Fall has arrived in full color!

Last Saturday was our first one back in MS after our month long vacation. Things were so crazy at work this week for Bryan and our evenings consisted of club try-outs (that's right we are back coaching volleyball tell you more later). Bryan really wanted to take a drive and enjoy all the beautiful fall colors surrounding us. Our first thought was to drive the Natchez Trace Park Trail. After looking closer we realized it was too far for a day trip.

I remembered reading about a day trip our friends the Collins had taken. We called them and they just happened to be making a trip to the same area that day. We kind of invited ourselves along for their trip.

Our frist stop was to Holly Springs MS, it is about a half and hour South of where we live. We went to a hamburger joint called Phillips Grocery for lunch. I kind of forgot to fill Bryan in on where we were. He thought we were just looking at some old buildings by a run down railroad yard. Surprise we are eating at this place. We were informed the building was built in the 1800's and function as a saloon.


After lunch we went and took pictures and investigated the old abandoned box cars. I have to tell you I have officially fulfilled my "Boxcar Children" dream. I have always wanted to play inside an old boxcar.


After playing for a while we headed to Wall Doxey State Park to take some pictures. All the fall colors were amazing. We would like to go camping here some time in the future.


Our last destination was to Oxford, MS. It is the hometown of Ole Miss. Our friends showed us around downtown and we drove around campus before making our trip back home. It was a wonderful day. Thanks for letting us Tag along.

Body Worlds Exhibit

Bryan and I had the opportunity to go to the Leonardo Body Worlds Exhibit in Salt Lake. We have been wanting to go since hearing about it from Rayann and Justin. We lucked out it happened to be in Salt Lake when we were visiting. It was kind of a last minute decision to go (thanks Chris and Nikki for going). It is a little expensive, but so worth it. The exhibits were amazing,whole-body plastinates, organs and translucent body slices were available to view. It is amazing to see how intricate the human body is.

Volleyball, Volleyball, and more Volleyball

So if you don't already know Bryan and I love volleyball. We have missed it so much. I think we played more volleyball this trip than we have played in the last year and a half since we moved. We started out the trip with a coed sixes tournament. Bryan played in the A division while I played in the B division. Bryan's team ended up taking first without losing a set. I can be given the thanks for putting together such an awesome team. j/k I was sad not to be able to play with them. My team ended up taking third in the B division. I think we ran out of gas or at least I did. I hurt so bad after the tournament. It was not quite as bad as three a days, but close.

The following Tuesday Bryan was able to play with my sister's husband in a Coed A league tournament and they came from the losers bracket to win the league. For the record it was legal because he played in the league the last time we were in town.

The following couple of days we were able to go and play volleyball at some churches. Bryan's friend Katy from High School invited us to go and play at her church. It wasn't the greatest volleyball, but everyone was so nice and I actually knew a couple of the girls at the church. Nessa invited us to go and play at her church the next night for some stronger volleyball. Again everyone was so nice and I saw so many girls I played with at Hunter High. I feel so old, many of my friends have three or four kids. Crazy to think I am old enough to have that many kids.

Bryan played our last weekend in a triples tournament and ended up taking second. He said he had a lot of fun and was so sore after playing. I think he forgot how much harder you have to work in triples.

Thanks to everyone for inviting us to play or playing with us and to our family for understanding our need to play this trip. It will be my last until after the baby.

Babysitting

While Bryan and I were in Utah we got the opportunity to babysit our nieces and nephew. Bryan and I were a little nervous at first because our last babysitting job didn't go so well. The first day we were in town we went and stayed with my sister to help with Taija while Justin was in FL for an interview. Everything went so nice. Taija is such a good little girl. We watched a few times throughout our stay and the only thing she did that upset me was when she spit up her bottle all over me. It made me gag. I guess I better learn to get over it. It was so hard to leave knowing that she will have grown so much by the time we return next

Our next babysitting job was with our niece Kylie and our nephew Jackson. I was a little nervous because it takes a while for them to warm up to us. Things actually went well. They are so much, we get to play pretend with them. The things they come with are so crazy. We had a puppy spider, read books, played with dolls, and colored. I think this was the best visit with them because we actually got to spend more than a week. Miss you guys.

Paul and Jan's Wedding

Bryan's little sister was married on October 21, 2008 to Paul Matheson. The wedding was beautiful and everything turned out so nice. We are excited to have Paul as an addition to the family. He is such a great guy and has a wonderful family. We know Paul and Jan will be happy. We have already been able to see the influence Paul is in Jan's life. There wedding is one that would be hard to top. Paul is a helicopter pilot and he had a helicopter land at the reception center and fly them to Little America. They are such a cute couple. Thanks for letting us be a part of your special day.