Shannon & Lindsay's adventures in Nashville

My sister came to visit! And it was the greatest.

It went like this:

I flew in on Friday morning from SA, landed around 8am in TN.

Went to the grocery store.

Came home, unpacked, cleaned.

Showered. Got ready.

Picked up Shannon from the airport around 3:30pm!

She flew in from Houston for the weekend.

We went "strait" downtown (...see what I did there...)

Walked around. Grabbed some 'appetizers' from Hard Rock.

Walked back to Bridgestone Arena.

And saw Sheryl Crow and GEORGE STRAIT!!!

It was an amazing concert. I can't tell you how amazing it was.

After we grabbed a pizza slice, took it home, and slept!

Saturday! We slept in. Went to brunch at Fido on 21st. Yum!

Drove around Vanderbilt area and showed her where I work.

Went to Centennial Park, and made aquantance with some swing dancers.

After that we drove to downtown Franklin.

We got coffee from Frothy Monkey and then walked around. It was so pretty out!

We then got a nugget tray and ate it by ourselves while watching Honey Boo Boo.

Typical.

:)

Sunday, we studied! I showed her my Pharmacy school building, and then we went to Burger Up for our lunch/dinner. Then Giny messaged us, and wanted us to come to her place for dinner! So then we drove to Franklin, and ate pasta and Blue Bell with the Govin's.

Monday morning she had to leave me :( I adore my sister, and we had the best time. There was giggling. A whole bunch. Almost done with this year, and then i'll get to see her for a whole week in Texas!

Yes, Shannon. I stole these pictures from you.

Engagement Party!!!

I have the sweetest, most thoughtful friends ever.  Marina and Hanna organized a surprise engagement brunch for me today! Marina said we were "studying" but to look nice because we were "taking pictures"...I knew something was going on, but had no idea just how awesome it was going to be! 

So many girls from our class came, and we all had a great time eating Mexican food, talking, and drinking mimosas. I can't believe how incredibly blessed I am to be surrounded by such wonderful people.

 Mimosa - yum yum

 They even got a cake!

 And look at how cute these plates are! They know me SO well :)

 Señor burrito...I think that's what Janella named the piñata

 Some gifts and cards! How cute is this?!

 This was the e-vite they sent! 

 A adore these people!!

Thank you to all of you!!!

Cincinnati or bust!

This trip right here was much needed. After a freakishly cold winter, my family and fiancé being 700+ miles away, getting ready to start a new job, and 4 exams - I needed some air. 

It has been an insane year so far, and I've been feeling every kind of emotion. 

Joy, loneliness, disbelief, gratefulness, stress, blah. 

So off we went to Ohio for the weekend, to party with Marina's super-awesome-Russian family! The Yasnogorodsky's are so great, and I was so excited to spend a couple of days out of Nashville and with a family.

Here are us crazies. Marina, Hanna, and Patrick & I. 

 4 1/2 hours later we made this curve into the Ohio River Valley, with Cincinnati just up ahead - so pretty!!!

 Crossing the Ohio River and the Kentucky-Ohio state line.

 Our Saturday started out with shopping in Mason, OH, followed by lunch in Newport, KY - Here is a view back into Cincinnati from Newport.

 Our little Johanna was right at home in the German restaurant - look how excited she is!

 Microbrewery

 The Rippy's

 The accordion player! He played the chicken dance and we stood up in our chairs to dance

 Cincinnati 

 The Purple People Bridge

 The Russian Restaurant!!! There was food (oh, so much food), there was dancing (oh, the dancing), there was vodka (4 of us drank one bottle, thanks to Marina's dad being such a gracious host). It was such an awesome experience!

 Here's the drive back! There is the Corvette factory, where they had a sink hole just a couple of weeks before.

 Hanna was weary about going to a Rest Stop (because of some horror movie she saw) - but they were really nice and she picked up all sorts of maps and brochures. Patrick drove back and she routed us! Marina and I were the kids in the back eating Cashews (and someone had a slight hangover.)

Such a good time. Back to the grind!

We're engaged!

On January 19th 2014, Bryce proposed! Both of our families were there in Houston, and it was a beautiful weekend to be home in Texas. We are planning the wedding now, and hoping to get married this December! Yay!

HOME: Holly, Jolly and Whatnot

Where did that first semester of pharmacy school go? Hello? The days are long but the years are short, that is for certain. What a relief it was to be finished!! And look forward to a 3 week vacation. 

The holiday was filled with the following:

some great Texas weather (in December its fall there, don't ya know) 

a trip to Disney World over Christmas with my crazy fellow-Millards

lots of time with my sweet sweet sweetheart Bryce

amazing time to be at home with my family

a visit from my amazing former boss, Debbie

A visit from our newlywed besties - B & Stevo, repping San Angelo

A Chick-fil-A bowl victory from our Aggies and Johnny Football

A great New Years visit from bestie Jamie, repping Austin

Much Whataburger

All to end with a monster winter storm, canceling school from 2 extra days

What a blessed season! Sad to leave Texas. Back to the grind, where it is much colder but I have some pretty awesome friends :) I'm so thankful

This is both what I left, and what I came back to in Nashville

 The know how to do Christmas at the Opryland Hotel, that is for certain.

 Drive to Kendalia and through the Hill Country with Bryce. 

 Bryce and I getting happily lost and making our way to Blanco, TX

 Our side yard tree in December

 My not so little brother open Christmas gifts

 It's a Wonderful Life! BEST.

 In the Bayous of east Texas and Louisiana, making our way to Orlando

 My least favorite spot in Mobile, AL

 Magic Kingdom on Christmas night! We spent 17 hours of our Christmas here. Bam.

 "That pizza place in Orlando that we always go to when we come", finally learned the name is Giordano's (?)... I think...

 Go Charger basketball

 Granddad's 84th birthday at a German restaurant in good ol' Fredericksburg, TX. Ain't he cute?

The church we went to on Christmas Eve outside of Orlando. It was awesome! Lifted all of our spirits after the long trip. Jesus' birthday!!!!!!!!

I need more people pictures! I'll steal some from my mom and post them.