Grace + Philip

This past weekend Clay and I flew down to Wimberley for Catherine Grace and Philip's wedding. We had the BEST time. From the relaxed, fun personalities of the bride and groom to seeing John (back from Azbaijan!!) and the rest of the awesome Gahan family, it was a full, joyful weekend. We couldn't be happier for Catherine Grace--and we are pumped to have Philip join the family. It was the perfect way for Clay and me to wrap up our summer!

Rachel, John, Grace, Carey, and Clay at the Rehearsal

The guests of honor reacting to a toast

Me and Clay (thank you, Ashley, for letting me borrow this gorgeous dress!)

The Bride! (I LOVED her bouquet)

The two families

Clay and John, looking sharp

Siblings

I love this picture of them!

The yummy brunch buffet

The happy couple leave for Santa Fe! (Clay and I were jealous)

The Gahan men relaxing at the 7 Star Ranch later on that night.

Kay and Clay

Isn't this place awesome?

Even though Texas is experiencing a severe drought right now, the view from the back porch was still stunning.

Congratulations, Catherine Grace and Philip! Hope you are enjoying a relaxing honeymoon!
Thanks for a great weekend, Gahan family! We love you and miss you already!

XC Camp in Gatlinburg

Run, Bruisers, Run was the theme of last week for me. I am officially in love with my team this year--they are thoughtful, fun, talented girls who seem pumped up for a good season. Here are some highlights of the week:
Cades Cove is a gorgeous 11-mile loop. The four girls, Coach G, and I ran it in just over 90 minutes. Needless to say, I was tired but also psyched that my body didn't seem to resist too much. I am planning on running the Chickamauga Half-Marathon in November and then hopefully the Nashville full again in April, so I need to get my body in training shape. This was a good first step! Oh, and we saw two black bears along the way. We literally had to stop so one could cross the road--crazy!

The 2009 XC Team

Our "decades" night. The girls went to Hard Rock Cafe. Coach G and I hung out on the side of the road waiting for a locksmith to help us fix our broken bus. Good thing I had the Pilot! All 12 girls fit in the back of it! Our "rainbow" run

Cooling off in the creek after our second tough Elkmont run.

Our first race is in a week. I am cautiously optimistic.

Garden Delights

A few weeks ago, those of us invested in the McC garden gathered for dinner. Each of us brought a dish that incorporated something from the garden. Look at all the yummy treats! And isn't Ellie, my neighbor, adorable? :-)
Our tomatoes FINALLY started turning red a week ago...which enabled me to try canning for the first time! Is it a sign that I am getting older when I get this darn excited about canning tomatoes? Homemade salsa? Come on, now! Is there anything more heavenly? Haha.

Anyways, the 6-hour canning process was a complete success. All 12 pints seem to have sealed, so hopefully we will be enjoying spicy salsa for months to come!