Tourist in my own city (part deux)

Please forgive me for the lapse in my posts. Life has continued to remain crazy. Thank you for the prayers for Christopher's granddad, please continue them as he is moved back home today to start hospice care.

2 weeks ago, my dear friend Shannon and her precious girls came to visit (finally!) We've been trying to coordinate our schedules forever for her to get down here and this summer it finally worked out. So, once again I got to be a tourist in my own great city of Memphis as I did here back in January of 2010. PS It's a lot better doing this stuff in January than in July. WHEWEY! Was it ever HOT!

Took them to the zoo. Little did we know it was free day for all TN residents. Let's just say the zoo was a zoo (pun intended)

Doing the Shrinky Dinks they got at The Children's Museum (my mom was still there at that point and took them while I was at work)

Shannon made amazing goulash for dinner and a roach (yes, my house is clean and Terminix does come and spray but it is the south afterall) crawled over her foot, so this was her solution. Don't worry, I killed it!

We all had way too much fun playing "Just Dance," Just Dance 2," and the "Michael Jackson Experience" on the Wii!

Of course we had to go to Graceland!!!!

Iris with her Icee at the Redbirds game.

Larae got a giant ice cream.

All in all, a good visit. It's been way too long since I've gotten to hang out with my Micklatcher girls!

Don't Stop, BELIEVING!!!

I ♥ MEMPHIS! I think I live in one of the greatest cities in America. We have history, culture, it doesn't take forever to get to any one place in town, we have amazing restaurants (and not just the BBQ joints!), lots of famous people are from here (from the obvious ones: Elvis, Justin Timberlake, Al Green to the not so obvious ones like Dixie Carter - LOVE HER!, Wink Martindale, Reggie White) I could go on and on and on.

In the past few weeks, my love has grown even deeper, not just for my city but for my love of NBA basketball. I ♥ The Memphis Grizzlies!!! We have had so much fun following them this season and watching them go on to the NBA finals. Although the loss yesterday was sad, it is so nice to see our beautiful city in the news for something positive. (Having been temporaily displaced from Memphis, and the south for 11 years of my life, I can tell you that the rest of the country has no clue as to what it's really like down here.) Anyway, Christopher and I have had the pleasure of going to several games including 2 playoff games (he actually went to 3 playoff games) I was at Music Fest but I still watched it! Here are some pictures of us this weekend when we watched the Grizzlies win Friday night and then welcomed them back home yesterday:

"Believe Memphis" has been the slogan for the season, it seemed to have worked!

Al Green (a very famous Memphian) sang the National Anthem. I always get goosebumps when I hear it, but especially hearing him sing it!

This was the name of the halftime act, I found it humorous when they said "The Amazing Christopher!" He came out with these bars attached to him with these manaquins dressed like the Village People (he was the Indian) and when he moved they all moved and dance. He lipsynced all (3) of their hits. Check it out here.

With our "Growl Towels" and free "Believe Memphis" shirts. Mine is more like a nightgown.

Grizzlies win!

Where the Grizzlies land, we thought maybe Christopher being a Wilson as well, would hook us up with meeting the players. (okay, not really)

It was unseasonably FREEZING yesterday!

Their plane. The pilot waved his yellow growl towel out the window (unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of that.)

Sorry for the blur, but that's Zack Randolph in the stripes and Mike Conley in the maroon.

Haddadi

OJ Mayo rockin' that Burberry shirt and had Louis Vuitton luggage to DIE for!

Tony Allen also walked by us and Shane Battier (who I met the week before, SO CUTE!) C got pics on his phone.

All in all, a great season for the Grizz. We're looking into getting season tickets for next year. If anyone is interested in sharing with us!

One Last Hurrah (or HU-RAH!)

My little brother, Kyle, is leaving for bootcamp in 10 days! More power to him, I wouldn't be able to handle it. So, next Friday I leave for Colorado to see him sworn into the United States Marine Corps and leave for Camp Pendleton. (added plus, trip to San Diego in August when he graduates!) For one last hurrah (or Hurah as the USMC say) baby bro came to Memphis for Beale Street Music Fest (BSMF) at Tom Lee Park, downtown. I'm still exhausted! We didn't get in bed before 1 or 2am the whole time he was here. This was taxing on 28-year-old big sis who likes to go to bed at 10. Not to worry, we weren't affected by the flood, nor did we get rained on.

First night at BSMF, we spent a lot of time at the Budweiser tent watching the Grizz game. (We won! So excited to see them in the NBA Finals!)

Day 2 at BSMF, starting out on Beale Street.

Saturday night with my 2 favorite fellas

Kyle's last night in town, dinner at Rendezvous (world famous ribs, if you've never been stop what you're doing and get down there!)

Then on to Silky O'Sullivan's so Kyle could have his first Diver. Thanks to his big sis, Kyle was later pulled up on the stage. All I did was ask if they would play The Marines' Hymn, I had no idea they'd pull him up on stage and embarass him! Of course, a Marine veteran congratulated him later and gave him $20 and said drinks on him. A good visit, all around.

This is Tom Lee Park 1 week after BSMF. Crazy!

Secret Memphis Treasure

This weekend when Bryan and I were at a Halloween party, we were told about an estate sale we should go check out. So, Sunday we went to the Annesdale house right at the corner where Lamar and Central meet. What a gem! The house is goregeous and you'd never know it was there. The house is going up for sale, I hope whoever buys it does something really cool. It would make a great B & B or a great wedding venue. There was an article written about it in The Memphis Flyer on Friday.

Front of the house

Side view

Driveway