Update!

So, I'm not great at posting, and I'm not great at taking pictures, either. It's a combination that makes for a pretty pathetic blogger, but hey, what can you do?


I suppose it's time for an update (I feel like the guy at the end of Unsolved Mysteries: Update! After our broadcast Sally's long lost grandfather made contact with our operators, with all the information regarding Sally's missing mother and siblings!). Anyways, here's the update: I'm still living in beautiful South Carolina and loving it. It's azalea season, so it's hard not to be cheerful while surrounded by thousands of bright flowers of various shades of pink everywhere I turn.


I'm still working for the ophthalmologist, and it's still paying the bills. :)


I'm currently obsessed with this song. Can't stop listening to it. It almost makes me cry every time.


My sister Tori is graduating law school tomorrow! Three cheers for Tori! I suppose that's really her update, not mine--but I don't have anything exciting happening in my life, so I'll steal from hers.


This past Saturday was the Regional Southeastern Day of Service (I probably got that title wrong), and our little branch joined in by helping clean up a little place called Wide Awake Plantation in Hollywood, SC. Here are some pictures that I stole from someone else's facebook (I already mentioned that I'm horrible when it comes to taking pictures).

Hard at work clearing out some stubborn plants.



Still working, with Sis. Peterson & Brad. Well, Brad said he was working... :)


At the end of the day the mayor of Hollywood made us a delicious lunch (so nice!), including this lovely chicken and the most wonderful shrimp & grits I've ever tasted! Oh, and the baked beans were spectacular. Yeah, spectacular.


After we were done, we of course had to climb a tree. (See my cute boyfriend, standing up like a crazy person?)


The view from where I was working all day--not too shabby.

Tadaaa! I'm going to try to start taking pictures of my own, but I'm not making any promises.

Life & love were easier when we were kids...

My Aunt Cheryl posted this picture on her blog the other day, and I just think it is hilarious. Not the beautiful blond baby sitting on her mom's lap--there's nothing funny about that breathtaking child--but the dark-haired sister sitting next to her cracks me up. Check out the adoring expression as she gazes lovingly at the mountain of toys next to her (particularly at the Cabbage Patch doll). Have you ever seen such a true expression of contentment and happiness?

Seriously, though, I love this picture and everyone in it!

Folly Beach Pharaohs

The ancient Egyptians have got nothing on us.

back to the daily grind

The worst part about holidays isn't the excess of money spent, the mass quantities of calories consumed (that's actually my favorite part--which is probably why I love Thanksgiving so much), or even the stress of all the planning. No, the worst part about the holidays is the Monday morning following the four (or more) glorious days of vacation--the cold, early morning when mundane, cruel reality slaps you hard in the face. Worse still is the day after that Monday, when you are sitting at your desk and have the depressing realization that it's only Tuesday. Why does time go so slowly following a holiday? Sigh. Here I am, plugging away, counting down the days till Christmas (and also till Friday).

Okay, lament aside, here are a few pictures from my Thanksgiving weekend, spent down in my favorite place on earth, my hometown of Beaufort.

This is at Granny's, and typical of my dad: somehow amidst the chaos he is quietly reading, while surrounded by animals. Seriously--typical. I love it.

My sister Jillian and I (and Colton, but he's not in the picture, sorry!) went into Port Royal and drove past our old house, which happened to be unoccupied. We, of course, decided to take the chance to look around, and this is in the backyard of the place we grew up. Somewhere under our feet is the golden bird statue-thing of my mom's that I buried as treasure (I made a map, but somehow could never find it again). Good memories.

I remembered which windows in the house never locked (you'd think after all these years that somebody would have fixed them, but no--that's the South for you), and viola! We were in (for some reason once you've lived in a place, and felt totally a part of it, you always feel entitled and welcome to visit--even if in reality it's an old house you have no right to enter)! This is our old living room--check out the awesome wood paneling. Love it. :)

Then we drove down to the Sands, where I played as a kid for hours at a time. Yep, it's still beautiful, even in winter.

The dock at the Sands.

Well, now it's back to work. It's time for me to pick out a new book to read online (Kim was good after I got through the first couple of chapters. It seems like all old books are like that).