Sunday, January 1, 2012

NYE: Callaway Gardens, Canoe, and an Animal Safari?!

I'm happy to say I made it up 'til 12 without a problem this year! I don't have the best record from year's past. But this year, we decided to go out for a late dinner at Canoe and then have some friends over to our place afterwards. The late dinner made all the difference! 

The day before NYE, we took a little trip to Callaway Gardens with Andrea and Patrick. Such fun! The whole time we were there, we kept saying, "Why don't we do this more often?!"




Wish we could sit outside like this everyday!





Get. Excited. 
There are few things that make me feel act like a kid again: a steal of a deal on just about anything, a super sweet gift, and WILDLIFE. In fact, wildlife has such a giddy-effect on me, that I've been unprofessionally diagnosed with animal turrets by our friend Dustin. What is that, you ask?! Well, Matt says I make this sound when I get really giddy about something. It sounds something like, "Oooh!" but way more high-pitched than my regular talking-voice (let's hope so anyway). If I see a fun little animal (remember, we're in the city, so fun little animals are few and far between), when we're driving down the road, I may give the scare-the-crap-out-of-the-driver "Ooooh!" or shout out the name of whatever it is I see. For example, "DEER!",  "CHIPMUNK!", or in my Clemson days, "BEAVER!!!" Hence, the diagnosis of animal turrets.

So, as we were driving home, we I saw this sign for a Wild Animal Safari and we all I got really excited. It said it was only 2 miles off of the road, so I asked Dre, Matt, and Patrick if they would want to maybe swing by and take a quick look?! Maybe?! 

And they said yes.

That is a GIRAFFE!!! A real giraffe! In Georgia!

An ostrich and a ram?!


Is that an elk on the right side?!

YAY of all yays! I think I've talked Matt into going back with Noah. He would LOVE this! And I wouldn't mind going again either. :)

On to New Year's Eve!!!
Kemble and Ashley 
Kemble went to high school with Matt and I and married his sweet bride this past April. Their wedding was beautiful!

Chris and Caitlyn
Cait went to high school with us also. She and Chris now work for Student Venture. You can check out more about what they do here. If you are looking for ways to give back in 2012, you won't regret being a part of the awesome work that God is doing through these two!


Funny story: I don't think I have ever laughed so hard at a restaurant. You can't tell from this picture, but the way the seating ended up, Matt and I were fairly spread apart, and he and Kemble were a little closer. They also happened to order the same thing. So when the server was figuring out how to split the bill, he looked at Matt and said (pointing to him and Kemble), "You two were together, right?" 
Bahahahaha... I immediately flew my forehead to the table and chanted in my head "hold it together, don't laugh, don't laugh. . . cant. hold. it. . ." and out sneaks a silent, shaking, church-like, I'm-not-supposed-to-laugh-but-can't-help-it-bahahahahahahahahah. I thought, "oh. my. server, pahlease leave the table before I make this even more awkward than it already is." 

Finally, he walked away and we all busted out laughing. My stomach hurt and I was crying by the time we all finished cracking up at how sure the guy was about his assumption. Oh my. Wow. I think I'll sit closer to Matt on our next group date.

Happy New Year!

3 comments:

  1. Heather.
    We went to that Safari Park while visiting friends at Ft. Benning last spring. It was hilarious. You have to get in a van and go through, the animals literally walk up and put their heads in the windows for food. Kind of scary, but also so fun! Can't wait to hear how it goes for y'all!

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  2. You are so cute! I'm the same way about animals. ;)

    That is too funny about the server. I wouldn't have been able to keep a straight face. :D

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  3. lol...that is a funny restaurant story!

    Everything looks like truly good times. You're so adorable...especially about animals. ;)

    I'm a happy new follower too.

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