Annual Girls Trip 2009 "The Big Easy"

Nothing says therapy like a long weekend getaway with your oldest and closest friends right?? That's what I'm talking about. This years girls trip was long anticipated for many reasons. Primarily because of the location. We've been wanting to do a trip to New Orleans for many years but due to various reasons we've had to postpone the location. This year was THE year! Everything fell into place..No one had family conflicts, no one was birthing a baby, nothing..We were all able to be there except one. Liza had to cancel last minute so we were one shy of our full entourage. She was missed royally though. Needless to say we had such a blast! From the time we crossed the Ponchetrain comin'in until the time we could smell Bourbon Street no mo' we had a large time. It was so awesome to be able to have stayed at the Ritz Carlton right on Canal Street and not just stay there....no indeed... we were residents of the Club Level or better yet... "THE BUTTA CLUB"! It earned it's name rightfully so from Lulu's family many years ago b/c the butta club is as fine as Butta! (Butter for all you non Suthun' readers) Lulu's husband, Scott, was able to pull some strings with his law firm's connections and set us right on up! Personally, I could have never left the butta club and been juuuuuust fine right there. There were always delectable treats available for all hour munching and refreshing spirits to quinch your dying thirst. However, we had much too much to accomplish while in the Big Easy...so that we did!


Sara Beth Bunch Bryant, Kelly Hemphill Connell, Lulu Sandifer Pedigo, Kitt Ewing Bailey, Boyce Harlow Robbins (adoptee), Elizabeth Barnwell, Lisa Trotter Melton, Avery Mounger Lee
Who can believe that this group is approaching their 20th class reunion? We lookin' good up in the Butta Club!


Boyce, Lulu, Elizabeth and Avery
We rode the trolley all the way down St. Charles and walked back up Magazine and did some shopping. Had such a good time seeing all the gorgeous houses in the Garden District and the neat shops! Need about 2 days alone to just get all the way down Magazine (note to self)

Kelly, me, Kitt and Sara

The last night we ate dinner at Dickie Brennan's Steak House. It was wonderful and very "mafia like". The steaks were yummy! Want to definately go back there!

Sara, Kitt, Ave and Boyce

Kelly, Barn, Lisa and Lu
Other things we did while we were there: ate some fine food, danced until wee hours, got onstage at the 80's band bar, rode the bull at the Bourbon Cowboy, walked the River Walk, shopped at Saks, lived the life at the Ritz...now that's what I'm talking about sho'nuf! Girl's Trip 2009!

Laisez Les Bon Temps Roulez!! We did indeed!

July Beach Daze Part II- The Bar Convention

Since we just can't get enough of the beach let's just move on down the shore line to Sandestin how bout it! Have we not had enough sun and surf? Have we not run out of sunscreen yet? Have we not burned to a crisp?? NOOOOOO of course not. Each year we attend the Annual Mississippi Bar Convention. It's our summer vacation with Cham and Jane and we have the best time. The McLean Trotter's and Germaine and Michael Wilson(Jane's daughter and husband from Ocean Springs) usually come over and we also get to catch up with old friends from Law School that we only see once a year. This year was no exception and since these pics were taken Germaine has given birth to sweet Adelaide Jane Wilson!! Everyone is doing well and from the pics I have seen it looks like Germaine just spit her out! It's always a special treat to get a good visit in with Kelly, Ted and Sykes Connell also. They stay at the Merkel's house which is right next door to where we stay. The kids have a big time playing together.

Patten, Floyd, Anne Craig, Sykes and Mary McLean


Ted and Kelly


Dad and Jane in the surf with the kiddos


Taking it alllll in!



Life is good!


Dad in surf with girls!

Thanks again, Dad and Jane! We had a great time.

July Beach Fun- Part I

If you can't tell by now The Greenwood Melton Family was at the beach A LOT this summer. We had such a good time. Me and the kids were there most of July and had lots of family to come and go for "Good Times" visits! We are so blessed with great friends and family and it's so much fun when we are able to spend time together. Like I mentioned in earlier posts Gooddaddy made it back to the beach in July too. Thank you Cary (aka: Cabana Boy) for helping to bring him back down.

"Cabana Boy we love you"

The Pedigos decided this summer to rent a unit at Perdido Towers and they were down at the same time as the Melton Clan so that was lots of fun as you can imagine.

