My Fabulous Week in Memphis

I realize I've been a little MIA lately. For the first two weeks of May, I was actually busy doing things other than catering to my 3 month old. By the way...Lucy is now 14 weeks and 2 days old. WHAT? Totally ridiculous. But she's a total blast and she gets more fun every single day.

Love you, Lucy girl! 

First of all, this post might be all over the place, because Lucy is asleep and I need to write quickly in order to get this blog post finished. Quick writing=poor writing.

Let's back up. 

At the end of April into the beginning of May, I drove my tail all the way to Memphis to spend time with one of my best friends, Emily and see some other sweet friends who we used to go to church with. I can't say that I miss the city of Memphis, but boy do I miss my Memphis friends and church. So bad! 

Lucy and I before dinner one night:

My sweet friend, Emily, rode with her dad on Sunday to Baton Rouge (because he used to work there), all the way from Memphis. Then I picked her up on a Monday and we made our way to Tennessee. She's such a phenomenal friend that she voluntarily made the trip to Louisiana just so that she could drive to Memphis with me. Love this lady. So selfless. She's also who I stayed with the whole week!

Emily and Leia Lu cuddling:

Lucy girl napping:

We got to Memphis on a Monday evening, and we were both pretty wiped, but so excited to spend a week together.

Our hubbies are really good friends and have been going to Music Fest in downtown Memphis for the past couple years together, so that's why we made the special Memphis trip. Jamie spent most of the week in Nashville for work, and then he was going to meet us in Memphis on Friday. We were all over the place, but it totally worked out.

Emily and I spent the week gabbing about everything under the sun, going on walks, watching reality TV, going to yummy restaurants, solving all of life's problems and just enjoying each other's company. She's one of my favorite people in the whole world and I'm thrilled we got to spend the week together.

Nap times are the best with this little girl:

Oh yeah, I also got to hang out with this little guy:

Oh my gosh. Could you not just eat him right up?

Ethan is a big one year old now and he is all boy. Gosh, he's precious! And our dogs, Leia and Daisy, were LOVING cheerio time, because Ethan made sure his pups were well fed:

Emily I went to the zoo one afternoon--on "Free Tuesday"--big flippin' mistake! Just picture "Free Tuesday" at the zoo in Memphis, TN. Need I say more? It was ridiculous. But we had our sweet babies, cute animals, each other and a Sonic beverage. So we survived.

We spent some time at Emily's parents' house to hang out with her mom and dad for a bit on Wednesday, and they are the sweetest people in the world.

Emily liked loving on my Lucy:

We nommed on some BBQ at Jim N Nicks on Thursday:

Ethan, are you flirting with my girl?

Leia thought she was the Queen Bee on Ethan's chair: 

I also got the opportunity to get together with some of the parents of the kids I used to teach. Their kids just finished kindergarten and are so big and so sweet and so grown up! I loved catching up with these mamas and am so grateful for their friendship.

Thursday evening, we had dinner at Ginny's house. A bunch of my precious Bellevue friends were there and I was giddy with excitement to see them!

My dear friend Whitney, holding Lucy:

I love me some Whitney! She's probably one of the most genuine, precious-hearted girls I've ever met in my life. So glad I got to see you, and thank you for loving on my girl!

Us ladies, chatting away in the kitchen and grazing on the sweets:

Holly and baby Hudson, me, Whitney and Lucy, and Jenny and her baby Lizzie:

Jenny's sweet baby girl is about 2 weeks younger than Lucy and is full of sweet goodness:

All the ladies and babies:

Ginny, Ethan, Emily, Holly, Hudson, Whitney, Lucy, Jenny, Lizzie, Me

I was soo unbelievably thankful to have kind of a girls' night, even though the hubbies were in the other room. I have so desperately missed hanging out with a group of girls who are in the same walk of life with me. That's so important to have, and I just haven't had that here. Love Lafayette, but I so dearly miss my friends. 

Emily and her precious Ethan: 

Emily, you best watch out. Those eyes are gonna break hearts.

On Friday, we fought the rain all day. It was a stinkin' monsoon outside! And did I mention that it was about 12 degrees outside? We don't have winter in Lafayette, and it shouldn't have been that cold in Memphis! Thankfully I brought a couple long sleeved shirts and one pair of pants for Lucy to wear just in case. Bad mama award right here! Should have been more prepared! But we managed to get out for lunch to eat at Newk's--one of my favorites--with Jenny!

Lucy was a good girl and slept through lunch:

So kind of her.

Jamie joined us in Memphis on Friday afternoon, and I was ready to see him! 5 days away from your hubby is too long! Friday night, all 6 of us (me, Emily, Ethan, Lucy, Phillip and Jamie) headed to Central BBQ for dinner. So good. I miss me some good ol' BBQ. These crazy Cajuns can cook up a mean seafood dish, but they don't know much about bar-b-que. I was glad to get my fix while we were there.

Saturday afternoon, Emily had some girls over for lunch to hang out and it was sooo nice to have another girls' day. Like I've said...I miss my girlfriends.

Me and Jenny with our baby girls:

Lizzie is too precious for words and I'm so glad I got to kiss that sweet face:

If we lived in the same city, I'm convinced they'd be friends.

Me and Emily and our little ones:

Lucy was decked out in one of her Vera Bradley outfits--or as Jamie calls it, "Wallpaper".

Saturday evening, we all grabbed dinner together at La Hacienda, the boys went to Music Fest and Emily did our own thing. It was a nice, chill evening, once again.

Sunday, it was cold again. Ridiculous. We had pizza for lunch, watched the Thunder and Grizzlies game, and had another fun day together.

Lucy was all bundled and not thrilled to be in her car seat:

Daddy being a comfort:

Nice smile, James:

Ethan having a meltdown for his daddy:

Lucy doing tricks:

Jamie and Lucy and Phillip and Ethan...oh Ethan, why so sad?

I love my sweet, little family of 4: 

Deer in the headlights:

The rest of these pictures are out of order, but just as cute!

Me and Lucy at dinner:

She was wearing PJ's and slippers because that was the only warm thing I had for her to wear--remember, I wasn't anticipating cold and rainy weather:

Snoozing in the swaying swing:

Me and my Vera baby:

I love having friends who love my baby and let them sleep on their shoulder:

You're the best, Emily!

While Lucy was cuddling with Emily, the fur babies were cuddling with me on my lap:

My snoozing sweetie:

Fur child:

Sunday was our final night together, and I was already getting sad to leave in the morning. But Ethan made the best of it by hanging out with us late that night.

He and Daisy were having a grand ol' time:

And Emily loved her last few cuddles with Lucy girl:

Leia was hoping Ethan had more cheerios that she could steal from him:

Love this little boy:

Such a ham. 

I SOOO enjoyed my week in Memphis and hope to visit again sooner than later! Thank you Emily and Phillip for letting me stay with you! Love you guys!