Bowling With Our LifeGroup !!

This past Tuesday night (well a week ago from today) we went bowling.. As many of you know our lifegroup "multiplied" into two groups. Most of our fun nights are spent all together, but we decided to have just our part of the group get together.

We met at McAlisters to eat and then headed over to Oak Mountain Lanes to bowl. Among the girls Maghan came in first, which means I didn't. I can't remember which, but I either came in first or second loser. But do not worry... I am not competitive or anything !!!!

Here is the girls who were able to come... Cortney and Lora- you were missed bunches !!!

Here is what happens when you leave your camera laying around !!! Nice shot Hal and Camron !! Hal.. are doing the Louisiana Point ???

Onto the Bowling !!

After bowling some of the guys went into the Arcade to play some games.. They won so many tickets that we got a whole piece of candy !!! (yes those are tickets in my husbands mouth)

Lee, Ben, Hal, and MichaelEveryone after we bowled !!! Even though I didn't win, it was a loads of fun !!! But I think that I will practice more before we go again.... Watch out Maghan.. I am coming to get you !!!

Not everyone in our group was able to make it.. Jeremy and Lora.. Cortney and Trey.. Drew... We missed ya'll bunches !!!!

New Orleans.. Proud to Swim Home !!!

WARNING...WARNING....WARNING...... This blog contains a ridiculous amount of pictures......
I have even narrowed it down and cut some out... But come on, does this even surprise you???
How funny is this bumper sticker ??? "New Orleans.. Proud to Swim Home ".. What a great way to start this blog !!!

Thursday July 10th we headed out towards New Orleans.. Oh the humidity, Oh the Smell.. Don't you just love New Orleans. Ok maybe those are not some of the highlights of the city, but we do LOVE N.O.. We went with our good friends Jason and Jessica Johnson. This is a trip we try to take each year and it was at this trip last year where the well known "Louisiana Point" was founded.. So I suppose that this is another warning.... even though I have tried to keep the number down there is still an abundance of Louisiana Point pictures in this blog.

On Friday we ventured out to Bourbon Street for awhile and then headed to the best burger place in the world, "Port of Call". Michael found this place years ago and we eat there ever time we are in N.O. Port of Call is a hole in the wall place with the best burger you will ever put in your mouth (dare I say even say better than they use to make them in Auburn at Cheeburger Cheeburger.

After we ate we walked around Bourbon Street even more, which of course meant walking in all the shops. And you know this was a great photo opportunity (and we didn't even get kicked out, I think the guy was laughing to hard at us).
Michael and I found the perfect "pimp outfits" for each of us (in case you are wondering about this.. yes there is such thing as the "perfect pimp outfit). Michael's was an "All Auburn All Orange" coat with Auburn Beads to match. I am embarrassed to admit that Michael actually asked how much this "thing" was. He thought it would be "just perfect" for an Auburn game. Thankfully is was like $100. Thank you little non-American man for pricing this WAY to much..

My Perfect Pimp Accessory was of course.... PINK !!!!!

Michael and I at one of the many Fat Tuesdays on Bourbon...

Michael and I in Jackson's Square

On to Margaritaville for dinner
Michael and Jason

Jessica and I

Michael and I

Michael found himself a perfect place while I shopped around !!

After we ate and shopped we decided to head back to our hotel. But on our way we found a matching band going down the road. And let me tell you..... This ain't your momma's matching band !!! They were jammin' !!! I will admit, I kindof got into it a little and jammed along !!!

We retired early on Friday night, but were up and going on Saturday. We took the trolley into the Garden District. Here we are on our way..

We passed some beautiful homes along the way. I took pictures of as many as I could. Each one was more beautiful than the one before. I love this one because of the white columns and huge porch on both floors. I hope Michael was taking notes, I sure was !!!
In the Garden District there was actually a sallon called "Cooter Brown's" (I didn't even ask, this was New Orleans). Of course this called for a Louisiana Point Picture.. I mean come on.. duh!!
After our trip into the Garden District, we went walking around the waterfront area more. Along the way we stopped to talk to some locals.. (this is my FAVORITE picture of the entire trip.. notice the Auburn Visor on the little boy and cell phone in the man's hand). What can we say, we find Auburn Fans everywhere !!!! War Eagle Guys !!!!

I loved all the little shops and found wonderful things. My favorite is a t-shirt that says.. "I want to be Barbie... That B***H has everything".. I love this shirt, because I agree (and her signature color is pink too) As true as it may be, it was completely inappropriate, just a little right !!! But it was still funny !!! My next favorite is this little sign.. oh so perfect for me to !!! (if you can't read it, it says, "PATIENCE.. I am extraordinarily patient, as long as I get my own way in the end".. Wow both perfect items for me !!!
Before heading back to the hotel to get ready for dinner we stopped to get a minty drink to cool us off. The heat was something down there !!!
Heading out to dinner on Saturday night

I have never been to Bourbon Street at night, so we decided to go out "just for awhile" after dinner.

