The show is over and the monkey is dead, everyone!
(My granddad use to say that)
Rachelpalooza 2013 was fantastical and one of my favorites thus far! The days leading up to the 23rd are always fun. I kicked off the week with a birfday hat, boa, and a little mixed drinky drink. (Yes, that's the same ensemble I dressed the pups up in on their birthday a couple weeks before)
I finally got a hold of a Roo Cup! These are sold by Kangaroo gas stations, and you purchase one and then you get $0.25 refills in them all summer long! There's a location right up the street, so when I saw the signs advertising the cups, I stopped in to get one. The first few times I went in there, they were out. Low and behold, Rachelpalooza week rolls around, and they were in stock!
The gas station guy probably thought I was crazy. I have an absurd obsession with fountain diet coke. The cans and bottles just don't do it for me, but I will lay down in the road for a fountain one. Knowing I could get $0.25 refills suddenly turned me into Jessie Spano from Saved By the Bell. I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! (I literally said it about 5 times to the attendant)
My roomie Katie sent me this pic from Sonic:
They were clearly celebrating mah birfday but masked it as National End of School Day. Fun fact: My kindergarten graduation was on my birthday way back in 1990.
These sweet Belk commercials featuring sweet baby Cam started coming on the tube (or maybe I just started noticing). He has a line of men's clothing called MADE. I just figured out the logo. The M A and half of D in gray spell Cam backwards. GENIUS!
Another Rachelpalooza miracle: Murray found my War Eagle glasses!
I couldn't find them after the Mother's Day lake weekend and thought they were gone for good. It's amazing how long I've held onto those $3 things.
Tuesday night in Bham, some of my friends and I went to Otey's for dinner and some drinks. Sweet little Kate stopped by and brought me a cake, champagne, and Junior Mints! DELICIOUS!
In a classic Kate move, the cake was perfectly iced and delicious.
I went to Auburn the next day to celebrate with Murray and my sissy and some friends.
Nose pinchin'
Tom, Josh, and Bink
Caroline, me, and Murray
We went to Bodega that evening to usher in Rachelpalooza at midnight. EEE!
During the day, it was time to prep and head to the lake! We stocked up on the essentials..
Dad took us on a boat ride when we arrived.
EEE! 28, so far, so good!
Dad asked what I wanted for my birthday dinner. There is only one answer to this question:
STEAK!
Have you ever seen such deliciousness?!
We Herrings eat our meat pretty much rare. My mouth is watering just looking at this yummy-ness.
We had an appetizer of shrimpies before the steak, and these were all that were left. Dad made this fancy presentation of them before putting them away so he could tell if anyone ate them before the next day.. Murray got to 'em before midnight haha.
Friday was when all our friends made their way to the lake!
Josh and Murray
John and the pups, Brayden and Possum
Binky and Caroline brought some festive party hats and crowns!
Birthday couple!
2 out of the 124483 dogs we had at the house. (I think we had around 10 hanging out at some point.)
We went on a boat ride to pick up some skis, and we passed Nibblers, the restaurant boat! We stopped and got a milkshake (thanks, Carol!) and some hotdoggies. Go like their Facebook page to find out where they'll be on the lake if you're in the area!
Once we got back to the house, a couple of us skied! Josh is really good, so I was nervous to go after him, but I got up on my second try and rode for a long time.
Murray got some pics (a little blurry, oops!). Look at the moon! We came around a corner and I screamed from the skis "THE MOOOOON!!!!" hahaha.
This picture is giving me difficulties, but I thought it was funny how Parker looks like he's about to push me over with his finger haha
Once we got back and cleaned up, we had a delicious dinner of burgers, then Murray and I opened some gifts.
A seahorse and shark float! EEE!
(photos via Caroline)
Can you spot the string arts above? I bring those things everywhere.
No it's not the lighting folks, I am as pink as the float. Note the aloe in the foreground, and the strapless dress so nothing touched my shoulders.
Shortly afterwards, about 14 of us piled into the ol' Tahoe and mom dropped us off at Colonel Tom's for a little karaoke.
My FaVoRiTe ThInG!
The boys sang their favorite, "Shoulda Been a Cowboy".
