political social graces

If you haven't heard, Florida's governor is getting married! I have been a docent at the Florida Governor's Mansion for the last 3 years and love giving tours to people of all ages about the great history of the people's house. I am known to the other much older, I mean wiser, docents as the "baby docent." This volunteer job has opened so many doors both in my personal and professional life. After all I got my job at Main Street Design through the Mansion Curator, Carol :). One of the many perks of being a docent is getting to attend special events at the mansion. For example I've had lunch with former First Lady of Florida Columba Bush, my name has been published in a recent historial book on the mansion, and I was a docent at the mansion for Governor Crist's Inagauration (see below). The latest perk to add to the list is being a hostess at Governor Crist's wedding public reception in December. How fabulous is that?!

with governor crist on his inagauration day in 2007

rsvp

This week cannot get over fast enough but there is officially end in sight! Tomorrow I start yet another crazy weekend full of social events and I am too excited for words. Here's a quick itinerary of my upcoming weekend...Friday - work, drive to Ocala, dinner with m & d (yes, the little things in life excite me!)...Saturday - cousin Melissa's wedding @ 2:00pm, sorority sister's wedding @6:00pm in Orlando= celebrating Lindsay's wedding, friends, and Pamela's birthday!!....Sunday - waking up at the bc of d and driving to Ponte Vedra Beach for Kristen's first bridal shower, having dinner with Michael (I haven't even been to visit him since he started college after all the years he so graciously moved me through college, bless him), then driving back to Tallahassee. WHEW! I am tired just thinking about it but the good news is I thrive on these things. I'm just having a hard time getting through today...I am fidgety and ready to bust out on my adventure....and it's only Thursday. But I will admit, I've been like this all week. Ready to play!

Other life happenings include ADPi Centennial Celebration deadlines and I just received my 2009 calendar planner re-fill! Again, it's the little things people. I have anxiously been awaiting the re-fill because I'm ready to fill in the weekends....January is already shot :) I'm always wondering where the time goes and it just seems as if it disappears quicker and quicker each year. Once November hits and the holiday season officially starts (well to lane and I at least!) I'm pretty much worthless until after my birth month. Oh, what an exciting few months to look forward to~

cheers!

north carolina

Over the past few days I spent a picturesque fall weekend in North Carolina. The air was crisp, the leaves were in transition, and I was in good company. From late Friday evening until early this morning I was submerged in a whirlwind of events. On Saturday in Raleigh we attended a beautiful downtown wedding with a lavish reception to follow and then it was off to High Point on Sunday to attend the furniture market. I have wanted to attend market for a long time and what a memorable experience it was! In between and best of all I met lots of sweet new friends, laughed A LOT, and spent time with a wonderful guy named Chad.

@ the wedding

a reception view

chad, first timer to market, in his ridiculous sunglasses

in high point with chad's twin sister alison and her husband jeff
@ mayberry's for a sweet treat

weekend @ home

This weekend was a whirlwind of celebrations for the Radcliffe family! Holly, Marcus, and I traveled from Tallahassee to meet the fam at party number 1 to celebrate the 80th birthday of dad’s dad, Grandpa Warren. He is 80 years young and after a five-bypass surgery in January of this year he is pretty much a new man – back better than ever on the golf course! Grandpa Warren is quite the character and we enjoyed looking through a book Aunt Laura put together highlighting his life through pictures and interesting facts. Like did you know when he was in his twenties he hitchhiked from North Carolina to Miami just for fun; he was stationed in Bermuda while he was in the Air Force; and he met Grandma Jeannine on a blind date?! As is always the case at a Radcliffe gathering, dad and his cousins Mark and Kenny brought their guitars and brought the house down! Of course, we’ve been hearing the same songs since I was a child and we can all put money on the next song they’ll sing (and win!) but that’s what makes it so fun, and it doesn’t hurt that they are all amazing musicians!

On Saturday Mom, Holly and I hosted a shower for my cousin Melissa Radcliffe. She’s getting married in two weeks and it was so sweet to see the excitement in her face as she spoke about her upcoming wedding. As the girls partied, the boys played golf and then we were all off to the lake. The cottages are now finished and m & d wanted to show them off to us—they are awesome! Michael was home too this weekend but I think I saw him for a total of 2 hours. He was busy with band practice and played three gigs this weekend. They’re playing here the day after Thanksgiving and I can’t wait!

In other news, Holly has finally let me document her pregnancy :). Below are some highlights from the weekend and if you look close enough you can see Holly 6 months pregnant and looking fabulous!

Back in Tallahassee now, the air is cooler (!!) and things need to be done around my house but for now I’m off to end this weekend of celebrations with a generous portion of coffee yogurt from TCBY. Have a wonderful week~

grandpa warren and grandma jeannine

the family band

saturday's bridal shower

three months to go!

making holly feel uncomfortable by touching her belly

awkward posing I forced them to do

@ the lake

30 wonderful years

Today mom and dad are celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary!! I am so blessed to have them as my parents, role models, and friends. They have always lived their lives by example and have instilled it in each of their children. thank you. Thank you for the wonderful example of marriage and showing those around you true love and happiness. Three cheers for thirty years!! Much love~

food for thought

"A person's good manners are primarily a matter of considerate actions; a house's good manners are largely a matter of considerate furnishings that are comfortable, co-operative, and easy to live with. They take into account the fact that things, no matter how beautiful, are less important than people."

-- Vogue's Book of Etiquette, 1969


This quote was borrowed from one of my favorite blogs and essentially borrowed from my new favorite book. Sounds pretty accurate if you ask me~

family weekend

Mom and daddy came see their girls this weekend! They arrived on Friday and so did another surprise...Michael! He drove from Jacksonville to complete family weekend. We had the most wonderful time and we always do when m & d come to town. We spent time shopping, eating, watching college football and talking nursery decor for Sally Kate :) Today we dined al fresco for blunch at Sage and it was oh so good. Marcus's parents, Renn and Gary, and his Aunt Rhonda and Uncle Gary joined us. After blunch, m & d and I went to Tallahassee Nurseries to invest in some fall foliage. This is mom and I's favorite place to go when she's in town. Even if you're not in the market to re-landscape it's worth it to just go and walk around the grounds - they are beautiful! I warned daddy as we were getting out of the car that mom and I do not like to be rushed here! The weekend went by much too quickly, as it always does, but we were so glad everyone could be together. Love you.