Jamie Danford

Ohhhh my loves...

Hey.

It's almost October.

WTH?

Where did September go???? 

I love. No... I LOVE October.  I love the hint of cool in the air, the crazy blue skies, and the potential for oyster roasts.  Yummmm...

In addition to the aforementioned upcoming month of fabulousness, I have constructed a list of loves...

1. Alabama football. OH THANK GOD FOR FOOTBALL SEASON!!!

2. The fact that Mendy the Hottie Neighbor and I have committed to the 3rd Annual Rock n Roll Savannah 1/2 marathon.  There will be LOTS of walking, but we're doin' it. 

3. McDonald's Egg White Delights and praline McFlurries. (Not together, but I could probably be forced to combine them if necessary to save the planet from a zombie apocalyse.)

4. St. Vincent's Academy. My girl is SO freakin' happy at her new school.  After dealing with a 'big school' mentality for ten years, it's nice to be at a school with only 300 students.  It's like they almost CARE about their kids.  What a novelty. (Bitter? Party of one?)

5. Fiore Italian Bar and Grill.  Porchetta... sausage and peppers... antipasta salad... oh my!! 

6. SURVIVOR!!!!  Oh I'm LOVING this season!

Yessss.... I am a happy girl.  :)

The Girls Go to Tampa!

I hope you have friends like mine. 

Friends that road trip well together...

... who don't mind when people stare as we run giggling into a gas station ladies room to snap a quick pic.

I hope your friends are comfortable enough around you to move you into their childhood friend's home for a weekend of good food, libations and entertainment...

(Sid's buddy, Scott KNOWS how to be an awesome host!)

It's also a real treat to go braless and act like idiots in $5 dresses with your friends... it's really sort of a must...

Friends who feed you drunken gummies, stagger down sidewalks, dance like wildwomen, gag over other people's poop, massacre lobster tails, play dress up, and caress blow up dolls like a sailor home on shore leave.

Yes, I hope your friends can make you laugh and think and feel safe and thankful like mine do.  I'm a lucky chucky that's for sure.

Cha cha cha changes~

Wow, talk about the kookiness of life.  Or better yet, the kookiness of being a parent of a teenage daughter! 

In a short three week chunklet of time, my precious Lizzy has gone from being a SCPS Raider, to donning the dark blue and green plaid skirt of SVA.  After ten years of sitting down to learn with the same 120 kids (give or take a smidgen), Lizzy decided she wanted to expand her horizons.  So, after some soul searching, a few serious conversations with Big Dave, and a pretty awesome interview with the principal, assistant principal, and dean of students at SVA, she started two weeks ago.  And she LOVES it!

For my non-Savannah peeps, this is an all girls, VERY traditional, Catholic school.  Yep, there's Mass, nuns, and even a 'grotto.'  We aren't Catholic, but the school accepts all faiths, and the teachers, admin and students have been so freakin' welcoming. 

And it doesn't hurt that her bestie goes there too...

She had to leave behind some good friends and the security that comes with knowing your surroundings and where you stand in the pack, but I think she's gained so much more.  I mean, there's something to be said for being brave enough to bust out of the rut you've been in your whole life and take a leap of faith.  I did the same thing when I left Calvary in 9th grade and moved to WFHS.  It was the BEST thing I could have done. 

So here's hoping and praying for the very most awesomest school year(s) for my kiddo.  I know that it's all shiny and new right now, but I hope that when the newness wears off, she'll still be confident she made the right choice.  I know I am.