I naturally sang my go-to song, "Bohemian Rhapsody" but I didn't get a pic. Wah wahhh.
The next day, it was back on the water. Of course we had to break in our new toys!
photos up and below via Caroliney
Since I was so burned, I took extra precautions for protecting myself against the sun.
When we got back from boat riding, dad had fixed up a delicious batch of fried catfish. YUMMY!
Filets and whole ones. So so good.
My pup a lups wanting to get in on the food action.
I, along with just about everyone else, took a big ol' cat nap after the giant meal and woke up around 10:30pm. Oops. I went to bed shortly after that to rest up for the next day.
Chimney Rock!
It was Sunday, so it probably wasn't as crowded as it was the day before, but there was still a lot of people out there.
Tucker and Murray enjoying some Mad Dog.
We picked up Will on the way to the rock, and he brought these festive Auburn colored goodies. Klassy.
Candace, Carey, Kathryn, John, and Brooke did some bobbing.
Aw wee!
Me and Carol.
Once we got back to the house, we did a little skiing and wakeboarding. I can ski alright, and I thought I could wakeboard, but I busted my face a couple of times. Maybe it was because the boat had 14 people on it and wasn't pulling fast enough.. maybe it was the beer.
The Birmingham ladies, Brooke, Candace, and me.
This is the face I make when people make fun of me or aren't cooperating/not giving me my phone back. haha!
Me, Murray, and Tom hahaha
Trey, Carl, and John
Brooke and Candace with their new bff, Will
Sometimes it's fun just to sit on the boat while it's tied to the dock.
too much fun.
Yeah!
Bink decided she wanted to be in front of the picture.
Tom marinated quite a bit in the lake.
The next day was finally Memorial Day which we renamed Mur-Murray-al Day since it was Murray's birthday! We took a boat ride to Chuck's Marina for some pizza. Every boat we passed with a big American flag, we would stand and salute.
It was a glorious day! Yes, that's Bink in the rebel flag swimsuit.
Chuck's!
Not only is this a rebel flag swimsuit.. it's a french-cut rebel flag swimsuit. Her friend picked it up at a gas station. Hilarious!
The birthday boy! The big 2-4. Yep, we're 4 years apart. COUGAR CUB!
Ma, Caroline, and Texas
Bink and Josh
Tucker and Josh. The boys were thrilled with my picture taking.
Some BOBs. (big ol' beers)
Birfday King and Queen haha
The Herring ladies, me, ma, and Bink.
Everyone getting back on the boat after our delicious pizza
Oh, right when we docked, I was tying the boat to the post here below, and the dock collapsed!!! There were about three of us standing on it, and the corner closest to the boat just fell into the water. I held onto the post for dear life as I was sliding into the water before finally balance-beam walking to the safe part of the dock. Sweet Murray tried to rescue/grab me before I went in, but all I could think was that if he picked me up, we would both slide in, so I yelled at him to get back. (sorry mur mur).
We told the staff at Chucks and they came out and "fixed" it with this board and ties. I wish I had gotten a picture of it down in the water (it doesn't seem as scary with just these after pictures).
I was staring at this terrifyingly jagged post in the water plus those nails as my life flashed before my eyes.
Just kidding! It was scary, but my life didn't flash before my eyes. Thank goodness we didn't have kids or grandmas on the dock. They would've been in the water fo sho.
Not as red as I was on the days before, but I still lathered up with 50spf to prevent any more skin burnage. Binky made fun of my sunscreen-applying skills.
What a fantastical lake weekend! I wanna go back!!!
When I got home, I had this sweet card from my grandmother Neanie! She shares my love of Conestoga (best restaurant in Dothan).
The front. So funny!
My ma brought me this Coke thermometer to add to my collection of antique signs, and she also grabbed a couple of old coolers. Dad was suppose to get one, but he was in a super grouchy mood when I left the lake so he said he didn't want one (say what?). I'm thinking I can use them at art shows to hold prints or something.
She also got me some much needed new flip flops (my old ones were pretty much disintegrating) and some new Costa sunglasses! EEE! Oh, and a hangover ice pack for my head.. also much needed now that I'm 28 and still pretend like I'm a college student. HA!
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