we went on a date

 ... hike to a meadow, lie in a field, on a blanket under a threatening sky... killer breeze, sushi/prosecco/pound cake and strawberry picnic, good conversation... we never want to leave.

phish are friends, not food

It was meant to be a surprise, except when my husband found out through various sources that Phish was playing ON HIS BIRTHDAY... IN ATLANTA ... I just couldn't contain myself any longer. I sprung for tickets and told him later when I realized the threat of disappointment was looming... 

I gotta say, I looked forward to this show and this weekend forEVER and for a variety of reasons. One, I had never seen Phish. Jason has, many times. I had seen Dave Matthews probably ten times, Widespread Panic a few times or more, with lots of other great "jam bands" mixed in there between all the festivals and such I've been to. But it had been awhile since a really good show. And Phish, well, that's just one of those shows you don't miss. And I'd missed a few in my youth. And it wasn't going to happen this time. And to be able to celebrate this with my man, knowing how much he loves this band, I wanted to make that happen - to share a memory with him of something we'd mutually enjoyed in our younger days... I was really looking forward to it. 

As the weekend got closer our plans evolved and we decided to make as much of a weekend of it as possible. We toyed around with the idea of getting a hotel in the city to make our commute to and from the amphitheater a little less of a distance and to just "get away" together. The only way that was going to happen was if we got a sick deal... I watched Hotwire for a couple weeks and just kept watching until the day of the concert. After we left the kids with grandma, we found a room in Buckhead for $75 in a 4-star hotel where you'd normally pay $160... um, yeah!? So we did it and to my DELIGHT we ended up at the W Hotel which is a super neato boutique chain with AMAZING rooms, decor, amenities, etc. What a treat!!

We got home, got all of our crap together and got ready for the concert and drove down to check into the hotel. Couldn't believe how awesome the room was... so swanky!! 

here I am, all dressed up and ready to go... 

me and my man, the birthday boy

swanky hotel room!

 We got to the parking lot about 6:30. It was slightly hilarious... here we are expecting to be surrounded by droves of dirty hippies and end up parked between a super new, super expensive Audi and a brand new Range Rover. One of the dudes was a doctor at Emory. Ridic. Anyways, we drank some margaritas and beer, walked around, did some talking about how much we have changed in 10+ years from when we were the dirt foot hippie children running around the lot, and eventually made our way in... Gawd it was so amazing walking in and realizing I was seeing Phish finally, and with my man!

seas of dancing kids

first encounter

hi!

We probably drank too much and GAWD how I wish Jason hadn't bought two waters on our way over to Shakedown Street because we'd have grubbed it up something serious!! We had both developed some kind of super headache and decided to head back to the hotel. I took a nap in the truck on the way back. We had some room service and coffee and went night-night in that super comfy bed....

next morning... parting shot

the W hotel

We had an amazing time together and just enjoyed being together. We need to do more of this but Lord it's expensive! It's expensive but you can't put a price on quality time together. We really needed it. 

Some parting thoughts... being in this scene at one time of my life WAS my nature, my identity. It was a real interesting contrast to see how much I have grown and changed as a person. I felt okay in my own skin, I could see through some of the image and the desire for belonging in much of the crowd that I encountered. Only years give this to you... I used to live to be high, and hate myself the morning after. There is nothing worse than the morning after... and that is all I could think about when I saw many of these kids so effed up. So much desire for belonging to something bigger than themselves and to identify with some kind of community. I have found that in a much more fulfilling and life-giving way through my relationship with Jesus and with Jesus-loving people who hunger for community the way it was meant to be within the church. 

But anyways, great time, great people. Great experience. I'd do it again, in a heartbeat. 

Here's a video Jason took and the set list in case you're interested. :o)

we went on a date (and other musings)

We went on a date. 

Well, we were supposed to be going to the District 11 GOP Convention as delegates earlyon Saturday (both Jason and I), but we could not afford it - ha! Doesn't that suck? All that work sitting through the County Convention just to get on the list as a delegate (being Ron Paul supporters, this was the strategy... working the system from the inside out)... and we couldn't go. We had some other logisitics issues as well, but already had plans that our kids were going to be with my sister's kids at my Mom's house in the afternoon... so we figured we could swing a little aloooone time, which we did. 

