THANK YOU FULMER!

It was hard to watch Fulmer and the last game of his at Tennessee. I have respected him so much, and I am thankful for all he has done for Tennessee. Although I think it is time for new blood, I also stuggle with the fact that he has given so much to the university and it seems unfair to have him leave like this. He is a true Vol all the way through. THANKS PHIL!

It appears that Lane Kiffin will be the new coach. He is certainly young! I can't believe that the coach at Tennessee is younger than I am. WHOA...He seems to have fire, and I am excited to see what he can bring. He was respectful when talking about Fulmer which gives me hope.

Leaving for Thanksgiving???

So, I struggle with the stupid pain this morning, and I go to the doctor near my house. They are nice and get me into a CT scan. Of course, by this time, Morgan is getting off the bus and I am supposed to be going to get the kids. Poor Morgan got home before I did, and she didn't see my messages on her phone before she got home. I was racing home, and she was fine before I got there.

We went to the CT place where they rushed me into the CT (it was after hours and they were super great). I go to get the kids, and the doc calls and says I have two stones. Lovely. I get the kids, and Mike is landing around the same time. Mark comes and drives my car so that we can still go to Hilton Head. Thanks Mark! We didn't make it there until 3:00 am, but we made it.

YIKES...Kidney Stone

As I stand up from my first presentation, I get the all too familar kidney stone pain. I make it through the other two presentations (barely), and I head to the airport (Thanks Amy!). I get back to Tampa, and I thankfully have pain meds at home. I survive the day and night. Freaking stones.

When I got to the airport, my car was next to Mike's car...awwww.

Miami Again

Today, I flew to Miami again on the little itty bitty Continental plane. I am starting to like this flight. It was smooth again, and I slept most of the way. I am reading Nelson Demille's Gatehouse, and it is really good.

I stayed at a Crowne Plaza. I checked in, and I wandered around to my room. It was many buildings and it was quite odd. I got to my building and to my room. The room was huge!!! Morgan could have done back handsprings if she were there.

I go to get a drink. No machines. Only a mini bar. Oh look, you have to have a key. I call the front desk, and they confirm. I walk all the way back to the front desk and get a key. I get my diet coke. All is right with the world. Then, I go to hook up to the internet. Awww man...no wireless. I call the desk, and they confirm that it is wired and you have to get a cable from the front desk. For the love of GOD! Do they not think that people want internet in this day and age? Are people not thirsty? Couldn't they ask this information when I checked in? I get the cable, and all is right with the world again. :)

Happy Birthday to Me

Happy Birthday to me, cha cha cha, kum ba ya, HOOH! Today was a great day. Mike and Morgan were wonderful to me all day. I got to take a nap. Morgan made me cake. I got awesome cards (with GIFT CARDS - my FAV). THEN, my friend Denise had a party for me at her house. She had awesome food, and there were two margarita machines. Gotta love it. I got gifts and everything. It was kind of chilly, but they have a beautiful new lanai with a firepit (and a pool/hot tub). Plus, I am still younger than Mark...:)

Mara showing her love for their Margarita machine

Denise's new maragarita machine

Gotta love cups with maragitas and your name on them

Ha Ha - Mark thinks he is funny with the candles (PS, you are older than I am!)

Better

Don't catch your hair on fire! Whew...thank goodness I quit smoking...

Morgan in Victorias pajamas having fun

Little Alexis hamming it up

Birthday Lunch Early

Today was a rare day. Tony came to lunch! We went to Vallartas (Mike's favorite restaurant but he wasn't there) for lunch. It was great to have lunch with the gang and to be in the office for a bit. After work, we went to Friday's for a quick birthday happy hour. I played the part of Travis though and spend more time on the phone than I did visiting with people. Of course, it was Travis who had me on the phone for a chunk of the time! Mike was also calling, and I got crabby and told them to let me enjoy my happy hour! Sorry Mike!

After Friday's, I went to Chuck E Cheese with Morgan, Alexis, Kylie, Mara, and Mara's mom. It was hysterical to watch her mom get so into the tickets. Apparently, they have been saving tickets for over a year to get to 10,000 to redeem them for a pinball machine. They are at 9,600 (well they were before we went). The kids (and Mara's mom) had fun, and Mara and I had a good time talking. Mike then surprised us by showing up (he said he wasn't coming). We had a great time visiting. Reminded me of when Heather, Ashley, Brittany, Morgan, and I used to go to Chuck E Cheese every week when the girls were little in Nashville.

Atlanta for Orientation

I have been in Atlanta for the past three days for employee orientation. I have to say that it is nice to go through an event like that. It truly makes you feel part of a company and helps you know where to go. The HR staff did a great job of putting it together. We had people bingo which I won (you had to be loud and talk to people - my kind of game!). Of course, we had a few nights of social activities as well. :) It was a mini reunion of sorts, and it was great to see people from out of town. I even saw an ex-Misys person I knew there!

We stayed at the Westin, and it was nice. The only thing I have against Westin hotels is that they don't have drink machines. They do have the mini bar, but you have to get a key (annoying), it costs more (duh), and there are limited numbers of each item (seriousy, two diet cokes for three days??? can't you fill it at least?). Otherwise, the meeting space and food were great.