Mommas and The Olympics

Sunday, May 8 was Mother's Day.  We spent the day at my mother in law's house and had a wonderful time.  I just so happen to have a fun loving, free spirited, welcoming, supportive mother in law.  I am very thankful for her, and she always makes me feel right at home.  We met at her salon, which is newly remodeled thanks to her and Caleb's Poppa.  Then we headed over to her house for a cookout and some time at the pool.  I tried turkey hot dogs and loved them - will definitely be buying those at the store from now on. (don't tell Caleb) I met some new folks and made some new friends. 

I didn't take any pictures on Mother's Day - but here is a favorite from our rehearsal dinner! 

I wasn't able to be with my own mama - living halfway across the world and all - but she definitely needs a shout out on a Mother's Day blog.  My mom just happens to be the prettiest, most southern woman out there.  She makes everything more fun, and always looks on the positive side of things.  She definitely taught me the importance of family, girl friends, and talking.  She will stop anything she is doing to talk to me or my sisters - and boy can she talk!  

Thursday night, Caleb and I headed to Atlanta for a Couples Weekend in celebration of Mary Sims and Thomas' upcoming nuptials.  Thursday night was my first time to ride the Atlanta Sky Line around the airport. It is really pretty at night.  It was also my first time to stay at Leah and Edwin's house.  I love seeing how happy my old roomie is married to Edwin.  They are the cutest! 

Friday we headed to Clarkesville to get ready for the festivities.  Caleb and I made a bunch of new recipes and enjoyed an afternoon with my parents.  We were excited as our friends started to arrive. 

Friday night we played "The Newlywed Game" with Mary Sims and Thomas.  They did a wonderful job matching answers to all kinds of questions.  And they sure looked cute in their wedding gear! 

Saturday we had a Couples Olympics.  It was incredible!  Couples competed various tasks (three legged race, chubby bunny, egg and spoon race, water balloon toss) and the scores were kept.  I had so much fun and thought it was hilarious.  Everyone did a great job, but the winners are as follows: 

 Gold Medal - David & Lilla Todd

 Silver Medal - Joe & Hillary Wilson 

Bronze Medal - Will Costigan and Emily Waldon 

The King and Queen of the Couples Weekend Olympics

Future Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Costigan

Another fun happening...We floated the Chattahoochee TWICE!  

It was beautiful weather, the water was a little chilly at first, but we got used to it.  

Mary Sims and Thomas will be married in about a month, and I think this was a great way to celebrate.  

Personally, I had a wonderful time and I loved getting to be with some of my most favorite friends! 

Magic Race Time

 Yes!  Finally!  We met the Looneys at Magic Time Machine.  I have been wanting to eat there ever since Caleb told me the waiters wear costumes.  It is true - they do!  Our waitress was Ismarelda - a gypsy.  She was hilarious but the whole thing is slightly awkward.  Por exampla: Ismarelda asks "What would you like to drink?"  Jonathan replies, "water". She responds, "Fresh or salt?"  She was like that about everything!  On our trip to the salad bar she walked us around the restaurant like a wild goose chase - it took me a while to realize what was happening!

Lauren and I decided to spring for the "potion".  You can't tell it this picture but it was fizzing and bubbling - very exciting!  It also turned our mouths blue.  The decor is wacky and so is the wait staff - its a fun little adventure if you have never been.

 Go RANGERS!  Caleb and I cheered on the Rangers first time this season, in our new Rangers gear!  

 A big thank you to my pretty sister friends Lindsey and Courtney for getting us the tickets (even though they are Yankees fans).  I guess technically I could count this as my first Yankees game, but I wouldn't want to flatter them - so I will count it as my first Rangers game of the season.

 A few more friends - some cheering the home team and some not so much.

Caleb and some of his fellas at Reinfeld's Corner after the game.  New place, GREAT patio.

We were definitely sporting our Rangers tees out.   

URBAN ADVENTURE RACE

If I had to rank this day on a scale of 1 to 10 (which I love to rank things), 10 being the highest - the Urban Adventure Race receives a 10!  We had THE BEST time.  If it comes to your town - sign up!  You get these awesome t-shirts and a list of clues.  The clues are multi - layered - you have to solve something in order to know where you are supposed to go.  Then, you have to find the location.  There are 12 clues listed in a jumbled up order - you have to figure out the best order to complete all of them.  Here is an example: 

"He played fullback for the Dallas Cowboy's from 1966-1974, and wrote a biography Once a Cowboy.  Get your picture in front of his restaurant."  So you have to figure out the cowboy - Walt Garrison, and then his restaurant - Avanti - which has 2 locations might I add, so you have to figure out which one makes more sense to travel to.  Then you race there and take a picture.  

 People dress in costume - we did not, but it was fun for other people to.  The winners were the 70's super heros - roller girl and captain mustache.  I didn't yell for them, I thought the roller skates were kind of like cheating - I mean, it is a foot race and all.

So the deal is you have to take pictures at various locations and sometimes do challenges.  You may travel by foot or public transportation - this provided lots of new things - first time on the DART, the city bus, running lost through Dallas. haha  When it was over, we couldn't wait to do it again.  Fort Worth has a race in December - you can bet we will be there!  

Our First Easter

April 24 - 30

Caleb and I celebrated our first married Easter in Atlanta.

We went to church with my parents,

and sister Angie and her family.  It was a special service and it was a treat to be with family.

After a delicious Easter dinner, we were on our way to Dallas.  My dad always gets me to the airport early...like take the earlier flight early.  So, that's just what we did.  We caught the earlier flight which made it possible for us to see Caleb's dad, brother, and the rest of the family.  It was a sweet surprise.  I love being with family on holidays!

