Weekend #4 - Birthdays!

For the fourth weekend of travel in our 5 weekends in a row, it ended up just being me (Ashley) on my way to Mississippi for a birthday weekend.

Boston surprised Whitney a few week's earlier with the best 30th birthday present -- a flight home to Jackson to see family and friends. Thankfully, it was LSU's fall break, so I was able to drive up on Friday morning and be there when Whit got off the plane.

Right away, we headed out to see family -- with lunch at Newk's with Aunt Kathy, Momma, and Daddy. That night, Whit and I joined her childhood/college friends for a fancy birthday dinner at Table 100. Her friends are crazy (well, at least, Ashley Harkins is ;) ... and I had a great time laughing and listening to everybody catch up with eachother.

Saturday provided another great birthday celebration -- my daddy's 66th birthday. To celebrate, we all headed up to Starkville for the State game. Britton, Courtney, and the boys even met us for the day. It was a perfect, fall day in Mississippi.

I wanted to recreate this photo from about 10 years ago

Even though I had planned to grade papers at the State bookstore/coffee shop during the game, at the last minute, Whit got me ticket from her BFF Bethany. So, everybody ended up in the same stadium that day.

I just about called Graham right there from the stadium to ask him if we could move to Starkville. Don't think I haven't already looked into it since we'd be so close to the girls' cousins in Oxford.

Here's our updated photo -- best halftime shot ever!

After the game, we got to spend some time with the boys -- Rowe and Henry Winters ...

... and a little shopping in downtown Starkville.
Though I didn't plan it, I ended up spending one Saturday surrounded by orange, and the next surrounded by maroon.

After Sunday lunch with family in Flowood (including Aunt Janet and Whit's in-laws), I made the somewhat easy drive back to Louisiana, with a quick stop at the LA Welcome Center for CC's coffee ...

Thankfully, this cutie and her sister were pretty happy to see me when I got home.

Four trips down. One more to go.