Coffee Date Friday: Back to Georgia Edition

Greetings from....GEORGIA! Yep! Surprise!!! My hub and I planned months ago to head to Georgia this week in particular for a very special, very specific reason (see below); so, were we to enjoy coffee together this morning, it'd have to be a long-distance coffee date since we are a travelin' family this week. 

First, I would want to know, how are YOU? What's new? What's old? What's shakin'? What's bakin'? I would love to hear all about YOU and your life, before delving into my own. I would then share the following...

...that on Tuesday, we loaded up the car for a SIX day trip and drove the 5+ hours to Georgia...

...but all for a very good reason. To surprise my sister to be there for the birth of her baby!!!! 

The kids were awesome for the drive and the pay-off was well-worth it. Seeing my sister's face when I walked into that room was priceless. I got to spend a little time with her and her hub before the baby was born and my kiddos and hub joined in the waiting-for-baby fun, too. 

Then, late Wednesday night, my sister and her hub (who just so happens to be my hub's lifelong BFF) welcomed a perfect and beautiful baby BOY!!!! I am so proud to introduce my new nephew, Everette. He is perfection and God's greatest gift:

...that my hub is in his cousin's wedding this weekend (congratulations, Will and Lorraine!). So. After getting our fill of new baby snuggles in Carrollton, we headed to Loganville, Georgia, yesterday, where we're staying with my brother "in law" and family this weekend since they are just 45 minutes from the wedding festivities in Athens, Georgia. Whew! Between their three kids and ours, we'll be having two sitters come to babysit all six little hooligans while us grown-ups celebrate the nuptials tomorrow afternoon/evening. It should be a BLAST!!!

...that my dear friend, Sarah, has opened a new etsy shop with the most divine, hand-poured candles you ever did smell. The candles are made with all natural soy wax, have no added dyes, and use metal-free wicks. I'll be receiving my first order on Monday (Pumpkin Souffle-scented. Yum!!!) and can't wait to buy more to holiday-scent-up my home. 

...that we had so much fun last weekend doing absolutely NOTHING. Seriously. On Saturday, all five of us stayed in our pajamas all day, and my hub only left the house for a few minutes to pick up our take-out sushi dinner. It was rainy and cold and PERFECT for lounging, drinking wine, and watching football. And besides a little church, golf (for him), and hip hop (for me) on Sunday, it was much of the same to close out the weekend. We loved every lazy, family-filled second. Friday night, though, was a different beast. We met up with friends both pre- and post-trick-or-treating, and while my s'mores bar ended up getting rained out at the last minute, it still looked festive (and I was able to sneak in a few fireside s'mores before the monsoon began):

 Ready to rock Halloween 2014

 S'mores bar, complete with regular, chocolate/vanilla swirl, and toasted coconut marshmallows (the latter, BTW, tasted exactly like a Girl Scout Samoa cookie. Go get some NOW. You're welcome.)

...that we are just one week shy from our deadline to raise money for families in need during this Thanksgiving season, and we met our goal!!! So. Thank you so very much to those who helped us with this amazing achievement. We are blessed to know you!! <3 


And with that, I would wish you the happiest of weekends. See you again soon!