Whirlwind Weekend

This weekend flew by - literally, a whirlwind!  I started my drive up to Charlottesville Thursday late afternoon after classes.  My first pit-stop was Gadsden to drop my dad's sunglasses off (I'm in his truck because my car is in the shop).  Then my second pit stop was at Virginia Tech to visit Matt's sister Katharine!  Katharine is a senior at Virginia Tech and today, yes, today is turned 21!!! So I stopped in at her apartment, met her roomates, dropped off her birthday gift (a decorated wine glass, that i call her "pimp cup" and $21 dollars to get a tasty beverage or two!), hung out for a bit, and then got back on the road.  I arrived at my destination, Matt's apartment, at 1:00 am on Friday.  It was a long drive, and I was exhausted - I went straight to bed.  Friday was a very important day - Matt had to go to work - at the crack of dawn (out of the apartment by 4:30 am) to watch the team run and I had to sleep-in! Ha! Seriously, I had to get my hair cut, eyebrows waxed, a manicure, and a pedicure - I know, my life's hard.  I was getting this all done because bright and early Saturday morning we had ENGAGEMENT PICTURES.  Friday night, Matt and I stayed home, cooked our famous "Mexican meal" and watched Baylor almost beat UConn (SIC'EM BEARS)!!!

Saturday morning we were up early, well, at least I was! I let Matt sleep in.  We had picked out or clothes the night before, so I figured for him to get ready it wouldn't take long, so he had plenty of time to sleep-in some.  We left the apartment around 9:10 and headed to UVA grounds.  We parked in the parking deck and walked around grounds.  We ended up on the lawn, by the tree that Matt proposed at waiting for Bill, the Photosmith.  Bill and Matt have known each other since Matt started working for UVA Women's basketball.  Bill takes the pictures of the kiddos at the basketball camps in UVA original jerseys with head coach Debbie Ryan by their side.  Bill was generous to offer to take our engagement photos, and on Matt's recommendation, we graciously accepted. I had heard about Bill, but was very excited to meet him on Saturday.  Bill did not disappoint.  He was a delight to work with - and I knew this the minute we met, when he hugged me.  You know, we Southern girls are huggers! Bill was hilarious, flattering, and understanding (aka he's going to photoshop out my huge zit that appeared above my lip Sat. morning...ha! ha!)!  We did several different poses on the lawn and in  the areas around it at UVA.  Matt and I are waiting to see the photos - Bill is going to be emailing me with a link to see them online.  I'm not sure how many we will share unti

l that zit has been photoshopped! Ha! Ha!

After that, Matt and I walked from the lawn to the corner.  The corner is like the hot-spot right off of UVA's campus.  There are shops, bars/restaurants, Arch's (best yogurt ever), and more.  After browsing through Mincer's - a UVA shop, where I picked myself up a UVA v. Texas Tech long-sleeve football game shirt (on sale).  Then on to lunch at the College Inn.  I've never eaten there before, but Matt ate there with his family after he graduated from UVA.  It was tasty, although all I got was a salad.  Matt and I were eating early and light because we had dinner reservations at THE MELTING POT - our favorite restaurant.

Then it was home to change clothes and exchange birthday presents.  Man, I absolutely LOVE birthdays!!!!  I love growing up and I love presents - put those two things together - FANTASTIC!  I was totally shocked by Matt's gift - he did a frame - technically a shadow box.  He decorated it with stuff from a hobby store and added pictures from our trip to Washington, D.C.  It was so thoughtful, creative and very touching!  Matt opened up my parents birthday present to him first - playstation 2 game NCCA '09 (a game that he absolutely loves, and plays all the time) and then my gift, a 16GB Apple Itouch (which I now lovingly call his toy and he hasn't put down since he opened it).  After presents it was time to head out for a very special appointment....

We got to our appointment at Men's Warehouse 1 hour early - I know, I'm way to punctual...it's a curse!  However, it worked out absolutely perfectly - because within an hour we had tuxes picked out for Matt, groomsmen, ringbearers, and fathers! We also had Matt measured so he's ready to go and for his tux to be shipped down to Pensacola (closest MW to Sandestin) for the wedding next year!!! Woo-hoo!!!

Then it was back to Matt's apartment for a littler R & R from our busy morning before heading out to dinner.  We got showered and dressed for dinner and then it was off to the Melting Pot.  The had a new menu out that we tried and loved.  We actually even chipped in the extra $5 for the lobster, and it was delicious!!! So yummy! And, I had the most fantastic glass, ok 2 glasses (Matt was driving) of white wine - so tasty! Hence the above picture, it is from our private booth at the Melting Pot.  That's right Matt requested a special very private booth, and we had our waitress take our picture.  It was a awesome end to an amazing and busy day! 

When we got home last night we made a birthday call to Matt's sister Katharine and then hit the hay after a long and exhausting day!  Thankfully today has been a laid back and relaxing afternoon - where Matt has been laying in bed watching Redskins kick some Cardinal (not my Cards) butt and me watching some NCIS on my computer and catching up with some emails. Good stuff.  So, off to do more relaxing before my 10 hour drive tomorrow and the beginning of another week of law school when Matt begins another week of work!