No time for rest after the Birthday festivities....

When we got back to Bham from all the FABULOUS birthday celebrations, my sweet Fancy was waiting at our house to stay with us for a few days! I was SUPER excited since she couldn't make it to any of the festivities, and because I just love to extend my birthday as long as possible. Lilly also loved having Fancy here, and slept with her every night. Fancy's (aka Chrissy) last night here we went to my fav Bottega for dinner and drinks, all while I tried to talk her into moving to Bham. We miss you already FANCY!

Wednesday morning Chrissy headed back to Hattiesburg, and it was time to officially end my birthday celebration, so sad. I moved on to celebrating my sweet friend Heather's birthday. Katherine had a few of H's girls over for a birthday dinner and a little wine. Heather, Katherine, and I lived together for about 1 1/2 yrs, and all of our birthdays are within 1 week. Crazy I know.
Thursday, I have to admit I tried to extend my birthday by inviting all my friends here that couldn't make my birthday dinner Rick put together to Thirsty Thursday at the Baron's game, but we got rained out. SO, DeeDee, Duffy, and my sweet boyfriend little Alex came over and we ordered pizza. Little Alex is such a trip, I just love playing with him.

Well, another great yet busy week for us. Sad the birthday really is over, but thankful for the FABULOUS celebrations.

Last stop.....Orange Beach

Saturday (my actual birthday, August 15) Rick and I checked out of the Beau and headed to Pascagoula for my birthday lunch........EDD'S!!! YUMMERS!!! Anyone from Goula knows that this is the BEST birthday lunch ever!! Those not from Goula, if you are ever anywhere near here, go to Edd's, I promise you will love it. Best chili cheese burger EVER! I was SUPER pumped about this, and sent pics to my mom in Little Rock because I knew she would be really jealous.

Then we headed over to Dauphin Island and caught the ferry to Ft. Morgan (this wasn't as exciting as we thought it would be).

After our long journey, we finally made it to The Wharf in Orange Beach, AL, and the site of Rick's sister Katherine's wedding. A quick visit with the fam, and a quick wardrobe change and we were off to the wedding.

Everything was nice, and simple, just the way Katherine wanted. After the ceremony and dinner, my dear friends Jacquie and Wes came to celebrate my 30th. Jacq and I have been friends since 2nd grade, and now she, her husband, and their 2 boys live in Pensacola, so this was a short trip for them. I was so excited to see them and spend my birthday with true friends that I just adore. They stayed with us, so Sunday we had lunch, and spent a little time at the FABULOUS pool at the Wharf before heading back to Bham.

WHEW, what a birthday! I want to turn 30 every year (and just might). I got to see all the most important people in my life, and go to some of my favorite places. Everything was just perfect. Thanks to all that made it possible, especially Rick for hanging in there and not jumping ship. I had the best birthday I could ever imagine.

Next stop, Biloxi & the Beau Rivage....

After our stop in Hbg, we headed south to Biloxi. We relaxed by the pool for a little while, before getting ready for my BIG birthday night (even if it was the night before my actual birthday). A few of us went to dinner at the Manhattan Grill (this was my dad's restaurant), and it was DELISH!!! Portabella mushroom stuffed with their fabulous crab cakes, and grouper topped with fresh gulf shrimp. YUMMERS!! Then back to the Beau to meet the rest of my fabulous coast friends. It was a great night with my dear friends from home, most of whom I have been friends with since jr. high or high school. I just adore them all and am so blessed to have these wonderful people in my life. Just a side note, I look for friends like you guy everywhere I go, and they are few and far between. I guess it is something in the water down there (or the chili cheese burgers). PERFECT BIRTHDAY PARTY WITH PERFECT FRIENDS!!!

Just one stop left on the birthday tour....

Birthday Tour stops in HBG!

The 30th Birthday tour headed for Hattiesburg, MS Thursday when Rick got off work, to stay with my most fabulous friends Bonnie and Blaine. Hbg, is on our way to the coast, so this is a normal stop for us, to break up the drive. They as well as Taylor and Drew . had a baby last month and can't really leave town yet, so it was great to be able to catch up with them. Friday morning Bonnie and Blaine cooked a fabulous breakfast casserole and cheese grits, and Taylor brought over cinnamon rolls and fruit, for my birthday breakfast. I LOVE BREAKFAST!! It was so nice, and the food was great.

Thanks friends.
I talked Rick into holding baby Stella Tyrone. He never touches babies so I had to capture the moment.

Here are Taylor, Anna Cooper, Bonnie, Stella, and AUNT Candice.

Here are the little best friends born 3 days apart. Left: Anna Cooper (7/7/09) Right: Stella (7/4/09)

Last but NOT least, miss Reese, Stella's big sis. She runs around like a tornado so getting a picture was a challenge, but I got her. Little miss thing is a ball of fire. I adore all these ladies (and Blaine) and was so happy to be able to celebrate my 30th birthday with such wonderful friends. Yet another key to my perfect birthday.

Half of my life.....

