Erin Shaw Street

Trick or Treat! Thank you, thank you very much.

 

Nate was a huge hit tonight during our trick or treating. The best part? He asked to be Elvis on his own. Even better? He knows all the words to "Jailhouse Rock."

Though he was a little shy to sing them on people's doorsteps as we went house to house. Not as shy to score some candy (it seems like this is the year that it's clicked for him). I advised him to say "Thank you, thank you very much," but he was too busy trying to keep his wig on.

Alas, come 7:30, Little Elvis was curled up asleep on his chair, wig and glasses by his side.

  

Wordless Wednesday: Election Edition

As seen while driving through somewhere, VA last week. He's got my vote. Extra espresso please.

Through strength I found love.

We had a great weekend with the family. It started with a tribute to my grandmother at Brannon's, which Dad blogged about beautifully. There were Irish ballads and heartfelt stories, and tears and Hennsy. An Irish belle couldn't have wanted for a better tribute.

The  next day we rescued a dog that wandered off the golf course onto my parents' backyard. The owner barely said thank you when she picked her up 24 hours later. t Glad she made the ball game, though.

Tonight we had a fanily dinner at Flip Burger and went to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of AL Pink Private Shopping Night. I was on the committee. We got home (to my parents' basement), where Ryan and I listened to this song again and again. This is him. And thus begins another week. Bring it,

I hiked. And survived. (What I don't do for a photo shoot.)

Today I hiked so deep into the woods of Virginia I really thought that I might not make it out.

We took some amazing photos for our shoot.

This was after I twisted my ankle last night and swore that I wasn't going back. I went back this morning. Huffing and puffing, reaching for branches to stabalize my city-slicker self, I wasn't sure I'd ever get out of the deep canyon where we climbed for our photo shoot.

Right when I thought I couldn't breathe any more, we hit this. I could breathe.

 Our subjects were delightful. (And patient in showing me how to climb steep hills and over slippery moss-covered rocks. I even learned what "bushwhacking" means. These ladies are fierce. And lovely.)

Here I am with our fantastic stylist Celine, who makes everything more beautiful. (She encouraged me to get up each time I slipped a little. Thanks Celine.)

So, back in Birmingham, I'm achey, and getting ready to ice my ankle. But I saw this:

Then drank this at a place called Devil's Backbone, with the most amazing view of the mountains and their fall colors.

Also wrote an essay with the finer details of this adventure (will post later). Putting finishing touches on that. Glad I did it -- all of it. Looking forward to sharing more of the story ...

Wordless Wednesday: Bears, Beware

Shooting at a Virginia resort outside Lynchburg. There is signage that says it is a bear-friendly community...

Shellie Street Named University of Alabama Homecoming Queen!

The word just came -- our Shellie has been named Homecoming Queen at the University of Alabama!

Here's the story from al.com.

We're so proud of Shellie -- most of all because she is as brilliant, kind, and taleted as she is beautiful. She was already Miss University of Alabama, and represents the university and our state like no other.

Yeah, we're biased but I'm also not a sucker for stuff like this. Shellie, however, is the real deal. We've been so lucky to have Shellie at the university these past three and a half years -- she's made us all proud, including her cousin, the chemistry professor (now the lesser well known Street on campus).

We have another queen in the family -- hooray!

 Related Links:

Street Royalty: Shellie Street named Miss University of Alabama

 

Halloween Preview: TCB In A Flash

Nate tried on his Halloween costume today. Needless to say, I think it's the best thing ever.

Related Posts:

Elvis Monday: Long Live The King

Mandatory Margarita: Elvis Birthday

Elvis Tree: The Valentine Edition

Wordless Wednesday: Have Puppet Theater, Will Travel

In today's edition of "what I am carrying home from the airport" I bring you a puppet theater found at a Ross on Jacksonville.

(A far better gift than my first ever bed bug bite last night. Yikes.)

My boo at the zoo

 
 

 

 

 

If there was ever doubt this child was related to me, check out these photos from our trip to the opening weekend of Boo At The Zoo.

Yeah, he's mine, alright.

We were fortunate to do "Boo At The Zoo" again this year with our Aunt Lily, in town from Miami. She is a seriously good sport to put up with us all weekend long, including zoo night, multiple backyard soccer games at mom and dad's house and our tribute to John Lennon Sunday morning at the club.

And by "club" I mean country club brunch, so get your mind out of the 50 Cent version (see: "In Da Club.")

Next stop: a photo assignment in my home state tomorrow, planning for our first annual Santa party, and life in between. Anyone want to pack for me?

Related Posts:

All Saints Day

Raising a glass to Uncle Charlie

Moonshine Tasting

This is what (part of) my Friday afternoon looked like:

 

That's moonshine. Completely legal moonshine, that is. (This Washington Post story gives a good explanation to the trend.) One of my colleagues invited me to participate in a testing, leading to my Facebook status update yesterday that I was "doing yoga" and "drinking moonshine" in the same day. (Yes, I am faithful to my Friday lunch time yoga classes. It's all about the balance).

I don't know much about moonshine, so it was interesting to sit at the tasting table with people who do. It wasn't the scene that you'd think of when you imagine people drinking moonshine -- no banjo playing in sight. In fact, it was all quite civilized, much like a wine tasting in which we rated several varieties based on aroma, appearance, and taste.

 
To quote one of my colleauges: "This stuff clears your sinuses."

I can't say that I'm going to become a moonshine connoisseur -- going to leave that to the experts and stick to my pinot gris. But it sure was fun trying ...

Related Post:

The Erin Shaw Street Cool As A Cucumber Cocktail