We went to the Alpharetta Arts Festival... not too big of a festival that had a few good food vendors, and a lot of great artists - those kinds of things are always fun to stroll through, and even more fun when you have money. I personally prefer arts and crafts fairs like the Inman Park Arts Festival coming up at the end of this month where the stuff in the booths is a little more "accessible" - not too pricey with a wide variety of arts. And of course it's near Little 5 Points, Atlanta's own ecclectic corner (and old stomping grounds). I got some killer cushion covers made out of Guatemalan embroidered dresses the last time we went for a great deal. Looking forward to going to that...

Anyways, we didn't do too much, just ate some good Soba noodle and veggie stir fry, saw some art, talked to a few artists, and then went for coffee. My husband was especially goofy today... guess that's what happens when you're not parenting. You'll see in the pictures...

Sometimes it takes us a minute to realize we are kidless... and once we do most times our conversation revolves around parenting, how to do it better, especially with regard to our oldest son... something we both really need to do is learn more about how the mind of a kid with Asperger's works, understand that and alter our parenting accordingly. It is super tough. The whole damn thing. And makes you painfully aware of your humanity and weaknesses and the length of your patience. I know there is so much more that we could be doing for him... we need to be more strict about his diet, we need to get into a support group with other parents for ourselves and so we can learn what "normal" actually is, we need to do his Brain Balance exercises, do we homeschool? et cetera... I don't talk about this much on my blog, but it might as well be the elephant in the room... it is the most stressful and energy consuming part of our lives... our shortcomings are glaringly apparent... it's easier to just try to survive day to day than think about the breadth of the issue we really need to face... 

I realized tonight that it was around this time - when Shiloh was Noah's current age (almost 18 months) that I got pregnant with Noah... I can't even imagine doing that now... I think we are done with having kids - but I always wonder if in a few years I might think otherwise. I don't know. Our plate is full and we need to get our life back... such an odd thought to realize I even put off getting pregnant again after Shiloh, I was so anxious to have another one so soon after she was born. 

We also talked about our financial situation... we really need a car soon so Jason can start going into the office 9-5 everyday and really busting it with the insurance gig he has with Colonial Life. I am going to start a "shop my closet" thing and add some great new stuff to my shop with the goal/hopes of making $350 so I can invest it back into my vintage clothing shop on Etsy... I need $350 to get some inventory from this place I found and it would really free me up from the shopping side and I'd get a nice boost of great inventory. I am going to try to make a stab at that and see where I get... so I'll be posting all that soon... 

I guess when you've been together as long as we have, and have the noise of kids all day long, date night sometimes gets reserved for talking about stuff you put off during the week, since by the time the house is quiet, you just want to crash. Annnnnd the pressure is off, you don't really have to do much except be together, except I won't lie, I really want a day to lay on a blanket in the park and just chill, or go away for a weekend. We haven't done that AT ALL since we got married... except for our one-year anniversary. God how I would love to go to the beach with my man for a weekend. 

Anyways... just rambling now. Hell I am not even going to edit this. I am just going to post the darn thing. So here are our goofy pictures from this afternoon... I even said at one point "take some pictures of me so I can post them on my blog"... in a goofy, sultry voice -- and those pics turned out horribly. Which is fabulous.

note that in this picture I am about to eat Soba noodles...

here I am eating the Soba noodles... 

nice old man in a nice hat. and the booths and stuff.

he's drooling. yep.

and drooling some more.

sorta nice, but, not really.

bad Jason. but cute.

tried to take a pic of me but then some lady was driving up right in the middle of it asking for directions...

rawr.

Jason tried to be artistic.

...and again.

:)

Jason said "let me catch you in your element". lame. 

So that's it!

Night night.

Brooke

valentine's date

 We went on our first real date in months last night. Plans to go see War Horse at the last theater it was playing at around Atlanta were foiled as they canceled the showing once "The Vow" came in. Bleh. So we improvised. It wouldn't have worked out to see the movie anyway as we are always 30-45 minutes late it seems everywhere we go.

We dropped the kids off at Grandma's - exchanged gift cards in the truck (I got vintage Saucony runners barely worn, the film "Patton" and a hoodie, and some roses), and I gave Jason chocolate and some luuuuurv coupons (wink wink) - which he said is the best present he has ever received (imagine that).

