Spring Break is here!

Spring Break is here, and that means lots of things: gorgeous weather, lots of excited tourists, and friends! This is always the time that our friends start coming down to get away....which means that we get to catch up!

This week, we got to see our former neighbors, Sally & Ashley Hobbs, and Joy McMasters and her girls. We all ate dinner at Ribs & Reds, which has just come back to Gulf Shores since Hurricane Ivan. We had a great time catching up, telling funny stories, and hearing all about Sally's home remodel!

It's so fun to see old friends and find out what's new in their lives....we're already looking forward to their next trip down!

So much going on....

It has been so long since we've posted, but there's so much going on here! We rarely have a spare minute, but wanted to update you on some of what's been going on lately.

March has been another fast-paced month. When does time slow down? Apparently, it doesn't! We celebrated Randi's birthday on March 2nd at the Mellow Mushroom, one of our favorite pizza hangouts. Trust us, if Randi's picking where we eat, it will DEFINITELY be pizza! It must be where Tanner got her obsession with the world's most perfect food.

Tanner headed to Atlanta on the 13th for a small market. She had a blast getting to know the other reps better. They had fun at market, but also had fun eating at The OK Cafe (a must-try for true southern cuisine) and Maggiano's....which is a mandatory visit anytime the reps are all together in Atlanta! The food is great there, so good that the wait was over 2 hours long!

Bo's been super-busy with work lately, as the roofing industry has picked right back up! He's been meeting with roofers and contractors from Florida to Mississippi as their business grows. Luckily, Bo loves to drive and loves to talk, so he's in his element! He's in the middle of constructing a display for his shop, so a lot of his spare time is spent playing with power tools. Thank goodness he owns almost every tool known to man!

Randi and her cute new turtle purse!

Belated Birthday Visit

Last weekend, we welcomed Paul & Jan (Bo's parents) to Gulf Shores. They came down for a belated birthday celebration, and we were so excited to have them.....especially since this was the first time they'd been able to visit!

We had fun sightseeing and catching up with them. We got to play tourist, which is always fun. We also enjoyed a group dinner with Tanner's parents, since we're lucky enough to have parents that get along so well. We hated to see them go....but are already looking forward to their next visit!

Bo and Paul enjoying the sights at historic Fort Morgan

Walking on the beach in Gulf Shores......a must-do for every visitor!

The Big 3-0!

Wednesday was Tanner's 30th birthday! It was a great low-key day, spent exactly the way we like it! The weather was in the mid-70s, so Bo and Tanner spent the day goofing off, lunching at Sweet Pepper's, and sightseeing. For dinner, we met Tanner's parents for competitive trivia (if you haven't played, it's really fun!) at our favorite little bar & grill, Indigo Joe's. Then we ended the night perfectly....with cupcakes!

If the first day of being 30 was any indication, this is going to be a great milestone year. The hardest part might be deciding how to spend all these great gift cards.....decisions, decisions!

Throw me something, Mister!

Mardi Gras is a HUGE deal down here, as it actually began in Mobile, AL (much to the disappointment of our New Orleans neighbors!). Parades start about 5 weeks before Fat Tuesday, and are enjoyed by all. We take our Mardi Gras revelry very seriously...schools are closed for days and businesses shut down for the holiday. We have multiple parades on Pleasure Island, including a Mardi Gras boat parade! We had a great time enjoying the Gulf Shores Parade this year. The weather was perfect and sunny and everyone turned out for the fun...from small children to our snowbird guests. It just goes to show that everyone loves a parade!

Our friend Leslie's Mardi Gras Crewe, The Pink Stilletos

Nothing says "Gulf Shores" like a big shrimp!

Bo sporting some of his beads...they look great with his madras shirt!

Cupcakes!

Thanks to Sarah Neil and Gelato Joe's, Tanner has been bitten by the "baking cupcakes" bug. Here are some pics of her first few attempts. They tasted great, but we did manage to have icing all over the house and ourselves!

Attempt #1...double chocolate with cream cheese frosting. Major mess, but quite tasty!

Attempt #2....nothing says "Super Bowl Sunday" or "football" like cupcakes with sprinkles, right?

Attempt #3.....The best result so far...although Bo mentioned that the icing looked like something Oscar would make in the yard! It sure didn't stop him from eating lots of them, though!

Maybe one day the cupcakes will look like this....but let's not hold our breath!

Port St. Joe Trip

February has gotten off to a fast-paced start. Early in the month, we headed to Port St. Joe, FL, and the scenic drive couldn't have been better! We drove through the coastal towns of Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Mexico Beach, Panama City, and more. It was a very productive trip, as we were able to meet with several of Tanner's gift stores and Bo got lots of great leads. But don't worry...we managed to "squeeze in" some fun, too, snapping pictures along the way.

The essence of the Good Life!

The view from the road was WAY better than looking at billboards!

Working hard while having lunch at Bud & Alley's in Seaside. They were so sweet to share their delicious chicken salad recipe with us....but we promised to keep the secret! Can't wait to try it at home!

Great new development in Cape San Blas. This is the clubhouse with gorgeous water views.