I have wanted a TAGHeuer watch. When I was 15, I was certified to SCUBA dive, and my mom got the most awesome TAG diving watch. Since then I have dreamed of my very own TAG, well this year, 15 years and half of my life later, MY FABULOUS MOM GAVE ME Y DREAM WATCH!!! This is the 3rd stop on the Candice's 3oth Birthday Tour. My mom and sister came to spend the night with us in Bham last Wed, and took me to dinner. After a fabulous dinner my mom gave me a very heavy gift bag. I opened to my most beautiful watch, a bud and ally's t-shirt, and a little pewter cross that says faith. I was (and still am) the happiest little girl in the world. It was like I was 15 all over again. My watch needed another link added to it, but I wore it the rest of the night even though it was cutting off my circulation, and first thing Thursday morning we went to our dear friends at Shay's Jewelery (who was so kind to work with my mom and order the watch for me) to have the extra link added. This birthday is really shaping up nice at this point, and the fun is just starting!!! Thanks MOM, you are the best mom and friend a girl could ask for!!!!

My first SURPRISE

Next stop on the Candice's 30th Birthday tour: Rick SHOCKED me last Tuesday with at surprise birthday dinner at Hacienda, here in Birmingham. I know people always say they had no clue even if they did, but I REALLY had NO CLUE!! This never happens!! I very rarely get an actual surprise, yet I love them SO much. It was so fabulous! Rick really did a great job, with a little help from his friends (Kat). He did plan it last minute so some of our friends couldn't make it on such short notice, but the short notice is probably why I was so shocked. I would have figured it out if I had more time, I feel sure. We had such a good time, and then out of the blue....a gang of the servers rushed up behind me, made me put on a Hacienda t-shirt, put a sombrero on my head, and a flaming shot in front of that they tried to make me drink out of a straw. It was NUTS! As you can tell from the pics (look at Kelly's and my faces). The straw melted 4 times, then I blew it out, the gang re lit it, and made me try again. At this point I was concerned about the melted straws that were now in my drink, but they would NOT give up. Finally I finished the shot and the madness was over. WHEW, it was possibly the strangest thing that has ever. Thanks to all who were there and helped Rick with the secret, it was PERFECT. I felt so loved.

Destin or is it the Bahamas?

Rick and I went to my parents beach house on 30-A, just east of Destin, FL, weekend before last, and we almost thought we were in the Bahamas! The water water and beach were PERFECT! No seaweed, the water was the clearest I have EVER seen it in Destin, water was so calm, nice breeze, it was AWESOME!! We just laid on rafts in the gulf all day. This was the first stop on the Candice's 30th Birthday tour.

Rick gave me a nice thumbs up when he busted me taking pics of him on his raft.
Lilly also LOVED the beach! She even made a new friend, a ghost crab. She chased it, tossed it around, and barked at it, for about 20 min until the crab escaped into the water. Then she ran up and down the shore looking for it.

The first morning she was so excited she woke me up at 6am to go to the beach. So this pic was bright and early. She for some reason comes back from the beach with a face full of sand.

We also rented a boat and spent our last day at crab island.

It was a FABULOUS weekend, and a GREAT start to my birthday week/month.

Stewart/Gannon Wedding Weekend

The first weekend in August was an exciting one to say the least. We celebrated the wedding and festivities of our dear friends Kat and Brad, and what a weekend it was. The weekend started with the rehearsal dinner at Cantina, and it was just perfect, here is a pic of the happy couple.

There were tons of fabulous, touching, funny, sweet, just perfect speeches honoring them, not to mention many words of advice for the couple.
The wedding was even better! It rained, actually poured, but nothing could stop us all from celebrating. Rick's friends were in town from NYC, Denver, Atlanta, New Orleans, and more I am sure, and we had a BLAST!! The rain cleared, and everything was just perfect. Here are THE GANNONS enjoying their first dance.

All the guys were all smiles (except James and his Blue Steel pose) for a group pic.

So you know after that Abnous, Beth, and I had to have a pic too.

Rick and I haven't had that much fun in a LONG time. We acted like we were 20 again. It was a GREAT weekend for a GREAT couple! Congrats Kat & Brad Gannon, we love you, and were honored to be a part of your special weekend.

A Little More Myrtle Beach

While in Myrtle Beach, all 22 of us stayed in one house. I know, crazy, but it was really fun. There was always something going on. The house had a pool, hot tub, and most important an air hockey game. Rick declared himself champion of the air hockey, as you can see here he is defeating his dad (who might I say REALLY got into the game.).

Andrew and Allie built sand castles.
Rick escorted his niece Claire out into the ocean, all the while, not to spill his beer.

The last night a few of us walked to a local pub around the corner for a few cocktails. Here are Rick, his brother Scott, and cousins Sam and Will (Katie and I also were there).

We had a great time catching up with everyone. Can't wait for the next family trip.

McKibbin Family Beach Pics

Rick and I went to Myrtle Beach, SC two weeks ago for his extended family vacay. While we were there we took family pics. This was interesting, because Rick's family is mostly guys, and we all know guys are not known for being great communicators. So Katie sent out an email asking everyone to bring a white shirt, khaki shorts, or a just something white..... Well most didn't get the email. No biggie, the point was to have a pic of everyone since they RARELY all get together. (Everyone made it but Rick's cousin Will) So here is our attempt at family pics, we took over 200, and the group shots were a TRIP. Everyone was like "why are we taking so many", uh, because getting 22 people so all look at the camera at once is nearly impossible. Here are the pics:

This is what Uncle Bill came out in for the pics, nice.

There were only 4 kids on the trip and looks how sweet.

You know Rick and I had to have one!
Here is Rick's immediate family.


The entire crew.