Anne Craig, Floyd, Elizabeth and Walker


"The Dig Crew"- Walker, Floyd, Scott and Floyd


Lulu and sweet Elizabeth


Walker Boy and Floyd

This was a special beach year in general because allll the Meltons were able to join us in Perdido! They have not been down since the summer of 2001 so it was wayyy over due. It was Blewett's first time down with us and Ainsley's second trip to the beach this summer so she was a "pro". We even got to celebrate her actual first birthday and had a mini party with cake and all the fixins. It was such fun having everyone together and a trip I won't soon forget. I hope we can do it more often than every 8 years!! It's so wonderful having McLean and Lisa and their family so close in Fairhope that they can zip over for some catching up time too! They joined us one day and so alllll the cousin got in on the action. Some of my readers may not know but Lisa and McLean are expecting baby No. 3 in February. We are anxiously awaiting his or her arrival. AND not just the Trotter's are procreating (haha) but Moss and Shannon are expecting a baby boy this December. So it will be an exciting year for sure and lots of good times to come with more cousins to love and know each other.

Ainsley and Shannon


Anne Craig and Grandaddy


Elizabeth and Scott


"Happy Birthday sweet Ainsley....Happy Birthday to you"


like Mother, like Son


Patten and Floyd


Siblings and Cousins- blessed indeed!


Anne Craig and Mary McLean


Moms and Grandaddy


family beach shot


Anne Craig and Ainsley


Floyd, Moms, Anne Craig and Ainsley

More fun at the beach and The Grand!!

Lulu and Elizabeth Pedigo joined me and Anne Craig at the beach for a few days in June. We had such a great time. Lisa and McLean were sweet enough to have us over to Fairhope for the day and treat us to a day at the Grand Hotel pool which is their Country Club. As you can see all of the girls got along beautifully. Here are a few fun pics from the trip!

Elizabeth and Anne Craig loving the waves on their tubes.

"The Mamas"

Lisa D, Lulu and me at the Grand pool

The Mamas and the Girls

Me and Anne Craig with Lisa, McLean and May May

Thanks Guys for having us!!

State Soccer Games

Floyd was fortunate enough to be chosen to the All Star Soccer team for ages 8 and under to represent Greenwood at the State Games in Meredian. Those boys worked very hard and played very well and went undefeated in the tournament play. They were coached by our friend, Suresh Chawla and he did a fantastic job as well. The boys all learned a lot and the parents/families equally had a great time. Here's a little slide show footage from the action packed weekend!

Good times with Gooddaddy! June 2009

June was a super busy month and I will have to say that we did stop and celebrate a few times along the way. One of which was for my Grandfather's birthday. He turned 86 this year and we had a birthday supper for him over at The Melton's house. They were sweet enough to have us all over for his big day. My grandfather is such a special part of my life and he is bound and determined to be around to see Floyd IV as a teenager and I told him that at the rate he's going he'll be around to see him in college. That's just 10 short years away (yikes) and he would be a youthful 96! From birthday celebrations to beach time Gooddaddy was pretty busy this summer! We took him to his condo in Perdido for some "surf and sun". Gooddaddy grew up on the New Jersey coast and the beach has always been one of his true loves. He and my grandmother, Gamba, bought their condo at Perdido Towers in 1984 and we have had many good times there over the years. We are grateful that our family still maintains it so that next generations can enjoy! I know what a pleasure it is to for him to see his Great Grands loving the beach and being able to use and enjoy such a pretty pretty place. Here are a few pics from his first trip this summer. (YES, he went back in July too!!)

Gooddaddy in the surf with Anne Craig, May May, McLean and Floyd


Nothing says "beachtime" like a mean game of baseball in the sand right??


Floyd hitting a homer perhaps...


Gooddaddy with the Great Grands-Patten, May May, Anne Craig and Floyd

"Life moves pretty fast...if you don't stop and look around once in a while you just might miss it!" - Ferris Bueller

For those of you who don’t know, John Hughes passed away last week. He was the genious who brought us many of the movies that helped shape, guide or even "raise" us in the 1980's. I know I for one need to give Mr. Hughes full credit for my entire entertainment pleasure growing up. If you don't know who John Hughes is check your DVD collections b/c more than likely he wrote your favorite ones. Let's see just to name a few....the entire Vacation series... (need I say more), Planes Trains and Automobiles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, Home Alone series, She's Having a Baby, Weird Science, OH and Mr. Mom. I think we can all agree that he thought a lot of Michael Anthony Hall as did we.

Well, this titled quote is pretty appropriate since I have yet to blog since what... JULY 1! Good grief. I think I myself need to SLOW DOWN ("move out of that seat and I'll split your lip"- Ellen Griswold to Aunt Edna)...

So, now that the summer is officially over, I'm back at work, kids return to school day after tomorrow...I will attempt to reflect and share our summer 2009 shananigans. Time sho' flies when you're having fun!

RIP John Hughes!