We headed to Pat O'Brians to get one of their famous Hurricanes. While we were there we decided to "just for a minute" go into the Piano Bar area. They have 2 dueling pianos that play request, along with a few dollars of course, all night. I have said "just for a minute" about the whole going out thing, because that was the plan. But who knew we would wonder into a place that I could sing at the top of my lungs and know every song that was played.. My type of place !! We ended up staying there until around 12:30 (which is mighty late for this earlier nighter) !! But it was well worth, we had a blast !!
Here is a picture of the pianos !! We got them to play "Sweet Home Alabama".. Which of course lead to us yelling War Eagle.. And if you can believe it..... We heard just a few LSU shout outs..just a few...

Michael and I as we were waiting to get a table. You had to wait in line to get in and then once you got in you had to wait for a table.. the wait was not long at all and well worth it..

Throughout the night we turned the camera on ourselves and took some pictures.. I thought I would share a few...

With Michael holding the camera we were actually able to get all four of us in the picture..

Sunday we had to leave the fun and the smell of New Orleans. Unfortunately with all we ate t-shirts were not the only thing that came home with us, a few extra pounds came along to. As if we had not eaten enough, we stopped at this great catfish place about 30 minutes outside of New Orleans. YUM YUM....

What a great weekend.. I know what you are thinking...... I should have taken more pictures, I know right !!!!!!! What can I say, we love New Orleans.. We already can't wait to go back !!

***** My bloggin friends I know what you are thinking.. With all those pictures, why didn't she just put them in one of those slideshow things.. and there is a perfectly good reason that I did not do that.... Because I did not want to !!!!!

There is no place like home !!!

There's no place like home

There's no place like home

There's no place like home

There is definitely no place like home when home is Destin Florida.. Many of many favorite things are in Destin ... Of course the beach, but most importantly my family...

After our McCabe Family Beach Trip to Orange Beach we followed my parents and brother back to Destin to stay for 3 days.. We got there Thursday afternoon and left on Sunday. It was great to be able to stay that long, but even that was not long enough. Once we got to Destin I opened my Birthday presents from my family.. My parents got me so much.. I held up a few things in the picture to the left. As you can see I got my new purse and I also got a bag FULL of Auburn Stuff.. I am ready for Football Season... Everything was either PINK or ORANGE and BLUE !! LOVE IT !!

As Mac has gotten older he has been picking out my presents for him himself.. He has a great track record... While at in Auburn at football camp a few weeks ago he picked out a PINK Auburn shirt for me.. And to top it off he asked Tuberville to sign it for me.. If you can't see it my t-shirts says

"Happy Birthday Jessa.. War Eagle.. Tommy Tuberville.. 2008"

WAY TO GO MAC... I love it..

Michael says I can't wear it !!! But I love the shirt.. He says I can buy another one just like it, but I CAN NOT wear the one that is signed.... that is fine, I love to shop !!!

The 4th of July is always crazy in Destin.. So instead of venturing out with the rest of the world we spent it close to home.. Thankfully close to home was our great friends, The Willis'. They had a bunch of people over to grill out and have fun..

Here is Michael and I in the Willis' backyard.

Mother and I
The Willis' were some of the first friends we made when we moved to Destin in 1984. They have 4 boys and are like family.. I love them dearly and consider Mrs. Merri and Mr. Ronnie like second parents.

Here is Momma with Mrs. Merri

Saturday mother and I spent ALL day at the beach (my favorite place to be) !! We did a lot of talkin', readin', and sunnin'.. Just doesn't get much better than that.

To say the least, Michael doesn't quite love the beach as much as me. So he and daddy spent the day at the house catching up on Auburn Football. Which I think entitled the Auburn Message Board and all the football magazines.

The one thing Michael wanted to do while in Destin was go and watch the fight. He has become a big UFC fan (for you girls.. that is where 2 guys get in a ring and bet the crap out of each other... I know how can you not love this, right????). The fight was on paperview so we went to Johnny O' Quigley's. Which is this great SMOKE FREE sports bar in Destin.

Here is a few pictures of us taken in our backyard before we left.

I love this picture... Do you like the orange and blue theme (not even planned by the way)??? I am thinking this is a great football season outfit.. for the both of us..

As we were walking into Johnny O' Quigley's Michael had a guy pat him on the back and say "War D**n".. Michael said "War Eagle Man" turned around and then turned to me and said "That's Kevin Greene".. Which meant about nothing to me, but by the way he said it I knew it should.. So I just smiled and excitedly said "wow..... who's that??" He then explained that Kevin Greene was a walk on at Auburn but went on to play for the NFL and is the leading tackler for linebackers. Then said "get me a pen.. no no the camera".. He turned and asked Kevin for a photo. He was a very nice guy and said sure .. Right before I took the picture the conversation went:

Michael:"Hey Kevin, got 6?"

