Adventures through pictures.: Whirlwind.

You always hear that summer comes and goes like a whirlwind. What does that even mean anyway? A whirlwind? I guess I just have no appreciation for sayings. I also guess I don't find this saying as cute anymore because of my actual new fear of being sucked up into a whirlwind. Well, as you might have guessed, the past 20 days of blog-slacking really have been filled up to the proverbial brim! First of all, I am a whole 'nother year older since I last blogged. That's right! Baby Joanna is 23 and loving every minute of it. This also means that a new season of Project Runway started on none other than the big day itself. Who could ask for a better present from the Lifetime Network?? Okay, okay...well my wonderful Hubby Graham bought me a new, tiny Sony Cybershot camera!! I love it and I'm sure you're going to love it because it frees me up to leave my big momma camera at home and have a new baby pocket-size version to take more pictures! We also went out to a WONDERFUL birthday dinner here in Cedar Falls at one of our favorite restaurants called Bourbon Street and just got to relax and enjoy each other during a very VERY busy time in our lives.

Enjoying my "fun" drink!

Graham enjoying the "fun" rolls! Seriously, these are the best dern corn muffins you'll ever try. And believe me, I've had my fair share of corn muffins.

In the restaurant, which is made to look like the streets of New Orleans. Maybe we like it so much because it wants to be Southern as much as we do!

In continuing the celebration festivities of the week/2 weeks/however long I want to claim as my birthday, we got to go out with some new friends here in the area! We had a lot of fun...probably too much fun for me having to get up at 5:00am to run 16.0 miles the next morning, but hey. You do what you gotta do, ya know? (That's right I said 16.0 miles. I've done this with my ballin' running partner twice now. Kill self.)

The girls directly to my left in the picture (in the pink and black) and two to the right of me (in the grey cardigan) are the two other event coordinators I work with! (Well...not for too much longer (insert sad face) which I will explain later)

Again...continuing the festivities, Graham took little ol' me to spend a day in the big city we know as Des Moines! The capital of Iowa, it boasts so many things I love like zoos, malls and P.F. Changs. We just happened to hit up all three of these beloved places in one day! Here are some highlights:

Graham petting the Galapagos turtle at the Des Moines zoo.

This is an awesome moment for me since I have had a tradition of sitting on a statue of a Galapagos turtle since I was little every time we went to Busch gardens in Tampa, FL! Look Mom, I found a real one! Too bad I was too scared to hop on...

Baby pygmy goats = cutest.things.ever.

Operation life goal pet a giraffe...complete.

Silly Llama.

The first weekend in August Graham and I got to spend some much needed time back in the homeland of the North Carolinian mountains. The more we go back there the more I am able to love it. I love the mountains. I love the cool air and dew in the grass in the mornings. I love going for a run from my parent's house and knowing that there will be 2 fiberglass bulls awaiting me .7 miles later. But most of all I love seeing my big, crowded, crazy, dramatic and particularly amazing family. I really never thought I would be living this far away from what I call "home", but it really makes me miss and love each and every one of them even more.

Although quite complicated at times, I am also very thankful that Graham and I are from the same small town and are able to see both of our entire families in one visit! Here are some highlights of the trip through pictures: