May 2016

As a mom, I experience May being the busiest month of the year I think.  School activities are in full swing and wrapping up, we tend to do a little travel in May, and then there are all of these extra fun activities in May 2016 like an election! 

I took the boys to the primary results party.  It was a rather long night for a Tuesday but they had a great time.  Here they are refreshing the results website every few minutes to report to our table which voting centers had reported.  Kelly won the primary for the judge position!  Now it's on to November 8th!

Several members of Team Kelly at the results party.  What a great experience!

The next day happened to be the Chamber's Women in Leadership luncheon.  Several of us on Team Kelly got a table together.  It was such a fun event (especially after a fun election night!)

Brennan and I attended the kick-off to a new city event called Exhibit Columbus.  It's a two year program with all sorts of activities including a design competition, a symposium, and other events. 

Bailey got to go too!

I went to Indy for the Mini Marathon the same night David came home from Dubai.  Here I am at the Expo the night before the race.

And after finishing.  This was a weird one - there was an issue with a bike that went right in front of 4 of us and knocked us over.  Then it started raining and I had a bruise on my shoulder, my pants leg was ripped open from the knee down, but I finished!!

And I was so happy to see David and get to celebrate Mother's Day with our family together again.

Thomas drove us to Taxman Brewery for their Mother's Day brunch.  It's 45 minutes from our house, on a rainy day, on unfamiliar roads.  Great practice!  This is the stressed half of the car.

And here's the relaxed half!

Taxman Brewery

Brennan and I went to another event downtown where they kicked off a Lego design competition of some of our architecturally significant buildings.  There were lots of kids and lots of Legos.

Bob and Karen hosted our wine club at their home.  The weather didn't cooperate for an outdoor event, but I look forward to future parties at their home out in the country.  It's just stunning.

Brennan's big Service Learning Project ended and he presented (along with 100 of his closest 8th grade friends!) at The Commons.  He did a great job!

And his last middle school band concert!  Here we are, headed to the big show.

And after!

Some of my architecture friends and I took a road trip to Louisville to talk about Deborah Berke and have lunch at her stunning 21c hotel and art gallery. 

Tricia hosted the Litwits at her farm.  Bailey went and fancied himself a farm dog for the night.  He loved this gorgeous horse, and followed the kitty around.  His favorite animal (besides good friend Snickers the dog) were the goats.  He was running after the goats, jealous that they could climb.  What he liked best though was that Bianca fed him treats while we talked.

Last day of middle school!  Unbelievable! 

Here is Brennan on the first day of 7th grade and the last day of 8th grade.

I now have two high schoolers!

I led an architectural walking tour on possibly the busiest Saturday in our town.  There were all sorts of activities happening downtown, including the Farmer's Market kick-off for the season and the launch of our Bike Share program.  What a fun day.

After the tour I got a hand-made soda fountain Coke at Zaharako's, tacos at the Farmer's Market and met up with friends on the library plaza.  Great day!

David and I attended Lobsterfest again this year, raising funds for the Philharmonic.  The food is just delicious and we had a great group joining us this year.

Another day trip to Kentucky!  I went with an architecture group to Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort.  They recent attained National Historic Landmark status so we were learning more.  I was fortunate that my friend Jeanne could join me there for lunch.

The staff did a special tasting for our group.  I'm not much of a bourbon drinker.  They sent me a couple of photos of my face during the tasting. 

It's a gorgeous location, and we were there on an unbelievably perfect day.  Shout out to the best tour guide ever - Freddy!

And one more trip in May - this one to Mississippi and Alabama to see family and friends!

Niece Taylor and me after a wonderful brunch at The Veranda.

Taylor, Thomas, Jeffrey, Joe, Nancy, Brennan, Donna, Ellie, me, Carolyn, and David.  Just missing Nina who didn't realize we were about to take a photo :)

It was especially great to see Nina and Nancy and Joe (all the way from Virginia!)

The cousins and me

Thomas (almost 16), Taylor (14), Brennan (14), Ellie (11)

Lots and lots of family at Oby's!

We got to see ALL of our first cousins!!

Danielle (9), Natalie (12), Brennan (14), and Thomas (almost 16)

And then our last stop in Birmingham.  Laurie, Amy, and I haven't all been together since Amy's wedding in 1999!  And our husbands and kids have never all been together.  Even though we all see each other from time to time, it was sooooo great to get together in Birmingham over Memorial Day weekend.

Laurie and me

Amy and me

All together, first time since 1999!

We've had a lot of kids since then!

Ellie, David B., David C., Brennan, Thomas, and Kate

Peter, Laurie, Sam, Amy, me, David

Our last meal, at J. Alexander's.  The kids had a ball playing Celebrity.  We even were approached by a nice gentleman who overheard them and bragged on us parents.

Bye for now!  We won't wait 17 years to get together again!

(UGA Girls)