Kevin: "What..... Oh Hell yea I got 6"

Then I took the picture !!!!! My parents said that Kevin and his family now live in Destin and are very active in the Methodist Church... I know it made Michael's night... WAR EAGLE KEVIN !!!!

It was a great trip and went by WAY to quickly... We had a great time !!! I hated to leave, but knew it was on to New Orleans the next weekend. Up Next.. New Orleans Pictures !!!

Jackson Scott Hamilton

I introduce to you

JACKSON SCOTT HAMILTON

Born July 3rd 2008 at 8:46am

He weighed 7 lbs. 13 oz. and was 19 in. long
If you remember my best friend Rachael and her husband, Scott.... I blogged about their shower that we threw for them in April...

She went in on Thursday morning for her scheduled C-section. Everything went great and our boy is here !!!!

I know I am a little bias, but he is BEAUTIFUL !!! This picture does not do justice to how cute he is.. I know they have taken plenty more pictures, I just need to get them emailed to me.. Don't you worry.. once I have more they will be posted.

I can't tell you how many prayers I prayed for the health of this little boy and his momma. It was a huge relief to here everyone was doing great.

Congratulations to the proud new parents... I am so happy for you.. God has blessed your family with a precious baby!!
**** More pictures of Jackson to come ****

McCabe Annual Beach Trip

Welcome to "The McCabe Family Beach Trip". To the left you will see my WONDERFUL Grandparents.. I introduce to you Grandmother Pat Pat and Granddaddy Neil (aka The McCabe's)... This is my mother's parents... Well Grandmother Pat Pat is my mother's Step Mother, because my grandmother past away when I was young... But the word "step" just does not cut it for our family.. I like to say that some people are blessed enough to have TWO mothers... And so, blessed is my mother.. Which makes me blessed as well.. To be honest it makes us all blessed, because our family ROCKS !!! We are so very close, but like most things in my blog... I think I will blog about the wonderful make up of our family another time... Back to our beach trip.. Years ago my Aunt Donna Kay was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.. Through many prayers and many hard times she come through... To celebrate her being finished with treatment my Grandparents took us all to Orange Beach.. We all loved it so much and had so much fun that the trip became an annual one.. Which brings us back to July 2-3, 2008..

Did I mention that there are 12 of us cousins... I am the oldest and the youngest is 4!!!!

I know... WOW !!!

Here is just a snick look into the fun we had at Orange Beach !!!!!

I brought a bunch of water guns and blow up beach toys for the kids to play with.. Johnny piled it all on at once (I think Michael might have helped him a little)

Here is Mac (my brother) at the pool !! He spent most of the day looking at "The ladies" !!! What a pimp.. at least that is what he thinks !!!
Uncle Bill, Grandmother Pat Pat, Donna Kay, and Granddaddy enjoying the late afternoon..
Johnny, Hannah, and Cole loved to hang on Mac.. Well at least those muscles are good for something !!
Are those not the sweetest faces !!!! LeeAnn and Sarah Winston playing in the pool !!
Mac and I ... Wow my face looks RED !!!!
After everybody freshened (is "freshened a word??) up, we went back down to the pool to grill out. NOTICE.. the pink hair.... I loved having some pink in my hair.. it has already faded so much since then.. I will just HAVE to do it again..

Mac and Michael doing just another variation of the Louisiana Point...
Myself and Hannah before we ate..
Momma and Daddy
I had to get in on a Louisiana Point picture too...
Rhea and Hannah
LeeAnn , Myself, and Sarah Winston

After we ate is was on to a game of teather ball (did I spell teather right.. I just took the word "weather" and took away the "w" and added a "t" ).. Sarah Winston is a big softball player and is an AWESOME pitcher... We had fun just sitting around watching her pitch !! You go girl !!!

Grandmother Pat Pat and Will watching the game !!
After we ate and played a few games it was dark and time to head up to a room.. We sat around and played some of our favorite board and card games..

Here is Mac trying to prove how strong he is.. Yes he did pick up Michael but dropped him right after the camera snapped !!! oh, how the tables have turned !!!

This is probably one of my most favorite pictures from the whole trip.... I told you that the Louisiana Point was spreading.... Michael even taught it to Johnny !!! Seriously, how cute does Johnny look !!!!

From enjoying the beach and pool, to grilling out, to playing games.... it was a great few days... More than anything I loved being with my family. We are very close, but times that we are all together are rare... I cherish these trips and hold the memories very dear... God has blessed our family and this we all know !!!

After Orange Beach, Michael and I headed to Destin for the 4th of July.. Post to follow !!!