My Year In Review! (warning...pic rush)

2015 has come and gone. It seems like it happened so very quickly. As my family and I kick off a new year, I wanted to take a few minutes to highlight and remember the events that took place over the past year. Not all of my goals for last year were meet but it was a busy year so those will just be extended into this new year.

January - We started off the year running! New Years Celebrations and fun...
1/17 The Insectarium was a bit icky, if you don't like bugs! Bourbon Street!

February - Getting wedding ready...
2/12 We scheduled Salute for the food at the wedding! (The place of our first date)
2/13 We paid off all of our wedding fees at Beauvoir! It's officially booked!
2/14 Attended the Beauvoir Valentine's Dinner

2/17 Biloxi Mardi Gras parade! So cooold!

2/28 JASNA-LA Tea at the Keller Library

March -
3/13 To see Cinderella with my princess!

3/14 Moving day for John!
3/21 Jane Austen Festival in Mandeville was wonderful.  John's history day.

3/28 TEAAM Trivia Night!

April -
4/11 To the zoo!
4/25 Wedding crafting day!

May -
5/9 Laurel Museum with JASNA-MS

5/18 Ellie's strings concert
5/21 Isaac's band concert!

5/30 Keller library Tea with JASNA-LA

June -
6/6 Started practicum work at Beauvoir, in addition to prior volunteer work.
6/16 Got the licence!!!
6/19 Meeting with officiant!
6/20 BBQ and Wedding craft day!
6/27 Wedding shower!

6/29 Finally in print!

July - Wedding / Honeymoon
7/4 John's reunion
7/17 Nails with my princess. Rehearsal and setup!
7/18 WEDDING

7/19 Honeymoon to Georgia 7/24 To Demopolis

 

August -
8/8 Civil War Ball at Beauvoir

8/13 Kids back to school

8/19 Back to USM
8/22 Bookfest

8/27 Isaac's 13th Birthday
8/30 Isaac's Birthday Party

September -
9/12 Lisa's sons wedding
9/19 Digi Day
9/21-25 John's comps

October -
10/3 Finished practicum work
10/3 Cruisin' at Beauvoir

10/3 Ellie's Honor Choir tryouts

10/7 Hair donation - 15 inches

10/9 John's orals
10/10 KDW Series III pictures

10/17 Griffin Cemetery Tour

10/18 Fall Muster
10/21 Back to the Future Day

10/23 Jackson County Fair
10/28 Ellie's 11th birthday - letter year!

10/31 TEAAM Halloween Party

November -
11/1 Ellie's party
11/5 Chris' 17th Birthday - Wow!
11/6 Applied for graduation

December -
12/2 Judged reading fair - Fun!
12/4 Ellie performed at Carol Fest (Gulfport Honor Choir)

12/4 Harbor Lights Show

12/5 UNO Christmas Party
12/6 Sinatra 100th Special

12/12 Geekonomicon - working with TEAAM

12/16 JASNA-MS birthday tea / officially became treasurer!

12/17 The return of BLUEBELL!!!

12/23 Mandy's Redneck Christmas Party

12/24 Christmas Eve Party at my mom's

12/25 Christmas Day Party at John's parents

12/31 to see the new Star Wars!

The year was busy, crazy, fun, but worth every minute! We are looking forward to all that 2016 holds for us! So excited!!!

Honeymoon Adventures!

John and I can probably say we had the busiest honeymoon ever, but it was so much fun, we wouldn't trade a thing!

Day 1: We spent our wedding night at Beauvoir in the wonderful Hayes Cottage.

Day 2: Mostly driving to Atlanta. We decided to stick with our 50's theme and visit as many 50's style diners as we could find. After arriving and finding our hotel, we visited Steak and Shake.

Day 3:  We began our Gone with the Wind tour with the author, of course, at the Margaret Mitchell House (yes, I did take a picture next to the very typewriter she used to type Gone with the Wind). We then had lunch at Hi-five diner, where we had the best fried green tomato sandwiches I've ever put into my mouth. Then we went to the Atlanta History Center, which was full of things to see including, a 20's style 'Gatsby house, a Civil War farm, a Civil War museum, a talking movie museum, a Olympics museum and some very beautiful gardens and walking trails. We later had dinner at Truett's Grill, which quickly became our favorite spot.

Day 4: Jonesboro is where Margaret Mitchell's grandfather lived and where many of the characters in GWTW received life. This package deal is what inspired our trip to Georgia. We started at the Road to Tara Museum, known as the home of Gone with the Wind, then did the Stately Oaks Plantation tour, which is believed to be the inspiration for Tara. We then took the Road to Tara bus tour with a stop at a confederate cemetery. We later went to the Broadway Diner for dinner.

Day 5: We visited the Atlanta Aquarium and got a special dolphin encounter package (yes, we got to pet a dolphin named Luna). Then, we went to the Coca-Cola Museum, where the Coca-Cola bear stole John's hat. That night, we went back to dinner at Truett's Grill again.

Day 6: We spend the entire day at Stone Mountain, arriving around 9am and leaving around 11pm. It was wonderful and fun filled, including a Duck boat ride, which we got to drive because we were the honeymoon couple, and a train ride. We also took a sky ride and walked around the top of the mountain. We visited the confederate memorial, watched a glass blowing demonstration. We took two plantation tours, played goofy golf, and got to see the best light show I've ever been privileged to witness.

Day 7: Leaving Atlanta, we stopped for breakfast at The Dwarf House, then drove to Demopolis, Al for a trek through my family history. We visited Demopolis Public Library, because well, we all know a library had to be part of our trip somewhere. Then to the Gaineswood Plantation tour. That night we had the best stay ever at the Blue Shadows Bed and Breakfast.

Day 8: This day started with breakfast at and tour of Blue Shadows. Then on to Bluff Hall Plantation tour, visiting the historic cemetery and searching for historic markers that listed my ancestors settlement.

Day 9: Drove to Louisiana and stayed with John's parents and had dinner with them. Then we visited the Butter Krisp Diner for desert with the bestman Brandon.

Day 10: We went on the Houmas House Plantation tour and the San Francisco Plantation tour. Then had dinner at New Orleans Hamburger and Seafood

Day 11: We visited Stennis Space Center and went on the bus tour, which was pretty great.

Day 12: To wind things down, we visited the English Tea Room for a wonderful high tea and then some antiquing and a visit to Vianne's tea house for some Mr Darcy tea to go.

We finished up our tour back home with a nice dinner at Tony's and a walk on the beach!

The big day finally arrived!

After months of fussing about and stressing over every minute detail, our wedding has taken place, and what a splendid affair it was indeed!

My sweet daughter and I had a wonderful time the day before, getting all pampered up at the nail salon. Then once again, the day of at the hair salon.

The groomsman and bridesmaids (and their amazing spouses) and our parents, all helped make our big day come together. They worked tirelessly the night before decorating, to make our vision become a reality. We couldn't have done it without them!

We truly had our fifty's literary themed fairytale dream! It was absolutely wonderful!

I'm thrilled to say I am now Mrs Mangipano!