savannah, it is such a cute little historical town. I had so much fun spending the weekend with some of my closest friends from North Georgia. We ate out at some really cool restaurants, layed out at the beach, did a little sight seeing, & went out on the town at night. Can't wait to take Will back...

Headin' to the beach!

Molly, Mary Susan, Alli, Joy, & me on the pier. We just came from the beach & were cooling off with Italian ice...so good!

View from the pier...

Cobblestone streets of Charleston...love it!

Going out with the Bachelorette!

When it rains, it pours!

Remember that car I just bought? Yeah, it's in the shop...already!

On Sunday, all of a sudden, the AC wouldn't blow cold air. I took it into the shop to see what was going on & one of the sensors isn't working. The part to replace it costs about $20, but for all the labor it will cost a grand total of $440!!! What next?

Well, I caught Swine Flu!

I have been sitting at home all day with a fever, cough, sore throat, & body aches. What does this mean? Swine Flu!

So I spent the entire weekend with Mary Susan. On Saturday at Alli's shower, she was complaining about not feeling well, but she didn't want to give up the opportunity to go to the Journey concert that night. She took some medicine & decided to go on anyway. Well, while we were sitting on the lawn at the concert in the pouring rain, she got a text message saying that one of her little Kindergarden students had the Swine Flu. (This was the same student, who on Friday, had an accident during nap time. Mary not only slipped & fell in the puddle left on the floor, but also had to change him - major exposure!) Awesome!

Today, she ended up going to the doctor & they told her it was the flu! Since it is $300 to test to see if it is specifically the H1N1 virus (Swine Flu), doctors offices are assuming that everyone with these symptoms has the Swine Flu (since it is the main strand going around). So great - I have all the same symptoms she has & I'm trying to keep my fever under control. (Also, trying to keep Will away from me so he won't get sick!)

Swine Flu exposure #1

(sitting with Mary at the football game)

This weekend was full of friends, fun, football, & Swine Flu exposure! Friday night Will & I went to the GHS vs. NHHS football game. This was the 2nd football game we had been back to since we graduated. It was great to see some old friends & be back at the ol' Alma Mater.

Swine Flu exposure #2

On Saturday, Mary Susan, Joy, & I threw Alli a pottery shower at The Willows Pottery in Helen. This is the coolest place & such a cute idea for a bridal shower. Each guest painted either a dinner plate, salad plate, or a bowl in the design that Alli picked out. This is the platter that the hostesses gave to the bride - so cute!!!

Swine Flu exposure #3

(haha...yeah we're feeling good right there! Just wait!)

Saturday was also the night of the Journey concert!!! Will & I went to the concert with Erin, Daniel, & Erin's best friend, Danielle. Danielle had an extra ticket that she couldn't get rid of so Mary Susan claimed it. The concert was at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Alpharetta - such a cool atmosphere (minus the monsoon). I was definitely out of my element sitting in the grass in a torrential downpour (I'm a little too high maintenance for that), but the concert & the company was well worth it.