Our Mississippi Vacation

As you know, Collette and I recently got back from our "Mississippi Vacation," as Collette calls it. And we had the best time. It is so hard to explain how special all of my friends from our Starkville years are, but these ladies are are just amazing and I feel so so blessed to have met them all, and to continue to be a part of their lives. We hadn't been back to MS in two years, so I was really excited when I was invited to a Sip and See (for you Northerners, that's a baby shower that is given after the baby is born, so you can sip your beverage and see the baby) for my dear friend Kathryn, and I talked to LL about going.  Well, he found a great deal on air fare if I stayed for longer than the weekend, and he convinced me that it made more sense to go for a longer time and pay less money.  We talked about me taking both kids, but ultimately LL asked to keep Trey (he had an abbreviated work week while I was gone, including a 3 day weekend) and I took Collette with me.  She was so good on the trip and we had a great girls week.  It's the first time I've ever gone anywhere with just her, and even though we missed Trey and LL, I loved having the one on one time with my girl too.

We drove to Baltimore so we could get a direct flight there, and Collette was soooo excited. 

Showing off her new pink luggage from Mimi and Bumpa, waiting for the shuttle to the station.

She loved watching the planes and was happy that the Southwest planes were pretty colors, not boring like the other planes! Ha!

And that Leap Pad kept us entertained, too.  

 

Ready for her first flight (that she can remember!)

Collette flew twice before, both times as a baby, so this was the first flight she could remember.  She loved looking out the window and looking at the clouds.  I thought she might be nervous during take off, so I held her hand.  She looked at me and said (very sweetly but perplexed) "Mommy, why are you holding my hand?" Ha! I'm not sure why I ever thought my little Adrenaline Junkie would be nervous!

We flew into Jackson and Lydia and Reed met us at the airport! Her mom kept Jake overnight, so it was just us and our "big kids." 

 

Meeting in the airport!

The last time these two saw each other this is what they looked like:

This was almost exactly 2 years ago, in May of 2011. 

How weird is it Collette is wearing zebra print and Reed is wearing blue in both pictures?!?



We decided to spend the night in a hotel and go to the Children's Museum the next day.  It was a blast!

 

After we played hard all morning we went to Brent's Drug for lunch.  It's a 50s Diner that was featured in the movie The Help (which you really need to see if you haven't! The book was amazing, too!).  The food was awesome, and both kids loved the milkshakes.

 

After our fun day in Jackson it was back to Starkville! We ended up meeting our dear friend Leanne for dinner.  Leanne and her family came to PA to visit us last spring, and her husband John just spent a week at our house visiting/Turkey hunting a couple of weeks ago.  Collette was ecstatic to see Mary Audrey again and we both loved meeting sweet baby Hunter! (Somehow I missed getting a picture of him! Sorry Hunter!)

 

 

On Friday, my friend Tiffany  and her sweet girls drove from their home in TN to come to the shower.  We met up for lunch at Chick-Fil-A, then went back to Lydia's house were we got all 5 kids to nap (a miracle in and of itself) and had some girl time. :) That evening we all went to Tiffany's hotel and took advantage of their indoor pool.  Awesome idea! We wore those kids out! Ha!

 

Saturday was the shower, and it was so amazing to see of these awesome ladies (and their kids) again! (Ashley, me, Lydia,  Tiffany, Emily, Amanda, Martha Ann, and Kathryn).

 

We spent the rest of the week just being with friends in Starkville.

 

Going to FBC Starkville on Sunday...

 

Helping Ms. Lydia make tie dye cupcakes...

 

Checking out the new splash pad (we did that twice!)

 

Getting frozen yogurt (Seriously, Starkville has gone crazy for FroYo since we left!)

And enjoying great Southern foods like Fried Pickles from Little Dooey's and Muscadine Ripple ice cream from MAFES on a picnic at the MSU Drill Field. 

The night before we left I told Collette we had to pack because in the morning we'd be getting on an air plane to go home and see Daddy and Trey.  I expected her to be excited about the plane ride and seeing her family again, but the poor girl sobbed. I mean sobbed and sobbed. She was heartbroken to think about leaving Mississippi! She is a Mississippi girl for sure. :)

 

Loving on Mr. Scott before we left:



My amazing hostess, Lydia.

 

We had such a great week and I'm so thankful for the opportunity we had to visit with people and in place that will always be so special to me!

 

P.S.  Collette is still telling me multiple times a day, "I don't like leaving Mississippi.  It makes me grumpy. And sad." Me too, sweet girl!