Then instead of trying to find a bar that we could get a drink at ($$$) and then walk to where we were going to eat, we decided to take the much less expensive albeit somewhat "ghetto" route, and hit the liquor store for a fifth of rum, then we went thru the Chick-fil-a drive thru for a Coke and a water, and then we parked in the R. Thomas parking lot, sat on the tailgate, and drank rum and cokes out of our Chick-fil-a cups with lids and straws, aka "ghetto" cups :). I am sorry if this is not PC but, well, it is what it is. In fact, the security guard approached us twice... the first time to ask if we were loitering and two to tell us that we had to pay to park there after a 1.5 hour grace period (we later solved that problem by jumping the curb between the pay lot and the no-pay lot... like I said...)

 I played with my camera and the light from the cars. It was fun.

We then proceeded to my favorite restaurant of all time, R. Thomas. It is natural, earthy, organicky, Body Ecology goodness heaven. Their food is awesome. It's been a fave for many years and is open 24 hours too. 

We drank coffee and mate, ate R's chips, and I had the Sloppy Veggie Joe while Jason ate the Big Breakfast. 

 

We had a wonderful time, especially just having time to talk and hang out. I love my man. 

Sorry the pictures are crappy.

It was a good Valentine's Day. :) 

anniversary date: atlanta botanical gardens surprise!

Hey friends! Well, I'm excited to share our loverly anniversary date with you! This past Saturday, September 24th was our 5th wedding anniversary. We've been together for about seven years, but got married about two years after we started dating. There are some great pictures of us when we were dating and some from our wedding here. My husband successfully hid a surprise from me for probably one of the first times ever (except my 31st birthday party, though I had a hunch about that... sorry hunny). Ya know it's really better to not try to figure things out, life's a lot more fun that way...

Anywho, we got Noah and Shiloh dropped off at Grandma's new house and Dakota spent the day with our neighbor whose grandson he is good friends with - they were having a Christmas celebration for a friend of theirs who is being deployed to Iraq for a year and just had a baby and invited Dakota along for the fun.

We hit the Starbucks for coffee and a sandwich before heading downtown to - SURPRISE - the Atlanta Botanical Garden. We've been trying to get down there to the gardens for so long, it was just wonderful to be able to visit with my man. :) Simultaneously, Music Midtown (where I found out later COLDPLAY was headlining - ARRRGGGGH) was at Piedmont Park which backs up to the Garden... so we had all that music in the background (The Joy Formidable) while we were looking around.

We had a wonderful visit. They have an orchid conservatory center which was fascinating, a canopy walk through native woodland forest and an edible garden. However, my favorite garden was the perennial garden - it was beautifully whimsical and disorganized, exactly how I like my garden.  :) And to top it off, everything grows back each Spring. :)

Later that evening we made our way over to Virginia Highlands to look around at some of the shops and eat dinner at Murphy's. I used to hang out in this area a lot and work at Murphy's back in the day (about 12 - 13 years ago), and it has been around a LOT longer than that! Even after working there, I still love it, I still love going back there, and I still think it's one of the BEST places to eat in Atlanta. Their wine selection is immense.

Jason and I had a drink while waiting for our table... I "accidentally" ordered a $12 glass of wine!! It was Obsidian Ridge Cabernet... and was totally worth it, but geez, $10 is my limit on a BOTTLE of red wine these days. And that's even a decent bottle to me! Oh well. We are so broke right now, spending that much I thought I was going to have a coronary. But thankfully Grandma paid for dinner, she's the only reason we even went to Murphy's! Sheesh...

Dinner was great... had a salad with goat cheese and champagne vinaigrette, Jason had his favorite food - a burger - and I had beef brisket with horseradish mashed potatoes... WOOHOO! It was uh-mazing. The brisket was melt in your mouth and the taters were to die for. We passed on dessert because of the $12 glass of wine, though we'd parked in front of Paolo's Gelato... I am not sure now at this moment I am writing this why I would EVER pass up Paolo's! Especially since we parked right in front - and THAT never happens in the Highlands! Sigh. Must have been the wine... Lord help me.

That's all friends... we had a lovely and memorable evening :). Thanks for sharing in our day! <3

Bye y'all!

Brooke