Late last week my schedule opened up and I learned that we would be able to attend the game today in Athens.  I posted a blog asking for tickets and WOW did you respond.  Thanks so much for everyone who offered.  DeWayne and Edie Grace had great seats in a shaded area in one of the upper decks and I observed the game from the sidelines.  This game was special because it was the first for UGA VII.  Great friends of ours, the Seilers in Savannah, are the care takers of UGAs present and past.  Their daughter, Swann, is a cervical cancer survivor also. 

It was special to be up close and personal with our great Eagles - football players, coaches, support staff, band, cheerleaders, the real Eagle and of course GUS.

Here are a few pictures to capture the fun of the day for those of you who could not make it.  Nearly 93,000 of you did attend - but I know one or two of you could not make it.,

Special Thanks to LGPFA clients and friends Toni, Keith, David and Frank for making this a great weekend! (be sure to see the real eagle peeking over my side-line armband–Steve has done an amazing job training her!)

It seems like yesterday we were coming home from the hospital with our incredibly beautiful, miracle baby - Edie Grace.  It certainly seems like just a few hours ago she boarded the bus last year for her first day of school as a first grader.  Click here to see how much she has changed in ONE year.  Friday she boarded the bus and headed for her first day of school at Pinewood Christian Academy in Bellville.  Thursday night we went to meet the teachers and see the new school.  We were all stunned at how fast they have completed the $4 million addition and renovation.  With nearly 700 students, Pinewood is one of the largest and strongest private schools in Georgia.  The new addition includes a beautiful new lunch room, more class rooms and administrative offices. 

Edie Grace was thrilled to learn her 2nd grade teacher is Mrs. Faye Royal and her teaching assistant is Jennifer Bradley.  Mrs. Royal’s husband, Luther, is the Mayor of Claxton and Mrs. Bradley’s step father is Edie Grace’s "GOD Uncle" Judge Darin McCoy.   "Uncle" Darin was the best man in our wedding almost 20 years ago.  Darin and his wife Anita remain to be some of our closet friends.

It is going to be an great year for Edie Grace.  We are so excited for her.  We have forgotten how early you have to get up to catch a bus at 7:25 in the morning!

This is a little late, but you just had to see how fun this party was.  DeWayne had to clip my wings a few years ago on birthday parties because he felt like I was going to have Ringling Brothers come in eventually.  This party was a blast!  Thank you, Adelind and Sela, for sharing a fun morning with us!  

p.s.  Adelind’s uncle re-furbished Adelind’s mom’s first Schwinn two-wheeler.  What a cool & retro thing to do!

This weekend is the first weekend of the month which means lots of fun activities for downtown Statesboro.  Edie Grace LOVES first weekends.  She is such a great host to our downtown guests.   Of course she loves to sample all of the vendor’s goodies.  It is her own form of quality control.  This weekend’s favorite was the funnel cakes.  So we are adding First Friday and Farmer’s Market funnel cakes to Edie Grace’s "Favorite Things" list. (p.s.  Check out Edie Grace’s new tennis shoes!)

Happy Birthday LEAH!  Your SCOOPS birthday party was a blast! 

(Hey Moms, Mrs. Marcia, SCOOPS’ owner, has  made Birthday parties’ e-z-breezy…invites, pizza, icecream, arts & crafts and games for one price!  Check it out!) 

  No that is not the price my last art print garnered at the last charity auction….nor is it the number of images I have taken this year.  It is the number of tourist that visited Savannah last year.  Today - we were tourists in Savannah.  We learned lots of cool things about Savannah and some of them are probably even true.  We took this tour as part of a new project I am working on for Savannah.  Can’t tell you more than that - but it is going to be pretty amazing.  But aren’t all of my projects?   I highly recommend getting reacquainted with your beautiful city or one close by.  The best part is checking out of a hotel and only having to drive 45 minutes home!

I hope you are having a wonderful, restful 4th of July holiday weekend.  Tonight, we made our annual pilgrimage to the Mill Creek Park to see the annual fireworks.  Of course we had to eat a few hot dogs, some popcorn and lots of other great, heart-healthy food.  Every year, I always say that there is no way the fireworks could be better.  But again this year they were magical.  Edie Grace is pictured here with her friend Shaye.  Fireworks are always better when you watch them with a great friend right?  Whatever you are doing this weekend, I hope you are pausing to reflect on how fortunate we are - even when we are being inundated with bad news about the economy and high gas prices.  On our worse day, as Americans, we are SO much more blessed than countless others not so fortunate to live in here.  So, if you have great health and a great family - then you have all that you need!

Have a Safe and Happy 4th!

I can not remember how old I was when I had my first gallery opening.  I can tell you I was not seven!  What a fabulous and memorable experience for Edie Grace and all of her fellow campers at Art Camp.  For an entire week, Edie Grace was submerged in all forms of art at the Averitt Center for the  Arts and the Betty Foy Sanders Center for the Arts on the GSU campus.  Their final project for the week was an exit show in the main gallery at the BFSA at GSU.  She had a great week and I was impressed with the final results at the the exit show.  Edie Grace wants to invite you by our window - where we have recreated her show for all of you to see.  She wants you to know that she is available for custom commissions if you like what you see.  I want to offer a special thanks to the Averitt Center and the GSU Arts program for running this camp this summer.

   Edie Grace has a summer filled with great camps..but so far last weeks No Joe’s Clown Camp has top billing so far.    The camp was held at the Averitt Center for the Arts.  Edie Grace and her classmates spent the week learning all things “clown”.  On Friday evening, they starred in a clown circus on the big stage at the Averitt Center. 

Edie Grace had a blast.  I wanted so bad to take off the week and join her.  DeWayne is always concerned every year when the fair comes to town that I am going to join up.  I LOVE all things carney.

This week, Edie Grace is at Art Camp.  Tomorrow night she will have her first exit show.  I am looking forward to seeing her week of work - her masterpieces hanging in a real art gallery.  She is SEVEN…wow.

Hope each of you are joining Edie Grace in having a GREAT summer!

We have spent the weekend taxiing Edie Grace to birthday parties.  Saturday she traveled to Jesup to a swim party for one of her Pinewood friends, Adley.  Edie Grace was so excited that she was able to dive down to the bottom of the 12′ pool.  She had a blast and enjoyed seeing some of her school friends over the summer. 

Today we went to Monkey Joe’s in Augusta to cousin Mackenzie’s party.  Monkey Joe’s is a cool indoor playground with indoor inflatable’s.  Edie Grace had a blast with her cousin and her friends.  We have had a blast - but we racked up some serious miles in the “TV” car as Edie Grace so appropriately calls it.  There is simply not enough week in this weekend!