Caleb got his Easter basket a little early (I didn't think I was going to be spending Easter with him because of the book signing - but that darling surprised me!)

Tuesday night was our first girl craft night.  I have been blessed to be placed in a Foundation Group with such encouraging, fun loving, and uplifting women.

I am super excited about our first project.  Inspired by a "Box of Promises" my prayer leader gave me in college - we are all making out own verse boxes.

It is neat to see how each box suits our personalities - the perfect combination.

We are starting with contentment.   Each of us is memorizing a verse on contentment and sharing it with the group.  We are going to share verses and copy them to save in our box.  I know it will be an encouragement when needed and we will grow in our relationship with the Lord and each other.

Saturday, Caleb and I wanted to try a new brunch place.  We went to Garden Cafe.  It is a cute, unique breakfast spot.  They grow the vegetables in the garden right where you eat.

It was a fun laid back atmosphere, but it is no fast food.  There is a wait, and nobody who eats there seems to mind...except the hungry McGuires.  We had a great time and the food was absolutely delicious, but we went a little hungry for the upcoming wait.

Saturday night was Robyn's 33rd birthday celebration.

We met up at Gloria's - I love that place. 

Then we headed to Knox Street Pub and danced the night away.  It was such a fun night and it was great to be able to celebrate with such a sweet friend.

(the Robyn birthday photos were taken on Caleb's iphone - not quite the quality the iphone promises - but still great memories none the less)

All Smiles with Atlanta Smiles

(Week of April 17 - 23)

This was my first time to fly two weekends in a row - Thursday night I headed out to Hotlanta for the big book release!  It is hard to believe that the book Angie and I wrote is finally going to be in stores!  Friday was a busy day getting ready for the book release - lots of errands, book deliveries, preparations...

 Atlanta Smiles is a children's tour guide of the capital city of Georgia.  The story is about a little boy named James (after our late grandfather) who has a deep love for his hometown.  He befriends a neighbor's granddaughter who is visiting named Addie (after our sister).  Together they journey to all of the exciting and remarkable places in Atlanta.  Readers are taken along on the journey with James and Addie and are then able to complete a checklist and become an Atlanta Adventurer.  Check out www.bareader.com

We started off our book release day at Carta Bella for the Spring Fling.  Carta Bella purchased some books and we signed them for the shelves!  We met some nice people and it really started to pick up at the end of our visit there.

Then, we were off to the Centennial Olympic Park for the Fourth Saturdays Celebration.  We had a wonderful turn out and were able to sell lots of books!  Yippee!  Our tent was complete with activities for kids, story time, pencils, stickers, etc.

The dream team: Kathryn, the illustrator, Caroline, the published, Angie, and me

My sweet sweet husband surprised me and showed up! 

He walked right up to the tent to buy a book, I had no idea he was going to be able to come! 

Proud Parents

This week included so many new and exciting firsts:
- First time to see this masterpiece that I had only seen digitally. It looks even better in print!
- First time to see my name on a book (other than a homemade book with a laminated cover from school) - total craziness!  
- First time to ever be asked for my autograph

 Another special treat was that I got to see Courtney - a favorite college friend.

I loved meeting her little one, Walker. 

Walker is just precious and he was all smiles! 

We have a facebook page - Atlanta Smiles Book - please like our page.
Angie's friend Kara writes a blog, Kara's Great Getaways, all about trips and she included our book.  This is exactly what we would love for families to do with our book!
http://www.karasgetaways.com/2011/04/atlanta-smiles.html

If you would like your own copy, you can order at our website www.bareader.com
or you can email me mfholcomb@gmail.com and I will get you one in a jiffy!

She is cuter than pictures!

(Week of April 10 - 16)

Finally...the weekend came for me to meet my darling new niece, Virginia Hays Johnson!  What a fantastic new event.  I flew to Charlotte on Thursday night to meet the newest family member.  She was wide awake and I just fell in love with her!

Virginia is such a little lady.  She very daintily keeps her hands crossed, and moves her body just a little, very gracefully.  If she is hungry, she quietly give a little whimper and if she has a dirty diaper she lets you know...other than that, she just sits happily and observes everything going on around her.   

One special new thing to our family was a PINK baby doggie!  Our grandmom, Virginia Derrick, gave my oldest nephew a blue baby doggie when he was born.  This baby doggie was so well loved, and our grandmom was so very loved by us, that we have kept this tradition for each new baby.  However, Virginia was the FIRST to recieve a PINK baby doggie.  She loved it and Wellsman did too.

Another new temporary family member - My dad came across a turtle...and he decided that the best place to take the turtle was to Addie's.  Wellsman had a "pet" for just a couple of days. 

Thank goodness the whole Johnson clan agreed that Mr. Turtle Terrific belonged at Freedom Park (FYI - the same park where Brad met Emily and her daughter Ricky)

It was my first time to slide down the Monkey Joe's slide - and I had the pleasure of sliding down about a billion times...

I took a brief trip down to Blythewood to celebrate my darling Mary Sims' upcoming nuptials.  Lucky me, this party was a skeet shoot - NEW THING!

It was my first time to see Mary Sims' beautiful NEW bling - and my FIRST time to celebrate with her live.  Definitely a NEW thing that was well overdue!  I loved seeing all my favorite friends!

A couple cutie moments I can't forget to share with yall:
Wellsman loves his new family member too! - "Aunt MareMare - take a picture of me and Ginia". 
"I go to Texas with Aunt MareMare" (aw...so precious!  He wanted to come with me when I was packing up...brought tears to my eyes)